Heretofore: Unknown

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 250 pages
• Published by: Defining Moments
• Edition: 1st Edition June 12, 2007
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0966770463
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0966770469
• Book Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Weighs: 12 ounces

Product Description
The world can be a dangerous place. Just ask George Kodiak. When a strange and extremely aggressive animal is shot and killed by police inside a local Voodoo priestess' family mausoleum, who better to identify the thing than "the guy who caught Bigfoot"? In this, the third installment of "The Kodiak Books" series, cryptozoologist George Kodiak comes to Louisiana to confirm an identity for what could possibly be the legendary Honey Island Swamp Monster. When a necropsy fails to nail down a specific species for the seven-foot, fur-covered beast with claws like a bear and double rows of very sharp teeth, Kodiak becomes embroiled in the world of Voodoo to investigate why this lady was keeping the animal inside her mausoleum. To find the answer, he will risk losing his sanity and his life.

About The Author
Heretofore: Unknown is the long-awaited third sequel to Lee Murphy's George Kodiak adventure series. Following Where Legends Roam (2000) and Naitaka (2002), this novel pits Kodiak against two dangerous anomalies: the Honey Island Swamp Monster, an aggressive, bi-pedal predator unrelated to the Sasquatch, and the dark, nightmarish world of Louisiana Voodoo. Lee Murphy lives in Los Angeles and is currently at work on a project separate from the Kodiak series and non-cryptozoological, after which he will return to "The Kodiak Books" with something from Scotland.

Reader Reviews
What a refreshing and enjoyable experience it is to read yet another installment of Lee Murphy's Kodiak books. Mr. Murphy keeps the reader engaged from the first word until the last paragraph. Indeed, when the book ends, the reader finds himself wanting more. And, of course, this is just what a good writer intends. "How can he stop here?" One cannot help but ask. Let's hope that our next opportunity to enjoy this fine author's work comes sooner rather than later. In this volume we again find Mr. Murphy's primary protagonist in the thick of the action. He is both a scholar and adventurer. His presence looms large as he treads through the pages. In fact, it will come as somewhat of a surprise if this character and the books chronicling his exploits do not someday appear as the basis for cinematic productions. However, since those cinematic efforts are not yet in evidence, we must content ourselves with reading the written word. And this written word is produced with such skill and craft that you find yourself living the story quite vividly in your imagination while flying through the pages. There are few writers who can create this virtual reality experience from their prose, and Mr. Murphy is one of that rare breed. As you enter this experience you will find George Kodiak holding forth on the ancient Indian mounds found abundantly in the United States. However, he goes many steps further by beginning to educate us about some of the inexplicably strange anomalies associated with them. This investigation ends up taking us to the depths of the mysterious swamps in Louisiana and Mississippi. Here in the swamps we begin to learn about some of the seemingly fantastic animals that "hide from man." Some are simply extraordinary examples of their species that have grown to prodigious size because of their isolation, while others are seen so seldom that they are not yet officially catalogued. As most students of cryptozoology are aware, both categories present challenges, but the latter is the most difficult to address. In our modern day society the general capacity for open minded and inquiring thought into new discoveries is somewhere in the stone age, especially in the fields of archaeology and zoology. These sciences adopt a stance that what they currently accept as known comprises indisputable fact, and they will not change their views, even in the light of new evidence. It takes years for them to move from skepticism about new discoveries to acceptance. Unfortunately, in that time, many important archaeological discoveries are lost and some rare animals become extinct. In the case of relict members of certain species that are beginning to reassert themselves, the more traditionally minded "scholars" in these fields will only acquiesce to their existence, it seems, if one of these rare animals bites them on the behind. Even then, they would doubt their own experience since it does not jive with the text in print they are using. And this, my friends, is where skilled writers and researchers like Lee Murphy shine. He takes the difficult to understand, wraps it in an adventure story that is impossible to put down, and leaves the reader excited, entertained, and wanting more. Though the reader may not realize it, their level of understanding and ability to think globally about the subject matter has received a significant boost. In this engaging story we follow George Kodiak as he encounters not only the storied Honey Island Monster, but also human enemies, and voodoo practitioners. You find yourself wondering if Kodiak will ever get out alive and whether or not he will be able to help the innocents under attack. As the casualties mount, and the destruction proceeds you find yourself horrified, enthralled, and entertained all at the same time. This is a rare combination in a book and is hard to describe in a review. Perhaps the best thing one can say is that you owe it to yourself to read this book and enjoy this titillating adventure. And just in case you are wondering how Lee Murphy came up with such a multifaceted and interesting character as George Kodiak, you need look no further than Mr. Murphy himself. Lee Murphy is George Kodiak in the flesh. Let's hope we soon see more of his engrossing books and that they are soon the subject of epic adventure on the silver screen.