I don’t usually read futuristic novels, but often imagine what life will be like then: science and nature, technology and inventions, and world order. In Project Old Spirits, JOSM (coauthors living in Northern California) paint an intriguing and exciting story that is set in 2156. From the first page I was hooked. A team of scientists travel to the remote island of Alantia in the Caribbean where an outbreak of Filariasis aeruginosa, a deadly disease believed to have been eradicated, has reemerged. Headed by project manager Phyllis Randolph, the team arrives to surprisingly discover a civilization that has decided to let their island return to its natural form. The rainforest is growing uncontrollably. Technology and industry do not pollute the environment. All living things, including the deadly bacteria that cause the disease, are left unharmed and not manipulated. As a result, the inhabitants are not allowed to be vaccinated. Even though the World Health Organization has arranged for Dr. Randolph and her team to settle on the island for six months, they learn that they are to be deported before their equipment is even unpacked or their labs set up. While attempting to cut through the political red tape, they begin to distrust one another and realize that some are not who they claim to be.
The writers do a superb job of weaving ancient beliefs and practices with modernization. Project Old Spirits is the perfect book to take on vacation, enjoy on the weekends, or read after a long workday.
Kathleen Kaska, Marketing Director
Cave Art Press