Never has there been a god or goddess more wondrous or impressive than the wondrous and impressive beings after whom they were modeled. Man is quite incapable, thank goodness, of inventing an entity more remarkable or exalted than himself. The gods are nothing more, nothing less, than creations molded from Man’s own characteristics, his own virtues and vices, his own qualities reconfigured and remodeled in effort to answer his own hopes, longings, fears, and uncertainties. The gods are, at best, reflections of Man’s own essence, distillations of his own actuality, glorifications of his own potential. At the end of the creative day, however, though he may fervently wish or believe otherwise, no creation of Man can be Man’s master. Though the creator may bow and worship the creation, the creation is not, and could never be, the creator’s superior. The creation can be nothing more than the creator’s servant, a means to his end. If the creator chooses to kneel before his creation, he is free to do so, but he cannot blame the creation for staring back at him in mute wonder.

~ Quent Cordair, on Idolatry

The Idolatry story opens in the twilight of the Roman Empire. As the darkening forces of mysticism descend on Western Civilization, the daughter of itinerant traders is falling fast for a local boy—the apprentice and adopted son of a sculptor. The old master, concerned for the boy’s future, recalls his years as a younger man in bustling Alexandria, where he had found the love of his life before having to flee the threat of religious persecution. Now, having finally rebuilt his life and career in a village far away, an enemy from the past reappears, threatening all he holds dear….

Parts I & II of Idolatry, *Genesis* and *A New Eden*, are now available in ebook, paperback, and audiobook editions on Amazon. Part III is being written.

I used to live in Charlottesville. Today I’m reminded of this: “All of humanity was reforming into packs, each pack for protection against the others, with the barking and baying growing louder as the collectives circled, sizing each other up. Disassociated individuals were viewed warily, with suspicion, branded as a danger. If you aren’t for us, you must be against us. Choose! In the press and on social media, behind the slanted headlines and sniping innuendo, the snapping and snarling were intensifying, the pretense of civility crumbling as the packs grew and merged, the smaller groups absorbed into the larger. The collectives were circling and coalescing, testing and reaffirming loyalties, choosing leaders, sharpening claws, baring teeth. Self-loathing and fear were turned and projected outward. Homo sapiens was becoming increasingly less sapiens, devolving, seemingly doomed to another round of sub-civilized, tribalistic brutality. How dark would the next darkness be? How long would it last? How red would run the streets? How unexpected the particular details, the extent of the carnage?”

From an exchange between Apollonius and his beloved teacher, while examining the Colossi of Memnon, considering the meaning, the purpose of the sculpture. She offers a quote from Plato: “The people have always some champion whom they set over them and nurse into greatness. . . . This and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs—when he first appears he is a protector. . . . ” Genesis, Part I of Idolatry, is now available in paperback, for Kindle, and on audiobook.

In the twilight of the Roman Empire, as the darkening forces of religion descend on Western Civilization, a sculptor struggles to keep an ancient dream alive while honoring the love of his life and raising his adopted son. Part I of the epic 5-part IDOLATRY series. “Beautifully written, on the order of Ken Follett’s Pillars of the Earth, with the historical insight of James Michener, it brings to life a time of great thought, great art, and its clash with religious fanaticism. Cordair writes with a poet’s sense of scene and nuance and gives us a great deal of insight into the mind of a sculptor; I found this an exciting and easy read.” ~ Alan Nitikman

Now on Amazon …

A little gift to help start your year off right.  This one is on me — it’s FREE until midnight Pacific tonight, Jan 3. The Amazon reading app, which works on any device, is free too. “Beautifully written, on the order of Ken Follett’s Pillars of the Earth, with the historical insight of James Michener, it brings to life a time of great thought, great art, and its clash with religious fanaticism. Cordair writes with a poet’s sense of scene and nuance and gives us a great deal of insight into the mind of a sculptor; I found this an exciting and easy read.” ~ Alan Nitikman. Available through 12a.m. PST at http://amzn.to/2j4Bccd

Free until midnight Pacific tonight on Amazon …

ALERT to those who have already downloaded the audiobook of A NEW EDEN, Part II of IDOLATRY, or for those considering purchasing. I’ve been alerted by a listener this morning that the current audiobook available of A NEW EDEN somehow ends with Chapter 11 — but there are 15 chapters total! (Audible was doing a system upgrade recently — I suspect some chapter files may have been lost in a server migration). This is deeply frustrating and disappointing, but regardless the cause, please know that the situation will be corrected shortly. Those who have already purchased, please see #3 below on how you can help me identify and resolve the problem.

“Read it with delight on Kindle. Do not miss the luxury of listening to the Audible version. Robin Field makes it one of the best Audiobook performances I have listened to… And I have nearly 300 Audiobooks in my library. This is book two in the series, so be certain to start with the first….also read by Robin.” ~ Raggedy Edge. Now available on Audible, Amazon & iTunes!

I’m very pleased to announce that A NEW EDEN, Part II of the IDOLATRY saga, is now available for your reading pleasure. Kindle edition first, paperback soon to follow, then audiobook. Your reviews are greatly appreciated. With thanks to Quent Cordair Fine Art artist Bryan Larsen for the beautiful cover art, to Dianne Durante for her invaluable editing, to my team of copy-editors and beta readers for the polishing, and to my wife Linda, who makes it all possible. Happy reading! https://www.amazon.com/New-Eden-Idolatry-Book-…/…/B01J2KPSNW

“Journalist Paige Keller, while recovering at a remote resort from an overseas assignment, is drawn into a community dominated by a fundamentalist church, a family of real estate developers, and a group of environmentalists, all in conflict over control of the valley’s future. She goes undercover to discover what lies beneath the church’s rituals and sacred ceremonies, but the more she learns, the deeper the valley’s mysteries and seductions become.”

A NEW EDEN is the second part of the acclaimed IDOLATRY saga, the story of a wealthy young heir and a devout Christian girl who find themselves at the heart of an age-old struggle for the soul of Western Civilization.

For those following the Idolatry story, I’ve created a map of Aurum Valley, the setting for Part II, A New Eden. Part II is on track to be published on Kindle within the week, and in paperback shortly thereafter. (UPDATE: Now available on Amazon!)

Anyone willing to provide a short review on Amazon can still be added to the list to receive a free copy of the Kindle edition of Part II, A New Eden. Just send me an email at dobby@cordair.com with “Yes, I’ll review” in the subject line, and I’ll add you to the list (limited-time offer).

Sneak peek! This is a cropped swatch of the new artwork for the cover of A NEW EDEN, Part II of IDOLATRY, to be published within the next few weeks. The painting, an original oil on aluminum-composite panel, was created on commission by one of our gallery’s excellent artists, Bryan Larsen. The original painting and limited-edition prints will be available (let me know if you might be interested; I’ll put you on the list to be notified when the art is available).

I have ONE audiobook copy of GENESIS, Part I of IDOLATRY, to give away today in exchange for a short review on Audible within the next two weeks — just a sentence or two in review will be fine. Be the first to raise a hand in the comments below. Listening length: 4 hrs 11 mins. Retail price: $14.95. Note: I can only give this away to a U.S. listener; sorry international fans.