The Ninth Buddha

by Daniel Easterman

A 10-year-old boy is inexplicably kidnapped at knifepoint and swept off into the mysterious East. His father, former British intelligence agent Christopher Wylam, launches a frantic search, finding him in a gilded Buddhist monastery. Wylam battles to rescue his son, seen by some as a mystical reincarnation, and by others as a pawn in a war of unfolding nightmares. Doubleday.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Adventure, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Action

432 pages, Paperback

First published May 22, 1989

About the author

A pseudonym used by Denis M. MacEoin (aka Jonathan Aycliffe).

Reviews

[Mary JL · Rating 2 out of 5]

In 1920, a former member of British Intelligence has retired and returned to England. His wife has died and he is raising his ten year old son, Wiliam, alone. Then William is abducted at knifepoint. Now Major Christopher Wylan finds himself in a unusual chase acroos the world--ending in Tibet.

That is basically it. The book jacket said "breath-taking thriller" but I did not find it breath taking at all. It was merely an average action yarn. I tried it because of the unusual time frame and locale (Tibet, 1920) but even the exotic locale did not lift the book out of the "just average" catagory. Nothing really BAd, about the book; just nothing really good either.

REcommended for thriller/action fans who have nothing else handy.

[Nikos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ωραια περιπετεια με αρκετο σασπενς!!!!!!!!!!

[Socrate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zăpada ce căzuse în timpul nopţii părea emblema albă, curată, a unei alte lumi – puritate pierdută, scufundată în adâncurile firii noastre. Peste Causey Hill ceata atârna albă şi grea, ca un linţoliu îngheţat. Luminile palide ale Ajunului se cuibăreau în penumbră şi ger, strângându-şi flăcările în aşteptarea minunii ce avea să se producă. În conace sau în case modeste, focurile Crăciunului se împodobiseră cu promoroacă şi erau tivite cu funingine. În pieţele satelor, în străvechiul întuneric, din ce în ce mai dens, monumentele noi ridicate în memoria a zece milioane de morţi se îmbrăcaseră în gheaţă.

Noapte şi aşteptare a nopţii ce avea să vină, întuneric vast şi neînfrânt, lătrând sau şoptind pe sub streşini cât e iarna de lungă, asalt mohorât al minunii asupra sufletelor împietrite, mute, ale unei lumi nemântuite şi neiertătoare. Dumnezeu şi aşteptarea venirii lui Dumnezeu. Domnul luminii şi al întunericului avea să se întoarcă din nou, ca de fiecare dată, întrupându-se în carnea îngheţată a anului pe ducă. Domnul Păcii avea să păşească într-o lume abia trezită dintr-un coşmar ucigător, în care muriseră armate de inocenţi, o lume a cărei sete neostoită de sânge l-ar fi făcut să roşească până şi pe Irod. Acum era mai greu decât oricând.

În incinta primitoare, luminată de flacăra lumânărilor, a Bisericii Sfânta Maria, mesa de seară se apropia de punctul culminant Din cauza vremii urâte se hotărâse să se mai facă o slujbă pentru cei care nu putuseră participa la cea de dimineaţă. Vechea liturghie îşi dezvăluia tainele în umbră. În faţa altarului, straiele violete ale preotului accentuau întunericul, aşa cum vocea sa făcea ca liniştea să fie mai profundă.

[Rebecca Popova · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of the most unusual books I've come across. A very interesting period in world history is described (in Russia at that time there was a civil war) and the point of view of a European person on what is happening. The author of the book is an Irish scientist, a specialist in all sorts of oriental things. Among the episodic heroes there is even Baron Ungern who is a kind of legend -although quite negative figure-in Russian history.

[Luke John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps somewhat dated now, but regardless I found this to be an enjoyable holiday read, even if it is rather bleak in its tone.

[Mary Josefina Cade · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘The Ninth Buddha’ is an extraordinary book. The amazingly vivid descriptions and images have left me with an intense sense of pain and beauty, the joys and suffering of the characters. So much so, that I’m unable to read anything else just yet as I’m working through the impressions left by events in the story. Some of which are based on historical people and incidents.

Daniel Easterman’s powerful imagination took me on a time travel journey. I felt I was actually there with Christopher, struggling to find my way through the freezing snow covered mountains of Tibet in 1921. And gazing up into the high places. 'The monastery in front of you is Dorje-la Gompa. But its proper name is Sanga Chelling: the Place of Secret Spells.'

We are far, far away from the romanticised view of Tibetan Buddhism so often presented in the West. There is a hidden darkness at the heart of Dorje-la, chilling, vivid and terrifying. Some of the characters are children and their vulnerability makes it all so much worse. I must say no more, but I can’t forget it.

Passionate and poetic, yet full of gripping action ‘The Ninth Buddha’ is classified by the genre obsessed publishing world as a thriller, but the story has epic themes. The cruelty of war, the lust for power and domination, the suffering of human beings caught up in a political and/or religious struggle beyond their control. But most of all there is love. Even in the worst moments, in the harshest reality, the light never goes out.

[Robert Mehle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Knjiga nije posebno napeta ni interesantna. Sama radnja se gubi u previše detalja koji nisu posebno zanimljivi. Imena i nazivi ljudi i samostana u Tibetu su toliko komplicirana i toliko se ponavljaju da knjigu čini teškom za čitati. Tematski borba za vlast u samostanu u Tibetu koja izaziva silna ubijanja je neuvjerljiva kao i borba za prevlast u Mongoliji između svjetski supersila Rusije i Velike Britanije iz WWI nema baš nekog smisla. Uglavnom jedva prolazna ocjena.

[Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

The aspect of the book I most enjoyed was the descriptions of Tibet and the surrounding countryside. As a book, the plot was odd and had a very unsatisfactory ending.

[Jay Storey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this kind of escapist, exotic adventure story. I especially liked the settings, in the mountains of Tibet. Strictly entertainment, but I enjoyed it.

[Kaylol · Rating 2 out of 5]

There isn't something really bad about this book - except that it's mostly a sad story and not thrilling at all.
I expected it to be a good thriller, but for me it wasn't.

[Ejaz Gosani · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that taught me to first imagine an adventure in order to live it

[TOTO from Kansas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not an easy read but interestingly pretty graphic violence!, but a good story.

[Seth Giolle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't really like the ending of this book. Don't get me wrong, it's a well written book through and through, and the ending makes perfect sense when you get to it. I just would have really liked to see it turn out differently.