Zulmara's reviews > Eye of the Mountain God: A Thriller
Eye of the Mountain God: A Thriller
by Penny Rudolph (Goodreads Author)
by Penny Rudolph (Goodreads Author)
Eye of the Mountain God
By Penny Rudolph
http://www.pennyrudolph
Reviewed by Zulmara Cline
In this rare socio-political thriller, Penny Rudolph brings together an unlikely cast of characters who are thrown together by the universe to discover their connections and figure out their entanglements. From a rare find between some tress, to a wonderful artist who has become self-sufficient, to a lonely little girl trying to belong, a single mother looking for a more creative life, and a professor looking to broaden his horizons, these cast of characters become a strong network and system of support for each other.
Based on the premise that we are all fueled by something deeper than ourselves, Penny weaves a tale based on the pain and suffering of the Hispanos in New Mexico, the Mexican migrants who come looking for work, the third generation Chicanos who are dealing with broken dreams and broken promises, and the Indians at the reservations, and the society at large in which they live. In a land of riches and abundance, those at the bottom of the rung who enable the wealth are truly without hope, without dreams, without a way out of the abject poverty they live with day in and day out.
Penny captures a perfect storm of "desperate people doing desperate things" when these wonderfully developed characters meet, interact, interweave their lives and come together in a complex understanding of a society gone awry, with hate running rampant, with the human condition being universal, and we are all, in the end, God's children.
A must read for all citizens of these United States who believe in the American Dream and wonder why "they" do not just "assimilate."
About the Author
Penny Rudolph has had a very colorful life where she had had so many different experiences that she writes what she knows and knows what she writes. In her bio, she lists various occupations such as bartending, truck driving, chili picking, science and medical writing, and musician. Her writing it powerful and explosive due to the first hand experiences she undertakes, such as watching open heart surgery and interviewing ranchers, NASA scientists, game wardens, opera stars and Apache hunters. She has worked with archeologists, and watched the making of steel. All of these experiences have served her well as she weaves a thrilling tale of being driven by a cause so deep that all reason stops and all that remains is a mission and a cause, where the ends justify the means.
An interwoven socio-political thriller that sheds light on what happens when the haves take too much for granted and the have nots are pushed to their limits.
Questions
1. What does Atzlan mean to you? Do you feel a connection with Atzlan?
2. In the book, Penny refers to Hispanics, Chicanos, and Mexicans, what is your moniker of choice? Why? Do you agree with the descriptions and definitions that Penny uses?
3. In the Eye of the Mountain God, Penny explores individuals who are willing to die for a cause they are passionate about. Is this a passion you share? At what point would you make a decision that it is time to stand and fight? What would you do?
4. Did you sympathize with Miguel's cause and his tactics? Do the ends ever justify the means?
5. What are the dangers in a society when groups of individuals lose all esperanza and feel they have nothing to lose?
6. How does this quote, attributed to Emiliano Zapata, relate to Miguel and the individuals he was recruiting?
Prefiero morir de pie que vivir de rodillas.
It's better to die upon your feet than to live upon your knees!
Pasted from <http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Emiliano_Zapata>
Opening Line
Meghan Montoya got out of her car and was half way to the front door before she noticed the living room drapes were closed.
Quote
Hate is cheap and easy to sell these days. (p. 273)
By Penny Rudolph
http://www.pennyrudolph
Reviewed by Zulmara Cline
In this rare socio-political thriller, Penny Rudolph brings together an unlikely cast of characters who are thrown together by the universe to discover their connections and figure out their entanglements. From a rare find between some tress, to a wonderful artist who has become self-sufficient, to a lonely little girl trying to belong, a single mother looking for a more creative life, and a professor looking to broaden his horizons, these cast of characters become a strong network and system of support for each other.
Based on the premise that we are all fueled by something deeper than ourselves, Penny weaves a tale based on the pain and suffering of the Hispanos in New Mexico, the Mexican migrants who come looking for work, the third generation Chicanos who are dealing with broken dreams and broken promises, and the Indians at the reservations, and the society at large in which they live. In a land of riches and abundance, those at the bottom of the rung who enable the wealth are truly without hope, without dreams, without a way out of the abject poverty they live with day in and day out.
Penny captures a perfect storm of "desperate people doing desperate things" when these wonderfully developed characters meet, interact, interweave their lives and come together in a complex understanding of a society gone awry, with hate running rampant, with the human condition being universal, and we are all, in the end, God's children.
A must read for all citizens of these United States who believe in the American Dream and wonder why "they" do not just "assimilate."
About the Author
Penny Rudolph has had a very colorful life where she had had so many different experiences that she writes what she knows and knows what she writes. In her bio, she lists various occupations such as bartending, truck driving, chili picking, science and medical writing, and musician. Her writing it powerful and explosive due to the first hand experiences she undertakes, such as watching open heart surgery and interviewing ranchers, NASA scientists, game wardens, opera stars and Apache hunters. She has worked with archeologists, and watched the making of steel. All of these experiences have served her well as she weaves a thrilling tale of being driven by a cause so deep that all reason stops and all that remains is a mission and a cause, where the ends justify the means.
An interwoven socio-political thriller that sheds light on what happens when the haves take too much for granted and the have nots are pushed to their limits.
Questions
1. What does Atzlan mean to you? Do you feel a connection with Atzlan?
2. In the book, Penny refers to Hispanics, Chicanos, and Mexicans, what is your moniker of choice? Why? Do you agree with the descriptions and definitions that Penny uses?
3. In the Eye of the Mountain God, Penny explores individuals who are willing to die for a cause they are passionate about. Is this a passion you share? At what point would you make a decision that it is time to stand and fight? What would you do?
4. Did you sympathize with Miguel's cause and his tactics? Do the ends ever justify the means?
5. What are the dangers in a society when groups of individuals lose all esperanza and feel they have nothing to lose?
6. How does this quote, attributed to Emiliano Zapata, relate to Miguel and the individuals he was recruiting?
Prefiero morir de pie que vivir de rodillas.
It's better to die upon your feet than to live upon your knees!
Pasted from <http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Emiliano_Zapata>
Opening Line
Meghan Montoya got out of her car and was half way to the front door before she noticed the living room drapes were closed.
Quote
Hate is cheap and easy to sell these days. (p. 273)
