Project Namahana

by John Teschner

[Quirky Cat]

I've learned I cannot resist dark and gloomy mystery/thriller covers. Especially if they involve the sea, it's a weakness, I suppose. Naturally, this means that I snatched up John Teschner's Project Namahana.

Is it possible to work in a corporation and not be affected by its greed? What about the horrors those corporations can cause (intentionally or not). Will those scrape by, or will you feel each and every one?

Two men, both corporate employees, are connected – through death. There have been a series of deaths and disappearances on the island they call home. It doesn't take long before the men, Brent and Lindstrom, begin to suspect the role they had to play in these deaths.

Ohhh. I was so curious about Project Namahana. I've seen plenty of corporate/thriller novel combinations, but nothing like this. It's a different take on the plot of greed and corruption, though it has familiar tones here and there.

The whole concept of Project Namahana makes me think of the quote: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Brent and Lindstrom could have looked away from these deaths – it would have been easier (for them) if they had. Yet they didn't. There's a lesson in that.

Admittedly, while I wanted to like Project Namahana, it took me a little while to get invested in the story. It was probably a few chapters (maybe a bit more) before I felt like I was getting into the story, mainly because it has a bit of a slower start.

On the bright side, I loved the way John Teschner tackled complex situations and concerns, especially those revolving around (as mentioned above) corporate greed and corruption. It's something that we should be discussing more, which feels like the whole point.

Thanks to Forge Books and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks