The Purification Ceremony

Having originally read this one around when it first came out in the late 90s and being in my early teens, I found this a very enjoyable thriller. Apparently over the years my literary pallet has expanded enough to the point that a reread of this was only so-so. The plot was good but the characters, besides the main female, were pretty poorly distinguished from one another and the "spiritual" aspects of the story would get so convoluted at times that you'd get a bit bogged down until the next bit of action came up. Nice, quick read but nothing very satisfying when it comes down to it.

This book completely blew me away, it was so brilliantly written. The author is a master of suspense, and his method for intertwining the main character's tender past with the murder plot was extremely compelling. I'm a voracious reader and read across all genres -- romance, mystery, suspense, fantasy and science fiction -- and I have to say this is the most remarkable example of the thriller genre that I've read in years. Plus the bonus of Mark's talent for creating vivid imagery is unsurpassed. It's difficult to find any book worth reading these days, and I usually toss them aside after the first five or six chapters (if I even get that far). But Mark is a step above the average author. He's now one of the few authors on my "must buy!" list. I highly, highly recommend this novel!

I picked this book up because it had a great cover (hard cover). I bought it because it sounded interesting and fun. You know what I was right. This is a wonderful book. I do not feel that this is a "guy" book. The main character is female, just different from most females. Diana is a strong and powerful female lead. The kind that you have to have in a book like this to make it work. I think that Mr. Sullivan did a great job in working out the plot. I was totally engrossed in this fine piece of work from the beginning. OK the author did mess up with the scalp thing. But some times that is a part of the fun. Finding a mistake that everyone missed and they get paid the big bucks! (No pun intended.) This did not take away from the story and was not important to the plot. So you are forgiven Mr. Sullivan for one little bitty mistake. I'm looking forward to more by this wonderful author. Keep them coming, Mr. Sullivan. I highly recommend "The Purification Ceremony.

My boyfriend loaned me this book. I am sooo mad at myself for not reading it the instant he placed it in my hands! It was awesome! I am a Stephen King fan (except for the fantasy stuff) and this was right up my alley. From the very beginning I was drawn into the suspense-packed plot, and I could not put it down (hard not to put a book down when you have a baby!) I devoured this book. I admired Diana and was proud of her for showing that heritage, wits, and power are ok for women to possess and display. Good work!

The first few chapters of this book were utterly flawless -- nail-biting tension and a sense of dread kept me flipping those pages. I am a published novelist myself, and I have the greatest admiration for Mr. Sullivan's artistry. He has the spirit of a poet. I have a few quibbles about the solution to the mystery (I always have quibbles!) but I cannot deny the fact this author's descriptions of snow and isolation are masterful.

Mark T. Sullivan's The Purification Ceremony examines a number of themes, any of which could stand alone: hunting vs. anti-hunting, obsession, ignoring our natures and the natural world, the relationships between families, the disntegration of society's mores in the face of death. Diane Jackman, a Micmac and Penobscot Indian, seeks salvation in the pursuit of white tail deer on the estate of an enigmatic, deceased student of game management. Dealing with the death of her father, a fifteen year deception of her husband, and the recent disintegration of that marriage, the software writer finds herself one of two women (the other is the wife of a computer nerd and obnoxious trophy hunter) on a hunt for record white tail. Though marred by some stereotypical characters, Sullivan deftly portrays the central characters. During the first day's hunt, Diane comes on the body of one of the guides, gutted, scalped, and hung in a tree. The hunting party, cut off from civlization and rescue deep in British Columbia, now are the targets of a different breed of hunter, one who seeks to "purify" their hunt by killing them all. Diane confronts the killer and her own demons. The ending is ambiguous, with many issues unresolved, and in that the book reflects life. Sullivan paints a sparkling picture of the outdoors and the excitement of the hunt. Even those who find themselves on the "anti" side of the issue, or have little in hunting, will find the book to be a great read. It is hard to slip this novel into a specific genre: part thriller, part psychological study, part naturalism, part mystical.