The Eden Hunter

From the heart of Africa to a life of slavery, from a tragic and daring escape to discovery by the Indians, from moments of tranquility to the devastation accompanying the war of 1812--Skip Horack's remarkable new adventure "The Eden Hunter" covers a lot of ground. In his brisk no-nonsense approach, Horack has crafted a big story but has made it immeasurably intimate. Told through the eyes of Kau, a pygmy hunter who has been living as a slave for five years, a harrowing journey unfolds with much brutality yet also with a surprising tenderness. Kau certainly is the heart and soul of "The Eden Hunter." An unlikely protagonist, to be sure, Kau wants nothing more than to be left alone to forge a new life. Haunted by tragedy, Kau traverses the world with an underlying sadness. Unique and even threatening in appearance, Kau has the ability to really connect with fellow travelers even when he has no intention of doing so. Whether it is his status as a runaway slave, a native African, or the curiosity of his small stature and sharply filed teeth--people are intrigued by Kau and this ultimately keeps him alive. There is much dignity in this character and as we follow his almost episodic encounters, we see a beaten man who just wants a fresh start at a pure life. And guess what? You'll want it for him too. While I really admired "The Eden Hunters," I was sometimes more disconnected from this terrific tale than I wanted to be. If anything, it is almost too matter-of-fact in its tone. Horack creates a marvelous central character in Kau and yet the prose sometimes lacks the emotional bite that I would have liked. While on the one hand, I didn't want the novel to devolve into soapy theatrics--on the other, I really wanted to connect on a visceral as well as an intellectual level. However, I do really recommend "The Eden Hunters" as a great adventure filled with tremendous hope and humanity.