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First Source Volume 1 -- $17.99
The content ranges from 60 minutes of original music from Chambers 1-9 that can be played on any CD player; dozens of complex and engaging graphics and paintings (most are not found on the website); three philosophical essays; an electronic book; glossary of terms; new music samples from chambers not yet released; three interviews of Dr. Neruda; a complete paintings gallery with very high resolution images suitable for printing; a poetry book; and quite a bit of additional content that is secreted away behind hidden passages and passwords.
Platforms:
Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, ME and Macintosh PPC OS 8.1 or later.
System Requirements:
The complete experience requires Microsoft Internet Explorer or AOL/Netscape Navigator Browser version 4.0 or greater, Adobe Acrobat Reader plug-in, Real Player plug-in, and an MP3 player. Necessary software plug-ins not included with this product are available for free online. Links to Adobe, Microsoft, Netscape, Real, Winamp are included.
Editorial Review (by Robert Blanche -- Freelance Writer)
"I began this adventure two years ago when I was contacted by an anonymous woman who proposed that I help her establish a website called wingmakers.com." Thus begins the introduction to the First Source disc, as written by Mark Hempel, the somewhat reluctant representative of the WingMakers' project.
Mr. Hempel is the only "face" we can put to both the WingMakers' website and the First Source disc, everyone else -- especially its creator -- seems to covet their anonymity, preferring to stay in the shadows. However, whoever produced this gorgeous product is not hiding out of embarrassment because it's an incredible masterpiece of interactive, multimedia story telling.
While a friend of mine described the First Source disc as "The Celestine Prophecy of the new millennium", I don't see much resemblance. To begin with, the First Source disc tells a considerably more complex story, and does so with music, incredible graphics, and a variety of suspension-of-disbelief subplots. Second of all, the philosophy of the WingMakers, as expressed in the interviews, e-book, glossary, and philosophical essays, is much more advanced and comprehensive.
If The Celestine Prophecy was the primer for the New Age movement, First Source seems bent on providing its readers with a comprehensive, immersive playground in which they can explore and engage in an incredible variety of content that's ingeniously constructed to amplify and clarify the deeper meanings contained in metaphysics and contemporary spirituality.
The content ranges from 60 minutes of original music that can be played on any CD player; dozens of complex and engaging graphics and paintings (most are not found on the website); three philosophical essays; an electronic book; glossary of terms; new music samples from chambers 18-24; three interviews of Dr. Neruda; a complete paintings gallery with very high resolution images suitable for printing; a poetry book; and quite a bit of additional content that is secreted away behind hidden passages and passwords.
I've looked at a variety of e-books before, and this is not an ordinary e-book. First Source is more of a hybrid between a CD-ROM game, a music CD like Enigma, a suspense novel like Michael Crichton, an art and poetry book, all rolled into a deep, philosophical treatise. That's as closely as I can describe the essence of how the First Source disc feels when you interact with it.
You have to be prepared to invest some serious time to get out what has been put into this disc. I'll tell you right now, this is not for the casual reader. If you've read books like Autobiography of a Yogi, The Celestine Prophecy, Keys of Enoch, or anything from Carlos Castaneda, you'll find this extremely stimulating. If you're a student or follower of extraterrestrial lore, cosmology, government conspiracies, spiritual teachings, channeled works, new physics, or metaphysics, it's all here, and it's packaged in an uncanny tone of realism.
If you simply like suspense/mystery novels, this might be more intense than you want, however, with all of the striking art, secret passages, and music, even if you didn't read a single word, I think most people would delight in the interactive environment that was created in this disc.
While the origin of this material remains a mystery, I must tell you that I found some hidden passageways (courtesy of Mr. Hempel) that held new content about the creator of this work. Yes, I said creator -- singular. Supposedly, one person created all of the content, and without telling you the story, I can only encourage you to explore the graphics with your mouse when you get the disc. There are hidden content areas throughout the disc. I'm not sure if I've found them all, but I did find information about the creator.
If there's a downside to all of this, it's that I find myself obsessing about whether the material on the disc is the truth or fiction. Just when I thought I figured it out, I'd find another writing or graphic that led me to a different conclusion. If you like detective stories, you'll love this disc if for no other reason than it'll get you sniffing around for answers to a stream of provocative questions that'll race through your mind as you read, look, and listen.
First Source wins in the e-book category as a polished example of how an interactive experience can be crafted to engage your mind, heart, and soul. It's simply the best product of its kind, and if you like the journey of high, spiritual adventures, I heartily recommend it.
Robert Blanche, January 2001
Book Review (copyright 2001 by J. Harmon Grahn)
The recently added information disclosed on Kerry Knight's site either further confuses an already confusing issue, or fleshes it out in significant detail. The allegation that the WingMakers site is a hoax, has not to my knowledge been either proven or disproved. The nature of the story is such that this controversy may "never" be settled to everyone's satisfaction; yet here we have some highly stimulating (and challenging) information from unknown source(s). What do we do with it? That, of course, is up to you; my inclination is to look at it, evaluate it as best I can, and "think" about it. I propose here to share some of my thoughts with you, for whatever they may be worth to you.
Click here for the complete book review
Book Review (copyright 2001 by J. Harmon Grahn)
Well, Folks, it's not easy (and maybe impossible, at least for me) to commence a study of the WingMakers without overflowing into at least one sequel. It's like studying the Great Pyramid: the more you look into it, the profounder the mystery, the more alluring the story. This happened almost two years ago, with the series, "Ancient Arrow, Parts I, II, and III," vol. II #10, 4/12/99, 11, 4/22/99, and 12, 4/26/99; and now it's happening again, commencing with the last edition but one, vol. IV #5, 1/11/01. Who knows where it will all end up? Surely not I.
"WingMakers, Revisited, Part II"
by J. Harmon Grahn
Click here for the complete book review
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