“Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear.”
- Thomas Jefferson
“Heaven on Earth can be achieved
when reason reigns.”
Independent thinkers cannot be ruled, so die they must. * * * The characters love and respect themselves - they do not think humility is a virtue. They glorify happiness - they think suffering has no value and that one's own happiness is the purpose of life. They think self-sacrifice is evil. They revere individual rights. They stand for freedom. They cannot be ruled by men because they are ruled by reason. Reason Reigns honors independent thinkers, science, and technology. On the book’s front cover is a sculpture of a naked woman triumphantly raising a torch, arms stretched high above her head, body straight and proud, feet firmly atop a skull over a thick book. Showing man’s goodness and efficacy, the sculpture represents the values depicted in Reason Reigns. The woman’s exalted pose is a salute to man’s intellectual and creative power. The sculpture is entitled: The Power of Science over Death. The sculptor, Dr. Jose Rizal, a polymath and polyglot, was executed by tyrants at age 35. Reason Reigns starts with an oath to uphold the Constitution enshrining the principle that the only purpose of law and of government is the protection of individual rights. The revelry that follows is a total departure from the nation’s tradition of honoring humility, sacrifice, and suffering. Seething with self-righteousness and envy, cabal members scheme to cut down the proud, happy, independent thinkers with one blow, and then seize the legendary heroes’ treasures. Alisa Connor acts on her convictions at the risk of her life. But defeating evil is not the most difficult battle in Part 1. Young Ron Balian - who thinks reason and faith can coexist, parallel to each other, in the same man - chooses a perfect life of probity over his own life, a child’s, and his beloved’s. To save his daughter, as well as Alisa and Ron, Dr. Ari Hugo must race against time in unraveling the secrets of the underground chambers, a mystery confounding searchers over the decades. * * *
Inventor Tony Connor is tied to the stake. Hugo, a healer, faces death. By decree, Governor Rod Gullio Sr. and Rudi Yani imprison innovator Leo Thomas. Builder and publisher Ron Balian is hunted.
The most unexpected of saviors, young beau ideals, rise up. The thinkers escape to a godforsaken island. Full of conviction that to rule a human being is abhorrent, they enshrine individual rights. They live by the code that a moral man does not rule, nor can he be ruled by men.
But the power-hungry pursue them fiercely. Chief Hunsec unleashes the full might of his empire upon the island. Head-Warlord Imman Kann and the Hunsec armada advance. The small country, impregnable due to its technology, suffers an unthinkable betrayal. The Hunsec moles exult as the adult islanders lie fallen!
The green of young growth fend off the invaders.
Ruled by reason, the proud, happy, productive heroes achieve Heaven on Earth.
But the island is now a dark, backward hole. Mystery surrounds the fate of the heroes and their wondrous creations. The hunt is on. For the truth. For the heroes’ treasures.
Alisa Connor, Ari Hugo, Frank Thomas, and young Ron Balian endeavor to rise. But great is the wrath of the destroyers. Between tyrants who crave to rule and thinkers who cannot be ruled, once again, the battle is joined.
Reason Reigns depicts independent thinkers and their persecution for using their own minds instead of following traditions or norms. My novel portrays their battles against rulers, power-lusters, collectivists, and other tyrants who crave to enslave people.
Reason Reigns depicts the values and virtues that enable people to achieve heaven here and now.
Two virtues are rationality and productivity. Rational people are reality-oriented; they revere reason.
But virtuous people can thrive only in freedom.
Reason Reigns is about "tyrants who crave to rule and thinkers who cannot be ruled." The latter cannot be ruled by men because they are ruled by reason.
Copyright © 2008 Ilyn Ross
ISBN 978-1-60145-414-0
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.
Printed in the
The characters and events in Reason Reigns are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
