Book Review: LAMA WITH A GUN by Seth Augenstein
Description:
MONGOLIA: THE LAND OF GODS, MEN…AND BEASTS.
The legend lives: that a reincarnated Buddhist leader would once again drag the peoples of Mongolia to their feet, those once and future conquerors of the world.
Ja Lama is, for some, the answer and savior – a reincarnation from the revered lineage of Genghis Khan. Born into a group of exiled Mongols in southern Russia in the 19th century, his parents whisk him back toward the homeland for formal training as a Buddhist monk. His boyhood dreams are of a strong and united Mongolia… and reaching the promised land, the golden subterranean city of Agharti. But death dogs his every step, from the Tibetan monastery to battles with the hated Russians and the Chinese. He collects followers like the crusty sidekick Jimbe and thousands of other hardened nomadic peoples on the wide-open steppes. Ja Lama seizes the reins of power across the widest expanses of wildest western Mongolia, using his powers of will and a superhuman ability to survive the wounds of war. The strong and hopeful of Asia alike rally to the side of the monk with Colt revolvers under his robes.
The world closes in. There are too many enemies, and too many empires teetering close to collapse all around him as the evils of the 20th century marshal their forces. Can the feared and revered “Lama with a Gun” overcome the wounds of soul and body to unite his peoples for one last drive across Asia?
My Take:
LAMA WITH A GUN by @SethAugenstein is the story of Ja Lama, a man who would lead Mongolia in rebellion, but is he out of his time or out of his mind? What I can say is that you’ve never read anything like it.
Writing historical fiction is a unique challenge in many ways. The process requires the same level of meticulous research as non-fiction, but a good bit of creative storytelling is necessary to bridge the gaps in the official record. The title character lived from the late 19th thru early 20th Century in a region of the world that is as strange as it is exotic to most Westerners. The value of a human life is different in Mongolia where geographic coincidence as well as historical circumstance has embattled and oppressed the land for centuries. Life is harsh on the steps, surrounded by the mountains at the top of the world.
From a young monk in a monastery to a prisoner in Russia, Ja Lama suffers from his belief that he is the reincarnation of a warrior prince with certain magical abilities that influence the will of humans. There are many surprises ahead on the journey of an unexpected holy man who seeks righteous vengeance against those who have imposed their will by force against his people. The result is a believable, violent, and distressing tale that if it isn’t entirely true, it probably should be.
LAMA WITH A GUN is available at AMAZON and directly from Pandamoon Publishing.
About The Author:
Seth Augenstein is a writer of fiction and non-fiction. His debut novel, Project 137, emerged in 2019 from Pandamoon Publishing and was what Kirkus Reviews called “an involving, tense and visceral near-future thriller.” His short stories have appeared in more than a dozen magazines and fiction podcasts. He spent a decade writing for New Jersey newspapers, most recently at The Star-Ledger. He picked up some state journalism awards, over the course of talking to people at crime scenes, hospital operating rooms, natural disasters, funerals, and quiet homes. He was also the editor of Forensic Magazine, a tour guide at the James Joyce Centre, and a student in Saul Bellow’s final class. Now he lives on a rocky ridge in New Jersey with his wife, daughters, dog named Mishima, and cats.
For more information, visit www.sethaugenstein.com
