Tailings of Warren Peace

by Stephen Law

A gripping tale that errily reflects a disturbing reality in global politics.
A corrupt mining company, repossed gravestones, a man's fractured past, mysterious notes posted to lampposts and murder deep in the highlinds of Guatemala.
"While the characters and siutations may be fictional, they bring to light truths too often kept hidden, telling of the depth of disruption and corruption engenered by mining companies' insatiable need to profit from the Earth's riches and workers who extract them - a great read." Jamie Kneen

Genres: Canada, Fiction

264 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2013

About the author

Stephen Law prefers his fiction as eclectic as his background. Author of Tailings of Warren Peace (nominated for an Atlantic First Book Award) and Under Her Skin he writes on his couch and in alternative coffee shops and libraries, grows organic garlic, mediates conflicts, facilitates workshops, produces materials on diversity and inclusion, assists in refugee resettlement and raises two daughters (not in that order).

Stephen lives on a beautiful farm in Kennetcook, Nova Scotia with his family.

For more information about Steve, visit www.stephenlaw.ca

Reviews

[Dina Desveaux · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t experience—as another reviewer, not on Goodreads—Tailings of Warren Peace as a book one couldn’t put down.

This is, in no way, a criticism. It took me at least four chapters before Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez) caught me in its mesmerizing spider web, for example, and it now sits in my top 3 favourite novels.

And so, "Tailings" took a leisurely path to captivate me, although that string of pink sticky notes, by far, had me intrigued from the get-go. LOVED the notes! A second aspect of the novel that piqued my curiosity was the job of gravestone repossessing. I can honestly say that before I met Stephen Law and his novel, the idea of repossessing gravestones had never once crossed my mind.

Beyond sticky notes and unconventional jobs, what I loved most about "Tailings" was its narrative backbone.

I would like to address two aspects of another review I read in the Winnipeg Free Press (Hnatiuk) with regards to:

a) Confusing structure: I agree that some of the ribs of that narrative backbone felt nudged out of place (especially chapter 3 which jarred me from the narrative). As a writer myself, I’ve struggled with overlapping times/places. Still, I encourage potential readers to read past those interruptions because there is a story here with merit.

Which brings me to the other aspect of that same review, regarding titles:

b) I’ll accede to Hnatiuk’s observation that the protagonist’s name (& by inference, the title of the novel) may have left “Tolstoy's ghost groaning in pain”, however, the title of Hnatiuk’s review left me feeling a little growly myself: “Mining indictment heavy-handed fiction”

The implication in the title is that the aspect of mining indictment is what’s heavy-handed. Now perhaps the novel could have benefitted from more ‘show don’t tell’ in relation to the main character. I would, for example, have liked to feel more of Warren’s outrage and less detachment (especially in the revelation scene of what went down in Cape Breton at the mine).

However. . .

I can't help feeling cranky when ‘write what you know’ suddenly becomes unbearable the moment it ventures into the social justice or political arena.

This is a first for me, but I want to quote from WikiHow’s article How to Write Political Fiction:

“Political fiction is timely literature that seeks to change some facet of society or that persuasively espouses a particular political viewpoint. Political fiction can truly be powerful: stories have time and again served as a catalyst, a call to action, to inspire people to change their world.”

Tailings of Warren Peace is a call to action, and if the company names aren’t thoroughly veiled, perhaps that’s because they shouldn’t be. As one of my favourite authors would say:

“Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth.”
― Albert Camus
3.8

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A page turner that was also like a trip around the world, with glimpses into several cultures and traditions. I loved the multicultural flavour of this book, and it took me back to living in Toronto among such cultural diversity. The plot was suspenseful, gripping and all too believable. The resolution was heartbreaking yet satisfying - for the reader if not for the characters.

I hope Steve (who is a friend) gets the next one out soon!

[Ishbel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It drew me in so quickly. The descriptive images of simple actions created vivid images. I was impressed by how many cultures were seemlessly woven in - First Nations, East Indian, Cape Breton, and Guatemalian.

It is gripping. You feel the passion for justice, love - for struggling through our pasts and having the courage to do what is right.

[Charlotte Mendel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed "Tailings of Warren Peace" - a book that says something important in an interesting, totally readable way. A powerful story with an irresistible theme - how solidarity can defeat corporate power!

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written and engaging story -- couldn't put it down. Thoroughly enjoyed the many quirky, yet believable, characters and a plot that kept me guessing. I wondered if the subject matter was going to be a bit heavy-handed, but it wasn't in the least. I've already recommended this book to many friends. A terrific mix of poetic writing and storytelling that gets under your skin.

[rabble.ca]

http://rabble.ca/books/reviews/2013/0...

Review by Yutaka Dirks

Someone is affixing pink pages to the light poles on Warren's street, each containing a small fragment of text. One sentence at a time, the mysterious notes tell a dark tale of familial love and loss.

Stephen Law's unlikely protagonist follows these snippets of story until he is caught in a narrative that threads itself through the coal mining towns of Nova Scotia, the corporate boardrooms of Toronto and the highlands of Guatemala. "We live in 'story' -- we are surrounded by it, motivated and even at times grieved by it," says Law, who began working on Tailings of Warren Peace nine years ago." We are often only exposed to fractions of a story, and then they flit away or are forgotten. The larger story requires us to stay with it, to follow it through."

Celina Arayo is the link to the larger story being told in Law's debut novel. It is she who posts the pink narrative on Warren's street; she believes that an incident in his past makes him a perfect ally in her quest for justice. Initially reluctant, Warren joins Celina and her comrades as they work to expose the link between Magma International, a Canadian mining company, and a tragedy that befell Celina's community in Guatemala.

Read more here: http://rabble.ca/books/reviews/2013/0...

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Law has done an awesome job of making non-fiction issues available to everyone in this novel. Very easy read, read it all in one sitting. Highly recommended.