Jim Metzner

An ancient ritual binds the bodies and spirits of two men living centuries apart. The souls of Skyfisher, a Natchez living in what would be Mississippi in the 1600's and Salvador, a man in present day New York are switched in order to fulfill a mission to heal the world. Complete strangers to each other's world and way of life, the two men are helped along by two women who believe their wild claims and help them to understand the world they have found themselves in.

Sacred Mounds is a mysterious journey that connects Natchez traditions and beliefs with the state of our planet today. The introduction pulled me in with the mystery behind Salvador's memory lapse and tattoo that he does not recollect receiving. After that, the writing bounces back and forth between Salvador and Skyfisher's worlds creating an almost dizzying sense of place as the two men switch bodies through time. I enjoyed reading about the Natchez traditions, way of life, religions and use of the mounds. I was surprised to learn that the mounds once extended all the way up through the Northeast as well as the fact that much of the Natchez people's heritage has been erased. Skyfisher and Salvador were compelling characters, especially once they were in one another's bodies. Even more captivating were Inez and Tell Me a Story, the women that served as guides for the men in mismatched bodies. While I'm not quite sure if the men succeeded on the journeys, I feel like there is definitely more in this story to unfold.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.… (plus d'informations)

Sometimes it takes a whirlwind to pull us into the center of ourselves. Jim Metzner has created two such tornados in different timeframes and two protagonists who must lose their identifies in order to find them. A Natchez Indian from the distant past and a modern New Yorker are compelled to switch more than their bodies, in this novel that is a striking metaphor for humanity’s ongoing schism with itself.

Salvador “Lewis” Samuels, recently divorced and needing to mend, drives to Mississippi to unwind, picturing himself sipping mint juleps on a porch and smelling the roses. He makes a fateful decision to pull off the road at the “Ancient Mound 7 Miles” sign, pitch his tent at the top of the Mound to spend the night. He wakes up from an intense dream and runs his hands over what is clearly not his body. Lewis’s eyes are open but what he sees are the sort of colors that appear when they are shut after having looked at the sun too much.

Meanwhile Skyfisher, a Natchez who has a lifelong fascination with the Sacred Place, spends the night there and is found bruised and delirious in the morning by his wife, Tell Me a Story. She realizes that her husband is a stranger to himself.… (plus d'informations)