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Stained River
Stained River
There is a place called Vale do Javari. It is in western Brazil and forms part of the border with Peru. I chose it as the setting for a large portion of Stained River since it has vastness (85,000 square kilometers), canopied forests, muddy rivers, biting insects and poisonous snakes you would expect to find in a novel of this type. A place where one could easily get lost and not come out, as Terrence Connery, the main character, did. Most of all, Vale do Javari has uncontacted primitive tribes, thought to be about seven or eight remaining. As late as June, 2011, another of these hidden people was filmed from the air.
Far to the east, towards Venezuela, are the Yanomami tribes of which more is known. Much of their culture is steeped in violence; much of it also has been exploited and ruined by those seeking riches, including gold. I borrowed from the Yanomami customs to form the fictitious tribe, Machi-te.
Terrence Connery spends almost a year of his life with the Machi-te after his plane crashes.
In a remoteness almost unknown in today’s world, he finds life and love amid a very primitive culture. One he is drawn to but at the same time, needs to escape from. There, deep within Vale do Javari, he meets Teman-e, the noble savage. They begin an odyssey to save their lives.
In the process, Connery stumbles upon the reason he is in such a remote part of the planet in the first place; partially by accident, partially by design inspired by greed. He gains growing awareness of the rape of a bio system essential to the world and the impact it has on the people who befriended him. It becomes an important ingredient of the story, the impetus for him to embark upon a three hundred mile river journey and a compelling plan for vengeance on those who changed his life so radically.
There is a place called Vale do Javari. It is in western Brazil and forms part of the border with Peru. I chose it as the setting for a large portion of Stained River since it has vastness (85,000 square kilometers), canopied forests, muddy rivers, biting insects and poisonous snakes you would expect to find in a novel of this type. A place where one could easily get lost and not come out, as Terrence Connery, the main character, did. Most of all, Vale do Javari has uncontacted primitive tribes, thought to be about seven or eight remaining. As late as June, 2011, another of these hidden people was filmed from the air.
Far to the east, towards Venezuela, are the Yanomami tribes of which more is known. Much of their culture is steeped in violence; much of it also has been exploited and ruined by those seeking riches, including gold. I borrowed from the Yanomami customs to form the fictitious tribe, Machi-te.
Terrence Connery spends almost a year of his life with the Machi-te after his plane crashes.
In a remoteness almost unknown in today’s world, he finds life and love amid a very primitive culture. One he is drawn to but at the same time, needs to escape from. There, deep within Vale do Javari, he meets Teman-e, the noble savage. They begin an odyssey to save their lives.
In the process, Connery stumbles upon the reason he is in such a remote part of the planet in the first place; partially by accident, partially by design inspired by greed. He gains growing awareness of the rape of a bio system essential to the world and the impact it has on the people who befriended him. It becomes an important ingredient of the story, the impetus for him to embark upon a three hundred mile river journey and a compelling plan for vengeance on those who changed his life so radically.
360 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2012
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94 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 6, 2012
A little tighter editing might have kept me more engaged - baboons do not live in the Amazon, and one gets pressed in a vise even if one's vices are a problem. The idea of the "noble savage" was laid on a bit thick. Despite these caveats, it was tensely plotted and I did read to the last jot and tittle. The moral stance of the author is very black and white - raping the rainforest is definitely a no-no, but everyone involved here is a thug or alcoholic rather than presenting a more nuanced portrait of the economic pressures that make it seem like a good idea to otherwise reasonable people. The author successfully evokes the steamy atmosphere of the Amazon, and made me believe in the indigenous peoples he conjured.
June 7, 2012
Wonderful book! If you like mystery, intrigue, murder and friendship then this book is for you. I was taken away by the friendship of the 2 main characters. Two people from two very different parts of the world work together and earning the respect of one another. One of the best books I have read. Fast moving and kept me completely engrossed. Kept me guessing until the very end. I highly recommend this book.
July 14, 2024
Cleaning the Stain
A plane clash in the Brazilian Amazon killing hundreds leaves one survivor, rescued by an indian, eventually finds his way to the city of Brazilia, where he, with the help of two computer hackers, collapses a large mining company that has been polluting rivers.
A plane clash in the Brazilian Amazon killing hundreds leaves one survivor, rescued by an indian, eventually finds his way to the city of Brazilia, where he, with the help of two computer hackers, collapses a large mining company that has been polluting rivers.
November 2, 2017
Great boom
Excellent book. Couldnt put it down. Had me from the very beginnings. Would recommend this book. A real paGe Turner
Excellent book. Couldnt put it down. Had me from the very beginnings. Would recommend this book. A real paGe Turner
March 30, 2013
You know right off the bat in this book that something very interesting is about to happen to the main character. The author, David Faxon, does a very good job of setting up his story and getting the reader involved in the plot.
The plot is quick and the writing itself is very good. The only thing I took issue with in this novel, was the decision to make every character have some kind of problem that stopped them from being very likable. While I certainly understand that a good character needs to be flawed, for me, it seemed at times that these characters were almost too flawed, and I couldn't choose on to identify with.
Otherwise, this is fabulously written. The story, in and of itself, is intelligent. Although this is fiction, there is some truth in it and it brings to light some very important issues that the reader can't help but contemplate during the time they spend with this novel.
There are parts of this book that I found I could completely lose myself in. The descriptions used to describe the rainforest and the animals are incredibly beautiful and paint a mental picture not to be rivaled. I liked the suspenseful nature of this story, where you are never certain what will happen next and there is danger around every turn.
I would recommend this book to others that enjoy a thrilling and at the same time thought-provoking read.
The plot is quick and the writing itself is very good. The only thing I took issue with in this novel, was the decision to make every character have some kind of problem that stopped them from being very likable. While I certainly understand that a good character needs to be flawed, for me, it seemed at times that these characters were almost too flawed, and I couldn't choose on to identify with.
Otherwise, this is fabulously written. The story, in and of itself, is intelligent. Although this is fiction, there is some truth in it and it brings to light some very important issues that the reader can't help but contemplate during the time they spend with this novel.
There are parts of this book that I found I could completely lose myself in. The descriptions used to describe the rainforest and the animals are incredibly beautiful and paint a mental picture not to be rivaled. I liked the suspenseful nature of this story, where you are never certain what will happen next and there is danger around every turn.
I would recommend this book to others that enjoy a thrilling and at the same time thought-provoking read.
March 21, 2013
I loved this book!! I got it as a freebie at kindlebuffet.com and thought I'd give it a try. I am so happy that I did! I will look forward to reading another one of his books. I couldn't put it down and I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. It's obvious that he did a lot of research on the Amazon and its indigenous tribes. Really fascinating.....
April 5, 2015
Stained River
Excellent writing. This author brings an awareness of the dangers our world faces placing profits above human welfare. Wonderful story of one man's journey from corporate executive to concerned citizen. Great read
Excellent writing. This author brings an awareness of the dangers our world faces placing profits above human welfare. Wonderful story of one man's journey from corporate executive to concerned citizen. Great read
June 23, 2012
Great read over 2 nights. I fell in love with the character AND the author!
June 18, 2013
Really good adventure read. Set in a country that I read little about. Kept me coming back to it.
July 9, 2013
I read this in 4 days. Did not seem like something I would be into but I could not put it down!
June 30, 2015
Grandmother
One of the best books I have read in a long time. It had me from the beginning and just finished it.
One of the best books I have read in a long time. It had me from the beginning and just finished it.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews