The Holy

By: Daniel Quinn

Narrated by: John McLain

Length: 13 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

They knew us before we began to walk upright. Shamans called them guardians, mythmakers called them tricksters, pagans called them gods, churchmen called them demons, folklorists called them shape-shifters. They've obligingly taken any role we've assigned them, and, while needing nothing from us, have accepted whatever we thought was their due? love, hate, fear, worship, condemnation, neglect, oblivion. Even in modern times, when their existence is doubted or denied, they continue to extend invitations to those who would travel a different road, a road not found on any of our cultural maps. But now, perceiving us as a threat to life itself, they issue their invitations with a dark purpose of their own.

In this dazzling metaphysical thriller, four who put themselves in the hands of these all-but-forgotten Others venture across a sinister American landscape hidden from normal view, finding their way to interlocking destinies of death, terror, transcendental rapture, and shattering enlightenment.

©2002 Daniel Quinn (P)2011 steerforth press llc

Critic reviews

“Quinn presents an electrifying, provocative, and dryly amusing thriller with cosmic dimensions.” ( Booklist)

“ The Holy should keep readers turning its pages long into the night, searching for answers.” ( Rocky Mountain News)

immaculate

From start to finish a thrilling path that is flawlessly delivered from Quinn. Well tied together and thrilling, with great narrative performance to punctuate the essence.
Im not sure the description of the book captures the story, as the Holy is just the framework for this investigation of human spiritual history.

Wisdom is Wealth

Reading is the first step towards building an understanding of who we are on your journey towards true wisdom. As a student of history I find that his writing has historical views that seep through his writings as a storyteller’s guide into deeper understandings and research towards unraveling the religious and political secrets that are impacting our collective survival.

A Must Read for Every Introspective Personality

Some writers give you an imaginary world to escape to. Others take you back in time. Quinn takes you on a tour of your own consciousness, with his characters as your guides to show you every belief you've taken for granted, presenting them in a new and different way. Why do you hold this belief? why are you afraid to question it? how would you see the world differently if you did not embrace this idea? what are the alternatives, and how would you live differently if you embraced those ideas instead? if you're the type to silently ponder questions like these, you'll find a kindred spirit in Quinn, an amiable articulate and philosophical friend to keep you thinking long after you've finished reading.

best book I've ever read

absolutely amazing and deeply thrilling. The Holy is, and has been since I read it the first time, my favorite book. I may have many favorite books, but this has been the most significant in my life

Not as strong as Quinn's other works

I'm not sure I get the purpose of the story. The initial direction was to find these missing gods, but then seems to veer off into a missing persons case, which then so happens to intersect with the missing gods which then leads to...what exactly? These "gods" seem to have the ability to bend situations as they like but there's no real depth into how they do it, or powers they possess or anything about them at all except what we're given. It feels like there is some underlying concept about the world of the "lost gods" and how it's separate from the human world but it's not fleshed out in a satisfying way. So it's a "meh" for me. Nothing as significant as "Ishmael".

Great story, medium-good narration

It was a slowly unfolding, gradually encompassing tale, a la The Stand. The narrator was really good until he mispronounced a word and brought the whole illusion to a halt. Multiple times. All in all, a provocative and interesting listen.

A Great Disappointment

Having read and been impressed by Quinn’s Ishmael I had been looking forward to reading this book. The setup of the novel led me to believe that it would involve a serious inquiry into the roots of the “false gods” worshipped by ancient Pagan peoples. Maybe they had really existed and maybe they still did!

The Holy begins with this search but then, for some reason, goes off on a number of blind alley plotlines that held absolutely no interest for this reader. It meanders around for many pages introducing characters for no apparent reason. Finally it tries to tie all the plots together and ends with no real resolution.

By the middle I was ready to throw in the towel and should have, but my experience with Ishmael kept me reading. A mistake. Unfortunately a waste of time.

Many twists and turns

The story ended well though at times the action seemed disjointed. Good character development. Many questions left unanswered.

Excellent fiction dramatizing the occult

It’s rare to find such a good book that fictionalizes occult concepts without skewing the true meaning of the symbolis. This book is an incredible feat of detective work, that brings you through its own initiation of the fools journey. This is seriously one of my favorite books and will probably pick it up periodically through my life.

No main character or plot

Beautiful writing but zero plot development. We begin with one pivotal character and end up focused on his father. This writer has talent but needs to study Campbell's A Hero's Journey in order to gain focus and plot development that ties in all the loose ends to create a resolution. Great subject, great visuals, poor plot execution.