Moonstone Hero

by David Sklar

Overview

How far would you go to save someone you barely knew, if it put your own life in danger?

When Andrew, an American medical student, decides to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro with a group of international travelers, he's looking forward to the adventure. But when the climb takes an unexpected turn, it forces the climbers to confront their deepest fears-and each other.

In the middle of the night, just a few hours from the summit, Barry, one of Andrew's fellow climbers, becomes deathly ill. As the only one with medical expertise, Andrew feels responsible for Barry's fate. Saving Barry means risking his own life, but failing to act will compromise his values as a healer and human being. It doesn't help that he's falling for Barry's climbing companion and girlfriend, a beautiful Peace Corps volunteer whose free spirit makes methodical, meticulous Andrew feel alive.

All of the climbers are haunted by their choices during that terrifying night and its aftermath...but Andrew, most of all. Torn between descending Africa's highest peak in the dark to save a near-stranger, or fulfilling his dream of reaching the summit, Andrew must choose. And in the wake of his choice, his life will change forever.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781732348431
Publisher:	Volcano Cannon Press
Publication date:	10/25/2022
Pages:	254
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.58(d)

Editorial Reviews

2022-08-22
In this novel, a mountainside medical emergency brings an unlikely group together.

Sklar’s book opens with a dedication to frontline workers, especially medical professionals, for their service during the Covid-19 pandemic. The author explains that he was inspired by the heroism he observed during the pandemic while writing the novel. The story follows Andrew, a medical student from Denver, who goes to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, for a medical rotation. There, he decides to join a hiking group climbing Mount Kilimanjaro (“Africa’s highest mountain would be a test of his dedication and resolve”). At the time of the hike, Andrew finds himself questioning his place in the group as well as observing his intriguing fellow climbers: Danish couple Klaus and Kara; some German fitness entrepreneurs seeking to prove their vitality to investors; Eve, an enthralling, beautiful Peace Corps volunteer with her Stanford-educated boyfriend, Barry; and their local guides and porters Salaam, Mohammed, and Koba. When Barry develops a severe case of mountain sickness, Andrew and Koba must risk their lives to transport him to medical help. The tale centers on the conflicts and dynamics that emerge when the group faces this medical emergency. Will individual motivations interfere with the collective effort of saving a life? Sklar explores the aftermath of this difficult, life-changing event as Andrew and Eve confront complicated romantic situations, their lives intertwined irrevocably with those of their fellow climbers and each other. The swiftly paced novel deftly emphasizes themes of fear, compassion, and self-actualization. But facets of the story that relate to representation could have been improved. Characters from Africa in the tale are mostly referred to as African instead of disclosing their cultural backgrounds or nationalities. Eve, much fantasized about by the male players, seems like a fulfillment of the manic dream girl trope: Readers rarely see her reflect on her own career and personal life as much as on her romantic experiences with men. Still, the author adds some crucial nuances, making a point to include a conversation on Western ideas of Africa and how they differ from reality as well as how gender plays a role in women’s career expectations. The story’s greatest strength lies in its portrayal of how diverse lives intersect during an emergency.

A fast-paced, contemplative but uneven rescue tale.

Kirkus Reviews