Deserted Cities of the Heart

Eddie used to be a rock star, but ten years ago he walked away from fame, his wife, his family and disappeared. Now it's the mid-80s and his brother, Thomas, is working at a sustainable technologies project in Mexico when revolution breaks out. Eddie's wife, Lindsay, shows up, convinced she knows where Eddie is. Meanwhile a Rolling Stone journalist, Carmichael, is in the middle of the rebels, interviewing one of the leaders, Carla. Meanwhile Eddie is living with the Lacondones Indians, descendants of the Mayans....

Part thriller, part mystical treatise on the “end of the world”, Lewis Shiner's Deserted Cities of The Heart takes it's pop culture references, it's politics and smushes them together with psychedelic Mayan mysticism and the result is quite a ride. By turns erotic, action packed and mystical, Shiner writes with energy and precision. The Reagan-era Iran-Contra scandal looms large as revolutions sweep South America and Mexico is torn apart by rebels, earthquakes and a private American mercenary army led by a religious fanatic.

All these elements, both political and personal come to a head in the ruined Mayan city of Na Chan. Eddie is tripping on powerful psychedelic mushrooms and reliving parts of his life in ultra-vivid detail, until finally he finds himself in the time of the Mayans just as their civilisation collapses, mirroring the supposed collapse of our civilisation as the Mayan “long count” cycle comes to an end.

The politics may be dated and the end of the world scenario may have been tarnished by over familiarity, but this is still a hugely enjoyable read. If you like a meta-mystical action thriller, this is the book for you.