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“This is a remarkable achievement--a novel which presents the indigenous peoples of the rainforest without cliché or stereotype, romanticism or ideology. It dares to depict their struggle for survival with all its complexity and contradictions, moments of fear and cruelty, courage and love. With honesty and art, Marnie Mueller has written a story not just about the war waged against the rainforest and the indigenous peoples but against--and within--each one of us.”—Larry Cox, Executive Director, The Rainforest Foundation
“I loved the book precisely because it takes a big issue and examines it through characters and emotions that even a couch potato will find absorbing and entertaining.”—World View
“The characters are well drawn, and the novel has adventure, intrigue, and romance as well as politics.”—Library Journal
“Mueller captures with rare honesty the complexity and cultural manipulations that occur when an oppressed people must fight for survival and forces of greed vie for the riches of a quickly disappearing paradise. It also captures the lure--and difficulty--of exotic travel.”—Kirkus Reviews
“An engrossing piece of fiction...A very powerful tale with an even more powerful message, Mueller succeeds in painting vivid images in the hearts and minds of her readers.”—Copley News Service
“I’m rereading Mueller’s book because the first time I was seduced by memorable characters, high adventure, an intense experience; this time I will ponder the rich political and ethical issues raised with honesty and art by this deeply personal fiction.”—Crosswinds
“Passionately written, profoundly political, deeply disturbing...”—Maine Progressive
“Mueller is open, honest, sensual and humorous...”—The Indianapolis News
“...a historical romance that pushes against the boundaries of the genre.”—Publishers Weekly
“Taken together, the journey and the recollections of the travelers form a mural of human loss in the modern era.”—The Dallas Morning News
“Marnie Mueller’s ambitious first novel succeeds on two important levels: It is a chilling mystery...as well as an ecological education for the reader new to the trials of Latin America."—The Bloomsbury Review
“This is a harrowing document and a powerful comment on the problems of our time...Also, the presentation of the psychological and moral problems of the American protagonist in the Third World, plus the captivating narrative, makes for a significant novel.”—Choice
“I lived, transfixed, in the Ecuadorian jungle Marnie Mueller recreates, among some of the most memorable characters I've met in fiction in a long time. I know of no contemporary writer who combines irresistible plot, uncompromising political vision, and moral exploration the way Mueller does in Green Fires.”—Jane Lazarre, author of The Mother Knot and Worlds Beyond My Control
“Along with gems of exquisite jungle description, and compelling rendering of a woman’s inner struggle...Mueller effectively narrates an unfolding moral struggle in a far-off third world locale...Mueller has produced a rare first novel...”—Inner Journeys
“Mueller is excellent at building suspense and painting with vivid hues.” —The Indianapolis News
“A gripping, engaging story...”—The Willimantic Chronicle
“Green Fires is a superbly crafted novel of adventure and suspense, cultural manipulation and indigenous survival.”—Midwest Book Review
“A compelling story that captures the reader from the first, drawing one into its personal, political and natural landscapes...Ms. Mueller’s weighty themes are sustained by her plot and well-realized characters.”—RPCV Writers and Readers
“Mueller skillfully re-creates the sense of being in the jungle...She is well acquainted with corruption and the way things work—and don’t work—in the South American country...Her characters ring with authenticity...”—Hartford Courant
“What I loved most about this profound and compelling novel is the intelligent and honest way in which Marnie Mueller portrays Annie Saunders, an ex-Peace Corps volunteer struggling with issues of politics, morality, and personal loyalty. I strongly identify with Annie; Annie's not perfect, nor always politically correct; rather, she's a real woman, with complex desires. Mueller renders Annie's struggle as one so brave and admirable--even at its most hilarious, misguided moments--that I believe that readers will care--and care deeply--about Annie Saunders.” —Janice Eidus, author of Vito Loves Geraldine and Urban Bliss
Recipient of a 1995 American Book Award, and selected for the 1994 New York Public Library “Books for the Teen Age”
Green Fires is a gripping novel, set in 1969, that has as its backdrop the first clashes between indigenous peoples and international oil companies in the Amazon rainforest. A disillusioned Kennedy-era Peace Corps volunteer returns to Ecuador where she finds a menacing and mysterious trail which she determinedly follows--ever deeper into the jungle--uncovering a sinister secret of international dimensions.
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