Hardcover: 448 pages
Publisher: Century; First Edition (1 April 2010)
ISBN-10: 1846055539
ISBN-13: 978-1846055539
Copy: Bought online
Reviewer: Cara
From the inside cover:
Time is not what it seems...
When a drug overdose causes Leoni, a troubled teen from twenty-first century Los Angeles, to have a near death experience, her soul is lifted from the modern world and flung into a parallel time 24,000 years in the past. There her fate becomes entangled with that of Ria, a young Stone Age woman fighting for her life against the ferocious Illimani, an army of evil led by the vicious Sulpa, a powerful demon determined to destroy humanity.
As the invaders annihilate Ria's people, inflicting torture and human sacrifice, Sulpa moves ever closer to his ultimate goal: to manifest physically in the twenty-first century and condemn all mankind to perpetual slavery. The hour is late and any chance of stopping him seems lost. But there is still hope, if Leoni and Ria can rise to the challenge fate has set them. Uniting outside the flow of earth time, they must venture forth into regions of wonder, master their own deepest fears, and fight battles they could never have prepared for, if Sulpa is to be defeated...
I must admit I was somewhat intrigued when I first heard about Entangled. Having read several of Graham Hancock’s non-fiction books, I was familiar with his controversial theories about ancient civilisations (Fingerprints of the Gods) as well as his more recent explorations into shamanism and altered states of consciousness (Supernatural), so I was hoping he would incorporate at least some of these ideas into his first work of fiction. The cover blurb indicated a time travel/battle against evil plot and I secretly feared that Entangled might end up being the fantasy equivalent of the movie Battleship Earth… oh she of little faith!
What we get in Entangled is a fast paced narrative with two excellent lead characters in Ria and Leoni. The action switches between the Los Angeles of today and a Stone Age Europe with both young women travelling to a spirit world, “the land where everything is known”. But as the story progresses, we learn much more about the nature of the spirit world and how it is accessed, an aspect I particularly enjoyed. This isn’t some fluffy cloud romanticised heaven but a weird and alien environment where things are not quite as they appear. There is even some quantum mechanics-type science thrown into the mix, which works surprisingly well.
Strangely the summary missed out what I consider to be an important feature of the Entangled, and that is the inclusion of the Neanderthal people (the Uglies) in the story. The descriptions of the culture and rituals are similar in many ways to those in Clan Of The Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel (a favourite of mine), a very sympathetic portrayal, I thought. The danger they face from the invading Illimani threatens their very existence as a species, and forces them into a change that goes against their nature. The battles scenes are a bit gruesome at times as are some of the activities of the Illimani. Graham Hancock conveys a very real sense of menace and evil, and we are under no illusion about the nature of their leader, the demon Sulpa.
Entangled is told from two points of view, with each chapter alternating between Ria in the Stone Age and Leoni in Los Angeles. This worked well for me and, with the chapters being quite short, it was easy to follow both strands. However, I found the characterisation to be a bit weak, lacking sufficient emotional depth. Another flaw, in my view, was Ria’s modern-style dialogue, which jarred on occasion and seemed inappropriate. Somehow I don’t think ‘badass’ was a commonly used word 24,000 years ago.
In conclusion, I enjoyed reading Graham Hancock’s first novel and the ending would indicate a sequel is to follow. As an adventure story, it works because of it’s zippy pace and there is plenty of action to keep you turning the pages. There are also very interesting insights into altered states of consciousness and the role drugs (both natural and chemical) play in accessing the spirit world. Entangled poses some interesting questions about the early human race and what ancient knowledge we in our high-tech society may have lost over the millennia. So, it’s bring on book two, I say!
About the author:
Graham Hancock is the author of The Sign and the Seal, Fingerprints of the Gods, Keeper of Genesis, Heaven's Mirror, Supernatural and other bestselling investigations of historical mysteries. His books have been translated into twenty-seven languages and have sold over five million copies worldwide. His public lectures and broadcasts, including two major TV series for Channel 4, Quest for the Lost Civilisation, and Flooded Kingdoms of the Ice Age, have further established his reputation as an unconventional thinker who raises controversial questions about humanity's past. Written with the same page-turning appeal that has made his non-fiction so popular, Entangled is his first work of fiction.[from amazon.co.uk]
Plot: 8
Characters: 7
Style: 7
Overall rating 7/10
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