In the Shadow of the Sphere: A Journey of Heart & Spirit [Paperback]

Tom Youngholm (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1999

Costa Ricas unexplained granite monolithsThe Stone Spheresserve as the jumping-off point for author Thomas Youngholm, who has skillfully woven together elements of SciFi, Romance, Mystery, and Spirituality to create a new high standard for Visionary Fiction. This story of personal transformation will quickly find a place in your libraryright next to books by Richard Bach, Dan Millman, James Redfield, and Youngholms international bestseller, The Celestial Bar.

In this intriguing tale, musician/composer Jonathan (Digger) Taylor has embarked on a perilous rafting trip down a Central American river. He hopes the change of scene will wash away the last several weeks of his life. Instead, the journey is nothing at all like hed planned. A beautiful, mysterious woman leads him deeper into the rainforest, where he meets a wise man, a black jaguar, shocking tragedy, and a host of individuals who change his trajectory forever. In a parallel story, Diggers girlfriend is propelled through her own journey into the unknown After many startling twists and turns, neither of them emerge from the Costa Rican jungle as expected. Written for those who long for a good story along with their dose of Truth, Youngholm has provided the best yet in this new genre of visionary fiction.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...Original, Compelling, Intriguing, and Fun." -- Arielle Ford Author of More Hot Choclate for the Mystical Soul

"an incredible bookwonderful, powerful, and brilliant! -- John Perkins Author of The Shapshifter

Some are comparing this book to James Redfield's Celestine Prophecy, others to Richard Bach's novels. This book takes you along on a wild river-rafting experience, stretching your imagination, and calling into question many of your beliefs and expectations of life and of yourself. All in all, a very enlightening and entertaining experience. What more can one ask for in a novel... that it entertain, that it stimulate the imagination, that it expand your awareness of reality, that it keeps you glued to the pages wanting to know more... This book did all of that. I kept the book close to my desk, so that when my computer would go into it's sometimes interminable long spells of saving or searching, I would pick up "In the Shadow of the Sphere" and get another "quick hit". And then of course, it came with me anytime I expected a wait for any reason... so I could sneak in a few more pages.

Are you ready for a river-rafting experience, a journey into the jungle of Costa Rica, a meeting with Los Otros - a "lost" tribe - and a meeting with yourself? Sit down, and start reading... and happy trails. -- InnerSelf.com

Youngholm is a gifted storyteller. . . with vivid descriptions and genuine attention-grabbers that propel the reader to set everything aside and keep reading. -- NAPRA Review, May 2000

About the Author

Thomas Youngholm, author of the international best-seller The Celestial Bar, spent more than two months in a remote area of Costa Rica researching this, his second novel, nearly losing his own life on a rafting trip when fiction and reality converged. He presently lives in San Diego writing, lecturing, and presenting seminars that promote balance for individuals and organizations. He has worked as an adolescent and family counselor, restaurant owner, training specialist, business consultant, and is a sports enthusiast and musician.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 305 pages
• Publisher: Creative Information Concepts (November 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0964248883
• ISBN-13: 978-0964248885
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,540,094 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #76 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Outdoor Recreation > Rafting

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A riveting metaphysical novel of personal transformation., June 4, 2000

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Shadow of the Sphere: A Journey of Heart & Spirit (Paperback)

Musician/composer "Digger" Taylor embarks on a perilous rafting trip down a central American river. He hopes the change of scene will help him forget the recent disappoints in his life. he encounters a beautiful, mysterious woman who leads him deep into the rainforest where he meets a wise man, a black jaguar, shocking tragedy, and a host of characters who change his life forever. The Stone Spheres are unique granite monoliths found in Costa Rica and served as the inspiration for In The Shadow Of The Sphere, Thomas Youngholm's skillfully written, highly recommended metaphysical novel which combines elements of romance, science fiction, mystery, and spirituality in a riveting tale of personal transformation.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In the Shadow of the Sphere, April 17, 2001

By 

Cindy Henson (Poway, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Shadow of the Sphere: A Journey of Heart & Spirit (Paperback)

Excellent spitual book written as a fast paced adventure. Similar to Dan Millman and Richard Bach - lots of adventure and spiritual meanings. Speaks to the fears in us all and allows the reader to put them in perspective. Makes life seem much bigger than just my own view points. I now want to reread his first book, Celestial Bar. Great read and well worth your time.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In the Shadow of the Sphere, February 29, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: In the Shadow of the Sphere: A Journey of Heart & Spirit (Paperback)

Tom Youngholm's writing has matured considerably since his first Novel, The Celestial Bar, which I highly recommend also. The images he presents in this, his second novel, are so rich, I felt that I was lost in the Costa Rican Jungle along with Digger, Youngholm's likable, reluctant hero. Often throughout the story I would find myself lingering over a seemingly casually tossed phrase that either brought incredible visual images to my mind or took me to a place inside myself that I hadn't explored in eons. The adventure that unfolds is so compelling that I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next and yet I wanted to savor each moment. As Digger is swept from one experience to the next, the reader learns and grows with him, but the process is so subtle that the reader doesn't realize immediately that this is in fact the author's intention. In the end, the lives of Digger, his girlfriend Bendi, and the reader, are all enriched by this exciting adventure.