The Rising of the Son

Told from alternating points of view, Jonno and James recount their extraordinary journey from home to Lima, through Huarez and ultimately to the peak of Casharaju in the Cordillera Huayhuash mountain range in Peru. The narrative is intercepted by occasional vignettes from people they meet along the way, who provide a bird's eye view of their developing relationship and of the cultural context of Peru itself.

Written almost in the form of diary entries, the reader is party to the innermost thoughts of each character, with the surrounding dialogue revealing what is being left unsaid between them. Together, in body if not in mind, Jonno and James ascend the Casharaju peak until the adventure hits disaster and Jonno has to step up and take the lead to try and save his father.

This compelling coming-of-age story explores themes of the father-son dynamic, what it means to be a man, life in a developing country, women's rights, being an outsider, the problematic way we are perceived by others, personal truth, and what it ultimately means to be successful.