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A review by bsharp
Colorado Mandala by Brian Francis Heffron
4.0
Brian Heffron is one of these uniquely talented authors who can take some plain, ordinary, everyday words and swirl them together in his imagination to create a powerfully visual description of his subject.
His talent shines in Colorado Mandala, a literary love story set in the Colorado Rockies during the 1970s. Heffron paints a picturesque portrait of a love triangle between Paul, Michael and Sarah, young adults living in Pikes Peak. The story takes them on a carefree river adventure, scaling rugged rocky mountains, spelunking deep into underground caves and finally to a deadly Colorado cock fight as Sarah and her son are drawn away from Michael’s abusive relationship to Paul’s strong and stable one.
Brian’s literary skill shines through in descriptions of the beautiful landscape and the intricate relationships in the book. For example, “A trail: A part in the trees leading west out of Manitou. Beaten brown, and wide from use, the Bar Trail leads out of town to the base of Pike's Peak and beyond. Laced into the first range, it crosses a series of streams by wire suspension bridges. This highest trail bridge is a water-pipe spanning a deep, narrow valley.
“Two men are crossing this bridge. One carries a child, wrapped in a blanket, across his back and shoulders. Because the pipe surface is curved, his progress is slow, never releasing a grip on the cable railing. On the far side, a clot of people with medical equipment await the men. A young woman is already one-third of the way out on the bridge, seeking to assist them. The first man scolds her back.”
His writing is satisfying and yet, makes one long for more, like a rich, luxurious desert.
I look forward to hearing more from Mr. Heffron.
His talent shines in Colorado Mandala, a literary love story set in the Colorado Rockies during the 1970s. Heffron paints a picturesque portrait of a love triangle between Paul, Michael and Sarah, young adults living in Pikes Peak. The story takes them on a carefree river adventure, scaling rugged rocky mountains, spelunking deep into underground caves and finally to a deadly Colorado cock fight as Sarah and her son are drawn away from Michael’s abusive relationship to Paul’s strong and stable one.
Brian’s literary skill shines through in descriptions of the beautiful landscape and the intricate relationships in the book. For example, “A trail: A part in the trees leading west out of Manitou. Beaten brown, and wide from use, the Bar Trail leads out of town to the base of Pike's Peak and beyond. Laced into the first range, it crosses a series of streams by wire suspension bridges. This highest trail bridge is a water-pipe spanning a deep, narrow valley.
“Two men are crossing this bridge. One carries a child, wrapped in a blanket, across his back and shoulders. Because the pipe surface is curved, his progress is slow, never releasing a grip on the cable railing. On the far side, a clot of people with medical equipment await the men. A young woman is already one-third of the way out on the bridge, seeking to assist them. The first man scolds her back.”
His writing is satisfying and yet, makes one long for more, like a rich, luxurious desert.
I look forward to hearing more from Mr. Heffron.