Over the next week or so I am going to talk about each of our books in detail, starting with Edge of Extinction by Kristen Stone.
In this book Ms Stone takes you gently by the hand and leads you into the heart of the Amazon rainforest, to a world no Western eye has seen. She creates a whole culture, unique in its isolated existence, suspended in time for there is no need for change, the people are happy and contented.
The story is told through the eyes of the tribal leader, a man of mysterious origin and strange appearance. His hair is a sun-bleached, almost golden, colour. His skin has a deep bronze tan unlike the natives. He has hair on his face which none of the other men of the tribe have. And he has a prehensile tail. He MUST be a god, in their eyes. His name is Kianda Mala, the Monkey Man.
As leader of the tribe it falls to Kianda to find out why the people in his village are suddenly falling ill and dying. His search takes him from the security of a world he understands to a strange world fall of monsters and strange machines.
Some have said this story is naive, which is a testament to Ms Stone's skill as an author. Apart from the introduction, this story is told in first person from Kianda's point of view and it does not stray into the modern world even when Kianda himself finds himself there. His idea of how things should be done are founded on the way HE has been brought up. He doesn't understand why his people are considered expendable. Ms Stone doesn't try to extend the story beyond Kianda's understanding but through his eyes we are introduced to a culture quite different to that of the reader and feel for the problems being caused by unscrupulous industry.
This novel by no means preaches at the reader about the right or wrong of what is happening in the world. It lets Kianda tell the story. But the story is so skilfully woven, the words so beautifully written, it lingers with the reader long after the book is finished.
To find out whether Kianda manages to save his tribe get the book here. Edge of Extincton
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