Resplendent

Plagued by glimpses of past lives, Benjamin Tsosie Murphy is afflicted by dark spirits that haunt his everyday life. Faceless voices urge the part-Cherokee to do unspeakable things. To quell these inner demons, a daily dose of bourbon and barbiturates make his miserable life tolerable. An unlikely hero, perhaps, yet this deeply floored and troubled soul may hold the key to humanity's survival. Colliding faiths and cultures come together in a story of humanity's continual tussle with addiction, a desire to find what we all crave, and an answer to the eternal question: Why are we here? Jacob Reardon narrates the Prologue. Jacob sets the scene for the story and offers an insight into his heartbreaking life and complex relationship with Ben Murphy. The story spans centuries and is told non-linearly. Our main protagonist, Ben Murphy, has little memory of his life. Blind spots in his memory, not of his making, create a shadow of mystery, drawing the reader deeper into his strange world. We meet Amy Rogers, an aspiring country and western singer. Amy is a resilient woman who knows what she wants despite what the unjust world has thrown at her. Regardless, fate is a cruel mistress, and further challenges are flung into Amy's path. The couple embark on an adventure to understand an ancient Cherokee riddle. The puzzle leads the couple to a provincial town in Colorado. Where they discover a distant relative has died suspiciously and left a safe deposit box in their last will and testament. The contents are a revelation to the Cherokee, and the couple become embroiled in a race against time to uncover the truth and save humanity from itself. We delve deeper into the Catholic Church's religious doctrine, where we discuss reincarnation. The characters examine conflicting belief systems, those of the Native Americans and Catholicism, leading to an unfathomable discovery. Plagued by glimpses of past lives, Benjamin Tsosie Murphy is afflicted by dark spirits that haunt his everyday life. Faceless voices urge the part-Cherokee to do unspeakable things. To quell these inner demons, a daily dose of bourbon and barbiturates make his miserable life tolerable. An unlikely hero, perhaps, yet this deeply floored and troubled soul may hold the key to humanity's survival. Colliding faiths and cultures come together in a story of humanity's continual tussle with addiction, a desire to find what we all crave, and an answer to the eternal question: Why are we here?