The Light of Reason

The Seekers Book 3

Fiction - Dystopia
310 Pages
Reviewed on 11/18/2016
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

The urge to write first struck at age sixteen when working on a newsletter at a youth encampment in the woods of northern Maine. It may have been the wild night when lightning flashed at sunset followed by the northern lights rippling after dark. Or maybe it was the newsletter's editor, a girl with eyes the color of the ocean. But he was inspired to write about the blurry line between reality and the fantastic.

Using two fingers and lots of white-out, he religiously typed five pages a day throughout college and well into his twenties. Then life intervened. He paused to raise two sons and pursue a career, in the process -- and without prior plan -- becoming a well-known entrepreneur in the software industry, founding several successful companies. When he found time again to daydream, the urge to write returned.

David and his wife split their time between Cape Cod, Florida and anywhere else that catches their fancy. He no longer limits himself to five pages a day and is thankful every keystroke for the invention of the word processor.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

David Litwack’s The Light of Reason is Book Three in The Seekers series, another brilliant and compelling entry to a series that is already growing long legs. In an alternate world, two seekers return from across the sea, having acquired exceptional knowledge and wisdom, with the hope of bringing more light to their world. But when Orah and Nathaniel reach home, they are stunned to learn that things have changed drastically. A deadly usurper sits on the throne of the Vicar and his plans are to wreak havoc, and he’ll use all the knowledge at the disposal of the Vicar to strengthen his dark reign. Faced with such a deadly adversary, the dreamers must make a very difficult choice, and the survival of their knowledge and enlightenment depends on their choice. Will they return to the dark world or face certain extinction?

The Light of Reason reads so much like a dream; it’s the kind of story that rekindles a region of our soul where we feel the strange stirrings, the beckonings of a higher world. The story is well-imagined and masterfully told, with a cast of very compelling and convincing characters. Nothing feels so strange yet so familiar, so impossible yet so convincing as the conflict that permeates the whole story. This is the first book I have read in the series and David Litwack comes across as a master in the genre, doing a perfect job so that the reader doesn’t need to read previous books in the series to connect to the story. The writing is flawless, featuring beautiful and vivid descriptions, intelligent and plot-driven dialogues, and characters that readers will easily relate to. Now, I will have to go back and read the other books in the series. David Litwack is nothing less than a master entertainer and is perhaps himself a gifted dreamer.

K.J. Simmill

David Litwack's The Light of Reason is the third and final installment in The Seekers series. Orah and Nathaniel reach the shores of home, completing a long and eventful journey. But the land they left behind is not the one they return to find. Whispers and lies cloud the minds of people as vicars and deacons spread falsehoods about the tragic end of the heroes' journey in a desperate attempt to regain control, reinstate belief in the divinity of the Sun icon and thus reaffirm their own power. The heroes' return proves their words false, but how quickly people revert to the security of ancient beliefs. Better not to question, better to ignore the proof, than to be hauled to Temple City. But having witnessed some of the falsehoods for themselves, there are those who would rise up, and there is no greater proof of deception than the return of the seekers. Orah and Nathaniel have allies, those who would follow them to war rather than live in fear as cowards. But will the seekers of truth be forced to turn away from it, from everything they have discovered? Could war really be the only answer? When the die is cast, will those who sought truth seek salvation and security in lies?

David Litwack's voice is a brilliant example of first person narrative. The Light of Reason is filled with imaginative ideas, beautiful descriptions, and well-scripted dialogue spoken by fascinating characters, all combined to drive the reader deeper into the tumultuous choices the seekers of truth must face. Should they turn against the very foundations of their beliefs for what could be the greater good, or should truth itself be the guiding light? In the concluding book in this trilogy, David Litwack masterfully creates a self-contained story, and whilst knowledge of the previous adventures would create deeper and more meaningful bonds as you follow the heroes' struggle, it is easy to come in at book three, and understand the what, why, and how without having read the previous tales.

Ray Simmons

The Light of Reason by David Litwack is a great science fiction tale about the nature of conflict. It is a believable story about what kind of world our current wars and conflicts might result in. The Light of Reason is Book Three in a series called The Seekers. I did not read the first two books in the series, though I certainly hope to. I can assure you that The Light of Reason is a complete novel that can stand alone as a great work of fiction. There is a certain innocence about these characters, especially the leader of the Seekers, a girl named Orah, which means light. I like the voice or tone of this story. Though it is not literally about Christianity or the Bible, it is very biblical in nature. There are many reasons for this. The names of the characters, the nature of their society, and the way they look at the gifts from the time of their fallen ancestors are just some of the things that give the story a classic, ageless feel.

David Litwack is a powerful storyteller. In many ways, his writing reminds me of the bestselling author Orson Scott Card. The Light of Reason is a story of several journeys. There is a literal journey to confront the new Vicar and his Deacons. There is the intellectual journey, to rediscover the science of the past, and the emotional journey as war is re-introduced into a peaceful society. The plot is solid, the characters are so believable you will get frustrated with them, be happy for them, and cry with them. Fiction doesn't get much better than that.

Divine Zape

The Light of Reason is the third book in The Seekers series, a book that combines fantasy and sci-fi to create a compelling story that lovers of the dystopian genre will adore. Now, two seekers, Orah and Nathaniel, return to their own world only to find it going to ruin. A tyrant has usurped the throne of the Vicar and will do everything to strengthen his power. Instead of using the knowledge they have acquired across the sea to improve their civilization, the dreamers find themselves caught up in a war that threatens to destroy everything they have built and their hard-won knowledge and wisdom. Can the dreamers muster enough force to match the might of the evil ruler? It is a time of great crisis, more than they have known in ages. The question is: are the dreamers prepped to face the inevitable?

David Litwack’s writing is impeccable and he has a great gift for character and plot. The powerful descriptions that permeate the entire story allow readers to have a picture of the setting, to get into the minds of the characters, and feel what they feel. But what caught me off-guard is the way the conflict is developed. From the very beginning of the story, the reader already gets the unsettling feeling that something is wrong when the narrator wakes up to find the sun “too low on the horizon,” something very unusual, considering the teachings of the dreamers. The reader is drawn into the strange world of this gripping narrative from the very first pages and the conflict grows steadily until its climax. The first person narrative voice is absorbing and the reader immediately feels the powerful emotions of the characters rub off on them. The Light of Reason is fast-paced and highly entertaining.

Christian Sia

Great writing, colorful and fascinating descriptions, originality, and compelling characters are powerful elements that make David Litwack’s writing stand out. The Light of Reason is his third book in The Seekers series, an engaging dystopian read that features the perennial theme of the fight between good and evil, darkness and light, a story laced with symbolism and a monumental conflict. Two heroes, Orah and Nathaniel, return home after a miraculous odyssey to the other world, bringing magic with them, but they are confronted with a new challenge that thwarts their plans of renewing the life of their kind. A dictator has taken control, occupying the most enviable position in the land. What is most challenging is that he possesses knowledge that has no match. Can the dreamers stand up to him or will their world be condemned to the rule of tyranny?

One of the things that caught my attention is the narrative voice that comes across as compelling, unique, and irresistible. Told in the first person, The Light of Reason takes readers on a thrill ride to a beautifully imagined setting where a few good people have to stand up against an evil about to destroy everything they have worked for and believed in. The story moves very fast and the conflict magnifies soon after it is introduced. The author also knows how to let the conflict permeate every aspect of the story, featuring it on the psychological and interpersonal levels. David Litwack establishes a signature for unique and beautiful phraseology, and a tone that is as captivating as it is convincing. I just became a fan of this author.