Synopsis
Equal parts intimate character study and page-turning thriller, this novel explores the extremes of both genres, combining a fascinating story with timely reflections on 21st-century America. After the death of his sister, Eldred Spell returns to his beloved Yosemite Valley only to learn that the home of his childhood memories has been overrun by tourists. In attempting to restore the valley to its prior glory, Eldred's life and dreams begin to spin out of control as his passion for the environment evolves into a violent streak. Torn between his crusade to save Yosemite and growing feelings for Eli, a female ranger at the park, Eldred must choose between a new relationship and an old obsession.
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About the Author
Brian Railsback is the author of Parallel Expeditions: Charles Darwin and the Art of John Steinbeck and the editor of A John Steinbeck Encyclopedia. His is head of the English department at Western Carolina University.
Reviews
Promoted by the publisher as an "eco-thriller," Railsback's tale is actually more a headline-timely page-turner than a nature-focused novel. Building to the climactic intersection of two lives, it centers on two characters. Eli is a national park guide in a Yosemite-like location, and Spell is a corporate control-freak who loses it after the simultaneous first bombing of the World Trade Center, where he works, and the e-mailed news of the sudden death of his sister. A well-written exposure of the darkest part of human nature, the novel is propelled by surprising violence and high-speed action. What it is not is a completely satisfactory examination of what makes people snap and turn violent. Railsback is clearly a writer with ability in both expression and story construction. Whether he hits the mark with his subject matter is a question only readers will ultimately answer. Janet St. John
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The Darkest Clearing
Published by
High Sierra Books, 2004
ISBN 10: 0971548250
ISBN 13: 9780971548251
New
Hardcover
Signed
Seller: Muse Book Shop, DeLand, FL, U.S.A.
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: New. Dust Jacket Condition: New. Signed by Author(s). Seller Inventory # 0908958