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The Canyon of Souls
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The Canyon of Souls

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2.5 star(s)
11 Rating(s)

6 Review(s)

Published by Westland And Tranquebar Press

312 pages

ISBN-10:

9381626030

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ISBN-13:

9789381626030)

Retail Price:

Rs. 99

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After the death of his wife, successful sculptor Tim Overleigh trades in his lucrative career for the world of extreme sports. But when a caving accident nearly ends his life, Tim falls into a self-destructive downward spiral. On the cusp of losing his mind, Tim runs into an old friend who tries to convince him to join a team of men climbing the Godesh Ridge in Nepal. The journey requires crossing the Tibetan beyul—the hidden lands—to seek out the elusive Canyon of Souls. Knowing ...

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The Canyon Of Souls,  

Author,  

Ronald Malfi,  

fiction,  

adventure,  

thriller,  

,  

6 Review(s)

Rated this book

Book Review: Canyon of Souls Title: Canyon of Souls Author: Ronald Malfi Publisher: Westland Books Price: Rs 225 Storyline: Tim is a sculptor-turned-adventurer-t.. More details Book Review: Canyon of Souls

Title: Canyon of Souls
Author: Ronald Malfi
Publisher: Westland Books
Price: Rs 225

Storyline: Tim is a sculptor-turned-adventurer-turned-suicide case. With the death of his wife Hannah, which he believes was caused by his inattentiveness to her, Tim spurns his successful sculpting career and turns to the world of adventure sports to get his kicks. Once he got involved in a cave accident from which he emerged with a broken leg and the aid of his dead wife (or so he believes), he turns into an alcoholic slob self-imprisoned in an apartment. His wife's eccentric friend, Andrew, kindles the spark in him to once again get him going again. They, along with 2 others, embark on a mission to cross the Canyon of Souls in Tibet which has never been crossed before – the ultimate adventure sport. The story outlines their ordeals during this mission and the dangers they face.

Style of Writing: The narration is racy and unusual, with the author subtly depicting how a person's mind darts from one thought to another without any particular thread of consistency. The entire story is narrated through Tim's eyes and how he comes to terms with his wife's death over the course of the misadventure. I don't like the language though, with all kids of swear words and f-words spattered about the pages.

Verdict: A good story that would definitely keep your eyes peeled to the book with a quizzical sense of what is going to happen next.

I would rate this book a 3 out of 5. Hide details
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Sudha_Raja
Sudha_Raja

Rated this book

Tim Overleigh, is haunted by his wife’s memory and visions, and is almost over the brink of sanity, when he decides to undertake an arduous adventure. He embarks upon t.. More details Tim Overleigh, is haunted by his wife’s memory and visions, and is almost over the brink of sanity, when he decides to undertake an arduous adventure. He embarks upon the journey, across the Himalayas and Tibet, to the Canyon of Souls. In short, a Beyul, or a hidden valley which allows a respite from the human world into a world of spirits, is the crux of the story. Tim’s journey with five other strangers forms the canvas on which the story is narrated in first person.
The narration shifts between the past and present, nevertheless maintaining a steady pace, and holding the reader’s interest. The characterization of Tim has been etched in great detail, and one can almost see his trials and tribulations in the mind’s eye.
But, at first glance, the book gives an appearance of being an adventurous thriller, which it is not. It is rather lightly philosophical, and a light thriller, though it definitely makes you burn the midnight oil, before you put it down.
The ending is also a let- down of sorts, and one envisaged a far more logical conclusion than the one penned.
Weighing the pros and cons, it is a very different kind of book, though slightly long detailing on the expedition could have been tapered. The merits far outweigh the minuses, and it is surely a book which should find place on your bookshelf.
I would rate it at four stars, and it is a book I thoroughly enjoyed reading! Hide details
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RaoSaritha
RaoSaritha

Rated this book

Timothy Overleigh has inner demons to fight. One to be specific, that of his estranged wife, Hannah who died in an accident in Italy. Timothy blames himself for not being.. More details Timothy Overleigh has inner demons to fight. One to be specific, that of his estranged wife, Hannah who died in an accident in Italy. Timothy blames himself for not being an attentive husband, and thereby driving her away from him. Hannah's death not only throws him into a downward spiral when it comes to his sculpting but also turns him self-destructive.

When Tim meets with a spelunking accident in a cave, it is a vision of Hannah that gets him out. When she begins to appear frequently to him, Tim decides that he's had enough and accepts an offer from an old acquaintance and adventurer, Andrew Trumbauer, to join an expedition to the mystical Canyon of Souls where no man has gone before and lived to tell the tale.

The rather disparate individuals for the expedition are all connected to Andrew in some way. Other than Tim, who is battling alcohol withdrawal, the crew comprises the very fatherly John Petras, the brash, talkative Chad Nando, the ex-Marine Curtis Booker, a quiet Australian Michael Hollinger and an out-of-shape, unlikely climber, Donald Shotsky. Just before they leave, a local named Shomas secretly warns Tim that the canyon is not meant to be crossed and if it is, great disaster would befall the group. This warning is, or course, ignored.

As the group battles the elements, every man, except the now-aloof Andrew, begins to depend on the others. Once they reach the point beyond which no man has returned alive, things begin to go horribly wrong for the climbers. Tim suspects Andrew of jeopardizing the expedition, but each time, Andrew seems to have a plausible explanation for the accidents that befall them. As each member of the group begins to die, Tim comes into his own, laying his old fears to rest and embracing his own guilt over Hannah, as his survival instinct kicks into high gear in the altitudes of the Himalayas.

Malfi's book is a quick read, although the language seems a trifle laborious. It's confusing to find a good plot being let down by careless wordcraft. There are some repetitive usages of phrases, some obvious spelling errors and some words that disrupt the cadence and some metaphors that to me, seemed simply too convoluted. Maybe a once-over by an experienced editor could have smoothed out some of the chinks in the language. Malfi already had two chances to do that - a quick websearch reveals that the same book was published earlier as The Ascent. Andrew Trumbauer's reasons for choosing each member of the group, in some instances, seem a bit of a stretch.

There would have been a real threat to the narrative if the journey seemed too easy for it to be beyond the abilities of the skilled climber. But Malfi does justice to this part, making the climb as arduous and dangerous as it turns out.

Canyon of Souls has enough adventure to keep the 'armchair-adrenaline junkies' happy and there're a few insights into the human mind to satisfy those who want a wee bit more from their average read. Hide details
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Madhu_Nair
Madhu_Nair

Have you experienced adventure at home before? No? Ronald Malfi will show you the way. In an uncanny manner, Ronald narrates the story of a sculptor Tim Overleigh whose j.. More details Have you experienced adventure at home before? No? Ronald Malfi will show you the way. In an uncanny manner, Ronald narrates the story of a sculptor Tim Overleigh whose journey in life is not as simple as any other artist. From his wife’s death and haunted by her vision to his unholy sojourn in the Himalayas, Ronald twists and turns the prose while making an impact that is hard to forget. Tim is almost on the verge of losing his mind when he meets an old friend who manages to convince him to a journey to the Canyon of Souls in the Himalayas.

One of the best parts of the narrative is use of explicit words and phrases where Ronald takes you through the story as if you are watching a movie without a single dull moment. Every page is crisply written and grabs the attention of any person who has even the slightest likeness for adventure.

Please read it….is all I can for this wonderful piece of artventure! Hide details
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megha_22
megha_22

Rated this book

When I chose this book I was waiting to be swept away with the adventure, the process, long process of climbing the grand Everest. When I had read Jon Krakauer's Into Thi.. More details When I chose this book I was waiting to be swept away with the adventure, the process, long process of climbing the grand Everest. When I had read Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air, I was in the awe of the book for many days that followed. And after more than a year I had a book about adventure, Himalayas, expedition, challenges, survival. And yes, I did love the book.

The story switches between the adventure and Tim's back flash into his earlier life which takes us through his relationship with his wife. The adventure looks more interesting than the backflash. The story action is good and makes us keep reading. However the story drags a little at the end and also the author has tried to put in everything related to expedition, which at times I feel unwanted e.g. the avalanche.

But the book is definitely a page turner. If you are an adventure fan then, you must read it.

I will give it 4 stars. Hide details
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The_Fool
The_Fool

Rated this book

As per Tibetan mysticism, beyul are hidden valleys that are sacred and form some kind of gateway between the mortal world and the world of spirits. The canyon of souls is.. More details As per Tibetan mysticism, beyul are hidden valleys that are sacred and form some kind of gateway between the mortal world and the world of spirits. The canyon of souls is supposed to be one such beyul and the protagonists seek to undertake an arduous journey through the Himalayas to this place where no human has ever set feet before. An interesting premise that could shape up into a fantasy, a travel adventure or even a spiritual journey of self discovery if the author were Paulo Coelho!

The story is narrated in first person by the main character Tim Overleigh. It starts off with Tim stuck in a cave with a broken leg lying there waiting to die. Possibly a metaphorical reference to the present state of his life! A broken man, who has lost his wife, his artistic capabilities and the will to live! He blames himself for his wife’s death and wallows in self defeat and is going down a destructive spiral, finding succor in alcohol. The sudden appearance of an old acquaintance Andrew with an interesting proposition offers him a chance to emerge out of his psychological cave as he emerged out of the physical cave in the starting chapter.

He meets five other strangers who have been similarly summoned by Andrew to undertake this conquest of the conquest of demons of nature in order to quell their internal demons. The story follows their journey through the Himalayan ranges in Nepal passing through places with exotic sounding names such as Valley of Walls, Stairway to Heaven and Hall of Mirrors. However, only the names of the places sound fascinating. The general tone of the overall narrative has a darker tone. The journey is plagues by misfortunes – pilferages, injury and death. The story finally culminates in a totally unexpected climax or you might call it an anti-climax depending on how you look at it.

The best part of the narrative is its richness. It is loaded with appropriately chosen similes and metaphors. The author has taken great pains to take the reader into Tim’s shoes. The reader almost can visualize everything Tim is seeing and feel what he is feeling. In the natural way, our mind drifts towards the incidents in our past at times, Tim’s mind drifts towards his past suddenly at times during the journey. I found that a pretty interesting way to unravel Tim’s past story of his relationship with his wife, his feelings for her, why she left him and how she met with her death. This also serves the purpose of providing relief from the narrations of the journey.

The pace of the story is excellent. There is not a dull moment. It is the kind of book one can easily finish in a single sitting. Talking of characterization, the main character Tim Oberliegh has been etched out really well. The reader gets to associate intimately with him and deeply empathize with him. However the other characters are at best skeletal like the faceless soldiers Tim sculpts for the war memorial. The author has of course tried to give Andrew a kind of omnipotent aura, Chad a bit of juvenile immaturity, Petras a mature confidence and Shotsky some naiveté. But I felt there was scope to have developed these characters further.

I am sure the readers who like twists in the tale will enjoy the ending. But I personally felt a bit let down. As per me, the ending lacked strong logical base. But possibly in these kinds of novels, one should suspend logic and just enjoy the thrills. After all who goes to an amusement park for logic!

Let me add a word of caution as I conclude. The title and synopsis is a bit a deceptive. There is hardly any mystic element in the book except for the occasional appearance of Tim’s wife’s ghost and the general mention of the concept of beul. Though the protagonist regularly shares what is happening inside his head with the reader, I would say the psychological aspect is at best shallow. Also the name Canyon of Souls and Himalayas seem to suggest poetic or philosophical associations. I would warn the reader against harboring any such expectations. This is just a light thriller and a reader with the right expectation is sure to find the reading of this book an immensely enjoyable experience. Hide details
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About Ronald Malfi

Ronald Damien Malfi was born in Brooklyn, New York. He studied English at Towson University. He is f...

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