The Lost City - Henry Shukman

A former soldier, invalided out of the army because of a horrific and traumatic incident, Jackson Small goes on a journey into the Peruvian jungle in search of a lost city of an ancient race.  The reasons for his trip are however rather more complicated.  As well as doing it out of personal interest in the culture, he feels he has to make the journey as a pilgrimage for a dead colleague. But when he is robbed of all his equipment, money and provisions early in the trip, he is forced to undertake an undercover military operation in the dangerous, lawless region ruled by a major drug baron.

Along the way he meets many characters who propose other alternative ways of living. A young Peruvian boy latches onto him, accompanying him on his journey, and Jackson finds some sense of purpose in looking after the child. He meets and falls in love with a young American girl Sarah, who helps the young man overcome his shyness and the pain of his past. He meets a priest who dedicates himself to the poor people of the region and he meets Sarah’s uncle, who has abandoned the Western lifestyle for a purer way of living in the Amazonian wilderness. He also meets people dedicated to political causes, people that because of his military past he can’t escape. Eventually, he has to make his own way to the outcome of his quest.

There are a lot of contradictions in Henry Shukman’s new novel, but in this case it’s a good thing. A thriller, a love story, a journey of personal discovery - each of the different elements blend together extremely well and give the book an unexpected depth and lyricism. The author’s own experience as a travel writer with an interest in exploring and learning from ancient cultures (Sons of the Moon: A Journey in the Andes) undoubtedly contributes greatly to the authenticity and the keenness in the description of his character’s discoveries in the Peruvian rain-forests. The major discoveries however are clearly more personal than archaeological and Shukman is equally adept at pinpointing their intricacies in this exciting, intelligent and satisfying novel.