RAMRAJ

AN AMAZONIAN FANTASY

by Dhanpaul Narine ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 17, 2025

An angry young man must decide which side he’s on regarding an international plan to develop the Amazon in Narine’s novel.

Ramraj, a dreamer and troublemaker growing up in poverty in Guyana, is raised by his single mother; his father lives far away. As he matures, Ramraj develops an edge, to his mother’s dismay: “There was something that she could not explain. The light of the moon showed someone that was self-absorbed and was consumed with hate.” Despite the community’s belief it is too late to change him, his mother hopes otherwise. Her death propels Ramraj to flee to the capital city of Georgetown, where he struggles until meeting Bobby and his group, advocates of social justice who encourage robbing the rich to help the poor. Initially swept up in purse, wallet, and watch thefts, Ramraj tires of crime and instead becomes a cook for the Upper Amazon Development Authority, an organization tasked with bringing hydroelectric power to Guyana. Sent to Kamarang, he is overwhelmed and considers leaving but instead befriends Pugnose, a trafficker in exotic animal products. Ramraj proves himself a skilled hunter, killing endangered species with precision, though growing moral reservations lead him to part ways with Pugnose and turn to Kamarang spiritualist Shaman George. George imparts teachings on empathy, belonging, environmental stewardship, and the “four laws of living” (belonging, questioning, probity, and problem-solving), along with a “Fifth Dimension” of spiritual focus. Inspired, Ramraj throws himself into community projects, but his position becomes precarious: Soon, he is caught between loyalties, supporting Shaman George and protecting the community’s way of life while facing mounting pressure from the government and the World Bank to promote the controversial hydropower project. As Ramraj continues to travel and better understand the wealth of natural resources in Guyana and the vulnerability of its remote communities to exploitation by developers. He also moves deeper into spiritual exploration, led by increasingly lengthy discussions and visions with Shaman George, which tie back to some of the dreams he had as a child. This spiritual awakening helps Ramraj to decide what he must do.  

There is more than enough in this ambitious work for multiple volumes, and indeed Narine labels his chapters as “books.” But the lack of a sense of forward momentum in the story—the novel, at times, takes the form of a picaresque, with Ramraj encountering a series of different characters and having brief, though meaningful experiences, only to bounce along to the next person and the next, with little sense of how time is passing—makes certain passages feel endless and in need of deep edits. Despite all of his backstory, Ramraj is a bit of a blank slate, a Zelig figure who takes on the personalities of those nearest him. Readers are told of his development at great length, but it rarely registers as real. For all the mentions of the splendor of Guyana, the descriptions are likewise a bit flat and nonspecific: “The plane turned right, and the majesty of the jungle opened up, showing off exquisite colors, including multiple rainbows from afar.” The narrative’s theme is worthy and comes through clearly, but it could have been expressed with greater economy and thrust.

Well-intentioned but overstuffed.

Pub Date: July 17, 2025

ISBN: 9798823051057

Page Count: 434

Publisher: AuthorHouse

Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2025

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:

LITERARY FICTION | GENERAL CURRENT EVENTS & SOCIAL ISSUES | GENERAL FICTION