The Shark God: Encounters with Ghosts and Ancestors in the South Pacific

I read this book as part of the First Look program of Harper Collins. I cannot begin to even express how very very good it is; it is nonfiction, travel but not yet travel, and incorporates history, mythology, religion, spirituality, anthropology and an insight gleaned from the author that is truly unbelievable.

Inspired by his find of an envelope of sand in the library at Oxford, the author, Charles Montgomery decides that he will follow the route taken in 1892 by his great-grandfather, Henry Montgomery, and Anglican missionary and bishop. Henry had gone on the mission ship Southern Cross with the mission of bringing "the One True God to the heathens of the Melanesian archipelago". Charles Montgomery's tracing of his ancestor's show more footsteps is only part of the journey, though. It's what he finds along the way that comprises the meat of this story.

In a nutshell: the first missionaries reported back that the inhabitants of the Melanesian island chain practiced cannibalism, headhunting, magic, and had a lust for blood. The Melanesians also had literally thousands of spirits inhabiting the islands, and if someone knew the right techniques, then it was possible to "harness the power of curses, magic cures and helpful spirits." (12) But as Christianity began to move into the islands and the writings of the missionaries began to tout their successes, these gods and spirits, as noted by the author, "receded into the shadow of the new god..." (13) The author sets out in his grandfather's shadow to find where these spirits had gone and to find any vestiges of "heathens," and to discover the old knowledge from "someone very old and wise." (17) What he expects to find and what he finds make up the very heart and soul of this story.

It is an incredible journey; I was literally mesmerized from cover to cover. I highly recommend this book. My only critique is that it needs pictures! This would have more fully fleshed out the author's adventures. Maybe there are no pictures because it's an ARC. Please do NOT miss this book. show less

Following in the footsteps of his great-grandfather, a missionary to the Melanesian islands, Montgomery embarks on his own journey of discovery. In an attempt to find the deep faith of his ancestor, he treks to remote villages of indigenous peoples to witness their secret ceremonies, black magic, totems and superstitions. The lines between myth and miracle become blurred as Montgomery learns to define his own beliefs.