Jaguar Rising: A novel of the Preclassic Maya

Approaching initiation into manhood, Fire Eyes Jaguar discovers that he has inherited royal blood and that the prophecy given at his birth requires him to prepare for a life of privilege, perhaps to rule. His mother and his spiritual guide urge him in this direction, as does his scheming father who berates him for wanting to follow the path of his uncles who are builders and artists. Must he choose the path of his blood or can he follow his heart? Set in Belize and Guatemala in 35 BCE, encounters with rulers, tradesmen, and potential marriage partners combine with shamanic rituals, difficult trials, and betrayals that challenge the young man to look within for answers. This coming-of-age story is an immersion in the life, times, customs, and environments—architectures and the natural world—that contributed to the uniqueness of ancient Maya civilization. Based on decades of archaeological, ethnographic and anthropological research, Jaguar Rising is not a fantasy novel about the “mysterious” Maya. Rather, it depicts real people facing universal human challenges at a time when their civilization was flourishing in the jungles of Central America. As such, it’s an excellent book for those who have visited or plan to visit, archaeological sites in Mexico, Guatemala or Belize.

David L. Smith is Emeritus Professor of Communication at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. Academically, his focus is on visual communication aesthetics and methods, including the higher potentials of television. He enjoyed a twenty-year career in broadcast television as a multi-award-winning documentary filmmaker and television producer. He exhibits and publishes fine art photography. Since 1967 Mr. Smith has been a student of Mesoamerican art, archaeology and anthropology with an emphasis on the ancient Maya. He took classes in these areas and conducted research at the primary sites featured in the story.