In this luminous novel, the all-too-human experiences of fear, love,
and loss become amplified with potentially disastrous consequences.
In 1960s Brazil, an indigenous group is on the brink of a tragedy, the
dimensions of which they are only beginning to grasp. A small band of
disaffected government agents, academics and visionaries is determined
to fight for their cause. Among them is James Ardmore who, along with
his nephew Larry, travels to Pahquel, a village in the crosshairs of an
environmental showdown.
When James dies en route, Larry is left to decide: Should he attempt to
escape his own personal demons by immersing himself in a completely
foreign culture? Or retreat and resume his disaffected life in the U.S.?
What costs will he bear if he chooses to press forward?
Against a lush backdrop, the author gives voice to the complexities of
social, anthropological and environmental forces. This is a page-turner
of an adventure story that rests upon the deep and unsettling layers of
undergrowth.