The Mountain Place of Knowledge

By Marshall Chamberlain

A race to preserve ancient technology for the benefit of the human race.
“...techno thriller...keeping you turning
the pages feverishly.
—Hilary Hemingway
Cape Coral, FL

“Vivid word pictures enhance the most horrific situations,
allowing readers to live vicariously through the eyes of a main character...Kick-start impressions infuse the book with life, propelling the reader though its pages. Lovers of Indiana Jones movies will enjoy the work of this promising author.”
—Foreword Magazine, Clarion Reviews

"Masterful blend of reality with cutting edge science fiction...a spell-binding page turner."
—Lee Ashford: Top 1% GoodReads Reviewer

The burial chamber of a revered Mayan sorceress is uncovered atop a sacrificial pyramid at the Caracol ruins in western Belize. Translation of ancient metallic scrolls and a 1100 year old diary found in the chamber reveal the existence of a secret entrance to the inside of a mountain. The scrolls refer to the interior as Trinium, the Place of Knowledge, and explain its creation by an advanced civilization.

A flash of mysterious blue light brings death to a U.N. official assisting the Belizean government in the search for the secret entrance. John Henry Morgan and Mary Ellen Rollins, two scientists working on a U.N. project in Africa, are chosen to investigate the death and determine the veracity of the mountain story.

As the investigation progresses, the U.N. representatives come into possession of a scepter wielding miraculous powers, and they uncover the source of sudden death from a mysterious ball of blue light.

Hidden controls embedded in the trunk of a giant oak tree materialize the mountain entrance, revealing strange sculpted caverns. Bizarre mental prodding guides the representatives to the Place of Seeing for the most shocking experience of their lives.

Protection of the mountain’s secrets requires cooperation from Belize, the United Nations, NATO and the United States. But leaks of the discoveries cause one nation to determine the mountain poses a threat to world order, and it will take great risks to neutralize the danger.

Marshall Chamberlain gives us a magnificent adventure into plausible reality and carries us into unique realms of danger and suspense, producing new insight for wrestling with age-old questions: who are we? Where did we come from? Is our historic record accurate?

Book I, The Mountain Place of Knowledge, is a spellbinding adventure, scientifically mysterious, and metaphysically familiar. Stalwart characters meet avarice and violence head on as Chamberlain weaves the first installment of the Ancestor Series of adventure-thrillers.

This first book in the Ancestor Series will not only appeal to thriller lovers but also to readers of both science fiction and paranormal. To date, all of my books have a little Indian Jones flavor, and I’ve been told a smidgen of Nelson DeMille’s style might have entered the mix. Similarities with some of the works of Lincoln Child/Douglas Preston and Michael Crichton exist, although my voice is less literary; I’ve branded it “raging-river prose.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Marshall Chamberlain
• Release date: Jan 16, 2010
• ISBN: 9781452349817

Marshall Chamberlain

Marshall Chamberlain is a man focused on his passions, with no time for pets, lawns, plants, puttering around or companion compromises. He has a master’s degree in Resource Development from Michigan State University and a graduate degree in International Management from the Thunderbird School near Phoenix, Ariz. He was an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps and spent many years in investment banking, venture capital and even a stint as a professional waiter. He is obsessed with preparedness, survival and independence. This combination of traits and an unconditional openness to life have led him to all manner of adventure and authoring the Ancestor Series of adventure-thriller. The first book was "The Mountain Place of Knowledge," released on December 15, 2013; it was the first of three books in the series. Chamberlain’s primary worldview is simple but profound—“I’m in awe of the magnificence of this world.” To discover more about this above average man, visit his website: www.marshallchamberlain.com. Or, contact him at: [e-mail]

Book preview

Acclaim for The Mountain

Awarded 1st Place in the Action and Adventure Genre for 2013 by

Foreword Reviews

****

"…techno thriller…keeping you turning

the pages feverishly.

—Hilary Hemingway

Cape Coral, FL

****

"Vivid word pictures enhance the most horrific situations,

allowing readers to live vicariously through the eyes

of a main character...Kick-start impressions

infuse the book with life, propelling

the reader though its pages.

Lovers of Indiana Jones movies will enjoy

the work of this promising author."

—Foreword Magazine, Clarion Reviews

****

"Masterful blend of reality with cutting

edge science fiction…a spell-

binding page turner."

—Lee Ashford: Top 1% GoodReads Reviewer

Klamath Falls, OR

****

"…mingling of intrigue, fantasy, science fiction

and international politics…You will

anxiously await the sequel."

—Peter Thibadeau: Avid Indie Reader

Edgewood, WA

****

…riveting…I couldn’t put it down.

—John MacKenzie

Deep Cove, British Columbia, Canada

****

It runs like a raging river.

—Jessica Kenfield

Alpharetta, GA

The Mountain Place of Knowledge was a Publishers Weekly

listing in the October 14, 2013 Issue of Select.

Title Page

The Mountain

Place of

Knowledge

A Novel

By: Marshall Chamberlain

The Grace Publishing Group

Fort Myers Beach, Florida

ALSO BY MARSHALL CHAMBERLAIN

The Ice Cap and the Rift, Book II in the Ancestor Series

of Adventure-thrillers (Coming Early 2014)

Creative Self-Publishing in the World Marketplace (2004)

Copyright

PUBLISHED BY:

The Grace Publishing Group

12 Oneida Drive

Fort Myers Beach, Florida 33931

www.gracepublishing.org

at Smashwords.com

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and events are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

The Library Of Congress Control Number: 201395751-Parent Book

ISBN 978-0-9740982-6-5

Copyright © 2013 by Marshall Chamberlain

Book Design and Illustration by Marshall Chamberlain

All Rights Reserved

Printed in the United States of America

Second Edition: December 2013

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Dedication

To the memory of my father, Charles William Chamberlain,

the celebration of his forty-seven-year career with the

Associated Press, and the hope he would have

been proud of the late-blossoming

writings of his only son.

1917-1994

Table of Contents

Front Cover

Acclaim

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Table of Contents

Quote

One: Belize: A.D. 876

Two: Two Weeks Ago

Three: Zambia

Four: United Nations

Five

Six: Belize City

Seven: New York City

Eight: Prague

Nine: Chinese Trade Mission

Ten: Belizean Ministry of Interior

Eleven: Calvin

Twelve: To Belize

Thirteen: Kip Tuo

Fourteen

Fifteen: Morgan

Sixteen: Calvin

Seventeen

Eighteen: China

Nineteen: UN Representatives

Twenty

Twenty-one

Twenty-two: Caracol

Twenty-three: Chinese Field Trip

Twenty-four: Mountain Site

Twenty-five: Museum Curator

Twenty-six: The Scepter

Twenty-seven

Twenty-eight: Field Trip Continues

Twenty-nine: Streambed

Thirty

Thirty-one: The Sentinel

Thirty-two

Thirty-three: The Mountain

Thirty-four: The Place of Seeing

Thirty-five: Field Trip Interruption

Thirty-six: Back Inside the Mountain

Thirty-seven: The Sphere

Thirty-eight: The Museum Curator Plans

Thirty-nine: Back in The Sphere

Forty: Post Field Trip

Forty-one: Return from the Sphere

Forty-two: Museum Curator’s Debacle

Forty-three

Forty-four: The United Nations

Forty-five: Operation Sky Mask

Forty-six: Calcutta

Forty-seven: The CIA

Forty-eight: Prague

Forty-nine: Milkweed

Fifty

Fifty-one: The Personal Invasion

Fifty-two: Puerto Barrios, Guatemala

Fifty-three

Fifty-four: The Minister & the Ruse

Fifty-five: The Monk

Fifty-six: China & Dr. Rashnarish

Fifty-seven: Mary Ellen’s Medical Status

Fifty-eight: The Garifuna Shaman

Fifty-nine: The Monk

Sixty: Abduction

Sixty-one: Desperate Situation

Sixty-two: Back to the Mountain

Sixty-three

Sixty-four: Museum Curator’s Deceit

Sixty-five: The Library

Sixty-six

Sixty-seven: The Back-base

Sixty-eight

Sixty-nine: The Point of Departure

Seventy: Last Recon

Seventy-one: Mountain Site Preparations

Seventy-two: Release Point

Seventy-three: CP, November 7th: 0121 Hours

Seventy-four: Devastation & Chaos

Seventy-five: Breach

Seventy-six: Aftermath

Seventy-seven: A new Beginning

Epilogue: China, The Pleiades and Spain

Letter to Readers

Book II in the Ancestor Series: Synopsis

Book II in the Ancestor Series: Excerpt

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Author Interview at Smashwords.com

Connect with Marshall on Social Media

Wise Quote

"The history of civilization on this Plane of Demonstration is

foggy mist in the process of clearing."

–Brother Sao of the Pleiades

Chapter One

Belize: A.D. 876

Myakka’s fingers and toes grappled at the tree’s rough bark. A black jaguar was close behind, leaping for her, its lethal claws slapping at her heels. Her breath came in jagged hitches and her sides ached, but she climbed on, up into the high branches of the huge oak. The feral cat was relentless. Its desperate snarls pierced the silence of the forested mountainside.

During the frenzied climb, Myakka had ventured only one glance back at the cat, directly into its speckled yellow eyes. Without a doubt she was facing the ruler of these forests.

The young girl looked up into the branches. Her heart pounded and sweat rolled down her face, skin glistening in the fading light. Dingy croc-skins, embroidered with small colored stones mined from the swiftly-running Japona River outside the City State of Caracol, adhered to her hard brown body. Her arms and legs were bloodied from the desperate climb. The gods must be angry. What have I done?

Twenty feet above, the branches had grown together, forming a near-solid barricade. Was it possible to get over it? A snarl and the cat slashed a claw across Myakka’s calf. She gasped at the searing pain and knew the cat had drawn blood. She scurried like a squirrel toward a small break in the woody barrier. Could she squeeze through? If she could get on top, perhaps the barrier would stop the animal’s pursuit.

It hissed at her, but she didn’t look back.

Myakka worked her head into the narrow space. Sharp twigs scraped her ears and tugged the turquoise pins from her braided hair. She pushed and twisted and wormed her way through. On hands and knees she scrambled to the edge of the crude platform.

Eyes riveted on the cat, she tossed her braids over her left shoulder and brought her bow up, slowly nocked an arrow, pulling it to full, knowing this was her last chance. The beast was already moving into position along a branch for a leap onto the platform.

She let the arrow fly. It struck deep into the leopard’s thigh. Myakka recoiled from the wrenching sound of the cat’s shriek, but recovered and nocked another arrow. She peered over the edge of the platform.

The cat’s cries were terrifying, but it was retreating down the trunk. She watched it disappear in the dense foliage of the branches.

The gods must be teaching a lesson. Had she won?

Myakka was immoveable, holding the bow, arms tight around the tree trunk, its coarse, grating bark eating into her skin as the adrenaline eased. She heard the cat’s dreadful moaning and observed it climb to a shelf along the sheer face of the mountain. The dangerous beast was no more than twenty meters from her and at about her level. It rolled on its back, clawing and biting at the arrow.

Myakka, I am here.

The voice coming from somewhere below sent a thrilling shiver down her spine. Tyuco, her betrothed, had come to greet her on her return from the vision quest. There was relief in his tone, and Myakka knew why. More often than not, young girls coming of age succumbed to the treacherous volcanic terrain or the deadly leopard or the great bear or the poisonous snakes and crocodiles lying in wait among the coastal marshes, or the black-tipped sharks in the shallow sea lagoons. But she had been successful and possessed the bounty of her objective, the precious shell of the giant conch. Delivery to the priests of her beloved city of Caracol would earn her the right to apprentice in the skills and crafts of the sorceress.

Tyuco, beware of the great female cat on the ledge above, she called. I have wounded it.

I have been watching and see her. I will soon finish her life. Are you injured?

No. You must be careful.

I will. Stay where you are, beloved. I will return. We must make camp quickly. The sun has nearly departed.

Myakka relaxed her death hold on the tree trunk, dropped her bow at her feet, and began sliding her arms down the trunk’s girth, guiding herself into a kneeling position to wait for Tyuco—but a keening whistle sounded, and she lost her balance trying to gain the safety of the tree trunk that suddenly wasn’t there. She sprawled headlong onto the confluence of branches. She looked up. To her amazement the entire top of the giant oak had disappeared.

What have the gods done?

A thick, round pole of brightly shining material topped by a huge, spinning blue jewel rose into the heavens where the tree trunk had been, sending silent streams of blue light from its facets strobing off the surrounding forest canopy.

With all her strength, Myakka instinctively grabbed the post. She closed her eyes tightly, wishing it would all go away.

What had she done?

She opened her eyes and cast her attention over the landscape below. The birds and ground creatures were moving in a confused manner.

Tightly holding on to the strange lustrous stanchion, her memory jolted: Tyuco and the cat. She looked over at the ledge. The jaguar appeared paralyzed by the event, cowering against the rock face. She wanted to call to Tyuco, but the words wouldn’t come.

She stood there frozen. But then unexpected calm seeped into her being, and she trembled in response. To her startled amazement, below her hold on the pole a rectangular space had revealed itself. She let go as if the post were hot, adrenaline pumping anew.

Should she flee? But—no. Her terror oddly dissolved into strong curiosity. Four spots—red, green, orange, and blue—were indented into the bronze-colored space.

What is this thing?

An uncontrollable urge caused her to push at the green one. An image forced itself into her mind. She wrapped her arms around the pole again and prayed for the unwanted picture to go away. In her mind a ground-level opening in the sheer face of the rock prominence below was crystal clear, but the reality of it felt intrusive and oppressive. She instinctively pushed the red spot, and the scene dissolved.

She let out her breath, fixated on the colored spots. Now what?

Again, insatiable curiosity goaded her to touch the orange color. The huge, blue-blazing jewel began to spin faster, and solid streams of blue light emitted from its crystalline surfaces, disseminating intense beams over the forest as far as she could see.

She was bewildered by the chaos. How to stop it? She slapped at the pole, at the same time wondering why there was such quiet. Nothing happened.

She struck the bronze rectangle with an open palm and saw the round blue spot briefly light up. The view of the forest down the mountainside filled with streamers of blue light so forceful and concentrated she was forced to shield her eyes, holding onto the pole for dear life. The sound was like an angry waterfall.

In a moment it was over. She heard the whistle again and looked up. The tree had appeared as if nothing had happened, and she was again clutching its trunk. But there was a stench in the air she knew well—a taste on her tongue, in her nose, spelling death. The forest sounds had ceased, and a layer of smoke was gathering over the jungle terrain.

She turned her head and wrenched her body to observe the shelf. The cat lay on its back, still, but its yellow eyes were open and its silky black fur was smoldering.

Tyuco, where are you?

Nothing. She scuttled down the tree trunk, careful not to damage the conch shell tethered in a twine bag hanging against her back. Every muscle in her body ached, the adrenaline was dissipating, and she trembled from exhaustion. At the last branch, as she picked her spot and readied to drop to the ground, she stopped. Tyuco lay in a sprawling heap at the base of the tree. She could see all the way through the round hole in the middle of his forehead. His hair was smoking.

Chapter Two

Two Weeks Ago

Confident the landforms described in the Mayan diary matched Park Service terrain maps, they had set out on foot from Solomon Camp, a park stationhouse about ten miles west of the Southern Highway leading back to Belize City.

Calvin Stanvich, the Curator of the Belize Museum of Natural History, and Dr. Donald Courtney, an elderly visiting scientist, were attempting to locate the hidden entrance to the inside of a mountain they believed to be Mt. Richardson. Petras, a local boy working odd jobs at the museum, was along to help carry equipment and camping gear for the sixteen-mile jungle trek, which included a seven-hundred-meter climb up the gentle eastern side of the mountain.

Halfway up the mountain, they decided to camp for the night at the headwaters of Richardson Creek. The trek had been arduous. The forest was dense and uninhabited. They could have been the only humans to have ever come this way. The view down the mountainside was spectacular: a mottled green cover appeared to be draped over the terrain, making it look solid.

Calvin looked the part of the jungle explorer. Though as slight of build as the doctor, he was proudly donned in pure Patagonia. It had been frustrating having to coddle to Dr. Courtney’s pace; he had no empathy for the old man’s physical limitations.

Making camp, Calvin stayed to himself—away from the nattering professor—wrestling with his Eureka enclosure and consumed in weighing the alternatives of what he might do if he found what he was looking for.

He left Dr. Courtney and the boy on their own to stake up their tent and execute their pre-agreed duties preparing the dehydrated stew they’d brought along for dinner.

Calvin worked methodically, rapidly setting up his bivouac, and then took a break sitting on a log next to his tent, admiring the sunlight from behind the mountain prominence playing against the clouds in the western sky, barely aware of his hunger and filled with a mystical optimism.

***

Late the next morning, crossing a meadow at the base of a knoll, they passed a park stationhouse under construction and moved back into the canopy for the final mile to the mountain prominence. An hour later, breaking through a thicket, they peered across a dry streambed about forty meters wide in front of a sheer rock face.

It looks wider than Myakka described in her diary, Dr. Courtney said, his voice dry and gravelly.

Calvin frowned. It’s been eleven-hundred years, Doctor. What did you expect?

As the day had worn on, Calvin had become increasingly irritated with the slightly-built, bald academic, who had been a constant source of aggravation since Minister Jacobson, Calvin’s superior, had thrown the two together to add to his friend’s vacation experience. The doctor was an avid archeologist.

According to the map, the streambed skirted the jagged prominence, terminating abruptly a half mile south where over the eons intermittent waters had washed over a steep rocky grade and eroded the landscape to treacherous impassability. At the north side of the prominence, the streambed snaked around some two miles and ended in a deeply-cut valley and waterfall—dry at this time of year. Stark cliffs occupied the western side overlooking the lush green hills and valleys of Guatemala.

Facing them was a granite rock face fifty to sixty meters wide and at least twenty-five meters high. It was sheer and then petered out into the craggy remainder of the prominence. I believe this is what we’re looking for, Calvin said, sly wrinkles curling at the sides of his mouth. He was pleased with his intrepid diary translation.

Let’s take a rest here. I’m afraid I don’t have your stamina. Dr. Courtney turned and placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder. Petras, be a good fellow and set up the table. He turned to Calvin. What say we take another look at that map?

Calvin was momentarily fixated on a huge tree poking up over its neighbors to the right of the rock face. He was euphoric; it was exactly as the Mayan diary described it: an anomaly in the landscape over a hundred feet tall, dense and foreboding. The authoress had referred to it as the Sentinel.

Calvin spread his notes and maps on the field table, and the two men went back and forth correlating the diary’s description of physiographic features with the reality of the contour map.

Dr. Courtney took another look across the dry streambed of smoothly-packed rocks glittering in the sunlight. The tree is so obvious. As I’m sure you must realize, trees don’t live eleven-hundred years. You’re sure your notes are accurate and you know what you’re doing?

Please, Doctor, I’m an expert in this language. We went over all this in the Minister’s office.

I know, and of course seeing the tree exactly as you have it here gives the tale a touch of credence. But the buttons you describe—I’m confused. You show four buttons here. Dr. Courtney pointed to one of Calvin’s diagrams, lips tight, facial lines rigid. The summary you gave Minister Jacobson indicated only two.

I’m by no means finished with the translation. I rushed to get a cursory summary to the Minister. All I can tell you is the entry procedure was carefully explained at the beginning of the diary. I’m not clear yet what the other buttons are for. We just want to see if we can actually get in. Agreed?

Dr. Courtney looked up from the maps several times to study the landscape. He seemed pathetically inept with his little glasses hanging on the end of his nose. What was he not seeing?

Calvin knew the doctor had been skeptical from the beginning, but the existence of the diary—a perfectly preserved codex—had convinced the doctor the trip might be worthwhile. But he’d made a harsh judgment of Calvin’s translation work right in front of him in the Minister’s presence. He’d claimed it had a mythical feel—inexplicable fairy-tale wonders the Mayan author attributed to the gods.

So, according to your notes, we climb that tree, we come to the confluence of branches, then feel around the trunk for a mechanism that materializes the controls. This is difficult for me to fathom.

It’s an adventure calling out, my good Doctor. You see the tree.

I do, and so far it appears you’ve done your homework well, but I’d feel a lot better with a more cautious approach. Did Myakka say how she found this spot in the first place?

"Yes, she described the vision quest of her adolescence, a rather harsh and brutal coming-of-age ritual. If a youth was unsuccessful accomplishing certain objectives on a journey to the sea within a set time, among other things, the priests enslaved the young girls and neutered the males."

Calvin went into detail, relishing the opportunity to explain the drug-induced journey of the young Mayan: her escape from a jaguar by climbing the same tree they were now observing across the streambed and then accidentally triggering the appearance of a button-filled panel. His narrative took on a condescending tone as he observed Dr. Courtney’s questioning facial reactions.

You tell a good story, I’ll admit. You seem to have learned a considerable amount since we were together in Byron’s office.

I’ve done nothing else. There’s more, but right now I’m anxious to follow the directions and see for myself. I suggest only one of us climb the tree, but first let’s assess the situation.

They collected their documents, and Dr. Courtney nodded to the boy. Petras, can you pack up and follow us?

The boy quickly collapsed the field table, packed it away in his pack, shouldered his load, and tagged after the doctor.

Did you update Byron on your translation progress? Dr. Courtney called.

Calvin was already negotiating the streambed. No time, he yelled back. He assigned this little adventure to me without warning, and I still have a lot to finish.

Calvin planned to hold off a day or two after they returned before surrendering more of his translation notes to Minister Jacobson. He’d remain in the Minister’s good graces and buy time. Some key pieces of information would be missing, but submission of corrections and additions could come later with the final draft. How to deal with the doctor from here on out was the immediate problem. The doctor’s skepticism and propensity for wanting to control the expedition was maddening. Priceless artifacts could be resting inside the mountain. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Dr. Courtney carefully watched his footing as he struggled along after Calvin. It’s difficult to believe we’re following in Myakka’s footsteps, he stammered between breaths.

Calvin looked back and let out a gasp of frustration as he picked his way through the boulders on the bank. The bigger rocks were causing the doctor to stumble here and there, but it seemed his curiosity had clearly overcome his reluctance.

Entering the grove of trees, Calvin headed for the huge anomaly. He’d never seen trees of two to four meters in trunk diameter. They were clearly ancient but couldn’t possibly be more than a few hundred years old. Reaching the giant gnarled oak, he touched the trunk, expecting some alien material, but the dark bark was rough and supple, smelling naturally pungent like any other giant oak.

It was hard to envision this as the same tree Myakka had shimmied to escape a jaguar so long ago. He stood at the base of the huge tree, looking up through the dense limbs. His heart pounded like a racehorse. He couldn’t wait.

He flung off his pack and began negotiating the branches one at a time. The leaf-laden tree limbs quickly obscured the ground. All he could hear was the sound of his breath and leaves fluttering in the breeze.

Reaching the junction of three large branches, he heaved himself up. He was both jubilant and exhausted as he quickly took measure of the mountainside, half-expecting to catch a glimpse of a stalking jaguar. A line of brush growing along the rock face looked like an animal path. Or was it his imagination?

Calvin, are you up there?

The voice sounded far away, bringing him back to the present. I’m at the three branches, he called out.

I thought we were going to examine the situation together. I’d like to be intimately involved with any discovery. It’s why I’m here.

Minister Jacobson had saddled Calvin with the doctor, and now the old man wanted to go up in the tree with him. Ridiculous.

I can hardly hear you. I’m sorry, Calvin yelled. I couldn’t wait. Do forgive me. It’s just as well. The branches wouldn’t accommodate us both. I’m searching for the control panel. If successful, perhaps later you can repeat what I accomplish. Does that sound equitable?

It’ll have to do, I suppose. The boy and I will wait, but be careful, will you?

Don’t worry. Don’t worry. And turn your radio on station ten. I can’t hear you very well. It was a frequency not in use by the Parks Department.

From Myakka’s diary, Calvin had a good idea of what it would take to locate the control panel and open the entrance. At waist height he embraced the tree trunk, moving his hands over its rough surface from back to front.

As he continued his systematic caressing, he remembered Myakka’s tragic first encounter with the control panel. Calvin flattened his palms, carefully going over the trunk back and forth, working his way up to head height. Without warning the tree trunk and the tree’s entire upper canopy vanished. He recoiled, nearly losing his balance as a metallic post and a massive, spinning blue jewel at its top rose overhead. He shuddered and grabbed onto the post for balance. The missing top of the tree left him on a perch with no reference points—nothing but open space. He was sitting at the apex of the forest canopy, alone.

The next moment it abruptly occurred to him that perhaps he shouldn’t be doing this. Did he really understand all the details? But the moment had arrived. He held onto the post, snickering. I did it. Visions of money and power filled his mind. People would do his bidding. He would retire.

He scoured the post. His heart jumped as a panel materialized in front of his face. It was bronze colored, inlaid with four jeweled buttons set in a row.

No hesitation. The diary had revealed what to do.

He depressed the green one, and his mind filled with an image of the rock face below. Then a rectangular opening formed like the next slide in a presentation. And just as Myakka had written, the opening remained pictured in his mind for about sixty seconds before it disappeared. He tried it again and used the red button this time to make it close.

Comfortable with the open–to-close timing, he pulled the radio off his belt. Are you there?

I hear you, Calvin.

I found the control panel. I think I figured out how it works.

Was it like the diary said?

Yes, exactly. I opened the entrance. I have one more test. Then I’ll open it again. Go back through the trees and position in front of the rock face and wait.

Okay. Give us a few minutes. We’ll set up the table and unpack the equipment. When it opens, we’ll wait for you, but one of us should stay outside in case we have to operate it from the tree again.

Dr. Courtney was clearly caught up in the adventure now, but Calvin needed to be by himself inside the mountain to locate the compartment Myakka had discovered in the first room. It had originally held an instrument she referred to as the magic stick and was the logical place to begin searching for other valuable artifacts.

He was anxious to enter, but first he had to face the thoughts he’d been pushing aside. Minister Jacobson would understand experimenting with the control panel. The details of Myakka’s ordeal with the orange and blue buttons wouldn’t find their way into his diary-translation work until later. If there were an accident, there would be no one to claim he had ever gained access to the mountain’s interior.

A picture of his mother shaking a finger at him flashed across his mental screen. His hand hovered over the orange button. Since she’d moved them away from his father’s family in Spain, Calvin had been taught to avoid violence. But during his early years growing up in the wine country of north-central Spain, at a time of vicious political turmoil, the children were taught to embrace brutality and death in order to survive. The conflicting imprints had left him in a permanent quandary.

Jacobson had directed Calvin to find out exactly how things worked. No one could fault him for the unexpected. It was a rational way to proceed, but he hesitated and brought his hand away from the panel. He had to get inside—then back out. An accident now would eliminate assistance from the doctor if something went amiss. Dr. Courtney was right. Someone had to remain outside in case he couldn’t locate the duplicate controls inside, or if they failed to re-open the entrance when he was ready to exit.

He pressed the green button. I’m coming! he shouted and switched the radio back to roaming the park frequencies.

He scurried down the trunk like a racoon, thrashed his way out of the trees, and ran to join Dr. Courtney and the boy. They’d unpacked all the gear, piled it on the field table, and were standing twenty feet from a gray, translucent rectangle in the rock face.

Amazing, no sound. Just like magic, Dr. Courtney exclaimed. It looks like a sculptured space in there. His eyes were wide. The frightened young boy cowered behind him.

I must go quickly, Calvin blurted. It only stays open about two minutes. I can open it from inside. Give me fifteen minutes. If it doesn’t re-open, go back and climb the Sentinel and open it.

Dr. Courtney raised his hands in submission.

Calvin removed a shovel off the table and rushed to the entrance. He hesitated an instant, then began probing the space behind the rectangle with the shovel handle. Pulling the handle back out, he examined it. Satisfied it was no worse for wear, he stepped cautiously through into a room filled with golden light. Outside sounds immediately muted, and the soft feel of the interior seemed to press him with welcome. He moved slowly toward an oblong white counter about seven meters long. A sense of calm spread through him as he approached a thick white column at one end of the counter. It was covered with ornate carvings all the way to the domed ceiling.

Almost every surface of the interior was white. Strange scenes were painted in sections high on the walls below the dome’s curvature. He recognized animal forms and the jungle foliage, but the gray-skinned, slightly built beings clothed in white robes seemed out of place.

The entrance whooshed closed. Calvin had been caught up in the stunning effects of the interior but now snapped into claustrophobic shock. He eased toward the column, wary. Curiously, the feeling dissipated. The counter surfaces looked smooth like porcelain, without apparent seams, and flowed into the structure of the column and into the tiled floor. The walls and domed ceiling appeared to pour out from the top of the column.

Calvin grappled in his pocket for a pair of surgical gloves. He ran his hands over the countertop and knocked on it. It sounded and felt like stone. A basin was indented in the surface next to the column. Myakka had called it a talking hole and claimed to have used it to communicate with people she referred to as the Ancestors. He inched along toward the bowl, contemplating Myakka’s instructions. He lowered his head into the structure an inch at a time, all the way to his shoulders. Dark, swirling blankets began collecting like storm clouds at the edge of his awareness. He gasped, convinced they were poised to consume his consciousness. He yanked out of the bowl and slapped the top of the counter with both hands to get control. The pain stopped the onslaught. He had no idea where the images had come from. The diary hadn’t prepared him for this. He could only assume Myakka had similar encounters with strange perceptions but hadn’t recorded them.

He backed away from the counter and checked his watch. It had stopped. How much time had gone by? He wasn’t sure. The peculiar sensations could have distorted his perception. He snatched at the radio. He didn’t want the doctor to panic, return to the sentinel tree, and attempt to activate the entrance, but the radio was dead. Claustrophobia came for him again. He groped at the column, poking and prodding the post in a frenzy. Then a bejeweled panel appeared. It was the same bronze color as the one up in the tree. He was unaware how he’d accomplished the feat but was relieved at the sight of the duplicate colored buttons. His heart was still racing.

If he was going to see if the system worked, he should do it now, just as Myakka had twice been forced to do to protect herself from attack by malicious guests during pilgrimages to the mountain.

He pressed the orange button, and just as had happened at the top of the tree, a spinning blue jewel appeared at the apex of the column, throwing off rays of blue light from sparkling crystal facets. A cerulean sea of glittering chaos filled the room.

As he clung to the column, his throat ran dry and he trembled. He took a deep breath and concentrated on gathering his bearings. Now that he was sure the system was working, he could plan his exit. Just one thing remained for now: the cabinet.

The dancing light made it difficult to see. His temples hurt, and he was disoriented, but he gripped the edge of the oblong counter and crept down the long side. As it curved around, he kept his palms against the edge and rounded the end.

A section of the counter base noiselessly parted. The closet-like space was empty except for a molded outline embedded against the back. His eyes opened wide. The diary was accurate. Here was the home of the scepter instrument, the magic stick he’d recently recovered from Myakka’s burial chamber atop the Caracol central pyramid.

Calvin dashed back to the post and pulled out his camera to snap pictures for later study. He focused on the writings and glyphs covering the domed ceiling. He hoped the camera would function through the flashing lights, but the digital screen was blank. Like a caged animal, he felt cornered, without any concept of time, and the radiating light was driving him crazy. The only thing in his mind was getting out. And he realized there was nothing to hide now. The doctor could have a turn experiencing the inside. In fact, going over the interior with him would help re-establish credibility and offer an opportunity to copy the dome writings longhand.

Without thinking it through, Calvin reflexively pushed the blue button on the panel. The flashing crystal faces on the spinning gem ruptured with blasts of blue light rays, bathing the interior of the room except for the space around the column.

What had he done? A chill ran down his spine. Then the jewel stopped rotating and melted into the top of the column like a plasma stream.

The memory hit him as he jabbed at the green button. The orange button set up preparatory connection with the spinning jewel, but Myakka used the red button to cancel, not the blue one. His throat narrowed into dry knots, and he was nauseas. He stood hanging onto the column, unable to move.

The rectangular space had re-opened,

Reviews for The Mountain Place of Knowledge

[calicocat901 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I won this book in a Member Giveaway. I found the premise to be very intriguing and parts of the book were riveting, such as the assault on the mountain, and the scenes which take place inside the mountain. I, like the other reviews, did find the plot confusing. I needs to be tightened up a little bit, the book needs to focus better on the genre, I found the action/adventure parts interesting, but the sci-fi elements were not well-developed and could have used more explanations as to the origins of the mountain, its uses, and the community. I kept finding myself confused as to the characters, I had to go back and recheck many times as to which this particular character was, and how they were introduced into the story. I also found the ending went several scenes too long, I had lost my interest once the assault on the mountain was over, and by then I was just hurrying through the rest of the story, just wanting it to be done. I do really feel, that if this author hired a really good editor, there could be a really good book here. I understand that this is a first book in a series. I will be interested to see if the plotting has improved in the next books.

[kristincedar · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Can't say that my review is going to be any different than the other ones I've seen. I was very excited to receive this book on early reviewers. It sounded like an interesting concept: finding out what is going on in places like Mayan ruins, fault lines in Africa, and other heightened areas, but the the story isn't fully committed to being sci-fi, but is too out there to be anything but. It wasn't the easiest book to get through, very muddled and unclear on the direction the story is taking, and to be honest, the best part of the story is when ****SPOILER ALERT***** the bad guy gets into the mountain.

[DiDonovan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Be forewarned: The Mountain Place of Knowledge is not a stand-alone creation, but Book One in the 'Ancestor' series. Therefore, one can expect an action story that will link to future books. That said: it's a thriller highly recommended for readers who like their action nonstop, their characters well-drawn, and tension revolving around an archaeological discovery: an ancient Mayan sorceress's tomb.

Investigators of the Belize discovery face a mysterious death light which has already killed a U.N. official - but this is just the tip of the iceberg as strange new forces are unearthed that might better have been left undiscovered: powers described in a Mayan diary and experienced by the ancient Mayans.

The first two chapters contrast mistakes of past and present with the seeming inability of man to learn from the warnings of past experience. As events involve investigative teams around the world, they slowly build in complexity as special interest groups, politicians, and others become involved in the discovery and its potential to threaten world order.

With its strong characters, plot, and attention to infusing high drama with the convergence of special interests, The Mountain Place of Knowledge represents Indiana Jones-style intrigue and adventure writing at its best.

[qstewart_5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I found The Mountain Place of Knowledge an interesting and fascinating work. A mountain in Belize that holds all knowledge. A place mentioned in the writings of ancient people, but a place that has been forgotten for centuries. A place that when two enter, they can communicate telepathically. A place that allows you a bird’s eye view of what has occurred in the past. I imagine a place that one would enter with awe and wonder.Such a place was found by interpreting the writings of an ancient priestess. Once opened there are two deaths that lead to an investigative team from the UN to the site to see what caused the deaths? Another world power hears of the mountain and they send in a team to learn what they can and also to steal what is inside the mountain. The stage is set for an assault on the mountain to learn what one can by a raid. Of course they are met by UN troops and there is a struggle.The book ends with everything hanging in the air and I look forward to reading the follow up work to get a better understanding of who the ancestors are. A very good read and one that may keep you on the edge of your seat.

[leesalogic · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I received this book from Member Giveaways.It took me awhile to read this book because it was sent to me in PDF format and converting it to epub really messed up the formatting (paragraph breaks in the middle of the sentence for instance). I couldn't find the book on my ereader either (it ended up being a problem with the software reading the title, so it put the book after Z, where I'd never think to look for it). Reading it on the computer was difficult because if I ever had to reboot my computer the file would close and Adobe Reader doesn't remember what page the viewer was last on. Finally, I was able to read it on Aldiko on my tablet, which would remember what page I was on, but every time I opened the file, I had to change the size as the font was too small (though very pretty) for ereading purposes.All that to send a message to the author: please make your books available in epub or mobi and forget PDF! The typography is very nice (main text font and the chapter headings), but it works better in a print format--I'm sure I'd really enjoy a physical version of the book.I liked the premise of the story. I liked the no-nonsense approach to the interactions between the main characters. There were, however, too many characters/factions/viewpoints/motivations, and it got confusing. There was some really interesting concepts and technologies, and I liked the overlapping needs of archeology, linguistics, history, mythology, and translation. The metaphysical nature--of both the aliens and the monk--was the most interesting to me. Sadly, not enough time was spent on these two fascinating aspects, and too much time was spent on the espionage and intrigue of who was going to control the artifacts.The hardest thing for me to appreciate was the ending. Nothing is resolved or even promised further study. It ends with the least interesting character getting what he deserves. Frankly, I'd like to know more about Kip. And Browning, for that matter.

[cedargrove_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Seemingly uncertain of its own genreWith a premise that was without a doubt interesting, this book could have been a whole lot better than it was. Teetering between science-fiction, political mystery/thriller and spiritual quest as the 'focus' of the story, the characterisation, descriptions and ultimately the plot of the story kind of got lost in the confusion.A testament to this problem of seemingly too many disparate story lines came in the form of multiple endings. Just when you think the author is wrapping up, that you've reached the denouement of the tale, off you go again on another few pages of a second ending and a third... honestly I think I lost count.However, I'd like to see this idea re-visioned, with a clearer genre as its focus, because the idea itself is sound, and could be engaging if written in a different way.

[mirrani_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

When I got this book I was fairly excited about the idea behind it, but as I started reading I found that my focus often wandered off. As a result it took me a lot longer to read than would be normal for a book of this size. Things in the story seemed too arranged at times, fairly convenient when they needed to be and that was a little off-putting in places. The characters seemed well thought out, but the plot was all over the place. I felt that the book couldn't decide if it wanted to be a story about extra terrestrial life or about the mystery of solving a murder or about finding a higher power, and after all of the "endings" that I went through to clean up all of these story lines the actual end left me thinking "All of that for this?"There are parts of the book that were interesting and occasionally I had feelings for some of the main characters, but often I found myself wandering through the pages somewhat in a muddle, unsure of who anyone was or what anyone was doing. I think a better polished version of the same story would make an awesome read, I just wasn't captivated by the particular version I was given as an early reviewer.Note: Though this book was a free gift from the author, the content of my review was in no way influenced by the gifting. The book speaks for itself and my review would have been worded just this way even if I'd gone out and bought it.

[joannemonck · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I was supposed to receive another book by this author but receive this one instead. I am not sure why. The story begins with an interesting concept of a hidden opening in a mountain that contains knowledge from an unknown source. The book was rather slow. It could have been a much shorter book. It was a decent read but I would not highly recommend it.

[marnigreatrex · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I won this book from member giveaways...I found it difficult to read in the adobe format i received it in, the plot is good, but i felt a little lost by the middle of the book, not sure if it was the writing style...I don't read alot of sci fi but thought this was decent enough, I didn't feel like i connected with the characters, and at times didn't get the mental image of the story...but again i think it was the format i was reading it in, not so much the story.

[willowone_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was given an e-book copy for the purpose of writing a review.I was intrigued after reading the dust cover of this book. The story is a good "what-if" sci-fi, action story and from the write-up at the end of the book, the next book in the series reads just as interesting. Although the book is a bit long, the action that unfolds is pure adrenaline. I could tell that the author had military training without reading his bio as he wrote his action scenes very well.If you are interested in how the author does on plot and character development, I was able to follow a well written 5 part narrative structure. I did find, however, that parts of the story were not probable. But, it is sci-fi so you know that going in. There were some characters that I felt could have been developed better. Mary Ellen was one of these characters. I didn't feel I knew enough about her, so I found it hard to relate to her. I found I was interested in where the author was going with the story and willing to continue reading to find out, but unable to feel any sense of loyalty to any one character. I liked a few and didn't like others, but I never became invested in them.I gave the story 3 1/2 stars because it was an interesting story with great imagination. I will watch out for the next book in the series, it does look good.

[aztwinmom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ancient Mayan mystery, political intrigue and archaeological adventure come together in this story. A little slow in places with frequent changes between various character POV, but a very interesting read.

[jdgarner68 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Anyone who has studied the ancient Mayan civilization, or read Chariots of the Gods, must admit there is evidence that the Mayans, at least, made monumental attempts and used vast amounts of labor and resources to contact entities from 'out there.' Within murals or pictographs are clues that eerily reference a visit from a superior technology from space.In this book, Chamberlain explores the implications of this theory. He also explores the possible technologies and reasons behind this close encounter. Even a skeptic will be intrigued by this fast-paced tale starring a pair of determined scientists who spearhead the investigation of a hidden chamber in the mountains of Belize. The chamber reveals a technology that far surpasses any that can be found today. Strap on your seat belt.

[bella55075 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I won this through a library Things giveaway. For the most part I liked this book. I liked the plot line and the twists that were in it. I had a hard time getting engrossed in the story as some parts needed to be edited. I think some parts of the book do need to be edited out. It felt like a lot of filler to me. I think that with some of these parts gone the action would be more intense and gripping. All in all I will probably read the second in the series because as a reader, I need to have an ending.

[alanbes · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A spy novel of the West vs China with aliens thrown in. It took a little while for the story to develop and midway through the book the story started building to what I had hoped would be a wonderful climax, but sadly the ending in my opinion fizzled out. At times the book read more like a documentary than a novel.

[haleywhitehall · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

First, this isn't the type of novel I usually read but it sounded interesting so I thought I'd give it a try. I was expecting a fast-paced adventure with other wordly intrigue. It started slow with a UN organisation that is set up to investigate unusual phenomena and a sudden strange death in the field of its director at a mountain in the jungle of Belize. This probably another one of those books that started in the wrong place.I kept reading through several POV hops and eventually got into the story. The Mountain Place of Knowledge has strange alien technology which made me think of Stargate, a group of Chinese determined to get their hands on the powerful technology, and the CIA who are determined to stop them. This resulted in a decent adventure although far from a nail biter.I received this ebook as part of a Library Thing Member Giveaway.

[bruce_mcnair_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A UN organisation that is set up to investigate unusual phenomena and a sudden strange death in the field of its director at a mountain in the jungle of Belize seemed like an unlikely opening scenario for an adventure story. It was a bit slow to start with, particularly as it jumped around between a few different characters. The action and intrigue starts when two new operatives are brought in to investigate the unusual death of their boss. Throw in strange alien technology, a group of Chinese determined to get their hands on it and the CIA who are determined to stop them, and the melting pot produces a reasonable paced action adventure. There are hints of Star Gate here - ancient aliens who have transcended bodily form and the technology they have left behind. But it is still a good read without reaching great heights. Note that I received this as a Library Thing Member Giveaway in PDF format, which was a little challenging to read on my Kindle - I had to rotate the page to make it readable and then navigating each page became a little tedious. In hindsight, it probably would have been easier to read on my MacBook.

[vivapdx_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An excellent spy adventure that has you bouncing around the world. I can't wait for the next book!

[sjm2227 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book had a very good idea behind and it was not something I had read before. The descriptions of the people and places within the book helped me to imagine being in the locations myself so that I could get into the story more.However, I thought the middle of the book was a bit drawn out and it could have been a little tighter. The ending of the book left me feeling unsatisfied as it left a lot of questions unanswered ready for the next book in the sequence, a storyline for which had already been set up. Personally I don’t mind a series but I do like to come to a conclusion in a book and for the characters in a book to have some sort of resolution. Overall, I did enjoy the book as it was a good read. I note from the blurb for the second book, an extract of which is at the end of this one, that it continues with the work of the ISUP (the main outfit in this book) so perhaps some of the questions will be answered then. Note: I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

[jbronderblogs_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The story starts as two scientists, Calvin Stanvich and Donald Courtney, and a young boy are exploring a Mayan ruin. Lead there by a sorceress ancient diary that Calvin has translated but not shared the full content, a strange blue light is triggered and Donald and the young boy are killed. Calvin has other plans for the things described in the diary. Unfortuantely, the death of Donald has brought too much attention and now the UN Institute for the Study of Unusual Phenomena (ISUP) has sent John Henry in to find out what really happened.John Henry has just been pulled from an archeological dig in Zambia. The museum director has reason to assume Calvin is up to something because the gaping holes in the translation of the Mayan diary and the mysterious death of Donald. John Henry’s ex-military background and assistant Mary Ellen fly to Belize and discover a strange entrance to a hill that kills all electronics and has special rooms to teach people, the rooms that the sorceress describes in her diary.But this is not going to be an easy discovery. Calvin decided to ask the Chinese for help translating some scrolls. This leads the Chinese to start investigating what is going on and planning on how they can gain control of the hill and all the knowledge stored within. Now John Henry and Mary Ellen need to explore, determine the cause of the death of Donald, and to keep the Chinese from taking the knowledge and creating weapons with it.I liked the idea behind this story. It has a Clive Cussler/Indian Jones feel to it with action adventure, the discovery of mysterious artifacts, and trying to keep the artifact out of enemy hands. Sadly I have to admit that the story is lacking. There is enough to tease you into wanting to find out more about the rooms in the hill but not much more. It almost felt like the idea ran out and that there was nothing more to add to it. I will admit that some of the conflict with the Chinese seemed to take over the story but nothing really added more to it. I was left wanting more information on the hill, disappointed with the whole Chinese conflict, and feeling let down.Don’t get me wrong, it was an interesting story, but I felt like there could have been more put into it. I see that it is the first book in the series with the next one, The Ice Cap and The Rift, is out for purchase. I did like this one enough to want to buy the second book. But I will be honest, if the second book is similar to the first book and leaves me lacking, I may skip the rest of this series.I received this book for free from the Library Thing Early Review Program in exchange for an honest review.

[cinnleigh · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

THE MOUNTAIN PLACE OF KNOWLEDGE by Marshall Chamberlain was a different, but good read. Covered with political intrigue, high-tech mystery and just a hint of magic, this story is fairly robust and should fit a wide audience.What I liked about Mr. Chamberlain’s writing style was the way he could create an effective and complex story while still maintaining readability. Too often I see complex books written in a complex manner. In my opinion, this severely limits the audience that the book will bring in. Luckily, THE MOUNTAIN PLACE OF KNOWLEDGE is an easy read and one that is packed with action and full of questions.The first in the Ancestor series, THE MOUTAIN PLACE OF KNOWLEDGE promises to push the fast paced action and curiosities into the rest of the books. I would highly recommend this to any fans of science-fiction who are looking for something new and interesting to read.