Recently, I was interviewed by the Literary Titan about book two in the New Horizons series, ‘Secrets of the Emerald Tablet.’ Here is that interview.

Interview: 

Secrets of the Emerald Tablet follows a man who travels to Alexandria, Egypt, and possesses a mysterious crystal connected to a technologically advanced civilization believed to have vanished at the end of the Ice Age. What drew you to the Emerald Tablet and the traditions associated with ancient Egyptian and Hermetic knowledge?

I’ve had an interest in ancient civilizations from around the world since an early age, but especially the mysteries and stories surrounding ancient Egypt.

While looking into Egypt’s mysterious past, I stumbled upon the Ptolemaic period and its role in building the great library of the old world in Alexandria.

The great library of Alexandria was focused on literature, philosophy, science, math, and texts translated from other cultures, but especially ancient Egypt where the seeds of our modern civilization sprang from. The grandeur and magnificence of the project fascinated me. Of course, the library led to the discovery of hermeticism, which centered around the works of Hermes Trismegistus, the Greek version of the Egyptian deity, Thoth, who was responsible for the regeneration of humanity after a major cataclysm on earth destroyed the ancient world.

The Emerald Tablet which is attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, comes out of the ancient history of Egypt and contains a condensed explanation on the structure of the cosmos, and the uniformity of all things; and so, the mystery behind this intriguing subject resonated with me.

In the New Horizon series, I created the Order of Hermes which is born out of the connection between Ptolemaic Egypt and the mythical keepers of the ancient Egyptian knowledge, who I named, the Order of Thoth.

The ancient Greeks and the ancient Egyptians worked together to create the library of Alexandria and so I resurrected that bond in New Horizons.

What inspired the creation of the Collective, and what does this organization represent within the larger themes of the series?

The concept of the Collective in the New Horizons series is based on a model of dystopian economics where the state serves a small group of corporate and financial controllers rather than the general public. In other words, they are a corporatocracy much like the power structure in the world today. They are the deep state behind the corporate labels and names.

In the real world, a glimpse of their efforts can be seen through institutions and think tanks such as the Council on Foreign Relations (C.F.R.) in New York City, Chatham House in London, and the World Economic Forum in Davos. 

The think tanks and intelligence services do the work behind the scenes while the politicians are the face of their geo-political and geo-economic chess board. Combined, they are a very dark, greedy group, that feasts off of humanity through their control of the economic strings of society while waging war on independent nations that are independent of their dystopian structure.

In New Horizons, the Collective are this very dark force which moves in the shadows of secrecy much like the corporatocracy that runs the world today. They are the nemesis and road block to unity, education, morality and humanity’s collective evolution.

What role do friendship, loyalty, and personal relationships play in balancing the novel's larger themes of conflict and global transformation?

If we were to breakdown what defines the side of good and evil in the world, the side of good must come from a group of people with a commitment to hold truth, justice, and honesty in high regard.

Truth, reason, and intellectual honesty are the pillars that define a moral civilization. They stand up against the darker forces set against them, and so, these moral principals unfold amongst the main characters in the Order of Hermes, the Order of Thoth and their friends, in opposition to the shadowy deep state Collective. These pillars of moral understanding are inherent in the majority of people.

The pillars of friendship inspire trust, loyalty, and empathy. They are the basis of what creates a better world.

How does Secrets of the Emerald Tablet contribute to the larger philosophical and spiritual questions you want to explore throughout the New Horizons series?

All living beings experience consciousness and we are all connected; the people, animals, birds; everything alive is connected to one another. Only, we have been kept from this truth by those that control the narratives in our world because unity and conscious connection of everyone would be a powerful counterforce to a deep state that sits as a tyrant in power over the world.

Imagine what a unified, educated populace could achieve together! The power of the deep state would no longer have sway over us. We would find that we would only need a little education and ourselves to thrive in the world. A world made better by moral choice. The spiritual quest evolves from moral choices made that then play their part in the wider community and evolve naturally.

In my view, a moral civilization requires a shared conscious commitment to the truth, because, without a dedication to facts, justice and trust crumble.

A moral civilization requires education and the cultivation of critical thinking so that citizens can make informed, ethical choices. Therefore, we must have freedom of inquiry by allowing science, philosophy, and journalism to pursue truth without fear of censorship or persecution. A moral conscious civilization is generally defined by how it protects human dignity, ensures justice, minimizes suffering, and fosters collective well-being. The current world has none of that.

So, connection with one another, evolves humanity, lifts it spiritually, and fosters a new age with a New Horizon.

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About this book:

David Collins returns with an all-star cast in Alexandria, Egypt, to learn about the powerful ancient artifact he unearthed, while a 2,500-year-old alliance between the ancient caretakers resumes with an effort to rebuild of the lost library of knowledge in Alexandria.

However, a powerful nemesis to David emerges in Colonel Cedric Marshall who believes that the artifact David carries is an advanced weapon. Marshall becomes relentless in his pursuit of David and will stop at nothing to acquire the ancient artifact.

The chase is on and David once again finds himself plunged into a flight for his life while discovering his new abilities under the sands of Egypt. A race against time and a major clash unfold in a battle of wills, while the Collective make their dystopian plans for the global population.

An intriguing action-packed thriller and the sequel to the award winning first book, The Shard of Asclepius.

Already recognized by the International Impact Book Awards as an outstanding literary achievement, Secrets of the Emerald Tablet is receiving rave reviews.

Shelf Media - A Secret-society, treasure-hunt adventure in the spirit of Indiana Jones. A nonstop, big-hearted thrill ride that never takes its foot off the gas. Action, romance, and ancient mystery collide in the most entertaining adventure of the series yet.

The Literary Titan - This book reminded me of Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol. Both books connect secret fraternities, ancient wisdom, and questions about the relationship between science and spiritual experience to a suspenseful adventure. Brennan gives that combination an expansive fantasy dimension and a forceful political voice.

The Feathered Quill - If you enjoy thrillers that move fast, ancient mysteries that feel real, or pacing that never lets up, you won't go wrong with Secrets of the Emerald Tablet.

Secrets of the Emerald Tablet by Stewart F. Brennan is on sale now at all online bookstores.

For more information visit Stewart’s official Author’s website