The Invasion of Heaven is a thriller/urban fiction by Michael B. Koep exploring the realms of madness, heaven and hell, and broaching questions on life itself. Bethany Winship was the beginning, or was she the end? Either way, he had been warned that it happened to everyone in his profession at some point. Her suicide brought with it what Loche Newirth's friend called the three heavy what ifs. But as he reflected on these, he found only questions, questions heavier than self-doubt, greater than time itself. Loche entered psychology because he sought nothing more than to find a means to heal the mind, yet as he stood atop the cliff, gripped with doubt, his own mind began to fracture. He began to write, detailing the strange happenings that no reasonable mind could comprehend, leaving the manuscript for his mentor, Doctor Marcus Rearden, with the instruction it should only be read if something happened to him. Something happened. The content within the pages, what he had seen and experienced, will change the life of anyone who reads it. Unknown pasts and ancient conflicts start to provide answers, but at what cost? Murder, betrayal, and the long inescapable descent into madness.

At first I found The Invasion of Heaven quite difficult to get into. I think one of the main reasons for this is because Michael B. Koep writes in the simple present tense, a style largely unused in favour of the more familiar past tense. The story itself, due to the amount of insight needed, is also rather slow to start. As I continued reading, however, I was rewarded with an intricately woven tale of madness, betrayal, hardship, mystery, perception and confusion. The story alternates between the first person perspective of Loche Newirth and the third person viewpoint of other characters, a touch I always appreciate when reading from the first person perspective as it serves to further enhance the tale. Michael B. Koep weaves together countless insights into myths, mental states, beliefs, and the human condition, all of which come together to create a unique and reflective read. Forget the characters, The Invasion of Heaven will leave you questioning what was real and what the hell just happened?

The prologue of The Newirth Mythology, The Invasion of Heaven, hooked me on the book from the first few pages. The scenario it presents is this: What if a psychologist treating a depressed person starts sinking down into suicidal depths with her? This is something I have never read or even seen acted out in a movie and Michael B. Koep writes this scene so well and so realistically that I can’t help but think this might be a problem that occurs more often than we might imagine. Michael B. Koep has a facility with words that I, as a budding writer, can’t help but envy. If you like well written books, you will love this one.

The Newirth Mythology: The Invasion of Heaven is the first novel in a thriller series that promises to explore myth, murder, and madness. Trust me, you will want to get in on the ground floor of this series because people are going to be talking about it. Loche Newirth is a great protagonist. He is smart, educated, and compassionate. He is going to need all these positive traits and a few negative ones to combat the forces aligned against him. The plot is brilliant. The characters are portrayed with all the right touches. The settings range from Idaho to Italy. The Newirth Mythology is a tense and exciting wild ride that you won’t want to miss. This is a rich and complicated novel that is far too complex to detail in any kind of review without giving away spoilers that you would ultimately resent. Just read it. You will like it.

The Invasion of Heaven: Part One of the Newirth Mythology is most intriguing. Author Michael Koep has a vivid imagination for storytelling. The story begins with a fantastical vision, dream or hallucination experienced by Loche, a psychiatrist. It's followed by our meeting a few of the good doctor's patients, including one who appears to be completely insane and delusional. This client dances in ballet poses on Loche's desk, breaks his family photo, and comes and goes in an especially startling, speedy way.

Another client expressed frustration that she did not feel better than she did, and just after her appointment, she killed herself or was murdered. The rest of the book is filled with characters and occurrences that are not what they seem. Loche's wife, Helen, and his son, Edwin, are caught up in the mystery and ultimately Locke has to fight for their lives and safety. The most intriguing part of the book is the paintings of an artist that Loche follows. These paintings are all different, but they have varying effects on the people who see them. The artist, Basil, carefully shrouds each painting in a black cloth and unveils them only when he has prepared his audience.

The Invasion of Heaven refers to a concept in the book that I cannot reveal without spoiling the ending. Let me just say that the concept seems believable to me, and it was quite frightening at times. This is a potentially futuristic, dystopian, science fiction or fantasy read and Michael Koep has done a great job in pulling the story together. Nice work.

The Invasion of Heaven: Part One of the Newirth Mythology by Michael B. Koep introduces you to Loche Newirth, a psychologist who purchases a painting and becomes a hunted man. The painting opens a window into the afterlife and an ancient order of men want to take over control of the art, so they chase the doctor across the world and through centuries. Doctor Newirth questions his own sanity after a fall and a drop.

This book has a little bit of something for everyone in it and that is one of the first things that grabs you. There is art, romance, and of course action and thrills throughout the book. At times the flow is a little bit slow, but the pace set by author Michael B. Koep is to introduce you to the characters and the premise. This book really is something meaty and those readers who enjoy a story that keeps them on their toes will relish it.

While the adventures of Loche Newirth are not for faint of heart readers, they are really interesting. I think this is a solid start to a trilogy and a good read. I mean, any book that has the main character dive into an eye has to be something that will get you interested. With this first book feeling like it laid most of the groundwork for the series, I think the next books will be even better. I have to give this book a thumbs up for anyone who loves juicy reads.