“Alternately lyrical, allegorical, sensual and spine-tingling, William Azuski takes the reader on an exciting voyage of discovery, an allegorical tale of the search for the very meaning of existence. It takes the reader to that place where myth, mysticism, nature and human obsession converge. […] It is a journey worth taking. Four trowels* for William Azuski’s marvelous Travels in Elysium.”
— Dr Bill Gresens, Book Reviews, Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center, University of Wisconsin
* Four trowels = run right out to your local book store and buy the hard cover!

"William Azuski [...] is wise enough to realise that the Atlantis of our imagination has had far more influence on humanity than any physical lost continent. Thus, while set in an archaeological dig, his superbly-crafted novel deals in metaphysics rather than middens and presents itself as a vivid, intelligent and often mystifying thriller that gradually poses profound questions about the nature of reality and the human condition. One to get you thinking, then keep you guessing from first to last."
— Herbie Brennan, author of The Atlantis Enigma.

“The question is not where it [Atlantis] might be but rather what it might be. It's the question Azuski tackles in this excellent novel. […] Lyrical and imaginative… [Travels in Elysium] pulls you out of your real life into an intriguing fantasy that leaves you with genuine wisdom.”
— Prof. Sharon Kaye, Department of Philosophy, John Carroll University, Ohio. Author of The Aristotle Quest and Medieval Philosophy.

“Azuski knits these plotlines together with considerable skill, contextualizing them within the wider philosophical background of a search for Plato’s mythical lost city of Atlantis and infusing them with plenty of memorable descriptions […] The imperious Huxley and his private agenda dominate the plot, and the baffled, inquisitive Pedrosa eventually becomes a hero to root for as he navigates the various personalities of Huxley’s dig team. [...] A smart and satisfying archaeological thriller...”
— Kirkus Reviews, “Best Books Out This Week”.

“I started reading Travels in Elysium by William Azuski on a cold and wet spring day it proved to be the perfect tonic for such a dismal day. […] Mr Azuski is a master at setting the scene and placing the characters and action in the landscape. […] The narrative of the excavation is cleverly entwined with the mythology of the afterlife and there is a good twist in the plot. […] All in all an excellent book which I could not put down and a recommended read for anyone interested in Greek culture!”
— Archaeologist and historian Haighleagh Winslade, historycoalface.blogspot.com

“Like Eco and García Márquez, Azuski conjures a remarkable sense of an exotic place. The reader is immersed in the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feel of Santorini under the military junta of the early 1970s and in the mystical reality that intersects with the mundane world. […] His characters are complex and offer insights into the mysteries and ancient puzzles that surround them as they delve into a lost city—and into their own thoughts and beliefs. [...] Main character and narrator, Nicholas Pedrosa, immediately finds himself caught up with people and events he doesn’t begin to understand. What happened to his predecessor? What is archaeologist Marcus Huxley really searching for? What is Atlantis? For that matter, what is reality? […] this book is not for those interested in a quick read or an adventurous romp through Atlantis. But if you enjoy literary fiction that makes you think, then I recommend Travels in Elysium. My best advice for reading it? Heed the words of archaeologist Marcus Huxley: ‘Trust no one. Believe no one. Question everything. Remember, there is nothing here you can take at face value… No — not even yourself.’”
— Archaeologist and author Dr JM McDowell, jmmcdowell.com.

“A mystery, awash with metaphysical discussions about history, the meaning of life, and if the witnessing of a white light by people that have had a near death experience means that there is another existence after dying. […] Azuski’s concept of Atlantis existing on Santorini and being destroyed by a titanic earthquake is a fascinating one, and his juxtaposition of events in the present with those that may have taken place in the past is unique. A very original and enjoyable adventure into past and present events vividly presented.”
— Paul Lane on BookBitch.com

“This extraordinary novel, part murder mystery, part metaphysical thriller, kept me guessing until the very last page. The intellectual duel between the troubled hero and his ruthless mentor is mesmerising. William Azuski’s treatment of the Atlantis legend is completely original and I have rarely read a novel with such a strong sense of place. The bizarre landscapes of Santorini and the daily lives of its people, both ancient and modern, are vividly evoked. Anyone who enjoys the work of Umberto Eco, Orhan Pamuk or Carlos Ruiz Zafón should try this book.”
— Dr Geraldine Harris, author, Egyptologist, and a member of the Faculty of Oriental Studies at the University of Oxford.

“‘It appears Professor Huxley is either going to make people fabulously rich or unleash the Devil,’ quips one character in describing the towering, obsessive, and possibly quite mad leader of an expedition seeking to unearth the fabled lost city of Atlantis in William Azuski’s engrossing novel, Travels in Elysium. There is more truth and prescience in that offhand remark than the speaker could imagine, and it is such unsubtle teasers that continue to draw the reader, like the crazed archaeologist himself, deeper and deeper into the story. [...] this book is a must read for any fiction fan with an interest in Greek history, archaeology, or mythology or who, like Huxley (and Azuski), dream of Elysium or want to believe in the legend of Atlantis.”
— Foreword Reviews

“Atlantis. The name resonates with images of ancient splendor and mystery. […] William Azuski weaves his story […] with a wild and beautiful realism. His characters are fully-fleshed and complex. Nicholas Pedrosa, wide-eyed and eager. Marcus Huxley, imperious and impatient, with a temper as volatile as the volcano that ripped apart the island. […] the novel hints at being a supernatural thriller, then a murder mystery, then a metaphysical treatise, then a history lesson, then back to the supernatural thriller. […] Either way, it will leave readers pondering its mysteries long after they finish the book.”
— Paula K. Parker, Buddy Hollywood

“This book contains many of the elements you would expect to find in a supernatural thriller — suspicious deaths and unexplained disappearances, an obscure manuscript which may be the key to an ancient secret, a buried statue and a hidden cavern, a rift in reality and love stories that transcend time. […] Being a writer in the intellectual European tradition, Azuski doesn’t just use these elements to thrill. This is a novel that also makes you think. When Huxley warns Nicholas to ‘Trust no one. Believe no one. Question everything…’ it’s a challenge to the reader as well. The legend of Atlantis has inspired many bad books and films but Azuski has gone back to the original source material, asked what the philosopher Plato meant by telling the story of the downfall of Atlantis, and come up with an alarming answer. […] ‘Travels in Elysium’ is a demanding book but it’s a journey well worth taking.”
— Fantasy Reads.

Destined to Become a Classic

This novel is more in the mode of classic English literature than the modern novel. Words are used to weave a tapestry in the reader’s mind. The extensive vocabulary used may bog down the limited reader. However, the power of the descriptions is matched only by the force of the ideas discussed in the text. An amalgam of philosophy, religion and ancient history provides the basis for an intense analysis of life, its meaning, its form, its purpose and its value. The small band of protagonists represents a cross section of society, much like the sanatorium guests in Thomas Mann’s Magic Mountain. Many of the main characters can be viewed as allegories of specific groups of people. Characters move into illusion in their minds and into the real world until they lose the distinction and have to question what is reality other than illusion on a different plane. This book would provide an excellent basis for a discussion group. I highly recommend it to the serious reader.
— Jay F. Williams (NetGalley reviewer on Amazon)

A Work of Art

Travels in Elysium is an absolute treasure. From the page one, the tale casts its spell, and its sheer momentum carries you on a mind-bending journey with Nico Pedrosa, a young man who finds himself invited to an archaeological dig for which he is hardly qualified. Among his scant instructions: he is not to trust anything or anyone.

Upon arrival in Santorini, Pedrosa meets lead archaeologist, Marcus Huxley, a character of immense magnetism and complexity, reminiscent of Jack London's Wolf Larsen. As the archaeologists work to uncover their dig site, the mysteries of Atlantis, the afterlife, history, philosophy, death, and human nature all begin to unravel.

As worlds collide, Pedrosa and his colleagues struggle to distinguish truth from the barrage of events that challenge reality itself.

The beauty, eccentricity, myth, and inexplicability of the Greek isles comes alive under Azuski’s skillful pen. Indeed, the writer weaves a tale of a complexity rivaling the great works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, leaving you spellbound and groping for truth.

Warning: this is not a book for the casual reader. It will cause you to think.
— Emily Joseph (NetGalley reviewer on Goodreads and Amazon)

The search for utopia in this life and the next... a cult classic in the making
When [archaeologist] Huxley publicly proclaims his discovery is Plato’s legendary lost Atlantis, we are left to wonder just how much of the theory is scientific fact and how much the fabrication of an opportunist.

But it’s here that Azuski springs his clever play, exploiting the argument that has raged over lost Atlantis since Plato's day — what exactly is Atlantis: myth / legend / history / hoax / fraud... or maybe something no one else has yet thought of?

In Azuski’s Travels in Elysium, Atlantis becomes an ingenious metaphysical mind game invented by the philosopher himself, a Conundrum capable of travelling the centuries and magnifying the purity and corruption of the human soul whenever or wherever Atlantis is “discovered” — and where the very forces that ultimately destroy the Atlantis idyll (cynicism, exploitation, greed, violence) are played out again and again.

Those looking for a speed read or a genre fitting story should perhaps look elsewhere: the characters in this novel are deep, the descriptions bursting with vibrancy and colour.

Essentially, Travels in Elysium is about the very thing that concerned ancient thinkers like Plato and Socrates most — the nature of reality. As Azuski points out, we are forever deceived by appearances — we think we know what’s going on; we think we know or hold or possess the truth about reality — but do we? The eye-opening final chapter of Travels in Elysium — in which the multicoloured threads of this amazing story are all pulled together — may well suggest otherwise.
— Linda Schad (Amazon UK reviewer)

All new and current reviews: http://www.iridescent-publishing.com/tie/tie_revs.htm

Praise from publishing industry insiders — editors, reviewers, agents

“...brilliant — fast‐paced, exciting and written with real style...” “...a joy to read...”

“...echoes of John Fowles’ magnificent novel ‘The Magus’...”

“[An] enviable storytelling skill, [a] genuine talent...”

“...one of the most memorable manuscripts I’ve ever read.”

“[Azuski makes] excellent use of the period in which the story is set (the years of the brutal Junta) to infuse the whole book with a sense of tension and danger.”

“I was completely immersed in this amazing tale. Brilliant — the concept, the language, the imagery, the mystery.”

“[Azuski has] used Plato and the Atlantis legend/allegory in a truly original way... [He has] that rare thing, a distinctive voice as a writer. Unlike most thrillers, Travels in Elysium will make people think.”

Promotion is being handled by Iridescent and US publicist Nikki Leigh [www.nikkileigh.com].
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