The Second Cycle by Alan Richards

Kira Blakely is a lucky girl.

She is getting a scholarship to a prestigious University, one that she would never have been able to afford. There is, however, a catch. Her last class must be one of her mysterious benefactor's choosing. When she arrives for her first day, she finds she is the only student and it is not a class, it is a paper that she must write. Her professor hands her a paper with a question on it - a question that leads her on a quest for truth.

The Second Cycle by Alan Richards, Emerald Book Company (www.emeraldbookcompany.com) is the story of a journey. Kira, Julia, Daniel and Peter embark on a journey that challenges the beliefs of major religions. Their journeys represent the myriad roads that we all may encounter when we embark upon the search for answers.

• Kira - Like most people, Kira Blakely has never considered that there could be another truth than the one she has believed all her life, until her friend Julia reenters her life. Kira's search for the truth about her mysterious benefactor leads her to a truth about her past that she never expected.

• Julia - Julia Edwards was certain in her belief in Christianity. She left college to learn more about her religion. Somewhere along the way she lost her faith, and gained a surprise.

• Daniel - After a miraculous recovery from a serious car accident, Daniel Aiello awakens to find that God has chosen him to impart certain truths. Truths that contradict the teachings of the prevailing religions.

• Peter - Peter Grayson stumbled into an internship in medical research. This research will reveal the truth behind human memory and challenge the idea that death is an ending.

When Kira and Julia meet Daniel, they are not sure if he is a prophet or delusional.

"God created a finite number of souls," said Daniel in the book. "Each soul resides in the same person for all eternity. The soul is never separated from its person. The appearance of the body will change as the soul progresses through the seven cycles of existence, but the person inside the body never changes."

The Seven Cycles of Existence, according to Richards' book, are:

• innocence • knowledge • compassion • perseverance • courage • tribulation • purity

Daniel believes that each soul must fulfill a certain number of "Achievements" in each cycle. A soul is reborn into each cycle until it has completed each of the Achievements. When the last soul has completed the last cycle and all souls are with God, then peace, love and harmony will rein.

Every year on the anniversary of his accident, Daniel falls asleep at the time of day he went into a coma. It is then that God imparts his messages to Daniel, who then awakens at the exact same time of day that he awoke from his coma.

Kira and Julia suggest to Daniel that he join Peter's research group. Peter's professor is conducting experiments on human memory. They decide that Daniel will make a fascinating subject.

Is he remembering an actual event or is he delusional? The results cause the experimenters to question their perception of truth in spirituality.

"Every religion is based upon faith," according to Daniel in the book. "Belief is unverifiable. If you're looking to believe in something you can prove, it isn't religion."

Those who have never questioned their relationship with their religion will find much to contemplate in this story. For those who have reflected upon their faith, the story of Kira, Peter, Julia and Daniel will enhance their experience. As the characters in this novel search for their spiritual identity, they learn that they cannot rely on logic alone to uncover their personal truths.