Simon Cleveland

“Existential Meditation 'On the questions of Beginning, the
Meaning of Existence, and the Consequences of the End' has a basic underlying message: Get back to the simplicity of life. The words themselves sound simple enough, but if you look around, human beings tend to take the simplest of things and create havoc. Simon Cleveland has penned what could be considered a highly controversial subject and approached it without sounding accusatory, vain, egotistical, or self-righteous. There are no preachy sermons or
in-your-face nagging. In fact, through quality research, quotes,
theories, and opinions, the author presents to you a book poised with thought-provoking ideas that make an enormous amount of sense. It, of course, depends on how you choose to view his ideals and how they mesh with what has been ingrained inside you since the day you were born. It is thinking outside of the box, but at the same time taking into consideration what is inside the box rather than ignoring it completely.

The book consists of three main parts: Why is there a
beginning? What is the meaning of existence? and Consequences of
the end. They in turn have sub-parts that delve deeper into fact,
fiction, truths and myths. It is through these sub-parts where the author really shines with findings to support this book.
Simon Cleveland asks us to take the time to answer the
questions we are faced with everyday. Questions of who we are, why we react the way we do, why we internalize everything and analyze things to death. Why we do not take things at face value but spend an incredible amount of time reflecting on – rather than living – our lives. Always looking for a message, or even looking to an outside force that may never answer those “all important” questions. Why we do not trust our own instincts and question what we know to be right?

Anyone can read a phrase and interpret it a thousand different
ways. You might take something from this book that differs from
what I took. If you allow yourself the time to read Existential
Meditation 'On the questions of Beginning, the Meaning of Existence, and the Consequences of the End' without reacting defensively, you’ll find a wealth of interesting facets about the way we behave. If you really take the time to consider the author’s words, rather than argue for argument’s sake, I feel you will walk away with knowledge and insight. What I have gathered is that humans are not the complex creatures we make ourselves out to be, but we certainly know how to complicate things. I encourage you to explore these motivational
pages and take away from it what you will, and appreciate it for the clarity it can bring if you let it.… (mere)

"The Basenji Revalation is an addictive and suspenseful read. From the first paragraphs of the prologue, I was sucked right in and was truly sorry to see the end. Written with vibrant imagery and solid character development, Simon Cleveland has landed himself an excellent novel.

Sam Johanek woke up one morning, a completely different man. His memories were gone, but a voracious appetite and strange visions became the norm. His wife Maggie did her best to help him recall past events, but it was to no avail. The only things that seemed constant were the strange nightly rituals, the hunger for meat, and the Basenji.

Was there a coincidence in the night of the strange bite marks on his foot; the night the Basenji dog was delivered to his home from his mother who had passed away, and the fact that since that night he'd been unable to recall a single thing? Nothing made sense, and Sam walked in a constant circle of confusion and angst. He felt tortured, ridiculed and watched. An old colleague wouldn't leave him alone to do his work and he woke up to find himself in odd places. Urges controlled his behavior and the rare little dog had a strange hold over him. If he allowed himself to be close to the Basenji for too long unexplainable things happened.

Unable to handle her husband's strange behavior, Maggie seeks out a doctor who promises to do everything he can to help. Together they gather together the facts of Sam's changes and uncover a shocking truth.

The Basenji Revalation is quite engaging and at many times gave me the shivers. It is a psychological horror/thriller that will hold your attention from the get go. Our journeys take us as far as Central Africa, a place that holds many secrets to Sam's current existence and the path the Basenji must take. What's wonderful is how much depth the character of Sam possesses; I was able to get fully caught up in his thoughts and the events that transpired around the plot. Between sacrificial rituals, demons, soul exchanges, entities, and old customs you will find out more about the Basenji than you might find comfortable.

Simon Cleveland has pieced together a very interesting and complex story, delving between a past and present, neither of which the character truly understands. It's smart and well thought out, taking the reader on a rare escapade that is somewhere between Hell and death.… (mere)

A friend of mine gave me a copy of the Basenji Revelation recently. He wanted my opinion on it. I'm not accustomed to reading unknown authors and refused, but he bet me I wouldn't put it down. I lost the bet. I read the book in one seating. I haven¿t read a more captivating description of the suburbia¿s psyche. The main character could have been me. Then the bizarre occurrences started. They shocked me. They amused me. They evolved over time to engulf the misery of Johanek's daily life. Books about Egypt are my favorite and a novel with richness of references and descriptions of Egyptian religious symbolism is rare to find. I liked the Da Vinci Code, but Brown¿s symbolism is no where near Simon Cleveland¿s. The author has even gone as far as to trace the Egyptian mythology to its ancient African roots. Action-adventure lovers, horror lover, psychological thriller lovers, ya¿ll will be entertained by this novel. You¿ll find yourself in Pharaoh¿s tomb, on an archaeological expedition to the heart of Equatorial Africa and then in the life beyond. But wait till the surprising twist at the end… (mere)