About Noah...

Since some time has passed since Noah Lewis arrived on the scene in 2021, I’ve received several good questions about the series, some from masons who have read the series, and some from those who are considering whether or not they want to read the series. As I (we) wait for the release of my latest book in the Noah series, I’ve decided to address some of the most salient questions, those whose answers I think provide the best basis for one to use in a decision to pick up that first Noah book and follow him through his series and through his various tests and trials.

Here are the seven questions I selected for my public response because they seem to best represent the totality and overall tone of the questions that have landed in my inboxes:

Q1. You advertise Noah’s Quest as a fictional masonic series – is it another story like a Dan Brown novel about secret treasures and hidden maps?

A: No. It is a story (in series) about a mason who is forced to confront his understanding of masonry and how it manifests in his life and how to recognize it when it does.

Q2. When you say this man Noah “examines his life”, how exactly does he do that?

A: Without giving too much away I can say this, he reviews his life from a reflective point of view, considering the totality of his actions and decisions and whether they were guided by masonic principles even when he may not have recognized their influence at work.

Q3. Does the story focus on lodge? Or does it branch out and include other organizations?

A: The story is about a craft lodge brother who eschews other organizations that he views as distractions from masonic labors but, during the evolution of the storyline the brother is confronted time and again by this attitude, and he is forced to consider things about other bodies that had long been beyond his understanding.

Q4. I saw on your website that you’ve also published three non-fiction masonic books, what do you write about in these books?

A: These books are collections of papers and blog posts that I’ve published on my website and in other publications. These books are also related to the Noah series because they are the source papers and articles for Noah’s challenges. If I wrote an article or paper on a masonic topic, Noah had an experience that illustrates it during his quest.

Q5. I’ve seen references to a sub-plot or a hidden storyline in the Noah’s Quest series, is that true? Is there some hidden story within the story?

A: Yes. There is definitely a hidden storyline within the main storyline. There are clues everywhere in the series, and the stronger your ability to read and interpret signs and symbols, the easier it will be to decipher the message. On the other hand, as you follow Noah through his quest, your skill at spotting and recognizing those signs and clues should grow.

Q6. Is there a specific order for someone to read all of your books?

A: Yes, but there are some options though. If someone wants to read just the fictional Noah series, it begins with Volume 1, “Trial at the Gate” and continues in order to Volume 2, “Eternal Awakening”, then Volume 3, “Faithful Craftsman”, then Volume 4, “Masonic Mementos”, and then to Volume 1 of “Noah’s Legacy” which is “Rude Awakening”.

But, for those who might want to get a hint of what Noah will experience during his quest, I would recommend they first read the non-fiction books in this order: “Guard Well Our Craft”, “In and About the Lodge”, and “Echoes from a Masonic Journey”. The three non-fiction books address the trials and examinations Noah eventually faces in “Noah’s Quest” and “Noah’s Legacy”. These collections of my various papers and writings provide the foundation upon which I built “Noah’s Quest”.

Q7: I’ve read the first two Noah books, and I found your writing style very interesting and familiar, but I don’t know exactly why it would be familiar. Does your style come from another writer?

A: That’s a great question and the answer is not quite as straightforward as you might hope. I had written and published the first Noah Book (“Trial at the Gate”) and I was working on the second book (“Eternal Awakening”) when I took a “time out” and picked up a book, a classic, that I wanted to re-read and that’s when it hit me – my style is very similar to that of Ayn Rand. I had picked up “Atlas Shrugged” (for the third time) and I saw several of the same characteristics that appeared in the style of my own Noah series books. It wasn’t intentional, and I certainly didn’t sit down and tell myself to use that particular style, it just happened. Maybe it’s because Ayn Rand’s style and the story line of “Atlas Shrugged” became significant guiding influences on me and the way I like to tell my own stories.

So those are the key questions from my inbox that, together, I believe summarize the “Noah experience” for those students of masonry who might enjoy a fictional approach to their own study of masonry and how it might manifest in their lives. And, on that note, I think an announcement is in order! I am happy to announce that my publisher, “Perfect Ashlar Publishing” has notified me to expect a mid-February release on the next book in the Noah series, “Noah’s Legacy Volume 2: XXXXXX” (the full title will be announced when I receive the final release date)!

The Collection

I sent the book off several weeks ago and it’s been working its way through the publishing process, a process which is nearly complete and I am happy to say the end is in sight! If you haven’t read the Noah series, this would be a great time to give it a try and, trust me when I say it’s like no other masonic reading or masonic education that you’ve likely come across!

My brethren, please take care and travel safely! May the blessings of heaven rest upon us and all regular masons!

~AMJ

aka “BroBill”