MAYAN

An archaeological fantasy adventure that brings one of the world’s greatest mysteries into the modern political milieu.

Self-professed archaeology geek Bob Wallace has written a controversial new book, The Impossible Mayan. In it, he posits that the ancient Mayan civilization, rather than dying out, made contact with and joined the “People of the Sea” from the lost city of Atlantis. He and his 13-year-old daughter, Tara, are on a flight back to the United States from a conference in England when the plane’s electronics fail and it crash-lands in the ocean. Meanwhile, Bob’s ex-wife, Jenn Wallace, awaits them at Playa del Carmen in Mexico. She’s set to lead a tour of the Mayan ruins beneath Tulum, where recently discovered images and artifacts lend credence to Bob’s theory. The same phenomenon that downed the plane—an electromagnetic pulse—causes fog to cover the beach, followed by a small-scale tsunami. Bob, Tara, and other conference attendees, including the insufferable Evan Masters, survive the plane crash only to encounter low, wooden ships powered by oars. Aboard them is a contingent that Bob recognizes as ancient Mayan. The rescuers bring the survivors to an island formed by “Three rings of water, and three of land”—Atlantis itself. In this opener to a new series, author Enock (Doc Christmas and the Magic of Trains, 2016) soon shows what happens when a large nation of benevolent visionaries, who believe that “no single voice must...be allowed to speak for all,” is thrust into the chaotic 21st century. The book is both playful and politically savvy; for example, the Atlanteans appear superficially primitive, but they know enough to use their force-field technology to protect the island from scrambling world powers, such as China. However, they also trust in the visions of the mysterious Diachrome, who foresaw the world’s end in 2012. Although this plot thread leads to moments of humor, another one about global elites reaping technological benefits while humanity suffers is frightfully consequential. By the end, Bob’s and Tara’s lives are changed forever, urging readers toward the next volume in the series.

A high-spirited tale for readers interested in archaeology and sustainable living.