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Science of Complexity
The Making, the Rise, and the Future of the Speakingman-Sixth Edition is a bold exploration of how geomagnetic events, atmospheric radiation, and environmental shifts may have influenced the emergence of language, culture, and modern cognition. You describe several “cognitive revolutions” in human history. What defines these transitions?
The cognition improves by two means: one refers to an increased number of neurons, the other refers to an increase in the density of neurons through multiple folding.
In both cases, the neuronal network changes reflect a change in the brain’s energy consumption, because the neurons consume energy, and the transmission of information from one neuron to another even consumes more energy.
In the meantime, the climate has a major role, because at warm temperatures, the brain must consume energy for its own cooling. Thus, at ambient cooler temperatures, the brain can afford to grow its number of neurons and tracts for inter-neuronal communication, because it does not need to cool its networks; this saves energy that can increase the network size, and consequently the brain size. This is the first part of the process, where global cooling on Earth favored the build- up of larger brains.
The second part refers to the modality in which the brain processes the perceived information from the environment. It is known that the brain mostly processes that information in a nonlinear manner (some 66% of it), while the rest is processed linearly. However, linear processing produces an elimination of variables, which do not allow prediction. The prediction is essential for survival and is common for all biota. Thus, humans have in their primitive stage a dominant linear mental processing. As the circuits and neurons multiply, some of them become not entrained into an immediate response to the environmental causes; thus, they process the contextual aspects, allowing the build-up of symbolic representations, and later, abstract representations. As it seems, the increase in the size of the population and the consequent need for socialization played an important role in symbolic and abstract representations.
The third part refers to the cognitive revolutions themselves. They represent a change in dominance between linear and nonlinear mental processing, which changes have produced different modalities to see and interpret the perceived reality. For example, I defined the first cognitive revolution as an occurrence that developed around 70,000 years ago, and where the manifestation of abstract/nonlinear thinking caused artistic achievements, but also made the sapiens consider more contextual aspects, helping them have a holistic view of the environment and spread around the planet. The second cognitive revolution started to develop around 45,000 years ago, when the need for better communication gradually transformed their ‘static’ language into a ‘dynamic’ language around 30,000 years ago. The language was and is linear and is a manifestation of ‘symbolic thinking.’ As it is recorded in cave painting, around 37,000 years ago, this transition occurred from abstract/nonlinear thinking to symbolic/linear thinking.
The linear thinking evolved toward more complex forms until around 15-10,000 years ago, when domestication of animals and plants gradually developed. At this point, linearity reached its peak and led to another change in thinking, where gradually the nonlinear processing expressed its dominance. This was the transition from Matriarchate to the Megalithic Culture that evolved in various stages until 4,000 years ago, when the current ‘material/linear’ era took over. This Megalith Culture I defined as a nonreligious culture, where spirituality, as an aspect dividing the role of humans in the universe and on this planet, was primitively exposed by human thinking. In fact, it was in our current understanding as a ‘primitive information era.
As one can observe, I hypothesized four distinct manifestations of dominance between linear and nonlinear.
What challenges come with presenting a theory that spans climate science, neuroscience, and anthropology?
Presenting a theory that spans climate science, neuroscience, and anthropology is the role of a multidisciplinary approach that produces a unified understanding of a multiplicity of aspects.
Regular fractional understanding prevents one from seeing the ’emergent’ image of our evolution. As the science of complexity explains, the emergent is not the sum of the interacting parts, and its result is very distinct and uncorrelated to any of those parts. As this definition says, my result is an ’emergent’ and cannot be compared to any of the aspects I have analyzed in this process.
First, the ’emergent’ answer to the previous question is that Brain Energetic Consumption has driven our evolution.
Do you believe AI could trigger another “cognitive revolution”? If so, what should we be paying attention to today?
As I explained in the book, in my opinion, the era of Atmospheric Experiments with the Atomic Bombs (AEAB) (1950-1962) produced a doubling of the atmospheric concentration of C14 isotopes, on par with the geomagnetic events from our prehistory, and consequently generated significant pulses of neurogenesis. Such pulses occurred during the period when the concentration of C14 remained elevated up to 20% from its peak in 1962-1964. Hence, the pulses of neurogenesis were in effect on the human brain from approximately 1955 to 1985, or for 30 years. The result affected the neuronal networks of all those born in this time interval. Unfortunately, during the mentioned period, the scientific community ignored the possible neuronal effect of such doubling of the C14 concentration. As unrelated experiments indicate, neuronal effects to various forcing factors vary between bio-positive and bio-negative effects and depend on each individual. Consequently, I postulated that as a result of the AEAB, we should have today a group of geniuses and groups of people with mental illnesses, while these two groups would be larger than in any previous epochs of the 20th century. In my opinion, I related this hypothesis to a chain of ‘technological revolutions’ manifested between 1980 and 2010, when those born 1955-1985 reached mental maturation, being able to produce significant discoveries. In this context, AI falls as a continuation of the previous technological revolutions.
However, here is another ’emergent’ aspect not mentioned before. It refers to the process of ‘quantification’ or the transformation of ‘qualities’ generated by our emotional thinking process into ‘linear qualities.’
Every switching of mental processing toward linearization resulted in ‘quantification.’
Now, digitalization (as another type of ‘quantification’ processing) is fundamentally distinct from AI, because AI attempts to transform the last ‘qualities’ preserved deep in the mind into ‘quantities.’ The potential geniuses, as the actors involved in Al, are still active at present.
There will occur a ‘cognitive revolution’, but this one is fundamentally distinct from any previous one, because here the ultimate target is the transformation of information into energy and energy into matter, and the reverse of this process will be attempted, too.
However, the primary elements of the ‘Al’ era, which are predominantly nonlinear and parallel-computed, are forming up around us, too. Thus, it is a complex transition from one era to another.
The ‘Al’ era requires a distinct type of society because it will imply social and collective intelligence, assembling a socially non-religious spirituality. Here, simultaneously, the new society is building up and will replace capitalism as we know it. This new society, currently evolving around us as smart cities, smart technologies, 4.0 Industry, etc., is tagged as the Information Trade Society. The ‘Al’ is embedded in it.
While ‘digital strategy’ is nonlinear, its underlying technical processes are linear, like the algorithms, and help produce linear complexities. Thus, ‘digital’ in itself is a transition from analog/linear systems to nonlinear systems, like Al. It blends linear and nonlinear to help the transition occur more smoothly.
By contrast, ‘Al’ relies on neural networks with nonlinear activation. At present, ‘Al’ can analyze highly nonlinear, chaotic data and reduce them to simple, linear equations, like matrix multiplication. ‘Al’ is highly efficient at solving linear problems. It can replace complex operations with simpler, linear-complexity additions.
Author Links: Website | Amazon
The book is the conclusions I was able to reach about the evolution of modern human brain that is the subject of my independent multidisciplinary research for the last twenty years.
My research was able to document several of the hypothesis I made during this study. Each hypothesis represents a new interpretation of the probable causes, which significantly influenced the evolution of our brain and which are new scientific matters not discussed previously in the literature.
My initial hypothesis analyzed a series of exogenic factors, like the geomagnetic excursions, the supernova bursts, the solar minima and maxima, which all have in common a weakening of the planetary geomagnetic field, allowing a more intense cosmic radiation to penetrate to the ground, and causing an increase in the atmospheric concentration of C14 isotopes. Then, I was interested to find if the absorption of C14 isotopes in human body may influence the neural networks of our brain. The result was about some temporary pulses increase of ROS generation. Such pulses are documented to be a major stimulus to our neural processes of neurogenesis.
This step or phase of my research being completed, I further studied to determine what environmental factor along neurogenesis may influence our brain consumption processing, and which of these factors turned specific for humans.
The result of my research found that the main factor that was primordial for our brain processing was its repeated change in consumption that ultimately affected the balance between linear and nonlinear mental processing.
However, the change in the processing of the linear-nonlinear balance caused significant changes in the mode the mechanism of generating cognition was affected.
In this new stage, my research led me to identify various epochs when the dominant mode of mental processing became dominated by the nonlinear and linear characteristics.
Further my book analyzed these epochs; the first two of them I called the First and the Second cognitive revolutions, which evolved from around 70,000 years ago to around 30,000 years ago (the first), and from 30,000 to 13,000 years ago (the second one).
To my surprise I identified a new epoch from 13,000 to 5,000 years ago that I called as the hybrid state of the mind. In the meantime, this particular epoch overlaps the era when the dominant Matriarchate became gradually replaced by the Patriarchate, marked the beginning of domestication of animals and plants, and led to permanent settlements and overlaps the Megalithic Culture.
The hybrid state of the mind vanished around 5,000 years ago, when it appeared an advanced and dominant linear of mental processing. This new modality is still active today and was the motor of building of our civilization. It manifested by transforming the previously identified qualities into quantities.
Around 2700 years ago it appeared an important split between Eastern and Western cultures, which preserved in the East a natural holistic thinking, which in the West gradually introduced a logic reasoning.
Another exogenic factor occurred between the XIV and XIX centuries, when a group of four solar minima evolved. The result was a deepening of the linearity by producing mental revolutions associated with an ever increased quantification.
The last part of the book is dedicated to another change of our brain consumption that will generate an Information Society. Here, I also debate the possibility that the neural changes toward an increased processing in visual signals may create another type of hybrid state of the mind but very different compared to previously alleged one that overlapped the Megalithic Culture.
Conspiracy by Means of Natural Selection
Conspiracy by Means of Natural, Selection by Sherman P. Bastarache, explores the intricate relationship between faith, reason, human nature, and societal constructs. The author decodes the psychological and evolutionary origins of belief systems, language, and cultural narratives. Using a mix of historical, anthropological, and scientific perspectives, the book delves into humanity’s journey from primal instincts to complex ideologies, ultimately examining how belief and reasoning have shaped human progress and conflict.
One aspect I found intriguing was the book’s deep dive into language as a tool of human cognition and social structure. Bastarache’s claim that language is deeply rooted in primal senses and shaped by evolutionary necessities was fascinating. For instance, the exploration of the etymology of “V” and its symbolic ties to creation myths was unexpected and cleverly analyzed. At times, the explanations felt a bit elaborate which occasionally made it challenging to follow the central ideas as clearly as I would have liked.
The book shines when discussing the perpetual tug-of-war between faith and reason. Bastarache argues that these two forces are not inherently opposing but are evolutionary adaptations meant to coexist. The use of religious and mythological anecdotes, such as the reinterpretation of the Genesis story, brings a fresh and creative perspective. At times, though, I think the arguments felt more exploratory than conclusive.
I appreciated Bastarache’s exploration of “belief-reasoning” as a natural evolutionary mechanism. The idea that humans evolved to rely on “held-as-true” concepts for survival resonates, especially when tied to modern phenomena like conspiracy theories. Some sections, like the extended focus on primal consciousness and nervous system entanglements, felt lengthy and occasionally wandered from the main narrative, but I appreciate the depth they added.
Conspiracy by Means of Natural Selection is an intellectual yet accessible read for those fascinated by human evolution, cognitive science, and philosophy. Its unique lens on faith, reason, and their intersection with societal myths makes it particularly suited for readers who enjoy critical thinking and interdisciplinary analysis. Its blend of speculation and scholarly insight makes it a stimulating addition to conversations about human nature and belief systems.
Pages: 334 | ISBN : 978-0992159436
Mistakes, Misstatements, Lies and Other Miscommunication Tactics
Norm Cairns’ Mistakes, Misstatements, Lies, and Other Miscommunication Tactics is a witty exploration of the myriad ways communication goes awry, sprinkled with humor, philosophy, and a touch of absurdity. The book oscillates between fictional tales and reflective commentary, weaving a patchwork of anecdotes and insights that challenge readers to think critically about language and its impacts. It’s a cerebral yet playful work that doesn’t shy away from poking fun at the complexities of human interaction.
One thing I immediately enjoyed about this book is its dry humor. In the introduction, Cairns reflects on the evolution of the English language, describing it as both “a patchwork quilt of other languages” and “a disgusting lingua franca.” This sets the tone for the rest of the book—biting, unapologetic, and insightful. I chuckled at the author’s sardonic observation of American English’s global infiltration, not through admiration, but necessity. It’s a blend of erudition and irreverence that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
The fictional chapters are where Cairns truly shines. “Two Detectives Meet the Mummy” exemplifies his knack for creating chaotic yet relatable dialogues. The interaction between Floyd and the narrator, discussing whether “Why?” or “What the f***?” was the first question humanity ever asked, is both absurd and oddly profound. It captures the bizarre beauty of human communication—messy, flawed, and full of unintended revelations. I found myself simultaneously laughing at Floyd’s crudeness and pondering the existential implications of their debate. “The Black Site” explores the grim underbelly of the internet, delving into themes of anonymity and morality. This chapter was a stark contrast to the humor of others and left me feeling uneasy—but in a way that felt intentional. Cairns doesn’t shy away from showing the consequences of miscommunication or deceit, and this tonal shift highlights his versatility as a writer.
In the final reflection, Cairns reminds us of the power and responsibility tied to language. The chapter “The Big Reveal” is particularly memorable, with its poignant commentary on how lies, even small ones, shape relationships, and the world. This chapter left me with a lingering sense of introspection about the words I choose and the impact they have.
This book’s humor leans towards intellectual, with plenty of philosophical musings that might feel dense to some readers. That said, it’s perfect for anyone who enjoys a mix of satire, sharp dialogue, and thoughtful reflection. Whether you’re a linguistics enthusiast, a fan of dark humor, or someone fascinated by the quirks of human behavior, Norm Cairns’ Mistakes, Misstatements, Lies, and Other Miscommunication Tactics offers plenty to chew on—and laugh about.
Pages: 243 | ISBN : 978-1304081292
The Dragon Grammar Book: Grammar for Kids, Dragons, and the Whole Kingdom
The Dragon Grammar Book: Grammar for Kids, Dragons, and the Whole Kingdom, by Diane Mae Robinson, is a handy writing tool for kids in one neat, little package. Robinson presents readers with a succinct list of terminology, ten chapters covering everything from subject and verb agreement to dangling participles and misplaced modifiers. Throughout the grammar guide, readers are treated to engaging illustrations of Sir Princess Petra and Snarls, the dragon. From beginning to end, The Dragon Grammar Book, provides readers with everything they need to address those most common questions they encounter as budding writers.
Robinson begins her grammar guide with a very useful and well-organized grammar terminology section. Teachers, students, and parents will find the opening 15 pages of the book an extremely helpful tool for quickly skimming and finding definitions and examples of each of the parts of speech, punctuation, along with a few writing terms tossed in for good measure.
Let’s face it, kids can shut down at lightning speed when a textbook comes into sight. The Dragon Grammar Book provides the perfect amount of information presented in short bursts that don’t overwhelm the reader. Accompanying explanations for each rule are not too wordy, and hold the reader’s attention long enough to make a point. The ongoing dragon theme is tucked into each of the example sentences throughout the book.
As a teacher, I appreciate the wide variety of topics covered in the fairly short text. The author has chosen to include some areas students will encounter as their writing develops over the course of several years. Chapter One’s focus on confusing words was a breath of fresh air to this teacher. Arranged alphabetically and featuring brief, easy-to-understand examples, this portion of the book is simple to navigate and covers each and every roadblock young writers encounter as they learn to proofread and edit their work.
I give The Dragon Grammar Book: Grammar for Kids, Dragons, and the Whole Kingdom 5 out of 5 stars. Having a useful resource that engages students and includes a wide variety of grammar rules with short, fun examples is difficult to find. Robinson has produced a winner with this easy-to-navigate, all-inclusive, grammar guide for kids.
Pages: 140 | ASIN: 198871401X
Tied to the Trident
Balaji Mohan Author Interview
God’s Phonetics: Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe’s Origins follows a teenage boy who has dreams of becoming a scientist and discovering a theory that will unlock the mystery of the universe’s origins. What was your inspiration for this story?
It was in the year 2008; I came across two interesting verses from the Bible that spoke about languages – One verse explained that God confused people with languages. The other gave me an idea that God created everything with the help of ‘word’…
It built my curiosity and I started looking for a clue in other religions and interestingly I found that even Hinduism, which is considered one of the oldest religions in the world, had also explained something similar to this idea. The drum that is seen tied to the trident of ‘Lord Shiva’ symbolizes sound and creation. The ‘Damru’ plays a significant role in the creation of universe and languages.
This new learning from different religions had inspired me a lot to look at the universe and creation from a different perspective.
Though I never had an intention to write a book about it, I had always wanted to share these new thoughts with someone but nobody showed any interest in listening to me.
When I shared my thoughts with my wife recently in June 2017, using my story telling skills; she immediately gave me an idea to write this and publish it as a book.
It was really a huge step for me and I was very nervous to write a book because I have neither read anovel nor have I written one.
Behind every successful man there is a woman and I am no exception. Her constant motivation and encouragement has definitely helped me a lot in successfully bringing all my thoughts into a book and has also given me a new identity as an author today.
Bavyesh is an interesting and well developed character. What were the driving ideals behind the characters development throughout the story?
Bavyesh is not only an interesting character in the story but also in my personal life. In Hinduism, it is believed that a deceased father will be born again in the same family exactly after a year.
Miraculously, it happened exactly in the same fashion and Bavyesh was born a year later after my father’s demise, which makes him very special to me.
Further, I am a devotee of Lord Shiva hence I named the child Bavyesh; which again means ‘Lord Shiva’ and we strongly believe that he could either be a reincarnation of my deceased father or Lord Shiva himself.
I really wanted to thank him for coming into my life and give him a gift and decided to write a short story having Bavyesh as the protagonist. This made me give a lot of importance and meaning to this character throughout the story.
What is the next story that you are writing and when will it be available?
I am intending to write the final chapter of this book and have it ready by Jan 2018.
Author Links: GoodReads | NotionPress
Bavyesh, an eighteen-year-old boy, discovers the hidden secrets of the universe from an ancient book that he finds in a cave when on vacation. This enigmatic book helps him produce a unified theory that explains all the mysteries of the universe’s origins and goes beyond the understanding of mankind. It puzzles the entire scientific community and opens the door to new possibilities.
God’s Phonetics: Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe’s Origins
God’s Phonetics: Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe’s Origins, written by Balaji Mohan, follows a teenage boy, Bavyesh, who has dreams of becoming a scientist and discovering a theory that will unlock the mystery of the universe’s origins. Mr. Kamal, Bavyesh’s teacher, is determined to help Bavyesh on his endeavors as they work together to uncover the secrets of the world. Through the linguistics of language, the duo will join forces on a mission that will have them flying through space and time.
Will Bavyesh be able to uncover the secrets of the universe and pull off the experiment of the century?
God’s Phonetics: Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe’s Origins kick-starts the story with simple lessons between a student and teacher. It then quickly becomes a thrilling action novel with adventures into space and discoveries that could end mankind forever. We are also treated with tastes of Indian culture sprinkled throughout the story as traditional Indian meals and cultural practices are weaved into the plot.
The essence of philosophy and spirituality is prominent throughout the book as Bavyesh reveals a deeper level of thinking regarding his ideas about life and the world. This is unlike other novels I’ve read about the beginning of the universe with its innovative ideologies that include phonetics as a major clue to the universe. At times the story almost felt non-fiction as it went to great lengths to describe galaxies and religion.
God’s Phonetics: Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe’s Originsis no ordinary story. It’s unpredictable, filled with twists and turns that you would least expect. At first, I thought the story was going to follow a traditional storyline, however, I was drawn in by its unusual events punctuated by a shocking ending. There is also a technology element to the novel with machines and inventions that are described so accurately that you could believe that they were real.
There is a beautiful friendship between Mr. Kamal and Bavyesh as they bond together over their mutual interest in the wonders of the universe. I enjoyed learning about the two friends; watching the dynamic between them switch as the teacher becomes the student. It’s a reminder that we can learn from youth and their curious minds. Bavyesh’s parents, Neha and Kumar also have a relationship to be admired, beginning the novel with a family relationship that will put a smile on your face.
The way the novel is written is almost poetic, as the author describes each moment with a beautiful simplicity. There are hints of symbolism trickled throughout the story, including theories on the number seven and Bavyesh’s name which means “Lord of the Worlds, Lord Shiva, Intelligent, and All-Knowing”. The plot pushes the reader to consider the universe and what other life may exist in the world beyond our own.
I would rate this novel a 5/5 and would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a story that explores the philosophy of the universe whilst dabbling in a dash of action, friendship, and spirituality.
Pages: 112 | ISBN: 1948032414
Why Do We Quote
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering why exactly it’s so natural to quote another person, Why Do We Quote by Ruth Finnegan is a great place to start. This book is laid out much like a textbook and goes over the history behind quoting in a comprehensive timeline. The text is easy to read and peppered with anecdotes which is a far cry from many traditional textbooks. It proves itself to be a wonderful companion piece to any student who may be researching this area as well as informational for an average person to learn more. It’s a look at the subconscious process of quoting and how we are influenced by those around us and what we are exposed to. Quoting itself is something many take for granted and is a process that is so ingrained in our society that we barely realize what we’re doing most of the time. Finnegan will take us on a journey to find out why.
The professional layout of this book would have readers believing that they picked up something from a university or college course. Indeed, this book would be a welcomed companion in a variety of studies from English to the Social Sciences. While the content is dense, it is not too heavy a read. The rationalization that Finnegan provides allows readers to identify more with the subject matter, therefore absorbing and learning from it easier. The illustrations match the content well and there are proper citations for what is being used. This is very important for a book about quoting others. Improper citation would ruin any academic or professional credibility.
Although this is a study disguised as reading material it may indeed be too heavy for a non-academic to enjoy. This is not the kind of book you pick up just for fun: you need to be genuinely interested in the contents or else it will be a book you never finish. To that end, this book may not grab the casual reader. As long as you go into this book with the expectation to learn, you will not be disappointed. Finnegan carefully guides her readers on the history of quotation and gently teaches along the way.
If you are looking for education and a better understanding of how language works, this is a great piece to add to your collection. This comprehensive history of quoting complete with illustrations is a great piece to add to any student or academic’s library. It’s a fascinating study that is sure to grab the interest of those who enjoy this type of reading. Be wary of its length and don’t be afraid to pause while reading it. Finnegan writes in a way that is easy to put down and pick up. Her personal anecdotes also add flavor to something that might otherwise be dry and boring.
Pages: 348 | ISBN: 1906924333
A Fantastic, Erotic, Horrific Tale Like No Other
Fawn Bonning Author Interview
The Heart of Hannen follows Christine Clavin who is not a typical teenage girl, her past is marred by a violent attack. This tenacious teenager must survive a dark world where men own women like cattle. What was the inspiration for the idea behind this story?
I wanted to see if I could fuse all the genres that I love into one work. I’m a huge horror fan. I love the way it makes my heart race and my skin crawl. But I also enjoy a good fantasy, especially those set in dystopian worlds where it’s a constant battle just to stay alive. I guess I just love a good challenge. Add to that my love of a steamy romance and the result is what I like to call a fantastic, erotic, horrific tale like no other.
Christine could use her wits, temper, and sharp tongue to do great things, even under the control of an oppressive culture and evil men. What morals and obstacles did you feel were important to highlight the character’s development?
Christine’s primary obstacle is her violent temper. She quickly comes to realize that failing to control it could mean her demise in this new brutal world. She must win the battle against her own inner demons if she is to survive the monsters of Atriia.
The best part of this book was the invented language. How did you set about creating such a unique and interesting language?
I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed the Atriian language. Unfortunately, not everyone shares that sentiment. This is a series that takes a bit of extra work. It didn’t make sense to throw Christine into a completely foreign world where they spoke perfect English. At the same time, I didn’t want to make the Atriian language so difficult that it would detract from the reading experience. It’s primarily English, with a smattering of Atriian words, most of which have meanings that are easily deduced. Sola=sun, sol=day, luna=moon, lun=night, aya=yes, naya=no, and so forth. I tried to introduce the words slowly, a few per chapter, so the reader didn’t need to constantly turn to the dictionary. As the story progressed, the language grew word by word until it was more extensive than initially intended. By the end of book III, my readers are fabulously fluent in Atriian.
The Heart of Hannen is book one in the Atriian Trilogy. Where does the next book in the series take your characters?
Book II takes poor Christine to horrible places. Just horrible. And book III, oh my gosh, horrendous!
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Christine, a troubled teen with a dark past, is miserable in her small town. Shadowed in shame, she feels destined to live her lonely life as an outcast. She has no idea that her true destiny lies in a different town, in a different world; a most brutal world called Atriia. There she learns the true meaning of misery, the true meaning of loneliness, the true meaning of shame. But she also learns that her bravery is boundless as she battles against a formidable foe, a dark shadow that tries to smother the land. And in the arms of a most unlikely candidate, she also learns the true meaning of love. He is Hannen Fallier, the one they call the foul fraigen dropper, revered by men for his fearless feats, but looked upon by women with open disdain. With a face horribly mauled, he hides behind a mask of shame, deeming himself unworthy of love. That he would seek acceptance from Christine is irony in its purest form. That he would seek her love . . . the ultimate betrayal.
