Rising from the Ruins

All of Peter Daniel's books are easy to read and easy to apply. These are classics that will always be relevant!

The copy I have of this book has a great picture on the cover: a Tikal-style pyramid, somber gray gleaming under moonlight amidst a thick, dark green jungle. I dug in, expecting a book of adventure and mystery in the secret depths of hidden ruins...Not quite so. The story begins with a disenchanted, out-of-work academic, who to distract himself from his lagging self confidence and boredom begins a life of crime... stealing the ornaments off of people's lawns. It's actually quite funny, and our hero, Harper, has a sarcastic sense of humor that kept me chuckling. However, when his luck turns, and Harper heads off to join an archaelogical team among Mayan ruins, there's a long run of ho-hum details of camp life, speculations about the fictional village that the crew is digging up, and a lot of incredibly petty bickering among them. I could hardly keep my eyes open during this central portion of the book.The last third starts picking up speed as Harper accumulates more enemies among the crew, and they encounter a group Guatemalan refugees. They must decide whether to help them with food, at the risk of losing their digging permit from the Mexican government. Following on the heels of the refugees are soldiers hunting them down and who briefly put the team in danger. These events add some spice, and so does Sancho, the friendly jungle pig.The end of the book ties the pieces up nicely, and its message clarifies why the characters (and the reader) had to endure all that bickering. I was able to make peace with the book by its end, and with the help of Harper's sense of humor, was able to give this book a 4.

The best "read" I've had all summer. The setting is an archeological dig in Mexico. The characters are very human, and intuitively helping each other to heal, while working hard and playing hard. The Mayan history is fascinating. The jungle is described vividly. The laughter and the love bubble up easily. The jacket cover says "a powerful story of personal redemption and marital survival." And it's told with wit and clever wordplay. A lot of fun.