Asa Cire is on a spiritual journey. While meditating, he has a vision in which he sees the murder of a teenage girl. Not long after, he discovers the girl’s identity and that her murder is decades old; it took place twenty years ago. Her face keeps haunting him, making Asa determined to find out who killed this girl.
Asa owns a shop where he sells unusual items along with various odds and ends. His past is a mystery, not only to others, but also to him. One thing he does know about himself is that he loves smoking unique pipe tobaccos. The other thing about pipe tobacco was the way smells trigger memories, although for me it was not so much distinct memories as much as sensations and feelings from previous times.
To give him something else to do while solving this girl’s murder, he is brought a manuscript in was the dead of night that no one can translate. Then the one who delivered it turns up dead. For some reason, a lot of people want to get their hands on this manuscript. These same people also want to take Asa and have him translate it. Where did this manuscript come from? And why does the Chinese mob want it?
While investigating the murder, Asa takes the time to rescue a half-starving dog. His owner does track Asa down to take his dog back, but the dog doesn’t want to go with him. Let’s just say that I really liked Asa, not that I didn’t like him before, after his reaction to this guy attempting to take back this dog, now named Kuraga, he had so mistreated.
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To make things even more challenging, a hurricane is on its way. People are boarding up homes and businesses, hoping to salvage them. During this time of inclement weather, Asa goes to the Cauldron with Tanya. Things happen so fast now you will find yourself holding your breath and sitting on the edge of your seat while Asa’s life hangs in the balance.
I was sent a copy of this metaphysical fiction book in exchange for an honest review. If you like to read well-written, fast-paced books full of mystery and action, then you will love this one. In case you would like to go on Asa’s spiritual journey with him, I’ve provided an Amazon link below.
Amazon Link: Dark River
Recommended Article: What is Metaphysical Fiction?
Favorite Sentences:
The rage began uncoiling inside him, just like it used to, just like they had always wanted it to, that cold, controlled rage that gave him all the power.
Chloe nodded with a smile on her face that said she would pick up the building and move it five feet to the left if Paul asked her to.
Tanya frequently claimed that I snored while doing the corpse pose, but I thought she was lying because I’d never heard it.
New Words Learned:
bris – Judaism ritual circumcision of male babies, usually at eight days old, regarded as the formal entry of the child to the Jewish community
concatenation – a series of interconnected or interdependent things or events
dotage – a decline of mental faculties, especially as associated with old age; senility
dottle – the plug of half-smoked tobacco in the bottom of a pipe after smoking
doughty – steadfastly courageous and resolute; valiant
Esperanto – an artificial language invented in 1887 by L. L. Zamenhof (1859–1917), a Polish physician and philologist, and intended for international use. It is based on word roots common to the major European languages
gi – a lightweight, two-piece, usually white garment worn by barefooted martial-arts participants, consisting of loose-fitting pants and a wraparound jacket with cloth belt
goy – a term used by a Jew to refer to someone who is not Jewish
hubris – excessive pride or self-confidence; arrogance
koan – a nonsensical or paradoxical question to a student for which an answer is demanded, the stress of meditation on the question often being illuminating
orrery – an apparatus for representing the positions, motions, and phases of the planets, satellites, etc., in the solar system
pogrom – an organized massacre, especially of Jews
seiza – an upright kneeling position which is traditionally used in Japan in meditation and as part of the preparation in martial arts
shtetl – a Jewish village or small-town community in eastern Europe
supernumeraries – extras
truncated – shortened
vodoun – voodoo
About the Author:
Dr. Avery Jenkins is a former award-winning journalist and essayist who took a 25-year break from the writing world to become a chiropractor and acupuncturist. He holds a 2nd-degree black belt in the martial art of aikido and is in his final year of training to become a Daoist priest. Dr. Jenkins lives in northwest Connecticut with his wife and two dogs of uncertain temperament.
I am so glad you enjoyed ‘Dark River’!