ANN BEST
has written a beautiful review of RETURN OF THE LAST SHAMAN
FIVE STARS: AMAZING
One reviewer
says there's a lot of philosophical thought in this haunting novella
that some readers might not like.
I'm one reader who loves it.
I kept
underlining all the wonderful wisdom passages, such as,
"And why are
they dying? For one thing noise.
Modern Man lived in a maelstrom of
noise...Civilized man has forgotten what silence is."
"Most people are
unsettled by utter silence for it reminds them of darkness and death."
Throughout this tightly written, poetical novella, death does indeed hover.
The
underlying theme is that the white man's world is over.
But does modern
man (and woman) know this?
Not according to Wolf Howl, aka Mr. Drew, his
voice the main voice, in a cast of colorful characters, who comments
philosophically about the nature of man and the world.
"To be human is
to be a tense death-foreseeing, conflicted animal....
Even if we did the
impossible and saved Man, He would only end up destroying himself
later," he says.
There's gloom and potential doom here.
There's gloom and potential doom here.
But humor
is also a thread throughout the story, especially through the voice of
Abby, my favorite female character.
The shift to her viewpoint in one of
the chapters is brilliantly executed; her voice, delightful.
From Abby:
From Abby:
"Mr. Drew just didn't know I had no intention of killing those
back-shouting Egyptians. I just wanted to scare the piss out of
them....
I was getting bored seeing Shadow and Mr. Drew look all
moon-eyed at each other.
We had a world to save, and I figured we had
twenty minutes left to do it."
How does Drew/Wolf Howl save it, he who said that "the purpose of life is to be defeated by greater and greater things, and yet still rise"?
How does Drew/Wolf Howl save it, he who said that "the purpose of life is to be defeated by greater and greater things, and yet still rise"?
The climax gave me chills, and
still does as I think about it.
No spoilers, because I don't have the words to do it justice--
No spoilers, because I don't have the words to do it justice--
the lively dialogue, literary and
mythological allusions, and pun on words to name a few of the elements
in this amazing novella that has to be read, or heard, to appreciate the
author's achievement.
Over three years ago I read The Bear with Two Shadows.
Over three years ago I read The Bear with Two Shadows.
Add to this The Return of the Last Shaman, and I am again
"blown away" by the beauty of the author's prose and the complexity of
his characters.
I who have never read much fantasy or science
fiction--haven't much liked it in the past--am now "hooked" on these
genres, thanks to Roland Yeomans who deserves a wide audience for his
stories that I can easily see translated to film.
I am now about to ride with an earlier Wolf Howl and Sam McCord in END OF DAYS....
I am now about to ride with an earlier Wolf Howl and Sam McCord in END OF DAYS....
THANK YOU, ANN!
