The Traveler

THE TRAVELER: John Twelve Hawks: Doubleday: Fiction: 456

John Twelve Hawks debut novel is the beginning of The Fourth Realm Trilogy. It is set in a present when the U.S. belongs to the Vast Machine, a society run by the Tabula, a secret organization determined to have total control over every member of society. The Tabula lulls citizens into compliance by promising better protection from terrorists and other dangers if a few personal freedoms are taken away such as surveillance cameras taking your picture hundreds of times a day, tracking what you buy from a grocery store, and monitoring what you do on the Internet.

Travelers are the largest threat to this perfect society because they can project their spirit into other worlds and bring back wisdom that often questions the norms of society. They are protected from the Tabula by a group called Harlequins. Throughout history nearly all of the Travelers and Harlequins have been hunted down and destroyed but there is a possibility that two brothers might still have the power to become travelers. Maya, a Harlequin, must race the Tabula to find these brothers and protect them and this is where the real story begins.

As I read this book, I began to question many of the societal trends that are happening right now. This novel brings up the question of how much personal information and control we are willing to give our government, and if we even realize what we are giving away. It basically comes down to a story of good vs. evil. I found it even more intriguing that the author, John Twelve Hawks, has chosen to live off “The Grid”, and has only communicated with his editor by satellite phone or through e-mail. The Traveler makes you think but is also a great thriller that is hard to put down once you start and makes you look forward to the next book in the trilogy.

AL