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Death of a Guru
An edgy, suspenseful thriller. An unforgettable story.
DEATH OF A GURU
It's 1992, and not all is paradise on the white sand beaches of Thailand. Magnus Larsen is a young American yearning for home when a strange series of events brings him face to face with a charismatic guru. A dynamic friendship ensues, and Magnus is drawn into an intrigue that exhilarates and terrifies him. Devon Clarke, a man with a tortured past, has reinvented himself as the guru Dadaram, and his plan for his own spiritual redemption is brutal. He uses Anna, a beautiful and obedient devotee, to ensnare Magnus in a scheme that tears his life apart, and leads him on an obsessive, murderous pursuit throughout Southeast Asia. A tale of murder and revenge wrapped in layers of mystery, it's also an epic odyssey of the spirit that brings Magnus to a shocking conclusion.
"Readers will find that they are both entertained and intrigued by the author's shining example of literary brilliance. This book follows the intertwined lives of the two primary characters Dr. Devon Clarke and "Magic" Magnus Larsen as they each embark on a life-altering journey that embodies spirituality, redemption, rebirth, love, and the dark side of the human psyche."
Lisa Brown-Gilbert, Hollywood Book Reviews
"A brilliant and complex literary thriller ...
DEATH OF A GURU is one that you simply can't miss."
Michael Gardiner, Penn Book Review
"A startlingly well-written, fast-paced and exciting novel with a heightened emotional tension and a poetic, noir-like prose that lends the book an ambitious, propulsive pace - not to mention a plot twist that lingers even after the final denouement has played out."
From the starred BlueInk Review
MORE description from the BlueInk review:
"In this wildly complex and tautly composed thriller set in Southeast Asia, author Doug Greenall marries the ferocious beating heart of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness ... to the exotic plunge into madness found in the 1990's cult classic The Beach by Alex Garland."
BlueInk Review
DEATH OF A GURU
It's 1992, and not all is paradise on the white sand beaches of Thailand. Magnus Larsen is a young American yearning for home when a strange series of events brings him face to face with a charismatic guru. A dynamic friendship ensues, and Magnus is drawn into an intrigue that exhilarates and terrifies him. Devon Clarke, a man with a tortured past, has reinvented himself as the guru Dadaram, and his plan for his own spiritual redemption is brutal. He uses Anna, a beautiful and obedient devotee, to ensnare Magnus in a scheme that tears his life apart, and leads him on an obsessive, murderous pursuit throughout Southeast Asia. A tale of murder and revenge wrapped in layers of mystery, it's also an epic odyssey of the spirit that brings Magnus to a shocking conclusion.
"Readers will find that they are both entertained and intrigued by the author's shining example of literary brilliance. This book follows the intertwined lives of the two primary characters Dr. Devon Clarke and "Magic" Magnus Larsen as they each embark on a life-altering journey that embodies spirituality, redemption, rebirth, love, and the dark side of the human psyche."
Lisa Brown-Gilbert, Hollywood Book Reviews
"A brilliant and complex literary thriller ...
DEATH OF A GURU is one that you simply can't miss."
Michael Gardiner, Penn Book Review
"A startlingly well-written, fast-paced and exciting novel with a heightened emotional tension and a poetic, noir-like prose that lends the book an ambitious, propulsive pace - not to mention a plot twist that lingers even after the final denouement has played out."
From the starred BlueInk Review
MORE description from the BlueInk review:
"In this wildly complex and tautly composed thriller set in Southeast Asia, author Doug Greenall marries the ferocious beating heart of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness ... to the exotic plunge into madness found in the 1990's cult classic The Beach by Alex Garland."
BlueInk Review
- GenresThriller
414 pages, Hardcover
First published December 2, 2014
4 people are currently reading
556 people want to read
About the author
Doug Greenall
1 book7 followersDoug Greenall lives in Vancouver and works in the film industry. His past includes time as an actor, a playwright and a filmmaker. He’s lived in Los Angeles, Toronto and Gothenburg, Sweden.
Once or twice a year, Doug journeys to remote places, sometimes in the wilderness, other times to foreign destinations, and often beyond the beaten path. He wrote part of his first novel, Death of a Guru, in Varkala, India.
A few years ago, Doug Greenall canceled his cable package to catch up on all the great books this world has to offer. He is thrilled to be reading, and thrilled to be writing.
Once or twice a year, Doug journeys to remote places, sometimes in the wilderness, other times to foreign destinations, and often beyond the beaten path. He wrote part of his first novel, Death of a Guru, in Varkala, India.
A few years ago, Doug Greenall canceled his cable package to catch up on all the great books this world has to offer. He is thrilled to be reading, and thrilled to be writing.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
July 7, 2015
Death of A Guru is a hard book to quantify. One cover blurb refers to it as a literary thriller, which makes as much sense as any I suppose.
It's a tale of two men, Magnus "Magic" Larsen and Doctor Devon Clarke, their lives becoming intertwined as the story unfolds. Clarke wants something from Larsen, an ex-pat living in Asia. Clarke is a rich doctor with a cult following that he does little to discourage though he's never claimed to be the faith healer his followers believe.
He does harbor a terrible secret that eats at him though. What he wants from Larsen, the young man doesn't want to deliver.
The pushing, prodding, takes a couple of years. And there's a nice twist at the end I didn't see coming.
A tale of love, redemption, revenge, all wrapped in highly engaging prose.
It's a tale of two men, Magnus "Magic" Larsen and Doctor Devon Clarke, their lives becoming intertwined as the story unfolds. Clarke wants something from Larsen, an ex-pat living in Asia. Clarke is a rich doctor with a cult following that he does little to discourage though he's never claimed to be the faith healer his followers believe.
He does harbor a terrible secret that eats at him though. What he wants from Larsen, the young man doesn't want to deliver.
The pushing, prodding, takes a couple of years. And there's a nice twist at the end I didn't see coming.
A tale of love, redemption, revenge, all wrapped in highly engaging prose.
December 10, 2014
A brilliant piece of fiction. Rich, entertaining, original.
While the story captivates from the get-go, it’s hard to tell exactly where it’s going in the first 70 or so pages. Then it starts to get its meat hooks into you little by little, and when it does, it ain’t letting go. I’m not a superfast reader and I usually consume a book this length leisurely in a week or so. I finished this in two nights because I just couldn’t stop.
We meet a suicidal doctor (Devon Clarke) who seems kind of crazy, f-ed up. But it also seems like he can heal people miraculously (or can he?), and we learn that his young boy has died in a gun accident. The doctor now has visions of a boy with a gun who asks him to kneel (he does) and then the boy places the gun up to his head. In the book there’s a real emotional eeriness to these scenes. Then after this lead up, we’re suddenly in Thailand listening to this bright beach-boy type (Magnus) tell us about the challenges of his hedonistic lifestyle and how he can’t break out of it.
Magnus gets asked by some members of a cult to help get two of their sisters out of jail in Bangkok for smuggling a gun, and his life becomes intertwined with their guru, Dadaram. The man once known as Devon Clarke is now a spiritual leader with a devoted following. I won’t reveal surprises but there are a couple of spots that actually sent a shiver down my spine as dots from the beginning to the present began to connect.
Magnus knows that something is up with this guru who seems intensely focused on him for reasons unknown. As Magnus is pulled into the web, a great love story develops between him and Anna, a beautiful devotee that is the guru’s lover.
I loved this story right to the end and I ain’t telling more. It was right up my alley: very well-written but also a page-turner. I kept thinking about the characters after I’d finished and I will certainly read it again. This a first effort for the author, Doug Greenall. (Insert sound of me clapping here.)
While the story captivates from the get-go, it’s hard to tell exactly where it’s going in the first 70 or so pages. Then it starts to get its meat hooks into you little by little, and when it does, it ain’t letting go. I’m not a superfast reader and I usually consume a book this length leisurely in a week or so. I finished this in two nights because I just couldn’t stop.
We meet a suicidal doctor (Devon Clarke) who seems kind of crazy, f-ed up. But it also seems like he can heal people miraculously (or can he?), and we learn that his young boy has died in a gun accident. The doctor now has visions of a boy with a gun who asks him to kneel (he does) and then the boy places the gun up to his head. In the book there’s a real emotional eeriness to these scenes. Then after this lead up, we’re suddenly in Thailand listening to this bright beach-boy type (Magnus) tell us about the challenges of his hedonistic lifestyle and how he can’t break out of it.
Magnus gets asked by some members of a cult to help get two of their sisters out of jail in Bangkok for smuggling a gun, and his life becomes intertwined with their guru, Dadaram. The man once known as Devon Clarke is now a spiritual leader with a devoted following. I won’t reveal surprises but there are a couple of spots that actually sent a shiver down my spine as dots from the beginning to the present began to connect.
Magnus knows that something is up with this guru who seems intensely focused on him for reasons unknown. As Magnus is pulled into the web, a great love story develops between him and Anna, a beautiful devotee that is the guru’s lover.
I loved this story right to the end and I ain’t telling more. It was right up my alley: very well-written but also a page-turner. I kept thinking about the characters after I’d finished and I will certainly read it again. This a first effort for the author, Doug Greenall. (Insert sound of me clapping here.)
May 17, 2015
This is a book I received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
At first, it was confusing, with lots of different characters, and I couldn’t figure out how everything fit together. But once I got into the story, it hooked me and I really didn’t want to put it down. The story of Magnus Larsen, Devon Clarke (a/k/a Dadaram, the guru), and the sisters Anna and Amy, and how their lives are all intertwined, is intricate and fascinating. I’m impressed that this is Greenall’s first novel, because the writing is top-notch. Greenall alternates between Devon’s backstory (clearly announced by chapter titles “The Book of Devon One, Two, Three, etc.), and first-person POV by Magnus. Clarke, a Boston orthopedic surgeon, is said to have healing powers in his hands. His young son dies tragically, and he goes off the deep end, eventually becoming the head of a cult whose followers travel around the world with him on a huge yacht. He goes after and finds Magnus in a remote village in the Far East, but Magnus has no idea who this mystery man is or what he wants with him. Magnus is drawn into the web and his life is changed forever when he realizes what is really going on.
Death of a Guru is a great read. I am looking forward to seeing more of Greenall’s work.
At first, it was confusing, with lots of different characters, and I couldn’t figure out how everything fit together. But once I got into the story, it hooked me and I really didn’t want to put it down. The story of Magnus Larsen, Devon Clarke (a/k/a Dadaram, the guru), and the sisters Anna and Amy, and how their lives are all intertwined, is intricate and fascinating. I’m impressed that this is Greenall’s first novel, because the writing is top-notch. Greenall alternates between Devon’s backstory (clearly announced by chapter titles “The Book of Devon One, Two, Three, etc.), and first-person POV by Magnus. Clarke, a Boston orthopedic surgeon, is said to have healing powers in his hands. His young son dies tragically, and he goes off the deep end, eventually becoming the head of a cult whose followers travel around the world with him on a huge yacht. He goes after and finds Magnus in a remote village in the Far East, but Magnus has no idea who this mystery man is or what he wants with him. Magnus is drawn into the web and his life is changed forever when he realizes what is really going on.
Death of a Guru is a great read. I am looking forward to seeing more of Greenall’s work.
August 13, 2015
Death of a Guru, by Doug Greenall, is my one-hundredth book that I have received and read from Goodreads. This is a book once you pick it up you don't want to put it down.
This is a story about a man named Magnus Larsen. Magnus has lived in Thailand, where he owns a boat. He gives tours for a living. Lately he's yearned to go back to America. He's thinking about going back to America and he comes face to attract with Devon Clarke a charismatic guru. Devon Clarke is really a wealthy orthopedic surgeon from Boston. He owns a large yacht called Aceso, it has three levels, it was a triumph of art and design. Devon has a young son that dies tragically and Devon goes off the deep end. Devon eventually becomes the head of a cult who's followers traveler around the world with him on his yacht. Devon is the founder of the Children of a Living God. There's two sisters Anna and Amy that play a big part in the story. Magnus is brought into the web and his life is changed forever.
This is a great book to read. Once you get started reading you will have trouble putting it down. I hope to read more books from this author
This is a story about a man named Magnus Larsen. Magnus has lived in Thailand, where he owns a boat. He gives tours for a living. Lately he's yearned to go back to America. He's thinking about going back to America and he comes face to attract with Devon Clarke a charismatic guru. Devon Clarke is really a wealthy orthopedic surgeon from Boston. He owns a large yacht called Aceso, it has three levels, it was a triumph of art and design. Devon has a young son that dies tragically and Devon goes off the deep end. Devon eventually becomes the head of a cult who's followers traveler around the world with him on his yacht. Devon is the founder of the Children of a Living God. There's two sisters Anna and Amy that play a big part in the story. Magnus is brought into the web and his life is changed forever.
This is a great book to read. Once you get started reading you will have trouble putting it down. I hope to read more books from this author
June 24, 2015
One of the factors that made me want to read Death of a Guru was the glowing reviews it had received from other readers. I am pleased to say that the high praise was well-deserved. I finished reading Death of a Guru a few days ago and am having difficulty starting a new novel because my mind is still having fun making sense of the events in the novel! Like other readers, I am amazed that this is a debut effort. The book is superbly written - the prose is beautiful and evocative, the storyline is intriguing, the characters are very well-developed and complex and I really enjoyed the ending. In the novel, Devon (Dadaram) is portrayed as a person who is so charismatic that he is the leader of his own cult with devotees in numerous countries. When reading the novel, I found myself drawn to this intriguing character and 'missing' him when he was absent from the story, a testament to Doug Greenall's skill as a writer.
I look forward to reading more books from this talented author.
Note: I received a free copy of this book as part of a LibraryThing member giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
I look forward to reading more books from this talented author.
Note: I received a free copy of this book as part of a LibraryThing member giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
November 17, 2014
It's 1992, and not all is paradise on the white sand beaches of Thailand.
Magnus Larsen is a young American yearning for home when a strange series of events brings him face to face with a charismatic guru. A dynamic friendship ensues, and Magnus is drawn into an intrigue that exhilarates and terrifies him.
Devon Clarke, a man with a tortured past, has reinvented himself as the guru Dadaram, and his plan for his own spiritual redemption is brutal. He uses Anna, a beautiful and obedient devotee, to ensnare Magnus in a scheme that tears his life apart, and leads him on an obsessive, murderous pursuit throughout Southeast Asia.
A tale of murder and revenge wrapped in layers of mystery, it's also an epic odyssey of the spirit that brings Magnus to a shocking conclusion.
"Readers will find that they are both entertained and intrigued by the author's shining example of literary brilliance.
Magnus Larsen is a young American yearning for home when a strange series of events brings him face to face with a charismatic guru. A dynamic friendship ensues, and Magnus is drawn into an intrigue that exhilarates and terrifies him.
Devon Clarke, a man with a tortured past, has reinvented himself as the guru Dadaram, and his plan for his own spiritual redemption is brutal. He uses Anna, a beautiful and obedient devotee, to ensnare Magnus in a scheme that tears his life apart, and leads him on an obsessive, murderous pursuit throughout Southeast Asia.
A tale of murder and revenge wrapped in layers of mystery, it's also an epic odyssey of the spirit that brings Magnus to a shocking conclusion.
"Readers will find that they are both entertained and intrigued by the author's shining example of literary brilliance.
July 3, 2015
A story with an attraction like that of a magnet in the presence of an iron bar. Not until the end chapters was I able to connect the dots after hanging in suspense through chapters descriptive of life in regions of Indonesia and Southeast Asia. The intensity of the quest for vengeance provides for tales of misfortune, hardship and emotional turmoil in the pursuit of a cult leader with a death wish. Taunted and enticed by the intended target of revenge provides determination and torture for the pursuer until success reveals the necessity of the rollercoaster ride culminating in a mission accomplished for the hunter and the hunted and the explanation for the guilt inspired quest for redemption. A mystery that requires a mind sharper than my own to solve ahead of the surprising end.
February 13, 2015
Bravo!
Where has Mr. Greenall been.... and when can we expect more from this masterful story teller??!!
Rarely is a reader so seamlessly transported and taken on a spell-binding journey of intrigue, suspense and unforeseen twists and turns that hold to the very last page.
Superbly crafted... in Vidal and Vonnegut league!
You may have to stop to catch your breath.. More than once....
An absolute must read!
Well.... no...... Brilliantly Done!
Where has Mr. Greenall been.... and when can we expect more from this masterful story teller??!!
Rarely is a reader so seamlessly transported and taken on a spell-binding journey of intrigue, suspense and unforeseen twists and turns that hold to the very last page.
Superbly crafted... in Vidal and Vonnegut league!
You may have to stop to catch your breath.. More than once....
An absolute must read!
Well.... no...... Brilliantly Done!
May 1, 2015
I've read thousands of books in my lifetime, Death of a Guru by Doug Greenall will rank near the top. This is a very well written book. It seems to flow off the page effortlessly.
It is a book of love and of hate, of sadness and madness.
It is about the relationship between Magnus Larsen and Devon Clarke, aka Guru Dadaram. It is full of twists and turns.
Would I recommend this book? Absolutely! It is brilliant!
I received this book for free from Goodreads First Reads.
It is a book of love and of hate, of sadness and madness.
It is about the relationship between Magnus Larsen and Devon Clarke, aka Guru Dadaram. It is full of twists and turns.
Would I recommend this book? Absolutely! It is brilliant!
I received this book for free from Goodreads First Reads.
March 14, 2015
Goodreads win. Will read and review once received.
This was a good read. It was a fast paced book. I really enjoyed the setting of the book and the characters. It was written nicely. I could see myself rereading this book in the future. This was a nice change of pace for me. I would recommend this book to just about anyone.
This was a good read. It was a fast paced book. I really enjoyed the setting of the book and the characters. It was written nicely. I could see myself rereading this book in the future. This was a nice change of pace for me. I would recommend this book to just about anyone.
August 12, 2015
Wow. I can never say enough about this book.OUTSTANDING WORK!! This book certainly kept me on the edge of my seat. I will gladly read any more books by Doug Greenall. What a page turning, didn't see that coming, thriller!
I received this book through Goodreads first reads program but that has not swayed my opinion in anyway. Amazing work!
I received this book through Goodreads first reads program but that has not swayed my opinion in anyway. Amazing work!
September 23, 2015
Amazing book!! If I look back at the initial chapters, there were some meandering vignettes whose significance I can only appreciate with the book finished. I could hardly put if down. The descriptions of settings were vivid, the people real, the events dramatic and suspenseful. This is a movie waiting to happen, though of course it will never be as good as the book.
March 17, 2015
**rated 3.75 stars**
This was a good book to read with a good story and interesting characters with a good pace. This author is one to watch, in my opinion. This book will keep you interested from start to finish.
*won o GoodReads First Reads*
This was a good book to read with a good story and interesting characters with a good pace. This author is one to watch, in my opinion. This book will keep you interested from start to finish.
*won o GoodReads First Reads*
January 25, 2015
An amazing read with a very surprising ending. i recommend it.
Want to read
May 4, 2015I won this book on goodreads so excited to read it...
November 1, 2015
I was surprised by how good this book was. The writing felt like a mix between Fight Club and Interview with the Vampire. The characters are so interesting and the story is enthralling. I struggled to put it down. And the ending. I did not see that coming. The only thing I'm wonder is whether Devon was a charlatan or a guru.
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
October 21, 2015
Great, suspenseful and thrilling story! Hold onto your seat cause the author will take you onto a fast and dangerous ride with Devon Clarke and Magnus Larsen. After Devon Clarke's young son passed away, Devon was never the same he changed in the most unimaginable ways thought to be impossible for a human. As Devon and Magnus's path crosses their lives are entangled with mystery, revenge, life and death. I highly recommend "Death of a Guru"! I won this book for free on the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.
July 22, 2016
I am grateful to have won this from Goodreads giveaway.
This is an interesting character study of a charismatic figure who can affect lives. The protagonist, Magnus Larsen, is a young American living and working in Thailand. HIs introduction to the Guru, Devon Clarke, is the start to some life changing events that carries this story to a surprising twist of an ending. The book is odd, but good and I liked it.
This is an interesting character study of a charismatic figure who can affect lives. The protagonist, Magnus Larsen, is a young American living and working in Thailand. HIs introduction to the Guru, Devon Clarke, is the start to some life changing events that carries this story to a surprising twist of an ending. The book is odd, but good and I liked it.
July 1, 2015
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review (via the Members’ Giveaway on Library Thing.). An intriguing premise with a captivating beginning ultimately failed to deliver. While I did enjoy the prose of the book, I felt the pacing was off and ended up dragging the narrative far longer than was necessary. This book was not for me.
March 18, 2015
A suicidal doctor becomes a cult leader.
In Thailand, he befriends a young man drifting through life, then asks the young man to execute him.
This leads to a long vendetta.
A strange approach to an off-beat premise.
In Thailand, he befriends a young man drifting through life, then asks the young man to execute him.
This leads to a long vendetta.
A strange approach to an off-beat premise.
July 29, 2016
A first-person tale with an intriguing twist at the end. At times, the self-pondering gets tedious, but the chapters are generally shorter (2-4 pages) so reading on moves with the story.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews