Customer Reviews

The Shaman: Science, Nature, Prophecy

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(1)
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The Shaman is all that it promises and more. I went in with the expectation of a tropical jungle thriller and it certainly delivered on that. By the middle of the book I was totally hooked and couldn't put it down until I finished the last chapter. But the book is much, much more than that. Beyond being a combination of Indiana Jones and a Tom Clancy page-turner, Longo weaves in fascinating subplots and threads of exploratory science, philosophy, and a general curiosity and awe with nature. More than just a good plot, these episodes (mostly done through several very good characters) really bring substance to the book. There were many times when I looked up from the book, simply amazed, and spent time thinking about what had just happened. It is a seamless blend of interesting characters, driving plot, cutting-edge thinking and science, and a uniting world-view and philosophy that really leaves an impression on you when you finish the book. For anyone who appreciates nature and the sad state of our environment, this is a must read. For everyone, I highly, highly recommend it.

Mark D. Longo writes a tremendously enjoyable fictonal adventure story based in Guatemala, which combines the importance of natural conservation with the spiritual views and religious ceremonies of the ancient Maya, along with a threat to global health related to the end of the Mayan calendar on December 21, 2012. The author writes a hair-raising account of the disappearance of two land developers who want to clear the Guatemalan rainforest for modern construction without much concern for the lives of the displaced animals nor for the trees that are destroyed. It turns out, the famous filmmaker Jared Foster, whose passion is making documentaries about nature, plans to shoot footage of this unspoiled region with an anthropologist, Christopher Burgeis, who will be his new production assistant. They first learn of the dangers associated with their project while staying at a hostel near the region they plan to explore. Locals, tourists, and businessmen have been disappearing without a trace while visiting the rainforest.

Prior to his arrival in Guatemala, while enroute driving through Mexico, Jared discovers a beautiful female past associate Sybil Lee sunning herself on a nude beach at a seaside resort. She is a biologist, a cohort who shared his passion for environmental issues in the past. At the time, he *nearly* revealed his true feelings for her but she always seemed to fall for someone else just when he was most vulnerable. Oddly enough, by pure chance, they met up in Guatemala and somehow she maneuvered herself to be part of his filming project. She also convinced Jared to include her handsome and muscular British friend, Alan Hotchworth, on this dangerous trip. He is the Director of Strategic Giving for a global philanthropic organization started by his grandfather . Sybil is certain Jared could benefit financially if Alan finds this trip worthwhile.

Along with wonderful descriptions of the rainforest and animal life, the author uses his knowledge of biology and ecology to shed light on the gradual destruction of natural environments and how it can be slowed down. Most fascinating and impressive is how the author weaves Mayan spiritual beliefs and religious ceremonies into the plot which includes a self-appointed Divine King God, called "K'uhul Ajaw Kab" whom Jared discovers is not only a personal threat to visitors of the Guatemalan rainforest but who has sinister plans to change the world. In this novel the author creates a highly engaging and tightly woven plot in which suspense builds and reaches a crescendo with some surprising results. There is a good balance of both serious and humorous moments within the book and the personalities of the main characters are thoroughly developed. I recommend this book most highly for anyone who loves Indiana Jones-like adventure. Erika Borsos [pepper flower]

This is a great book that can be read on many levels. On the surface, it's a straight forward action-adventure based on environmental themes and Maya legend. On this level there are plenty of thrills, memorable characters and a gripping storyline. But dig a little deeper and you'll discover that the story can be interpreted as a complex parable of our modern alienation from nature. The main character's quest is a quest to reconnect. Then there are the spiritual aspects of the story. Traditionally, shamans are those members of society who act as intermediaries between the material and the spiritual worlds, and this book as a whole serves that same function -- It provides a rational path towards a spiritual awareness. The author is currently working towards a PhD in Biology. He seems to know his science well and discusses a number of interesting parallels between modern scientific thought and ancient mystical knowledge. Beyond all these intriguing aspects of the book there are symbolic elements that I'm still trying to get my head around. Is Sybil Lee supposed to represent the old goddess of the wild earth, Cybele?

There is sooo much in here. Definitely worth a read, or two.

If you like your adventure books with a side order of intelligent discourse, this is the book for you. As good as any Crichton thriller or the Da Vinci Code, Longo's The Shaman does a great job of keeping the surprises coming as the pages keep turning. Richly evocative of a modern day Huckleberry Finn's journey down to the untamed jungles of Central America, The Shaman makes for fantastic armchair traveling. Maybe the greatest trick the author pulls off here is a genuine look at modern civilization's inextricable role in the natural world. Neither a polemic nor a diatribe, The Shaman raises some great questions and makes you think about both sides of the issue. With well realized, likable characters, this feels like the first in a series and I can't wait to read the next one.

You should read this book. Not just because of the enjoyment you will get from reading an action packed mystery/adventure or the vivid imagery that will be invoked from it's descriptions of nature, but because of what it makes you think about long after you put the book down. For me there are a million books that have engaged me through the read, but I soon forget about what I have read when the book is done, and in some sense the book disappears. But for this book, at times I felt that I was reading my own thoughts better elaborated than I could have ever done, and when I closed the last chapter I sat thinking about the final scenes for hours.

I can only compare this book to the book "Into the Wild." They are so different and yet they have had the same affect on me. The same incredibly powerful message. I won't tell you why now, you will have to read them both to find out. My only criticism is that I feel the first half of the book was written more in a "tell", rather than "show" fashion. This made parts of it somewhat laborious to read and, I fear, might prevent people from finishing. On the other hand, the second of half of the book managed to convey all of the thoughtful and elaborate philosophical details of the first half with a more vivid, action oriented structure, with the pages turning so fast I couldn't put it down. But all in all, I would absolutely recommend this beautiful, unique, and complex book to everyone I know.

This book is far more than an adventure thriller, although it does deliver some epic battle scenes. But on a deeper level, it's an allegory for the inner journey so many of us are on to find balance between science and spirituality and between caring for the earth and the needs of humanity. Through the voices of the characters, we are taken on a tour of cutting edge ideas in complexity theory, eco-spirituality, and Mayan archeology. But the characters are not mere vehicles for the author's philosophy. They are fully human characters who undergo both inner and outer conflict, and are transformed through the fire of their struggles. Anyone who feels passionately about the state of planet earth and man's relationship to nature will find much to identify with in the protagonist and the questions he grapples with.

If you love fascinating scientific speculation, earth-based spirituality, magic and shamanism, and Mayan culture, treat yourself to some brain candy and read this book. You deserve it!

Nature has a way of picking its fights with humanity. "The Shaman" tells the story of Mayan legend taking the Earth's revenge against Humanity's cruelty. When a film maker and his friend journey into the South American wilderness, they may be unintended bystanders of the evil that men do. Intriguing and fascinating influences from history, "The Shaman" is a fine read that should not be overlooked.

You've gotta love a book dedicated to Sir David Attenborough (of nature documentary fame) and the scientist/poets E.O. Wilson and Stephen Jay Gould. The Shaman reads like some crazy hybrid between academia and hollywood, very thought-provoking dialogues intermingled with helicopter gunship battles and apocalyptic visions, all balanced with a healthy dose of comic relief. Quite a remarkable first novel.

Maybe I didn't read this book as closely as some of the other reviewers, but I just enjoyed the storyline. The story reads like The Beach meets Indiana Jones in the jungles of Guatemala. The plot revolves around the Maya 2012 prediction, about which the author has a unique take. Without giving too much away, that take is that the "prophecy" of 2012 is not a prophecy at all, but rather, that date is acting as a catalyst for post-modern environmental thought.

There are are a lot of influences here, beyond the two I just mentioned. There's definitely some Michael Crichton type thriller-action, but also some Stephen Jay Gould nature writing, some Daniel Quinn philosophizing, and even some (early) Carlos Castaneda shamanic wisdom. I'd give The Shaman five stars but I thought the first part of the book was a little slow. It was basically a long road trip involving dialogue between the two main characters. The second part rocked beyond belief (someone please make a movie!) and tied everything together. Definitely an unusual and interesting interpretation of what will happen on December 21, 2012 and what that date really means.

Disclosure: I am author Mark Longo's father, was privy to earlier drafts of the book and exchanged many thoughtful emails with Mark on things editorial, presentational and such. So you might want to read the following with a grain of salt, but I do think it is objectively valid. "The Shaman" is a philosophical, intellectual thriller packaged as an Indiana Jones-like yarn. It is reminiscent of Ayn Rand's tour de force, "Atlas Shrugged." Rand coupled a gripping plot to thoughtful intellectualism and philosophy. "The Shaman" does likewise. Rand's hero was what man can and should be as embodied by her main character, John Galt. Author Longo's hero is the environment. In Rand's book people of intellect and achievement go on strike against collectivism. In Mark Longo's book the environment, so to speak... - oops, you'll have to read that for yourself but you won't be disappointed. A final note: a while ago Mark rebuilt an older Land Cruiser into a veritable off-road tank and embarked on a months-long trip through Mexico and Central America, including Guatemala, the site of much of his book. Mark saw and lived the naturistic scenes he describes so enthrallingly in his book's depictions of wildlife, rain, mud, jungles, Maya ruins and such. In addition to everything else his book is a you-are-there travelogue.