- ASIN: B0B3LP45XD
- Publisher: Joyner Outdoor Media (June 13, 2022)
- Publication date: June 13, 2022
- Language: English
- Print length: 259 pages
- Page numbers source ISBN: B0B31S3CCT
- Genre: New Age Dreams
The BookViral Review:
A truly insightful book, ‘Ten to Life-The delirium tales of a COVID survivor,’ presents the stark reality of unfettered and uncontrollable hallucination. Author, Mike Joyner endured 18 days of terrible bizarre and dark fantasies stretching decades as his mind sought to make sense of his trauma and drug-fuelled treatment.
As his stories unfold, the lines between fantasy and reality blur as the processing of memories become embroiled in an ‘other existence’ that reads like a film. With his body frantically hanging on to life, the apparitions echo reality. Threats such as the ‘Yellow Queen Loti’ plant which clusters, destroys, and replicates and ‘Monster Juice’ which contains microscopic communication devices reflect deeply held fears surrounding COVID 19. Graphic storylines reflect the internal terror and powerlessness of being suspended in a half-life of phantasmagoria.
Written with candour, Joyner does not shy away from intensely personal revelations, rather sharing these to demonstrate the extreme effect these hallucinations have long after recovery, as he admits to looking up to check ‘whether it is possible for a woman to bear over 30 children’, in his efforts to unravel the truth from the perceived reality of his delusions.
As Joyner’s stories progress, strands of fear concerning the loss of loved ones and an inability to make amends are interweaved with disquieting threads regarding his inability to protect his family, along with common worries with respect to temptation and infidelity.
Furthermore, from a medical perspective, Joyner raises interesting questions about the state of the mind under sedation, such as the recognition of those only present during his sedation, or even afterwards. He writes as a survivor, with the message to other COVID survivors that healing may be lengthy both for the body and the mind, but nevertheless possible, and that he personally sees his survival as the opportunity to complete whatever he is meant to do in this life ‘and make good on it’.
An interesting thought provoking and extraordinarily personal read, from the ‘other side’ of COVID 19 ‘Ten to Life’ is highly recommended.