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Redemption in Paradise
A tale of redemption spanning the ages and set in present day war-torn Sri Lanka, once described by travelers as a Paradise Isle.
230 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
1 person is currently reading
37 people want to read
About the author
Shane Joseph
12 books300 followersShane Joseph is a graduate of the Humber School for Writers in Toronto, Canada. He began writing as a teenager living in Sri Lanka and has never stopped. Redemption in Paradise, his first novel, was published in 2004 and his first short story collection, Fringe Dwellers, in 2008. His novel, After the Flood, a dystopian epic set in the aftermath of global warming, was released in November 2009, and won the Canadian Christian Writers award for best Futuristic/Fantasy novel in 2010. His story collection, Paradise Revisited, was shortlisted for the ReLit Award. His latest novel, Victoria Unveiled, was released in the fall of 2024. His short stories and articles have appeared in several Canadian anthologies and in literary journals around the world. His blog at www.shanejoseph.com is widely syndicated.
His career stints include: stage and radio actor, pop musician, encyclopaedia salesman, lathe machine operator, airline executive, travel agency manager, vice president of a global financial services company, software services salesperson, publishing editor, project manager and management consultant.
Self-taught, with four degrees under his belt obtained through distance education, Shane is an avid traveller and has visited one country for every year of his life and lived in four of them. He fondly recalls incidents during his travels as real lessons he could never have learned in school: husky riding in Finland with no training, trekking the Inca Trail in Peru through an unending rainstorm, hitch-hiking in Australia without a map, escaping a wild elephant in Zambia, and being stranded without money in Denmark, are some of his memories.
After immigrating (twice), raising a family, building a career, and experiencing life's many highs and lows, Shane has carved out a niche in Cobourg, Ontario with his wife Sarah, where he continues to work, write, and strum his guitar.
Shane Joseph, believes in the gift of second chances. He feels that he has lived many lives in just a single lifetime, always starting from scratch with only the lessons from the past to draw upon. His novels and stories reflect the redemptive power of acceptance and forgiveness.
His career stints include: stage and radio actor, pop musician, encyclopaedia salesman, lathe machine operator, airline executive, travel agency manager, vice president of a global financial services company, software services salesperson, publishing editor, project manager and management consultant.
Self-taught, with four degrees under his belt obtained through distance education, Shane is an avid traveller and has visited one country for every year of his life and lived in four of them. He fondly recalls incidents during his travels as real lessons he could never have learned in school: husky riding in Finland with no training, trekking the Inca Trail in Peru through an unending rainstorm, hitch-hiking in Australia without a map, escaping a wild elephant in Zambia, and being stranded without money in Denmark, are some of his memories.
After immigrating (twice), raising a family, building a career, and experiencing life's many highs and lows, Shane has carved out a niche in Cobourg, Ontario with his wife Sarah, where he continues to work, write, and strum his guitar.
Shane Joseph, believes in the gift of second chances. He feels that he has lived many lives in just a single lifetime, always starting from scratch with only the lessons from the past to draw upon. His novels and stories reflect the redemptive power of acceptance and forgiveness.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 25, 2009
As I'm the reader for this book's trailer I must mention it was difficult for me to pronounce some of the place names correctly with my British accent. With the author's help over the phone I managed to get them close enough to damn it. So do enjoy the trailer and if you haven't done so already, buy the book. You will not be disappointed as it's an enjoyable read.
This book has a great deal of action and perfectly described events, woven together as smoothly as the finest silk. As I read further it made me want to learn more about the characters and their lives. The author gives sharp, descriptive images of Sri Lanka, its people and torturous history.
As another reader here commented: "astral travel can, after all, take us anywhere." I feel this book definitely make's that possible, in the minds-eye of any reader who possessed the smallest amount of imagination.
This book has a great deal of action and perfectly described events, woven together as smoothly as the finest silk. As I read further it made me want to learn more about the characters and their lives. The author gives sharp, descriptive images of Sri Lanka, its people and torturous history.
As another reader here commented: "astral travel can, after all, take us anywhere." I feel this book definitely make's that possible, in the minds-eye of any reader who possessed the smallest amount of imagination.
February 7, 2009
Redemption in Paradise is one of the best books I have read in a very long time. Shane really lets you get to know his characters and learn to either like or dislike them. They are very well fleshed out and his descriptions of Sri Lanka and its little villages are wonderful.
The story tells of 6 tourists and their adventures and misadventures in Sri Lanka.
The story tells of 6 tourists and their adventures and misadventures in Sri Lanka.
January 23, 2009
Traveling across time in literature often carries with it the risk of spinning into absurdity. Shane Joseph avoids this by soliciting the services of a very credible and creditable Buddhist nun. Redemption is a clever weaving of the disparate stories of the members of a tour group, each linked by their own need for redemption. We learn that redemption is not some cookie-cutter absolution, but a realization of the very specific needs of each individual – often unknown to themselves until the moment of truth. The complex weaving of the plot is skilfully held together by the events that force themselves on each of the characters. There’s even a hint of a possible sequel. Astral travel can, after all take us anywhere.
June 12, 2012
The book presents the unrest in Sri Lanka. I refer to terrorism, civil war, lack of security. Negative aspects such as violence, the lack of freedom of the press, the disastruous medical system, the dismemberment of families because of emigration make the title highly ironic since the beauty of nature and the rich cultural and historical heritage are not enough to make a country seem a Paradise. Illegalities, bloodsheds and fear crush everyone who tries to change something for the better. However in this apparent paradise the author set the process of redemption of several characters. A transformation takes place in the case of almost each tourist who came to visit Sri Lanka. Robert finds his inner peace in death and by joining the son he had never forgiven; the previously limited-minded Margaret opens herself to the complexity of Sri-Lankan religions and also realizes that she can take care alone of herself; Sarah passes from her thirst of experiencing her own sexuality to the wish to committ, to live by the side of the man who has pure deep feelings for her; while Lionel convinces himself that he hadn't made a mistake by leaving Sri Lanka 20 years before and that he can help the citizens of his native country from abroad. I think that the experience of violence and terrorism has the greatest impact on Jefferson who evolves from his selfish interest in gaining money (from selling a software to the Sri Lankan Mafia) to the concern that by facilitating the selling of arms innocent people would die. It is only by living the traumas that Sri Lankans live every day that Jefferson finally turns into a responsible human being. In his case we really deal with a rebirth (see also the destruction of the software and the decision to resort to the Witness Protection Programme).
Problems of reincarnation are mostly connected to Sarah, John and their previous life in Sigiriya.
Problems of reincarnation are mostly connected to Sarah, John and their previous life in Sigiriya.
February 17, 2009
Redemption in Paradise is an intriguing tale of characters from the four corners of the globe whose paths cross in an ill-fated tour of Sri Lanka.
It's hard to imagine a more disparate cast of characters. At first I wondered how they could all fit into one novel. But I must say that Shane Joseph does a skillful job of weaving together their fates. They play off one another as well as the volatile political environment in their individual journeys of discovery.
Along the way the fascinating and tortured history of Sri Lanka is brought into sharp contrast. All in all an enjoyable read.
It's hard to imagine a more disparate cast of characters. At first I wondered how they could all fit into one novel. But I must say that Shane Joseph does a skillful job of weaving together their fates. They play off one another as well as the volatile political environment in their individual journeys of discovery.
Along the way the fascinating and tortured history of Sri Lanka is brought into sharp contrast. All in all an enjoyable read.
January 13, 2019
Amazing knowledge of Sri Lanka
May 31, 2009
I read Redemption in Paradise in 2006 and wrote this review on Amazon.com
Jerry
While novels are works of fiction, good novels open the reader to new worlds and new ideas. The Author, Shane Joseph, lived in Sri Lanka and has first hand knowledge of the government conflicts and civil war in that country. (It is interesting to note they are on the verge of another civil war today.) He presents a country that, on the one hand, is mysterious and beautiful, and on the other is in turmoil.
As well as learning about the history of Sri Lanka I learned about its religion and social structure. Joseph has the ability to create a compelling story with his five unique characters sharing in the discovery of Buddhism and the concept of reincarnation.
We follow Sarah as she is directed by her intuition in search of a country she feels she had lived in before. By throwing in a ghost and some astral travel Joseph has created and exciting, engaging, story of conflict and intrigue.
I enjoyed the history, religion, and adventures the author created. I recommend this book to everyone, and I hope he writes another one soon.
Jerry
While novels are works of fiction, good novels open the reader to new worlds and new ideas. The Author, Shane Joseph, lived in Sri Lanka and has first hand knowledge of the government conflicts and civil war in that country. (It is interesting to note they are on the verge of another civil war today.) He presents a country that, on the one hand, is mysterious and beautiful, and on the other is in turmoil.
As well as learning about the history of Sri Lanka I learned about its religion and social structure. Joseph has the ability to create a compelling story with his five unique characters sharing in the discovery of Buddhism and the concept of reincarnation.
We follow Sarah as she is directed by her intuition in search of a country she feels she had lived in before. By throwing in a ghost and some astral travel Joseph has created and exciting, engaging, story of conflict and intrigue.
I enjoyed the history, religion, and adventures the author created. I recommend this book to everyone, and I hope he writes another one soon.
February 5, 2008
This is not well edited, but the novel does tell an interesting story of assorted people caught up in the seemingly endless civil war in Sri Lanka, with some history of Sigyria and Buddhist belief as well.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews