Kunma [Hardcover]

Frank Corsaro (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2003

The myths and legends of the Tibetan Book of the Dead come alive in this brilliant first novel by the world-renowned director of stage and opera.

Laurel Hunt walked into the office of David Sussman enveloped in a grave beauty that took his breath away. And then she announced that her husband, who was currently in a mental institution, was not crazy but in the grip of something monstrous.

Dr. Sussman had ministered to his patients' fantasies, neuroses, and psychoses for a good number of years; he'd studied in India and Tibet; he'd seen and heard it all before. Or so he thought.

This case would take him, against his will and in the face of every scientific law he held dear, into the realms of reincarnation and Buddhist myth. But these realms were not the bottom of this mystic enigma-only in the Tibetan Book of the Dead would David Sussman begin to find the answers he sought. As murder and madness stalk him, the evidence leads David to a conclusion his sanity refuses to accept . . . until the mists of Time and Space open to reveal the monstrosity that has come to claim him as its own-the Kunma.

A stunning first novel that takes the reader deep into the unknown regions of mind and soul and into the very heart of the darkness that lives in every human being.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Reincarnation and karmic destiny direct the adventures of a psychiatrist hero in Corsaro's earnest but gawky horror debut. David Sussman, an unorthodox Manhattan shrink who incorporates Buddhist principles into his practice, receives a request from wealthy Laurel Hunt to treat her art dealer husband, Hugh, who's been hospitalized after a psychotic break that has him convinced he's "burning up." Uninterested, David fobs Laurel off on a colleague who, after interviewing her, utters the cryptic word "Kunma" and then dies in spectacularly gruesome fashion. Drawn ineluctably into the intrigue-and all too eagerly into Laurel's bed-David investigates and begins turning up clues about Hugh, Laurel and their son Chris that resonate strangely with his own religious beliefs. When a bookseller friend apprises David that "the Kunma is a thief of the soul" from Tibetan mythology, David is galvanized into spiritual self-examination to find answers to the increasingly bizarre puzzle in a possible past life. Corsaro makes the most of his novel's unusual Buddhist angle, giving the reader just enough mystical instruction at key points to make sense of events without dispelling their supernatural aura. Inevitably, though, he inflicts lengthy, literal dreams on David to explain exactly what's happening. Once the mystery is demystified, the novel shifts to conventional thriller mode, replete with a bloody shoot-out in a protracted climax. Readers won't have to believe in deja vu to feel that they've seen most of this tale's surprises before.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Frank Corsaro's sense of drama as a stage and opera director carries over to his writing, making Kunma a dramatic thriller."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Forge Books; First Edition edition (June 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765304724
• ISBN-13: 978-0765304728
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,761,391 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars reasonable story, bad writing, July 7, 2006

By 

Barry Rosenberg "whealthinc" (Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kunma (Hardcover)

I like horror stories and started this with high hopes. There is an idea here, somewhere, but the writing is very bad. Partly it's as if: Now, I've got to do sex, now I've got to switch for suspense. Often, it's hard to know who is the current character.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars innovative use of Buddhism to solve the mystery, June 15, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kunma (Hardcover)

Besides his American medical training, Manhattan psychiatrist David Sussman studied in Asia so not surprisingly he uses many Buddhist concepts in his practice. Still his eastern flavored methodology has not stopped David from being a bit jaded, as he feels he has heard every psychosis known to mankind until Laurel Hunt visits him. She begs David to treat her Connecticut art dealer husband, Hugh, who allegedly has had a breakdown caused by his belief that he is literally "burning up." Shockingly she believes a malevolent force is assaulting her spouse.

David rejects Laurel's plea, but consults with a friend Ara Havakian, who abruptly says the word "KUNMA". Not long afterward, David finds Ara dead. Stunned, feeling guilty, and now unable to resist, David begins to investigate Hugh, Laurel and the couple's son. He also looks into the word Kunma, which he finds out is Tibetan for "thief of the soul". David digs deeper into the puzzle though he questions his beliefs while he wonders about past lives.

KUNMA is at its best when David explores Buddhism while seeking answers to the enigmatic Hugh. Once David feels he knows what is going on, the plot becomes a standard thriller especially the ending. David is a delightful lead character and the Hunts will intrigue the audience. Though a slight feel of disappointment will occur once the plot westernizes, readers will appreciate this interesting, insightful, and innovative use of Buddhism to solve the mystery.

Harriet Klausner