temple of a thousand faces by john shors

In 1995, an elderly unnamed widow is moving into an Oregon nursing home on the urging of her controlling son, Julien, a surgeon. Hannah’s new novel is an homage to the extraordinary courage and endurance of Frenchwomen during World War II. The action comes to a standstill as the lovers engage in incessant declarations of love and meandering philosophical conversations Indravarman’s repetitive acts of brutality soon become tedious rather than shocking and the continuous whining by Vibol, the fisherman’s son, gets old, especially since his parents spend much of the book worrying about his self-esteem.Īn ambitious attempt, but it falls short of its mark. The characters, who initially are appealing, begin to lose their luster long before the final battle between the Khmers and the Chams. Shors infuses the story with fascinating information about the ancient temple of Angkor Wat and Buddhist and Hindu cultures, but he often loses focus-and the interest of the reader-by deviating from the plot and providing entirely too much detail. Facing certain torture and death, they flee Indravarman’s stronghold to assist Prince Jayavar. Asal is a favored advisor of the Cham king until he falls for Voisanne, a beautiful Khmer captive who helps change his perspective about war and killing and reminds him of his own heartbreak when he was younger. Among his followers are a simple fisherman and his family and a pair of young lovers. Seeking to restore his people to their rightful place, Jayavar plans a counterattack and amasses thousands of troops, including Siamese mercenaries, to oppose the even larger Cham contingent. The plot centers on the efforts of Khmer Prince Jayavar and his favorite wife, Ajadevi, who’ve been forced to flee to the jungle following a bloody invasion of Angkor by barbaric King Indravarman of the Chams.

Shors’ ( Cross Currents, 2011, etc.) latest, set in 12th-century Cambodia.

Temple of a thousand faces by john shors