Book Review" Pacific Dash by Chet Nairene

5 Star Review

I received an ARC copy from the author for my honest opinion.

We get to know Dashiell Bonaventure, the third, on the flight from Illinois to Hong Kong in 1968. At that stage, he was only fifteen years old and unsure what life would be like. Up to that point, he had no understanding of culture differences, world views or that life can throw you curveballs so unexpectedly that it left you as an orphan. A thrilling, sometimes heart breaking and even happy life, was not on the cards yet.

"As I thumbed the cool smooth stone, memories began to flood back from my international past. And all my losses of the past decade morphed and softened into a feeling more like a release, of burdens being lifted.

I understood. It was as clear and powerful as a blinding sunrise.

I was totally untethered and adrift, but in a good way. The old priest was right. I was young, alive and totally free. A global citizen with nothing to lose. A planetary vagabond. My future didn't even need to involve the USA."

 Freedom was until his late twenties, as unfamiliar as peeing in a hole, not sure how it all would work out. Something we all can relate to. But once the freedom bug hit, it was not easily contained; it took him on a ride that was noteworthy. Meeting the notorious and famous was part of his education and the road to freedom. Once he hit the vagabond stage, he was well on his way to becoming a legend.

 

"Such disdain was easy for him now, I mused: he already possessed a mountain of awards. Every high school student knew the Luminoso story. And upon winning a second Nobel Prize by his early thirties he was proclaimed the artistic miracle of the century. His work suggested the intricacy of Joyce, the power of Hemingway, the multi-layered beauty of Marquez. His language was pristine and moving. Compared to all other living authors, he was playing 3-D chess to their tic-tac-toe."

The Luminoso effect he basked in during his university years rubbed off on him well. Being among the greatest, I believe, would do that to you as a person. It paved the road and set him up for life. Maybe not in the way most of us would expect, but in Dash's life, it gave him the understanding he needed of life and the many complexities of human behaviour.

Taken from the cornfields of Illinois to the far east, I was mesmerized by the ever changing landscape of the rich cultures Dash visited. Each character he introduced added more colour to the unfolding story, making it that much interesting and flavourful. The chapters were an enticing kaleidoscope of happenings that flowed with ease, and I struggled to take a break after each. 

"This smorgasbord of footloose international youth sat in small clusters on the hard concourse floor, chatting and entertaining themselves as they killed time waiting for a passport stamp and entry into Bali."

The author's elegant and fluent writing style helped, and his first-hand knowledge of the East made it that more intriguing. Write what you know is definitely a big plus when writing such a full round story of international caliber. The main character's climb to notorious fame was well thought out, bringing you right into the heart of every decision he has made. The lives that have shaped him and the love he has missed. Each choice was a steppingstone that played a role in his rise from the ranks as King of the Casino. Getting to know the industry and the many pitfalls it presented made this a grand adventure that few lived.

I believe this is the author's first published book and is received well among fellow readers, as seen by the reviews left. I am looking forward to reading more from his pen. The easy writing and memoir-travel genre make this a highly recommended book for anyone that defines freedom with a little more dash and adventure than the average joe.

 

Synopsis

This is the story a young American from the corn fields who in 1968, due to a family move, finds himself in Hong Kong for high school.

 

He thinks this just a temporary detour but Dash Bonaventure comes to find his life being pulled across Southeast Asia as he pursues adventure, friendship and truth. Young Dash, through the years, falls in love, saves lives and almost loses his own.

 

One day, at a cheap homestay in Bali, 'Little Fatty' (a charming businessman from Malaysia) introduces Dash to the illegal floating casino business in the Straits of Malacca near Singapore ... and things really take off from there.

 

The subtitle of PACIFIC DASH is 'From Asia Vagabond to Casino King' - read and see how he unintentionally comes to dominate the Macau casino business.

 

Chet Nairene is my pen name for a series of novels I am writing about young Americans on the loose in Asia, detailing their humorous adventures and cultural collisions.

 

Amazon / Goodreads / Reedsy Discovery 

 

Banana Leaf Books

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