VERY disappointing and irritating!!
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I have just finished reading 'Beyond the Devil's Teeth' and it annoyed me so much I felt compelled to writer a review here.
I bought this book after its subject matter - a journey round the super continent of Gondwanaland - caught my imagination. It was, however, VERY disappointing.
Firstly the author fails to fulfil his own brief: there is very little on Gondwanaland and what material there is seems added as an after thought rather than being the driving purpose of the journey.
Secondly, it is full of implausibilites and unlikely situations; the characters Shah meets on the way are so incredible as to be untrue...
Thirdly, it is terrible paced with over a third of the book dedicated to Bombay, whilst the journey from Caracas to Buenos Aires only takes up 60 pages!
I could continue, point after point, with criticisms of the book - but by now you've probably worked out I wasn't very impressed with it.
Originally, I was going to give the book a two-star rating but the ending changed my mind! It is SO absurd, so implausible that it left me feeling angry and cheated.
My advice would be don't bother; if you want some decent travel writing, try William Dalrymple or Colin Thurbon instead.
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Full of novelty and entertainment
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Every page is an assault on the logical and systematic thinking of the average western mind. One has to suspend ones judgement to fully appreciate this book. It is best read with no preconceptions. But, if you are reading it merely to obtain vicarious joy through the author's experiences you will not fail to be entertained.
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FANTABULOUS!
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What wisdom, what brilliant prose. It brought tears to my eyes.
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An unusual and engaging travel book
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Tahir Shah explores the third world in an uncharacteristic way - willing, yea, almost desirous, to rough it at all stages. There are lessons about travelling, such as what happens when you trust the key to a flat to complete strangers. For Shah there is a gentle reminder from his sister that there are things more valuable than the proceeds of get-rich-quick schemes. The book also contains some rather disturbing characters - an African official capable of casual cruelty to animals, and two European men touring in South America involved in a sado-masochistic relationship. I was slightly disappointed that the book did not focus more on the Gonds and hitherto unknown links in ancient times between the components of 'Gondwanaland' - I expected the story to be more like Thor Heyerdahl's books, in view of the title. The story is certainly worth reading, but I would say that the author's later work The Sorceror's Apprentice is a distinctly better.
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