Told in the tradition of magical realism, Land of Men is an adventure-love story, alive with ghosts and structured through time travels among 1864, 1873, 1914, and 2007.
In 2007, Samuel Dover, a 51-year-old, successful businessman, sells his company to have the time and money to fulfill his life-long dream of sailing around the world. He locates a vintage 150-year-old sailboat, salvaged at sea years before with crew missing.
After purchasing the yacht, he discovers a hidden compartment containing a leather-bound Ship’s Log with another yacht’s name, detailing a 1914 voyage to Nuku Hiva in the Marquises. Samuel learns that the name of his ketch Fog Witch has been changed from Dark Trader many years before,explaining the name of the mysterious log hidden in the secret compartment. Because Samuel will restore the yacht to its original condition, he changes the name back to Dark Trader in keeping with the true heritage of the yacht
Excerpt
At the end of watch, I returned to the privacy of my cabin. Sitting on the edge of the bunk, I placed my head in my hands and rubbed my forehead...I was suddenly jolted by the feeling of free-falling. Springing to my feet and wide awake-yes, I was quite sure I was wide awake-I discovered myself standing in a forest. Before me was a beautiful native woman. She was on her knees plunging a knife into a man's chest as he lay motionless on the ground.
"!My God! Stop!" I yelled to no avail. The woman appeared not to hear my plea and began cutting the man's heart from his chest. "Can't you hear me?" I demanded.
Still, the nativve woman ignored me. As I moved toward her to seize the knife, she suddenly stopped and looked up at me. At first she appeared to look directly through me.
?Can't you see or hear me?" I asked again.
She looked at me then...I suddenly saw an onnocence and tendrness about her, in spite of what she was doing. "You must go," the woman whispered as tears flowed down her cheeks. Her eyes seemed haunted.
Professional Reviews
Book Review of LandMagazine of Men by Good Old Boat
The love of the sea can blind a man’s perception of the world and of his own life. He can become compelled to leave everything behind in order to contemplate his soul and to consummate his union with nature. That is exactly what happened to Samuel Dover a character in Muesch’s novel.
Muesch explores in his book” Land of Men” the love of sailing and of the sea. The main character in his book leaves his life to launch into a new one filled with excitement and adventure, hoping that he will rediscover his lost self in the deep waters of the ocean.
The novel is characterized by mystery and ardent love for sailing. Samuel Dover’s obsession with sailing has driven him into new lands and a new life where bliss and tranquillity has awaited him. The character embodies the adventure and man’s search for himself. Dover chose to separate from his wife of twenty seven years, because of his stubborn compulsion to follow his dream of sailing around the world. He purchases an antique sailing ketch that appears to come directly from the past. He restores the vessel to its original condition and name of “Dark Trader.” His obsession with his dream did not deter him from leaving his wife, or scare him when he learns that the ship has had a dark and troubled history, where the boat was abandoned and the crew disappeared on two different occasions. He hires Mike, a former bar bouncer whom he found to be the perfect mate for his mission, and they set sail from Annapolis, Maryland, for Marquesas, following the course of the original Dark Trader.
Upon landing in Nuka Hiva, the Land of Men, Captain Sam and Mike discover a land of the past; they're in the 1800s where mysticism and warriors rule. Sam falls in love with the native Kaitu, who has haunted his dreams from his first moments on the schooner. As a result he will do whatever it takes to be with her, and as they attempt to change their destinies, fate intervenes and eradicates their dreams. Meanwhile, Mike decides to return to the Land of Men when the past summoned him on various occasions, and led him to realize that his happiness lies in that past. Mike chooses to leave the present to reclaim his true love, but fate intervenes once again as the lovers’ souls become unified through eternity.
Finally, as a way of conclusion, I found this novel to be intriguing, captivating, romantic, spiritual, confusing at times, but definitely entertaining and well written. It is a mix of fantasy, and reality that keeps the reader interested and yearning for more.
Good Old Boat Magazine
“We’re going to use nine megaton warheads in space and we’re not sure they’re large enough to be effective. Why would you even consider using kiloton-range surface-to-air warheads as back-up?” The answer was succinct. “Because they’re all we have.”
