At 21, Greg Lessing is already hurtling towards mid-life crisis.
A loner by nature, he is a misfit in Whitehall with no serious career prospects. Fraught office relationships mirror life at home, where endless arguments and the chronic pain of a childhood injury combine to weigh down his spirits. Only his passion for progressive rock music and a quiet bar in the West End of London called Club Cramatchs seem to provide him with any true comfort but even the sanctity of this refuge is called into question when he discovers a possible link between the Club's owners and a number of high-profile attacks on Catholic churches.
With Greg unwittingly finding himself a suspect in the police investigation, things deteriorate still further when he encounters several mysterious and enigmatic characters that no one else seems able to see. Fearing for his sanity, Greg's efforts to clear his name lead him to Dormin Manor, a seventeenth century country house with a highly controversial purpose. From there, the complex puzzle that begins to unravel suggests that the echoes of a terrible injustice from hundreds of years ago may still be reverberating in the events of the present.
With different factions each contesting his favour, Greg can't help but feel there is something familiar about the characters involved and one burning question continues to haunt his every move.
Is anyone ever really gone?
Drawing on a rich mixture of historical events and traditional folklore Kâsdejâ’s Children is a fast-paced, intricately plotted thriller with a supernatural twist that provides a timely reminder of the evil of religious intolerance.
If you would like to send in a review of Kâsdejâ’s Children, please send an e-mail to reviews@justinpeterbeaney.co.uk and I'll post it on the site. Many thanks to all those who have kindly taken the time to send their comments in to me - it's much appreciated! Of course, there are a lot more comments on the book to be found within the Guestbook too.
A fabulously rich story with lovely characters! My only wish was that the plot hadn’t been uncovered on the back! This didn’t take away the enjoyment at all though and I raced through the book, reading it at every opportunity! It was written so well that it flowed and I really felt for Greg, especially when his hand hurt! The “scary” bits truly had me frightened which has never happened before with a book and it kept me gripped until the last word! It was last year that I read it and I’m going to read it again! Debi Wilsher, Bristol
Just finished reading Kasdeja's Children by Justin Beaney. Excellent stuff in the Da Vinci Code mold. In case the reference to the 'Vinci puts you off, it's a hell of a lot better than that, weaving 13th Centure French heresies in with Freemasonry and angelism, and making a beautifully plotted and moving fantasy out of the whole thing. Jim Finnis, Aberystwyth
Once Kasdeja's Children finally reached the top of my "to read" stack -- unfortunately, my copy arrived just after I'd borrowed over a dozen books from my local library -- it took just two days to make my way from cover to cover. Had I not been distracted by other aspects of life, I'd have finished in one. Truly, I hated putting it down for a moment! Ironically, I spent the summer studying various Gnostic and other non-canonical gospels and other New Testament apocrypha, including alternative versions of the creation story. Although it isn't necessary to have that background to enjoy Kasdeja's Children, it gave your book that much more added relevance to me. As often as I've listened to "Guiding Light" (by IQ) somehow I never stopped to reflect on the multiple meanings of "Is anyone ever really gone?" Although I follow Tibetan, rather than Zen, Buddhism, suddenly I saw the line as a koan worthy of serious meditation, despite the relatively obvious answer. Thank you for such a pleasurable experience. Doubtless this is a book to which I'll return on a regular basis. I'll be spreading the word. Julianne Wattles
Just to say that I finished Kasdeja's Children today, and I loved it. I read a lot, and it's probably my favourite pastime after listening to music. The book really drew me in and it was such a page-turner. The prog references were the icing on the cake! I often think when reading a book "don't these characters ever listen to music? If a book were written with me as the main character, then there'd have to be mention of my music as I listen to so much!". So it was great to read a book where the main character loves music so much - and of course - what wonderful music! David Hedges, Bromley, Kent
"I found it really worthwhile! It reminded me a lot more of the supernatural novels of Charles Williams and C S Lewis than the Dan Brown pot-boilers, not least because the research was a lot better. I have to congratulate you on really understanding the sinister aspects of Cathar and Gnostic thought." Bjorn Are Davidsen, Oslo, Norway
"It is very well written and interesting and brings up some good discussion points. He has a nice descriptive style. I love how you really set the scene for the readers: you can small the smells, feel the weather, see every detail. You make me miss Britain very much." Carla Huntington, Westwood MA, USA
"At first glance this is not the sort of book I would pick up – firstly, if it was located within the Fantasy section, as the publisher has classified it, I would have just walked past. Secondly, the initial thought of another religious conspiracy theory might have made me think twice. Ignore that – this is a must read!” Martin Gray, Telford
"Justin has managed to take a basic idea which is tried and tested and gives it a new slant. The characters are well-observed and described. If you want an excellent supernatural thriller with a brilliantly unexpected ending then this is for you! It has been a while since I enjoyed a work of fiction as much as I enjoyed this one. Give it a try." Alan Hewitt, Liverpool
"Kâsdejâ’s Children is fresh, animated and well orchestrated. I rate it very highly for entertainment and for stimulating thought about the unknown. It is an easy read but the high quality of the developing storyline ensures enjoyment, with interest retained until the very last page. As this is the author’s first book, I look forward to this next with eager anticipation." Paul Hepworth, Malmsbury
| 
