Title: Killuminati
Author: Ferdinand Regensburger
Publisher: AEGA Design Publishing Ltd.
ISBN: 978-1-8383499-8-1
Pages: 985
Genre: Action & Adventure / Thriller
Reviewed by: Tony Espinoza

Read Book Review

When it comes to thoughts of justice in our world, many people have different ideas on what justice looks like exactly. The line blurs between justice and revenge so often in our world, whether due to pain and loss, anger and rage, or injustice or inaction from those who should uphold true justice. As Francis Bacon once said, “Revenge is a kind of wild justice, which the more a man’s nature runs to, the more ought law to weed it out.”

In author Ferdinand Regensburger’s Killuminati, Sir William Watson finds himself taking on the role of terrorist in an act of revenge when the infamous group known as the Illuminati strip him of vast amounts of his wealth after he refuses to submit to their demands.  Once a leader with a monopoly on a computer chip manufacturing company and now stripped of ninety-nine percent of his wealth, he uses what he has left to fuel a campaign of terror against the world. Along with his sidekick Hopkins, they launch a cyber-attack that takes control of most of the world’s electronics, and then unleashes a slew of sinister attacks against the world and their government agencies, hoping to cripple the Illuminati. Soon a bumbling detective named Doug Faukker must take on the task of finding and stopping the terrorist before he is used as a scapegoat by the government.

The author does a fantastic job of opening the novel in a powerful way. The ability to create subtle yet detailed minor characters in the opening chapters helps bring to life the terror and shock of the terrorists’ actions as he took control of the world.  This technique was the perfect way to add a very human element to the narrative early on. This novel balances action, mystery, and humor in an adult setting very well, as it almost reminded this reader of the storytelling seen in graphic novels such as Preacher and The Boys, blending adult storytelling in a humorous and almost mythological way.

This is the perfect read for those who enjoy action and adventure novels, in particular thrillers which also underline the main genre with elements of fantasy, horror, romance, and dark humor. On the other side of the coin. the humorous aspects of the book brought the dark and truly terrifying storytelling in clever contrast. Readers unaware of the novel’s history will be shocked to know this book was originally written in the 1990’s, and so many events that came after seemed to be reflected in this narrative, from the Y2K scare to terrorist attacks that have occurred over the last couple of decades.  Getting to see the character’s connections with these events is a great way to see the characters evolution as a whole throughout the narrative.

A lengthy, engaging and memorable read, author Ferdinand Regensburger’s Killuminati is a truly remarkable and unique read that cannot be missed. An epic story that traverses the world and explores some of humanity’s darkest and most humorous feelings and themes, the author expertly creates a vast story that will keep the reader drawn in and invested.  It has a wide cast of characters both major and minor which will keep the story fresh and entertaining as a whole. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy!