I enjoyed the hype around this book, purported to be a global mystery/thriller with mystical elements. However, the story itself, burdened by overlong exposition, stilted dialogue, and more promise than payoff in terms of epiphany and pacing, leaves much to be desired. Despite the advertised trilogy to come, the only real mystery that holds any interest for me regarding this book is the identity of the author, who, I am glad to say, will not read this review, living off the grid and all. My guess as to authorship is a committee of recent college grads, full of big ideas, but unable to deliver a story with emotional impact and spiritual import. The words, more often than not, get in the way, rather than making the way for the reader. For those willing to move on to something better, I recommend reading Tim Powers instead.