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Diamond Lies
Wandering through his father's library, John Erickson discovers an African treasure map. According to legend, the map claims to lead to a lost diamond protected by a herd of rare black rhinos. It also warns that only two halves of a whole - a man and a woman truly in love - can follow the trail. The explorer who dares to try his luck alone or with someone not his soul mate, will meet with disaster. Ever the one to take a risk, John decides to take his current fiancé and travel to Africa. But in DIAMOND LIES (Goodfellow Press Hardcover; $22.00; September 2001) - Johann Sorenson's impressive fiction debut - this is only the beginning of the dangerous adventure. Soon after he finds the treasure map, John remembers that, years ago, his parents followed the same map and, he suspects, it may be the key to their family's fortune. Although he is not convinced that true love exists nor that the treasure map is real, John adores risk, adventure, and unusual games. This treasure hunt is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure - what could possibly happen? Besides, he is still haunted by guilt from a previous failed engagement, and this trip might be just what he needs. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the couple, a mercenary rhino poacher has also heard the legends surrounding the map. This fearless man decides to go on the hunt alone and will stop at nothing to achieve his goal of fortune and fame. In DIAMOND LIES John soon discovers that a diamond life can have rough edges. With seemingly little effort, Sorenson weaves together a thrilling adventure and an exceptional romance novel - one filled with intrigue, passion, and danger. Goodfellow Press, the publisher of DIAMOND LIES and the first Northwest fiction publishing house and teaching press, was founded seven years ago. Its goal is to discover, encourage, and nurture the unique talent of new writers, book designers, and editors from the Northwest. Founder and publisher, Pamela Goodfellow has been an editor for over twenty years. In launching Goodfellow Press, she has achieved a personal goal - to develop the highest standards of fiction, while introducing to the general public, new authors from the great Northwest.
Hardcover
Published June 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 20, 2014
Johann was my best friend when I was a kid growing up at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita Kansas and then when we moved to southeast Michigan. Our fathers were US Air Force officers. When my dad retired we moved to Dearborn Michigan to work for Ford Motor Company. When Colonel Sorenson retired the family moved to Ann Arbor Michigan. Johann and I maintained our friendship in Michigan up until about high school.
I was delighted to re-connect with him recently via facebook - a wonderful mechanism for finding old friends. He, and a another friend from that era, Sherry Scoggins and I have all re-established our friendships. I soon discovered that Johann was, among other things, a published author with a couple of books under his belt. Amazon is so good. I purchased this unread hardback "used" from an amazon seller and it sits on my bedside table for another chapter each night before bed.
First off, as a frustrated writer without a lick of creativity or imagination, I was delighted to find that someone I actually knew had published a book. I've wanted to be a write most of my adult life, but find that I lack the discipline to practice routinely and no great ideas or characters have wondered into my head fully formed as J. K Rowling says about Harry Potter. So on that level alone I have tremendous respect for my friend Johann. He had the fortitude to sit down day after day and actually complete a work. Perhaps a great idea helped, but he did it and for that I salute him.
I think the story is quite well done. He moves the plot along well and creates his characters realistically and makes them believable. To the point I care about what happens to them and am anxious to see where the story goes. He has done an excellent job of building the plot and has taken some turns that actually surprised me in the sense that I did not see them coming. I like unpredictability in a story.
Johann is a good story teller and I like that in a story as well. I had my doubts for the first half of the story since much of the plot dealt with the successes and failures of the relationships of the main character, and I was concerned about where the story was going. He laid the foundation of the plot, but then he went in stops and starts with getting it going. And of course, I kept getting caught up in which one of the main character's (named John, coincidentally) love interests was patterned after the aforementioned Sherry Scoggins. Ha! Love you, Sherry!
But once the characters became fully developed, the story takes off. It is clear to me that Johann is writing both from his heart and from his experiences. I don't think you can begin to describe what it's like to confront a raging bull elephant in the wild unless you have actually experienced something like it. And I know that Johann has been there.
This is, in my opinion, a very fine book. I'm glad I purchased this and I am also glad I'm reading it. I've read a lot of intrigue and adventure books, a lot of historical fiction, and a lot of biographical fiction. Johann went through this story at a very good depth. There are times when I wish he had spent more time fleshing out details with greater depth, but then I guess that is an issue that all writers grapple with - will this be a 300 page book or a 700 page book?
Give this book a try. I think you will be pleasantly surprised and very pleased. I will look forward to reading Johann's second book.
Gary
I was delighted to re-connect with him recently via facebook - a wonderful mechanism for finding old friends. He, and a another friend from that era, Sherry Scoggins and I have all re-established our friendships. I soon discovered that Johann was, among other things, a published author with a couple of books under his belt. Amazon is so good. I purchased this unread hardback "used" from an amazon seller and it sits on my bedside table for another chapter each night before bed.
First off, as a frustrated writer without a lick of creativity or imagination, I was delighted to find that someone I actually knew had published a book. I've wanted to be a write most of my adult life, but find that I lack the discipline to practice routinely and no great ideas or characters have wondered into my head fully formed as J. K Rowling says about Harry Potter. So on that level alone I have tremendous respect for my friend Johann. He had the fortitude to sit down day after day and actually complete a work. Perhaps a great idea helped, but he did it and for that I salute him.
I think the story is quite well done. He moves the plot along well and creates his characters realistically and makes them believable. To the point I care about what happens to them and am anxious to see where the story goes. He has done an excellent job of building the plot and has taken some turns that actually surprised me in the sense that I did not see them coming. I like unpredictability in a story.
Johann is a good story teller and I like that in a story as well. I had my doubts for the first half of the story since much of the plot dealt with the successes and failures of the relationships of the main character, and I was concerned about where the story was going. He laid the foundation of the plot, but then he went in stops and starts with getting it going. And of course, I kept getting caught up in which one of the main character's (named John, coincidentally) love interests was patterned after the aforementioned Sherry Scoggins. Ha! Love you, Sherry!
But once the characters became fully developed, the story takes off. It is clear to me that Johann is writing both from his heart and from his experiences. I don't think you can begin to describe what it's like to confront a raging bull elephant in the wild unless you have actually experienced something like it. And I know that Johann has been there.
This is, in my opinion, a very fine book. I'm glad I purchased this and I am also glad I'm reading it. I've read a lot of intrigue and adventure books, a lot of historical fiction, and a lot of biographical fiction. Johann went through this story at a very good depth. There are times when I wish he had spent more time fleshing out details with greater depth, but then I guess that is an issue that all writers grapple with - will this be a 300 page book or a 700 page book?
Give this book a try. I think you will be pleasantly surprised and very pleased. I will look forward to reading Johann's second book.
Gary
May 24, 2010
The beginning premise of this book held so much promise, then it quickly deteriorated into a love story. Next, the main character spent some time 'finding' himself and then we finally get back to the original premise. The finale, played out in the wilds of Africa, reads like a high-action adventure film, complete with a bad guy nemesis. This book seems to suffer from wanting to offer everything, but in doing so, only manages to frustrate the reader.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews