Review
Here s a story of interest to any spiritual seeker. Rachel Murphy, a delightfully ditsy and disgruntled housewife, is swept up in mass hysteria that results from a plague of huntids -- strangely colored flies that are linked to terrorism. In the process of dealing with these problems, she meets John Wilcox, an unlikely spiritual teacher who winds up changing her life forever. It s a suspenseful story, full of fascinating details about American society in the year 2020. By setting the tale in the near future, the author can satirize American life today. She does so gleefully, skewering the Religious Right, President Bush and our anorexia culture, among other targets. Even if you were as socially clueless as the novel s heroine, you could also enjoy this story in terms of romance, tracking Rachel s divided loyalties as she finds herself attracted to John instead of her husband. Which of the men in her life will win her heart? For me, though, the deepest meaning of this richly layered novel involves the pursuit of a spiritual teacher. I counted at least six, all gurus in various guises, portrayed throughout the book. Rosetree s story raises consciousness about intensely personal questions for anyone who wishes to belong to a spiritual community: How can you know if a teacher is for real? Does spiritual certainty guarantee a message of substance? What is the nature of charisma? How much of mainstream religion involves fear rather than genuine finding? And when religious gurus attract a big following, how can you tell if they have an agenda unrelated to their official message? One final aspect of The Roar of the Huntids bears mentioning. It s a book by, and about, an empath. Short of Deanna Troi on the TV show Star Trek: The Next Generation, before reading this book, I didn t know much about what an empath does. But the author is well equipped to write about empaths, since she s a professional in the field, and one of America s leaders. Whether or not you re interested in experiencing inside your skin what it s like to be other people (which, Rosetree says, is what an empath does), you ll enjoy eavesdropping on empaths like John Wilcox and, by the end of the story, his star pupil, Rachel Murphy. --New Times
Dedicated to those who believe there could be higher praise for a woman than to say, Did you lose weight? The Roar of the Huntids is a superbly written feminist science fiction saga When strange insects of suspicious origin threaten the survival of the world, a wife and mother suddenly blessed or cursed with empathic powers must take drastic steps for the future of humanity. A dark yet thought-provoking cautionary tale, extraordinarily fascinating from cover to cover... a superbly written feminist science fiction saga. --Library Bookwatch 2002
A delightful book for people who need more joy in their lives...underneath its humor and well-honed outrage, full of heart. Maybe it s Rose Rosetree s intro that tosses out the first clue: Dedicated to those who believe there could be higher praise for a woman than to say, Did you lose weight? If you re a woman, that s happened to you -- unless you're thinner than Calista Flockhart. Worse yet, it was meant as a major compliment -- one that s particularly unfortunate when it s obvious that you haven t lost an ounce. You can open to almost any page in The Roar of the Huntids and find something that kickstarts your brain or your funnybone. It s pungent, thoughtful, sometimes outrageous, other times much too close to the bone, and full of characters who are worth caring about and who have their own stories. Rosetree s first novel is about love, healing, the power of spirituality and the dangers of religious tribalism as Americans fight to win what may be an unwinnable war. Set just far enough into the future that its satire leaves a sting, it s a story about the crisis caused by a plague of spooky insects of unknown origin huntids, as they become known to the spooked humans who en-counter them. When the book opens, Rachel Murphy is a seemingly ordinary housewife and soccer mom. But when her son is infected by the huntids, Rachel s battle for his life changes hers. As her husband works with the government to destroy the enormous alien plague before time runs out, Rachel becomes, almost against her will, a skilled empath. Together but separately, they try desperately to save us from ourselves. There are some wonderfully politically incorrect faces here, including President Stevie Tucker, who resembles several recent and current White House residents, and a disturbing number of the national clergy, who spout views that divide instead of unite. Rosetree has good fun taking on much of America's social and religious establishments and sorting through New Age and traditional spirituality as she explores the chasm between hype and wisdom. If you ve ever been curious about auras, past-life regressions, soul re-trieval (or, for that matter, what sex between empaths is like), you ll learn plenty from an author who for more than 30 years has worked as a pro-fessional spiritual teacher and healer. --Pathways Magazine Spring 2002
From the Publisher
The "huntids" in the title are strange (and strangely colored) flies of suspicious origin. Between their rapidly growing numbers, their highly intelligent behavior, and the disease named after them, Americans find them increasingly frightening.
As the huntids swarm, religious leaders battle each other, trying to win the hearts and souls of the majority of Americans. Political upheaval becomes part of the problem, too.
What concerns the heroine more, at least initially, is her "travesty of a marriage." Will any of her creative schemes save it? Rachel Murphy has no plans to become a spiritual warrior. Or to fall in love with a teacher who smashes all her expectations of what a teacher should be.
Quirky characters, humor, betrayal and suspense make this story come alive. Readers have found the conclusion both surprising and immensely satisfying. And, throughout, the author’s lively writing makes every page a treat.
