I'm trying to find out if anyone else has read the above book and would like to offer an opinion. I'm not the writer, publisher or otherwise.

It recently fell into my hands and I would like to hear other people's thoughts on the matter.

Spanks!

Lunarbaby,

I have it and have read it. I've met the author - in fact I bought the book directly from him. I've told him directly that I do not understand why they (the builders) would construct this enormous passage and cairn in order to reflect sunlight back out into the open. Besides, because the passage is so narrow, if you reflected the sunlight back out, a spectator would have to be floating up in the air to see it.

References to chequered lights at Newgrange are interesting, though, particularly because of triboluminescence, which is an effect whereby quartz stones can give off light due to some kind of friction.

Just a couple of thoughts.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

I did think the book was interesting but slightly fantasical too.

I just finished the book and was happy to see someone else wanting to discuss it. I found it interesting, but in the end, very short-sighted and cynical. I agree that it was created by genius or geniuses and was used ceremonially. However, his assertion that "human nature has not changed in 5,000 years" and Newgrange was used to give the illusion of those in power as having influence over the Sun, thereby empowering them to have control over the masses is short-sighted and cynical. He stops short of realizing the real intention and purpose of such a great creation such as Newgrange.

I've just spoken by phone to Hugh Kearns, who contacted me directly about this topic on the website. He assures me that Chequered Lights is just part one of an ongoing work, a planned trilogy. I've promised to review Chequered Lights properly, as he feels my throw-away one-line comment was not either thorough or fair. Given that I am currently writing my own book, I may not be able to do that review at the present time, but I will give it priority when I have more time.

In the meantime, if anyone wants to post a review of the book, you are more than welcome to do so here (provided it is done constructively!).

Hi all, just want to bring to your attention in case you have not noticed that the book Chequered lights is written by Hugh Kearns or is it Huge Cairns. is this the authors real name.

The late Hugh Kearns enjoyed a chuckle when I reminded him his name sounded like a heap of stones. His sudden passing, just after the 2nd edition of his book was published, saddened us all greatly. I remember at the time this post first appeared he was quite annoyed with me because he felt I had unfairly reviewed the book, but this post contained a sentiment which I held at the time and still hold that Newgrange could not have been built for this seemingly pointless purpose of shining the light back out into the valley. We agreed to disagree and I promised a more thorough review of the book which I have not yet undertaken.

It's many years since I read this book, but it remains with me. I found it fascinating. The notion of a dazzling display of light, with crowds assembling in the Boyne Valley to watch, may be a little fantastic. But it was a thrilling image and notion. And who's to say that something of this nature did not occur?