Labyrinth of Chaos

In Labyrinth of Chaos, Brian Wallace has recreated a classic literary form in a postmodern narrative of a young man's search for meaning. Wallace's insights are woven into a seamless tapestry of profound historical reflections, philosophical questions and cultural edification.The beauty and effectiveness of this novel is it's uncompromising representation of positive postmodern values, as if all the resistances to the accommodation of those values did not exist. This in no way fails to address those resistances. Rather, it portrays vigorous health of body and mind as a standing, totally positive refutation of them.Wallace's 'epic hero,' Alan Agrippa, moves progressively forward into ever greater mystical awareness through purposeful investigation of the geo-history of our mystical European heritage, made possible by the simple, fortuitous expedient of temporary liberation from the constraints of financial responsibility.In his journey, Alan pursues and finds experiences, including the experience of romantic love, that coalesce into scintillating, multi-cultural panoramas of entheogenically stimulated mystical effulgence, articulated within a context that is strikingly realistic, yet at the same time teeming with aesthetic delight by virtue of his inner creative genius. Alan represents for all an opportunity that many may experience vicariously through his journey into the deepest mysteries of life and love.Labyrinth of Chaos left me highly stimulated and totally free to contemplate the deep structural layers of meaning laid bare by Wallace's insights combined with scholarly commentary that tackles, with consummate skill incorporating the most advanced notions of purposeful genetic evolution and quantum mechanics, the difficult problem of describing mystical experience.Bravo, Brian Wallace.

This is truly a unique novel, if ever there was one. Trying to describe it is a bit of a perplexing task. Probably the best association I can make with it would be Jean Paul Sartre's "Nausea." Sartre's novel comes to mind in that it is like a snapshot of a persona's life, as is "Labyrinth of Chaos." In LOC it is a snapshot of a young man named Alan Agrippa. Having obtained a substantial inheritance from his late beloved uncle, Agrippa decides to spend the $$ travelling over Europe on a soul-searching expedition. Over the course of the story we follow him as he travels throughout Great Britain, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Along the way, he meets and strikes up conversations with all sorts of people from all walks of life. Some of these people include a priest, an adolescent with an active libido, a theoretical physicist, a couple voodoo practitioners, several musicians and a beautiful & mysterious French girl who captures his heart. With these diverse personages he engages in conversations that include the topics of anthropology, philosophy, quantum mechanics, religion, history, the occult, pornography, literature, pyschedelics / drug use and much more. The book is filled with references to aspects from all sectors of life.Technically, the book is far from perfect. Wallace does a great job of describing various locales and landscapes, but much of the dialogue is wooden and somewhat "stilted." On the upside, there is some delicious names-dropping and erudite explanations of the historical backdrops of different locations presented in the book. There is also a nice "quest" motif in the narrative in which Wallace forms a nexus between his story and Thomas Mann's "The Magic Mountain." In fact, I would encourage people to read Mann prior to reading this work; Wallace may make a little bit more sense that way. {Of course, I would also recommend people to read Mann whether they read the present book or not, but that's a different story...}This is a very good book for anyone who wants something "modern" and perhaps a little bit off-the-wall. Be advised that some of it is [adults only] rated, tho. Not that that's a bad thing; just that it may not appeal to everyone.

In LABYRINTH OF CHAOS, Brian Wallace dramatically fulfills his self-proclaimed goal to "demonstrate through a time, place, and specific characters that life is something that is filled with intrigue, mystery, and importance regardless of who you are and what you do." Indeed, Wallace's text becomes metafiction as he strikes a balance between autobiography, history, neurology, metaphysics, and the art of writing about writing. Successfully titillating and enriching the reader's senses, the narrator's naiveté, genuine goodwill and flair for encountering the unexpected brings the reader a sense of adventure and immediacy as the protagonist explores both his interior and exterior worlds. Alan Agrippa has inherited sufficient funds to support his exploration of Europe. Shortly after arriving in England he meets Ronia Vintras, an exchange student taking classes in London. Together and separately, they explore the geographical, philosophical, and sexual landscapes of our time. Alan seeks out and discovers metaphysical truths in the European landscapes, expanding to include such things as Junian individuation, quantum physics, druids, and tree fairies. Each new encounter and exploration accompanies joy in the experience and complex philosophical musings designed to make the reader the think. While not a difficult read, LABYRINTH OF CHAOS does make the reader work, reevaluating long held beliefs regarding morals, philosophy and religion. LABYRINTH OF CHAOS becomes increasingly intriguing as the pursuit of the duality of ancient and modern thinking plays out in a text that is uniquely approachable. This fictionalized novel summarizes some of our strongest philosophical minds from Plato to Fritjof Capra, yet making their theories immediate and approachable. Further, Wallace's flexible, open mind reflects the very tenets of New Physics. In addition, Wallace brings a heavy dose of Romanticism to his text; that is, a deep connection to nature shared by such great poets as Wordworth and Coolridge. With a striking balance between the scientific and the philosophical, the mundane and the metaphysical, this remarkable author charts a course to the mystic's understanding of the interconnectivity of all things. Overriding the deep philosophical reflections is a strong sense of adventure, and an overwhelming need to experience and delight in the happenstance of life. Very highly recommended. Bright Blessings, Weaver

After reading lots of different fiction and non fiction, Labyrinth of Chaos was a very refreshing journey for the spirit and the mind. Brian Wallace's creative genius will make your soul rejuvenate.

Alan Agrippa - I mean Brian Wallace - has effectively created a story that sears the layers of ignorance right off the cerebral lobes of mainstream society, exposes the real meat of issues such as enlightenment and gnosis, and casts the refuse to the dogs.Revealing the true essence of the psychedelic experience and what its meaning is to modern thought and working one's way through the hypocrisies and idiocies of modern society, I found myself wishing that I was Alan Agrippa.Rarely in today's book market is such an adventurous and worthwhile story dared to be told.Go a few steps beyond your usual understanding and enjoy the enriching experience.I highly recommend this read!