Hopefully, before Christmas, I will publish the final book in a series I have been writing. Leviathan & the Lambs will be the third book in a series of three novels that recount the story of Arthur and Gwynn Stone. Each of these novels has a financial crime, a murder or series of murders, and a spiritual struggle. For those who have not read the first two novels, Marshland and Peace at Battle Mountain, it may be helpful to briefly describe Arthur Stone’s life and career.
In Marshland, Arthur Stone appears as a young attorney in Houston, Texas, employed by a large law firm. He is involved in a transaction in the mid-1980s during the Texas savings and loan crisis. Arthur is at a crucial point in his personal life and legal career. He is in a romantic relationship with one of his colleagues, Gwynn Murray, another brilliant up-and-coming young attorney. Arthur may or may not be made a partner in his law firm, Winchester & Wells. The transaction involved is for an important but difficult client, Jackson Winchester. This novel describes the coming of age of Arthur Stone. The spiritual theme of this book is the reality of the spiritual world and our human response. We sometimes call this “faith.”
The second novel, Peace at Battle Mountain, finds Arthur Stone as a highly successful Texas trial lawyer involved in a large, complex litigation. This particular novel takes place during the time of the collapse of Enron. Arthur is now a middle-aged lawyer. His relationship with Gwynn is troubled and tragic. His children are difficult, especially his eldest son, who is now a challenging adolescent. In this novel, Arthur struggles with the breakdown of his marriage and the difficulties of his professional life. The spiritual theme of this book is the relationship between love and forgiveness and the problems humans face in forming and maintaining deep, caring relationships. Love is the theme of the book.
Leviathan & the Lambs finds Arthur in a new position with new challenges. It is nearly a decade into the 21st century. Arthur Stone is now the Attorney General of Texas. The nation is experiencing the Great Recession, which began in 2007. Despite his success, Arthur’s accomplishments have not brought him the happiness he hoped for. He feels hopeless, abandoned, and burned out. In this novel he is called upon to face new challenges— the most perplexing of his life and career. The spiritual theme of this book is hope and the limits on the earthly accomplishment of our hopes and dreams. All humans strive for happiness and fulfillment, but even if we are successful, we all face limitations and unfulfilled dreams.
In this final novel in Leviathan & the Lambs, the characters face a global financial crisis with implications greater than those involved in the first two novels. Interestingly, this economic crisis originated in the mortgage industry, the same industry that led to the savings and loan crisis of the 1980s. Thirty years have passed since the series began. Nevertheless, the human problems are the same. Human greed is the same. The danger that greed may lead to criminal behavior is the same. The results of foolish and criminal behavior are the same.
For conciseness, the author refers to these novels as “the Arthur Stone series.” However, the series could easily be referred to as the “Gwynn Stone series,” as she plays a vital role in each novel. Though their relationship is sometimes troubled, Gwynn is Arthur’s true counselor and life-companion. The series might also be called the “John Mirador series” because Mirador appears in all three books, though under different names. Mirador is a strong, straightforward, and prudent person who represents the best in all of us. Additionally, this series could be named the “EJ Mueller series,” since EJ Mueller features in the first and last novels and is significant to the overall message. There is just a little bit of EJ Mueller in all of us, or at least there is in the author!
Perhaps most appropriately, the series could be called the “Ahn Winchester series.” Ahn appears in all three books and plays an essential role in each of them. The author often tells friends she is his favorite character, which is true. Ahn plays a special role in all the books, and a vital role in the final book.
Arthur Stone is the hero of these novels, but any hero depends upon many characters essential to the hero’s life and success. This is true in both life and literature. Arthur’s success depends upon the sacrifice, wisdom, and concern of those surrounding him. He is an important actor on the stage, but not the only one. Without Gwynn and Ahn, Arthur would often stumble or fail. He is a decent, but not flawless, person. He is smart and capable, but he makees mistakes and is often unsure of himself. In this respect, the Arthur Stone may be truer to life than the hero of many novels.
The given author of the three novels is Alystair West, a pen name. You can learn more about Alystair West and the meaning of the name on my website. Since I have written both philosophical and religious works under my own name, I felt it was a good idea to write these books under a pseudonym. It helps to separate the two vocations.
Finally, these three novels have common purposes: First, these novels hope to open up secular people to the potential for spiritual and moral realities. Our culture suffers the onsequences of the loss of belief in spiritual and moral realities.
Second, the novels examine some of the common moral features that accompany financial crises and fraud. I have lived long enough to experience several financial crises caused in no small part by human greed and misguided national financial policies.
Third, the novels tell a perennial story that applies to the human condition in every age. As readers of the first two novels already know, the story of Arthur Stone is one of those mythic stories told in many cultures with many different charactures and social backgrounds. When people ask me who were the real people behind the story, I respond that the characters, if they lived at all, lived a thousand years ago. I have only brought them back to life to tell a story about our own day and time.
For the author’s part, he thanks all of the actors on the stage of his life and hopes all readers enjoy the stories.
Copyright G. Christopher Scruggs, All Rights Reserved