by Kem Nunn
First published 1997
A broke photographer finds himself drawn into the dangerous world of big wave surfing when tragedy strikes a mystical surf break known for its lethal conditions. The location sits on Native American territory, where the waves have claimed another victim: a young Indian boy whose death ignites violent tensions on the nearby reservation. As the photographer becomes increasingly obsessed with the surfing scene surrounding this deadly break, he discovers a community bound together by their pursuit of waves that can kill as easily as they can transform. The collision between cultures, the photographer's desperate circumstances, and the magnetic pull of the ocean create a volatile mix. What begins as an outsider's glimpse into surf culture becomes a deeper reckoning with violence, spirituality, and the price of obsession. The photographer must navigate not only the physical dangers of the waves but also the cultural and personal conflicts that swirl around this sacred and treacherous place.
Genres: fiction, adventure, crime, contemporary
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: obsession, outsider-perspective
Setting: Native American Territory
368 pages · Hardcover · Scribner
Content warnings: violence