Fiction book with astral projection? OBE?

[ptracie]

I need help finding the title of a book. (That's how I found this forum.) I read it many years ago...probably in the 80's, but it could have been published before then. It just keeps popping up in my mind! It was about a man whose daughter had joined a cult. The leader of the cult is capable of astral projection (out of body travel). In order to fight the leader, the father sees some type of "guru"(?) who gives him a "crash course" in astral projection. Learning to do it so quickly would supposedly lead to mastering it, or insanity. Part of the training involved staring at a wall for hours(?) days(?). Eventually, the father learned astral projection, fought the cult leader while out of body, and defeated him by cutting a cord that lead back to his physical body. I think the cover MAY have had a picture of a teddy bear with a knife in it? ...and maybe a rat? Now that I think of it...the cult leader may have taken over the body of a rat at some point.... Does this sound familiar to anyone? Thanks for any help!

 

[dwndrgn]

Nope, sorry this isn't even remotely familiar to me. I've read quite a bit of stories that included astral projection in stories but never one dealing with a cult. Hopefully someone else will know which book you are looking for.

Welcome to Chronicles!

 

[geoteach]

I definitely read this book and it has been haunting me for years. Did you ever figure out the name of it?

 

[Merserk]

Hi first can I say that I cant remember the books name but it reminded me of a story I read many years back, wasn't the bear a full size 'Smokey Bear' model complete with axe (American fire fighting bear) chasing him while he mind controlled a mouse/rat. Also didn't they fight as cats?? I believe it ended that the father took 'pot-luck' and tore 1 of the 'silver cords' as they had both become entwined together during a battle. I too would relish the chance to reread this book if any1 could supply a name/author

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Cults and astral projection -- L. Ron Hubbard?

 

[Merserk]

I need help finding the title of a book. (That's how I found this forum.) I read it many years ago...probably in the 80's, but it could have been published before then. It just keeps popping up in my mind! It was about a man whose daughter had joined a cult. The leader of the cult is capable of astral projection (out of body travel). In order to fight the leader, the father sees some type of "guru"(?) who gives him a "crash course" in astral projection. Learning to do it so quickly would supposedly lead to mastering it, or insanity. Part of the training involved staring at a wall for hours(?) days(?). Eventually, the father learned astral projection, fought the cult leader while out of body, and defeated him by cutting a cord that lead back to his physical body. I think the cover MAY have had a picture of a teddy bear with a knife in it? ...and maybe a rat? Now that I think of it...the cult leader may have taken over the body of a rat at some point.... Does this sound familiar to anyone? Thanks for any help!

Thank you Zebra for such a speedy reply.

but I done a lil research and I believe I have found the answer. I hope this is the 1 ptracie is looking for.

KEEPER OF THE CHILDREN by WILLIAM H. HALLAHAN

http://toomuchhorrorfiction.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/keeper-of-children-by-william-h.html

 

[ralphkern]

I don't know this one, but Nobody True by James Herbert is similarly themed and really good!

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

I agree with Merserk - it's Keeper of the Children. The book goes on at length about the long silver cord connecting the astral traveller to his body and how if it gets cut he dies. It was quite a strange book as I recall - even though it was written later it was very seventies in its feel, and the choice of the villain was odd.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[butterbean]

Did they ever make a movie of it? Sounds very familiar. Maybe I read it or saw it.

 

[Merserk]

Did they ever make a movie of it? Sounds very familiar. Maybe I read it or saw it.

Hi ButterBean I'm not aware of any film made of this novel, just checked IMDB and cant find anything there either. I know if it were made I'd be first in line to view.

 

[butterbean]

Then I definitely must have read it because it sounds very familiar to me.