By Paula Limbaugh
When I first read Buddha Mountain by Bob Booth, I wasn’t sure if I would like it. Bob wrote Buddha Mountain in 1986 and included it in an anthology, On the battlefield. He eventually wrote a novella, but couldn’t get it into the anthology mentioned above. So it sat there until about 15 years later, when his son discovered the story while renovating his house and convinced Bob to publish it. I’m so glad he did.
The story is set in 1968 during the Vietnam War, and is told to us by a 21-year-old guy who has just arrived from the United States. We are slowly drawn into his life, and the line between reality and the supernatural becomes blurred. Foshan is a sacred place considered holy by the Vietnamese; it is a cemetery for monks. Strange torch lights can be seen at night, is it Charlie or the undead? A sentry disappears while investigating the lights and is later found brutally murdered, which adds to the subtle sense of horror.
Our narrator and his companions are sent to Saigon for a night out to escape the pain of discovering a cruel sentinel. There, they witness a monk who, with the help of his assistant, sets himself on fire to protest the war. When he sees the assistant for the second time, he deeply understands what is happening. Soon, the burden of salvation falls on his shoulders.
This story will slowly draw you in, but once it grabs you it won’t let go.
Order Foshan right here.
grade:4/5
