Rating: 
Summary: Fantasy & Reality - There is plenty of both
Review: The story line of this book was too weak and far-fetched to enthrall me, as it should have. With several of the main characters having names such as Jupiter, Andromeda, Pluto, and Venus it was hard to believe. OK, these people belonged to a powerful, evil, cult, which required them to forget their pasts and isolate themselves from the real world. One way to do this was to adopt astrological names. Even so, when the leader of the cult was formerly a top scientist in the USA and renowned around the world for his advances in scientific research, it was hard to accept the circumstances, which lead him to set up this loony group. Apparently vanishing from the face of the earth for 15 years, but actually dropping out of society, and living in a home for the insane with his wife's financial aid gave him that opportunity. He emerges with a new name and a group of devoted followers living in a Fort Knox like building and compound. But it would appear that not all of his followers are that devoted. The story opens with his death under mysterious circumstances. Appearing on the surface to be an everyday suicide after imbibing a bottle of vodka and swallowing a few tablets, there is a strong suspicion that foul play was involved. Now the story line developed around our hero, Lieutenant Peter Decker, ("Loo"), provided a firm grounding with reality throughout the long book. He tries his hardest to cope with days on end at work, without sleep, under the glare of the media and the pressure from his police and political bosses, whilst maintaining a loving marriage. This struggle, of trying to be normal and sane and responsible for his headstrong adolescent kids was more than realistic. A mixed marriage to a strictly Jewish widow coming with a ready-made family of teens is reality itself. So, as the plot develops, the suicide/murder leads into a series of worsening events. The cult members not only won't co-operate with police investigations, they actively hamper them. The murders and violence escalate. However, for me, it was too fantasy like to be plausible and the tension that was clearly supposed to be developing just didn't happen. If you enjoy science fiction and fantasy this book is for you, but in my judgement two stars is the best I can offer.
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