The Witness Tree

by Terry Persun

A troubled, brilliant artist's story, told in the voice of a magnificent tree that becomes his inspiration and guardian.
A boy's self-developed talent grows into an artistic genius with a very special connection to nature. But touching nature so deeply leads to intensity of feeling and vision that unsettles his life. While relationships disintegrate around him, can he hold onto his creative powers?
This exceptional novel explores the connections between creativity, love, madness, beauty and man's relation to nature. Its unusual narrator tells a gripping story with an understanding that is beyond human yet linked deeply to the artist's vision.
"Persun ...weaves an imaginative tale exploring the complex relationship between art and madness."-Tim W. Brown, Small Press Review
"The Witness Tree is a unique and engaging novel about the relationship between the creative and the practical sides of human beings and their spiritual and psychic connection with nature, so necessary to being balanced and whole in an increasingly complex world."-James A. Cox, The Bookwatch

Genres: Fiction

198 pages, Kindle Edition

About the author

Terry Persun is a former airborne navigation equipment specialist and electronics engineer presently freelancing for science and technology magazines. He has won nine awards for his fiction and was a finalist in another seven awards—IPPY, Book Excellence, Foreword Reviews, USABookNews, and others. Terry is a multi-genre author of intelligent, tech-forward fiction with clearly drawn characters and thought-provoking themes. You can find him at www.TerryPersun.com

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LIST OF MY BOOKS
Science Fiction: Biomass series:
BIOMASS: Rewind
BIOMASS: Sky People (coming soon)
BIOMASS: Alive (coming soon)
Science Fiction: Neal and Mavra series:
Revision 7: DNA
Backyard Aliens
Science Fiction: Tempest Eugene Nesbit series:
The Killing Machine
The Humanzee Experiments
Science Fiction Stand-Alones
Hear No Evil
Cathedral of Dreams

Fantasy: Doublesight series
Doublesight
Memory Tower
Fugitives
Gargoyle
Fantasy: Shaman Detective series
The NSA Files
The Voodoo Case
Stealing Childhood

Mystery/Suspense: Stand-Alones:
Coming Clean
Mistake In Identity
Man Behind the Door

Historical Novel: Stand-Alones:
Sweet Song
Ten Months in Wonderland

Magical Realism: Stand-Alones:
The Witness Tree
Wolf's Rite
Giver of Gifts
To Our Waking Souls

General Fiction: Stand-Alones:
The Perceived Darkness
Deception Creek

Poetry:
Horse Logic
Balancing Act
Navigating Wind
Broken Fingers
Beautys Run Road
Sentences
And Now This
Every Leaf
Barn Tarot

Reviews

[Non Pantalones · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I read this book, not knowing what to expect. It was full of very vivid imagery, and the author has a very distinctive voice. I would recognize reading their work when I read anything by them again.

My challenge with this book (as well as others by this author) is that you can tell they had one concept... and rode it HARD throughout. It became a little tedious, just because they made SURE you got the idea. GET it? Did you GET it? I'm going to say it again so that you GET IT.

Not a bad thing... just very on-the-nose. But with that being said, very well-written.

[Jason Pryde · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many books I read leave me with the feeling that the author's ulterior motive is to sell the story to a studio willing to make it into a movie. I never got that feeling with The Witness Tree. The personal journeys that Lewis and the tree make are cerebral, not active, not always literal.
The story reads more like poetry, painting experiences and feelings onto the reader's mind. Certainly not enough car chases to make a blockbuster movie.

I can imagine readers of this book.running out and buying up art supplies and disappearing into a forest somewhere trying to recreate the transendance, the communal relationship with nature that Lewis experiences, only without the pain. Good luck with that.

This book is best read while listening to music for yoga sessions, for the same reason. To grasp the implicit calmness of the nature/human relationship, the mind needs to let go of the practical, physical aspects of the words on the page. It doesn't matter if the words are at times simplistic or repetitious. The occasional corrupted spellcheck is just part of the stories human charm.

One of Terry Persun's technical skills as a writer is that while he brings his main protagonist into crisp, personal clarity, he doesn't abandon his other characters to mere window dressing. He gives them personality, character flaws, and a purpose not just context for the main character.

Another thing you'll find about his writing is that, while similitude between disparate ideas is important, you don't get a withering onslaught of "...like a...." or "....as a ..." comparisons. This is not a technical reference manual..Grasping the author's message here requires the readers attention to flow. It is useful to stop, put the book down at times, maybe for a day or two to internalize how the character’s personal journeys compare to your own experiences.

Parts of the story may make you cringe. You want want to close the book and leave it in a "My Little Library" shelf. If you feel strongly enough about it go ahead. There are plenty of supermarket checkstand epic summer reads to skim over and add to your “Read” list.

If you do stick with it you will likely be rewarded with a broader and more optimistic view of life's purpose and meaning. In my mind, the books cover price is well worth the quiet therapy.


IMHO,
-jgp

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/4 - overall I enjoyed this book, but it was a bit tedious for me to read, more so because I don't think I was mentally focused enough.
I thought the concept of a tree narrating the story very interesting and the connection between humans and nature prevalent throughout. I did have some confusion on parts, but I think that was purposeful as the story is being told by a tree. This book has been on my 'to be read' shelf for a long time and I am happy to have read it.

[Madeleine Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book. Unique story with engaging characters.

[Alison]

kindle 198