by Robert Stone
First published 1982
Frank Holliwell, a burnt-out anthropologist and former Coast Guard officer, arrives in the fictional Central American nation of Tecan on what seems like a routine academic mission. The country seethes with revolutionary fervor as leftist guerrillas battle a brutal military regime backed by American interests. Holliwell becomes entangled with Sister Justin Feeney, an idealistic nun whose work with the poor has drawn dangerous attention from government forces, and Pablo Tabor, a troubled priest questioning his faith amid the violence. As political tensions explode into open warfare, these Americans find themselves caught between their principles and survival. The revolution forces each character to confront what they truly believe and what they're willing to sacrifice for those beliefs.
Genres: american-fiction, 20th-century, adventure, political-thriller
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, principles-vs-survival
Setting: Tecan
Period: 20th-century
Paperback · Random House Inc
Content warnings: violence