Glass Mountain

A novel in the vein of Conrad and Le Carré: a man risks his life to save his soul.

When Carlos Fuertes looks in the mirror, he sees a dead man. Son of an assassinated Latin American president, Carlos found his calling in Vietnam going on lone raids north of the DMZ. Now he works out of Tijuana, Mexico, stealing children for the losing parties in divorce custody contests, his nerve and self-respect broken, a victim of terrifying hallucinations.

A phone call from the past offers a reprieve: an "op" is being mounted to kidnap a fugitive American financier from Central America. An authentic trial, Carlos decides, with authentic risk, is the only way back from death in life.

Through the grueling preparation stage and meticulous setup, Carlos begins to rediscover himself, even as he puts on the roles the operation requires. Only near its end, however, does he see his chance to repair his life fully.

Glass Mountain renders the details and tension of a covert military operation with riveting immediacy, then turns the excitement higher through a rescue and escape Carlos improvises on the fly. With mastery of form and language, R. M. Koster crafts an exhilarating novel on the classic American theme of redemption through violence―a fitting sequel to his acclaimed Tinieblas Trilogy.

R. M. Koster is the author of The Tinieblas Trilogy, comprising The Prince, The Dissertation, and Mandragon. He lives in Panama.