Fortuna and the Scapegrace: A Dark Comedy South Seas Adventure (The Epic of Didier Rain)
Didier Rain finds himself in San Francisco in 1850, his clothes in tatters and broke. Discovering a coin, he uses it to pay a soothsayer to find out his future. Drugged and shanghaied, he now is aboard a merchant ship bound for the South Seas. On the run for a murder in Europe, he changes his name to Hoper Newfangle when he signs his name on the rolls. He soon befriends a preacher who is on his way to join a religious group on one of the islands and to marry the girl he loves. The ship meets a storm, and Didier Rain is swept overboard. Found on the island that was the destination of the preacher, thinking the ship was lost, he changes his name to that of the preacher–Adamiah Linklater—hoping he can meet and marry the beautiful young girl that Adamiah was in love with as a child.
This is book two of The Epic of Didier Rain. I found Didier Rain an interesting character, significantly confused as to what he wants in life, and probably lost due to his trouble with the law. His attempt at preaching and his infatuation with Prudence on the island seemed a little far-fetched for my imagination, but I can understand his confused state of mind.
The writing is exceptional, and it’s hard not to like the author’s style, his characterizations, and the storyline as Didier Rain attempts to hide his identity. I wish I had read the first book in the series to get a better understanding of the main character and why he behaves as he does. Still, I found this novel an enjoyable read, blending the Polynesian culture with the unusual religious practices of the people who have settled on the island.
