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Land Without Evil: A Novel
A timeless message to our universal soul, Land Without Evil is the story of the Guarani people of South America and their quest to maintain their culture during the European onslaught of the 1700s. Shamanism, historical conflict, coming of age, and a touching love story drive this impeccably researched novel. "Bravo...More!" Ray Bradbury,author of Fahrenheit 451
- GenresFantasy
358 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1999
7 people are currently reading
590 people want to read
About the author
Matthew J. Pallamary
29 books77 followersMatthew J. Pallamary’s works have been translated into Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Norwegian, French, and German. His historical novel of first contact between shamans and Jesuits in 18th century South America, titled, Land Without Evil received rave reviews along with a San Diego Book Award for mainstream fiction. It was also adapted into a full-length stage and sky show, co-written with and directed by Agent Red and performed by Sky Candy, an Austin Texas aerial group. The making of the show was the subject of a PBS series, Arts in Context episode, which garnered an EMMY nomination.
His nonfiction book, The Infinity Zone: A Transcendent Approach to Peak Performance is a collaboration with professional tennis coach Paul Mayberry that offers a fascinating exploration of the phenomenon that occurs at the nexus of perfect form and motion. The Infinity Zone took 1st place in the International Book Awards, New Age category and was a finalist in the San Diego Book Awards.
His first book, a short story collection titled The Small Dark Room Of The Soul was mentioned in The Year’s Best Horror and Fantasy and received praise from Ray Bradbury and has been released as an audio book.
His second collection, A Short Walk to the Other Side was an Award Winning Finalist in the International Book Awards, an Award Winning Finalist in the USA Best Book Awards, and an Award Winning Finalist in the San Diego Book Awards. It has been released as an audio book.
DreamLand a novel about computer generated dreaming, written with legendary DJ Ken Reeth won first place in the Independent e-Book Award in the Horror/Thriller category and was an Award Winning Finalist in the San Diego Book Awards. It has also been released as an audio book.
It’s sequel, n0thing is titled after the main character, who in the real world is his nephew, an international Counter-Strike gaming champion. After winning what amounts to the Super Bowl of gaming, n0thing and his winning teammates, are recruited as a literal “dream team” whose mission is to go into the nightmares of battle scarred veterans and rescue them from their traumatic memories while becoming ambassadors for a gaming platform that exceeds virtual reality with an experience that pushes the boundaries of reality itself.
Eye of the Predator was an Award Winning Finalist in the Visionary Fiction category of the International Book Awards. Eye of the Predator is a supernatural thriller about a zoologist who discovers that he can go into the minds of animals.
CyberChrist was an Award Winning Finalist in the Thriller/Adventure category of the International Book Awards. CyberChrist is the story of a prize winning journalist who receives an email from a man who claims to have discovered immortality by turning off the aging gene in a 15 year old boy with an aging disorder. The forwarded email becomes the basis for an online church built around the boy, calling him CyberChrist. It has also been released as an audio book.
Phantastic Fiction – A Shamanic Approach to Story took first place in the International Book Awards Writing/Publishing category. Phantastic Fiction is Matt’s guide to dramatic writing that grew out of his popular Phantastic Fiction Workshop.
Night Whispers was an Award Winning Finalist in the Horror category of the International Book Awards. Set in the Boston neighborhood of Dorchester, Night Whispers is the story of Nick Powers, who loses consciousness after crashing in a stolen car and comes to hearing whispering voices in his mind. When he sees a homeless man arguing with himself, Nick realizes that the whispers in his head are the other side of the argument.
His memoir Spirit Matters detailing his journeys to Peru, working with shamanic plant medicines took first place in the San Diego Book Awards Spiritual Book Category, and was an Award-Winning Finalist in the autobiography/memoir category of the National Best Book Awards. Spirit Matters is also available as an aud
His nonfiction book, The Infinity Zone: A Transcendent Approach to Peak Performance is a collaboration with professional tennis coach Paul Mayberry that offers a fascinating exploration of the phenomenon that occurs at the nexus of perfect form and motion. The Infinity Zone took 1st place in the International Book Awards, New Age category and was a finalist in the San Diego Book Awards.
His first book, a short story collection titled The Small Dark Room Of The Soul was mentioned in The Year’s Best Horror and Fantasy and received praise from Ray Bradbury and has been released as an audio book.
His second collection, A Short Walk to the Other Side was an Award Winning Finalist in the International Book Awards, an Award Winning Finalist in the USA Best Book Awards, and an Award Winning Finalist in the San Diego Book Awards. It has been released as an audio book.
DreamLand a novel about computer generated dreaming, written with legendary DJ Ken Reeth won first place in the Independent e-Book Award in the Horror/Thriller category and was an Award Winning Finalist in the San Diego Book Awards. It has also been released as an audio book.
It’s sequel, n0thing is titled after the main character, who in the real world is his nephew, an international Counter-Strike gaming champion. After winning what amounts to the Super Bowl of gaming, n0thing and his winning teammates, are recruited as a literal “dream team” whose mission is to go into the nightmares of battle scarred veterans and rescue them from their traumatic memories while becoming ambassadors for a gaming platform that exceeds virtual reality with an experience that pushes the boundaries of reality itself.
Eye of the Predator was an Award Winning Finalist in the Visionary Fiction category of the International Book Awards. Eye of the Predator is a supernatural thriller about a zoologist who discovers that he can go into the minds of animals.
CyberChrist was an Award Winning Finalist in the Thriller/Adventure category of the International Book Awards. CyberChrist is the story of a prize winning journalist who receives an email from a man who claims to have discovered immortality by turning off the aging gene in a 15 year old boy with an aging disorder. The forwarded email becomes the basis for an online church built around the boy, calling him CyberChrist. It has also been released as an audio book.
Phantastic Fiction – A Shamanic Approach to Story took first place in the International Book Awards Writing/Publishing category. Phantastic Fiction is Matt’s guide to dramatic writing that grew out of his popular Phantastic Fiction Workshop.
Night Whispers was an Award Winning Finalist in the Horror category of the International Book Awards. Set in the Boston neighborhood of Dorchester, Night Whispers is the story of Nick Powers, who loses consciousness after crashing in a stolen car and comes to hearing whispering voices in his mind. When he sees a homeless man arguing with himself, Nick realizes that the whispers in his head are the other side of the argument.
His memoir Spirit Matters detailing his journeys to Peru, working with shamanic plant medicines took first place in the San Diego Book Awards Spiritual Book Category, and was an Award-Winning Finalist in the autobiography/memoir category of the National Best Book Awards. Spirit Matters is also available as an aud
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 23, 2019
Matthew Pallamary has written a well-researched book about the Guarani Indians of Paraguay. Taking place 250 years ago, it chronicles the meeting of this tribe with the Jesuits. They also encounter other whites and Indian tribes too evil to describe.
Our hero, Avá-Tapé, is torn between these two worlds: the beliefs of his ancestors and the beliefs of the Jesuits. His father, Avá-Nembiará, the paí (Holy Man) of the people, shows confidence in his son's ability as a spiritual leader as well. This helps Avá-Tapé to choose the ways of his people.
In the Afterward, there are three comments of note to help us understand the Guarani:
1) As we enter the 21st century, the Guarani Indians of South America remain our contemporaries, in spite of the unrelenting struggles of oppression and tribal preservation that have plagued them since the European conquest of the Americas 500 years ago.
2) Gathering disciples around them, Guarani prophets marched eastward toward the sea, amid songs and religious dances; a march primarily due to the fear of annihilation and the hope of reaching the Land Without Evil before that catastrophe.
3) To this day the search for the Land Without Evil retains its poignancy for the Guarani, who continue to set out on messianic wanderings.
This book describes the march of Avá-Tapé's tribe as they flee the man-hunters. Throughout the story, both before and during the march, we see death and destruction. How will this journey end? Read the book and see.
A good historical book that introduces us to the culture and plight of the Guarani Indian.
4 stars
Our hero, Avá-Tapé, is torn between these two worlds: the beliefs of his ancestors and the beliefs of the Jesuits. His father, Avá-Nembiará, the paí (Holy Man) of the people, shows confidence in his son's ability as a spiritual leader as well. This helps Avá-Tapé to choose the ways of his people.
In the Afterward, there are three comments of note to help us understand the Guarani:
1) As we enter the 21st century, the Guarani Indians of South America remain our contemporaries, in spite of the unrelenting struggles of oppression and tribal preservation that have plagued them since the European conquest of the Americas 500 years ago.
2) Gathering disciples around them, Guarani prophets marched eastward toward the sea, amid songs and religious dances; a march primarily due to the fear of annihilation and the hope of reaching the Land Without Evil before that catastrophe.
3) To this day the search for the Land Without Evil retains its poignancy for the Guarani, who continue to set out on messianic wanderings.
This book describes the march of Avá-Tapé's tribe as they flee the man-hunters. Throughout the story, both before and during the march, we see death and destruction. How will this journey end? Read the book and see.
A good historical book that introduces us to the culture and plight of the Guarani Indian.
4 stars
January 4, 2015
Great collection of short stories.
These are primarily stories about situations arising from human greed, or in one instance, sorrow. Sometimes the hero or anti-hero of the story wins, and other times he or she comes to a horrific end. Some have supernatural elements, and others take place in the mundane world shared with the reader. Most have a twist at the end. One story, about a car problem, was just funny.
I liked the voodoo story best, the story whose title is also the title of the collection.
The next story from the collection that stood out for me was "Rusty," and I'm not even a dog person. Neither was the young lady at the center of the story.
It was an intriguing collection featuring lean writing, without an unnecessary word anywhere. This was an enjoyable read, and I would highly recommend it to anyone.
These are primarily stories about situations arising from human greed, or in one instance, sorrow. Sometimes the hero or anti-hero of the story wins, and other times he or she comes to a horrific end. Some have supernatural elements, and others take place in the mundane world shared with the reader. Most have a twist at the end. One story, about a car problem, was just funny.
I liked the voodoo story best, the story whose title is also the title of the collection.
The next story from the collection that stood out for me was "Rusty," and I'm not even a dog person. Neither was the young lady at the center of the story.
It was an intriguing collection featuring lean writing, without an unnecessary word anywhere. This was an enjoyable read, and I would highly recommend it to anyone.
September 12, 2012
I love Matt Pallamary. I've heard a couple of his talks as well. He's very insightful, grounded, and refreshing.
November 14, 2017
A fantastic masterpiece!
November 21, 2019
Un libro muy interesante e histórico. Me gustó mucho la historia de los guaraníes, de como vivían la religión.
March 11, 2017
Land Without Evil is about an ancient Paraguayan tribe, the Guarani, and its struggles for survival during the time the Jesuits dominated Paraguay not just in religion, but in politics as well. Pallamary's protagonist is a young shaman in training called Avá-Tapé. Unlike his father and previous shamanic leaders, Avá-Tapé has spent time learning white men's religion and ways at the Mission outside Asuncion. He loves his father, but at the same time considers his Jesuit mentor, Father Antonio, as a father figure as well. He finds himself drawn to the white man's God, while at the same time powerfully rooted in the centuries old Guarani spiritual tradition. As the book opens, Avá-Tapé is caught in the middle of a growing conflict between Father Antonio and Avá-Nembiará. As the story progresses, he comes to the certainty than his responsibility is to lead his own people out of the control of the white man, as exemplified by Father Antonio and the Jesuits, and into a renewal of their own more positive spirituality, where they don't kill their god. Roughly halfway through, as the whites exert more and more oppression on the Guarani, Avá Tapé rejects Christianity in toto and follows Avá Nembiara as he embarks with his villagers on the long, arduous trek to what the Guarani call the Land Without Evil.
There is no way to summarize the book beyond saying it is a journey narrative with surprising parallels to the story of Moses leading the Jews out of Egypt. It has the classic struggle of Joseph Campbell's hero's quest, which Campbell saw as fundamental to all religions. The great strength and originality of Pallamary's book is that he tells the story from inside the Guarani culture. He doesn't just speak from inside the characters. He speaks, as it were, in their language. Not literally, but the way Pallamary uses English has a kind of declamatory, almost oratorical, richly imagistic language that shows, not tells, what it means to be part of nature rather than outside of nature and trying to control it. This is the fundamental difference between Christian or any other monotheism, and the kind of shamanistic animism characteristic of more nomadic peoples. Pallamary never deviates from this perspective. Though he writes in third person, he eschews authorial intrusion, and his language, which is strongly kinetic, gives a sense of continuous presence and movement, not filling in the past or flashing forward to the future or commenting on what's happening. It's not that the characters don't think about the past and worry about the future, but they do so in terms of their own emotions and how those emotions express themselves in the here and now. Through his use of language, he puts us fully in the Guarani worldview, richly naturalistic and deeply expressive, and allows us to feel how different their world is from the white man's "techo-achy" that wants to swallow them up or destroy them - which amounts to the same thing. As we read on in Land Without Evil, we in essence become Guarani ourselves, and identify intensely with their struggles, their triumphs and their harrowing defeats.
This is a powerful novel, with suspense that rises throughout and reaches an agonizing pitch as it reaches its climax. Avá-Tapé's primary relationship is with his father, with whom he apprentices in arduous shamanic initiation, but he also has an idyllic love relationship with his girlfriend and ultimately wife Kuna-Maino. Without giving too much away, their story is as poignant and heatbreaking as any love story you've read. This is a book that starts out somewhat difficult because of the radical way it uses language, but that very feature is, in the end, what makes it such a totalizing reading experience. Matt Pallamary creates an alternative universe, and once you're in, there's no way out until the end.
There is no way to summarize the book beyond saying it is a journey narrative with surprising parallels to the story of Moses leading the Jews out of Egypt. It has the classic struggle of Joseph Campbell's hero's quest, which Campbell saw as fundamental to all religions. The great strength and originality of Pallamary's book is that he tells the story from inside the Guarani culture. He doesn't just speak from inside the characters. He speaks, as it were, in their language. Not literally, but the way Pallamary uses English has a kind of declamatory, almost oratorical, richly imagistic language that shows, not tells, what it means to be part of nature rather than outside of nature and trying to control it. This is the fundamental difference between Christian or any other monotheism, and the kind of shamanistic animism characteristic of more nomadic peoples. Pallamary never deviates from this perspective. Though he writes in third person, he eschews authorial intrusion, and his language, which is strongly kinetic, gives a sense of continuous presence and movement, not filling in the past or flashing forward to the future or commenting on what's happening. It's not that the characters don't think about the past and worry about the future, but they do so in terms of their own emotions and how those emotions express themselves in the here and now. Through his use of language, he puts us fully in the Guarani worldview, richly naturalistic and deeply expressive, and allows us to feel how different their world is from the white man's "techo-achy" that wants to swallow them up or destroy them - which amounts to the same thing. As we read on in Land Without Evil, we in essence become Guarani ourselves, and identify intensely with their struggles, their triumphs and their harrowing defeats.
This is a powerful novel, with suspense that rises throughout and reaches an agonizing pitch as it reaches its climax. Avá-Tapé's primary relationship is with his father, with whom he apprentices in arduous shamanic initiation, but he also has an idyllic love relationship with his girlfriend and ultimately wife Kuna-Maino. Without giving too much away, their story is as poignant and heatbreaking as any love story you've read. This is a book that starts out somewhat difficult because of the radical way it uses language, but that very feature is, in the end, what makes it such a totalizing reading experience. Matt Pallamary creates an alternative universe, and once you're in, there's no way out until the end.
February 19, 2013
Loved it!
A spiritual journey of a forgotten people's struggle to preserve their cultural identity. Filled with adventure, love, and connection to the spirit world.
One of Matthew Pallamary's best; recently featured as a theatrical production by Sky Candy and aired on PBS.
www.landwithoutevil.com
A spiritual journey of a forgotten people's struggle to preserve their cultural identity. Filled with adventure, love, and connection to the spirit world.
One of Matthew Pallamary's best; recently featured as a theatrical production by Sky Candy and aired on PBS.
www.landwithoutevil.com
November 30, 2008
Not many books make me cry at the end. This is the best of 2008 for me.
April 3, 2015
A powerful account of the clash of two cultures and the destruction that ensues. Pallamary certainly knows how to tell a story with maximum impact.
March 22, 2024
Conflicted coming of age story that did not hold my attention
Matthew J. Pallamary is a new age author, student of South American Shamanism, and popular lecturer at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference. This novel, a coming of age story about a Guarani Indian youth in early colonial Paraguay trying to come to grips with his conflicted spiritual destiny, puts all of the author's personal passions on display--his writing craft, his fascination with shamanism, and his research and concerns regarding the existential plight of the Guarani people. The protagonist, a Guarani youth named Avá-Tapé, is torn by the demands of his father that he become a traditional shaman, and the pressures of his Jesuit missionary mentors, to whom he pledged a commitment to Roman Catholicism, who now expect him to become a priest to his own people.
The best part of this book is how the author captures the very real internal conflict within Avá-Tapé about which religious faith is really his. But the problem here is that it's not enough to carry a story or build a novel size plot around. And it's unbalanced as the author is, in the end, an evangelist for shamanistic metaphysics.
Like most coming of age stories, this one has the usual generational gap drama between the expectations of adults and the desires of youth. Plus a love interest complicated by competition over the same young woman. sigh
Sorry, I hate these kinds of stories. They are so predictable and trite.
What makes this book so much more difficult to enjoy is the tendency of the author to fall into the "noble savage" trap. This trope demands the reader accept that the life of a native Indian in South America was like an idyllic paradise before colonizers and Catholic priests came around and "forced people to change." The native is always good, the European always evil. The native religion is a real, vibrant, and powerful spiritual faith while the alien Roman Catholicism is all dogma, talk, and no power. Sure... but explain why the Jesuits managed to convert all of North and South America so quickly in the face of such powerful/meaningful/righteous indigenous spirituality?
It's a trope largely embraced by self-hating white people with romantic and paternalistic attitudes toward indigenous people... and who want a shortcut to spirituality by engaging in buffet style New Age metaphysics. Sorry...
Avá-Tapé's internal thoughts about his Catholicism come across like the one-sided arguments against Christianity that a 14-year old makes who is trying to get out of going to church on Sundays. Yet it is the quixotic obsession of the Guarani shaman-prophets to find the mythical "Land without Evil" that proves itself a false hope. It is a myth that has dragged generations of Guarani people on fruitless treks across the jungles and mountains of South America in search of something that is not real. Yet this reality is white-washed while the flaws and contradictions of mainstream Western religion and its practitioners are emphasized over and over again by Pallamary. This is religious political correctness run amok.
Some people love these kinds of stories... and if you do, I can tell you, Mr. Pallamary is a good writer. His descriptive prose is well-above average. But sometimes he spends way too much time describing something that is not relevant to plot or moving a story along. Every day and on every page there is a dream, a vision, or some sign that needs to be sorted out before our hero can advance... and the story can move forward.
Matthew J. Pallamary has written a paean to the Guarani people here. It's scholarly and well-researched. It's just not a compelling story. And it's contradictions and idealism are too hard to swallow.
Matthew J. Pallamary is a new age author, student of South American Shamanism, and popular lecturer at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference. This novel, a coming of age story about a Guarani Indian youth in early colonial Paraguay trying to come to grips with his conflicted spiritual destiny, puts all of the author's personal passions on display--his writing craft, his fascination with shamanism, and his research and concerns regarding the existential plight of the Guarani people. The protagonist, a Guarani youth named Avá-Tapé, is torn by the demands of his father that he become a traditional shaman, and the pressures of his Jesuit missionary mentors, to whom he pledged a commitment to Roman Catholicism, who now expect him to become a priest to his own people.
The best part of this book is how the author captures the very real internal conflict within Avá-Tapé about which religious faith is really his. But the problem here is that it's not enough to carry a story or build a novel size plot around. And it's unbalanced as the author is, in the end, an evangelist for shamanistic metaphysics.
Like most coming of age stories, this one has the usual generational gap drama between the expectations of adults and the desires of youth. Plus a love interest complicated by competition over the same young woman. sigh
Sorry, I hate these kinds of stories. They are so predictable and trite.
What makes this book so much more difficult to enjoy is the tendency of the author to fall into the "noble savage" trap. This trope demands the reader accept that the life of a native Indian in South America was like an idyllic paradise before colonizers and Catholic priests came around and "forced people to change." The native is always good, the European always evil. The native religion is a real, vibrant, and powerful spiritual faith while the alien Roman Catholicism is all dogma, talk, and no power. Sure... but explain why the Jesuits managed to convert all of North and South America so quickly in the face of such powerful/meaningful/righteous indigenous spirituality?
It's a trope largely embraced by self-hating white people with romantic and paternalistic attitudes toward indigenous people... and who want a shortcut to spirituality by engaging in buffet style New Age metaphysics. Sorry...
Avá-Tapé's internal thoughts about his Catholicism come across like the one-sided arguments against Christianity that a 14-year old makes who is trying to get out of going to church on Sundays. Yet it is the quixotic obsession of the Guarani shaman-prophets to find the mythical "Land without Evil" that proves itself a false hope. It is a myth that has dragged generations of Guarani people on fruitless treks across the jungles and mountains of South America in search of something that is not real. Yet this reality is white-washed while the flaws and contradictions of mainstream Western religion and its practitioners are emphasized over and over again by Pallamary. This is religious political correctness run amok.
Some people love these kinds of stories... and if you do, I can tell you, Mr. Pallamary is a good writer. His descriptive prose is well-above average. But sometimes he spends way too much time describing something that is not relevant to plot or moving a story along. Every day and on every page there is a dream, a vision, or some sign that needs to be sorted out before our hero can advance... and the story can move forward.
Matthew J. Pallamary has written a paean to the Guarani people here. It's scholarly and well-researched. It's just not a compelling story. And it's contradictions and idealism are too hard to swallow.
July 18, 2017
I read this book years ago, but discovered today I hadn't given it a review. Of all the books I've read so far by Matthew, this one still stands as my favorite, although "The Small Dark Room of the Soul" still holds a special place in my heart, as it was the first book of his I read. The author is a personal friend of mine, but that didn't influence the fact I loved reading about the South American native people, their culture and beliefs, heartbreak and struggles to maintain who they were in a time of change. An excellent read!
February 18, 2022
Good writing and editing topic
The reason of my rating is that despite the beautiful prose, I could not find it in me to actually like it. As a Paraguayan, I was extremely interesting in a book in which the main topic were the Guaraníes, but despite my best efforts, the book didn't hold my attention. However, I don't think I should discredit the author or condemn his writing because of my personal preferences.
Something that really annoyed me though was seeing written Jasy as Jacy, because from what I remember from my school years, the Guarani alphabet does not use c.
The reason of my rating is that despite the beautiful prose, I could not find it in me to actually like it. As a Paraguayan, I was extremely interesting in a book in which the main topic were the Guaraníes, but despite my best efforts, the book didn't hold my attention. However, I don't think I should discredit the author or condemn his writing because of my personal preferences.
Something that really annoyed me though was seeing written Jasy as Jacy, because from what I remember from my school years, the Guarani alphabet does not use c.
June 25, 2013
A clash of faith spurs much conflict between peoples. Land Without Evil is a historical novel of religion, exploring the character of Ava-Tapé, raised by Guarani Indians, educated by Jesuits, and sees the aspects of both worlds in this rough time in South American History. Seeking a better world for his people when surrounded by bigotry, "Land Without Evil" is a riveting read, a choice read from Matthew J. Pallamary, highly recommended.
The Midwest Book Review - Small Press Bookwatch Magazine
The Midwest Book Review - Small Press Bookwatch Magazine
July 2, 2014
Some stories are more predictable than others, but it doesn't take away from it's uniqueness. Every story captures your attention, making it nearly impossible to put down. From the very first story, Moon Dance, to the last, Dying to Live, I was impressed with Pallamary's capability to take realistic problems and interactions and intertwine supernatural and horrific concepts.
September 9, 2014
I nice quick selection of slightly macabre short stories.
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