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Sonny Baca #2
Rio Grande Fall
While Sonny Baca and friends are enjoying Albuquerque's famed hot air balloon festival, a woman plummets from the sky. Four black feathers surround her body--the calling card of Sonny's nemesis from "Zia Summer", Raven. Raven possesses powers no mortal can match; and Sonny knows that he is the only one who can defeat him. Drawing on his own guardians, and with the help of a "curandera", Sonny risks his life for his city--and the survival of the one he loves the most.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
37 people are currently reading
216 people want to read
About the author
Rudolfo Anaya
89 books466 followersRudolfo Anaya lives and breathes the landscape of the Southwest. It is a powerful force, full of magic and myth, integral to his writings. Anaya, however, is a native Hispanic fascinated by cultural crossings unique to the Southwest, a combination of oldSpain and New Spain, of Mexico with Mesoamerica and the anglicizing forces of the twentieth century. Rudolfo Anaya is widely acclaimed as the founder of modern Chicano literature. According to the New York Times, he is the most widely read author in Hispanic communities, and sales of his classic Bless Me, Ultima (1972) have surpassed 360,000, despite the fact that none of his books have been published originally by New York publishing houses. His works are standard texts in Chicano studies and literature courses around the world, and he has done more than perhaps any other single person to promote publication of books by Hispanic authors in this country. With the publication of his novel, Albuquerque (1992),Newsweek has proclaimed him a front-runner in "what is better called not the new multicultural writing, but the new American writing." His most recent volume, published in 1995, is Zia Summer.
"I've always used the technique of the cuento. I am an oral storyteller, but now I do it on the printed page. I think if we were very wise we would use that same tradition in video cassettes, in movies, and on radio."
from
http://www.unm.edu/~wrtgsw/anaya.html
and
http://www.gale.cengage.com/free_reso...
"I've always used the technique of the cuento. I am an oral storyteller, but now I do it on the printed page. I think if we were very wise we would use that same tradition in video cassettes, in movies, and on radio."
from
http://www.unm.edu/~wrtgsw/anaya.html
and
http://www.gale.cengage.com/free_reso...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
November 9, 2020
Rudolfo Anaya returns to the Sonny Baca series with this story that is again set in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this time during the large balloon festival that takes place in that city every October. As with the other novels I have read by Anaya, he does a great job of describing the landscape that surrounds Albuquerque, with the Sandias to the east, and the Sangre de Cristo to the west. Much of the action in this story takes place along the “bosques” of the river, the Rio Grande, as it makes it’s way southward across New Mexico. As Sonny works on a murder investigation he frequently takes time to notice the beauty of the fall season, as he reflects “Autumn was the most pleasant season in the Rio Grande valley, the most mellow and bewitching in New Mexico”. He reminds himself of the beauty of the balloons as they rise and glide over the skies of Albuquerque. He frequently mentions the cottonwoods along the river, as their leaves transform to yellow and gold. And he describes the people beginning to prepare for winter, hanging red chile ristras, and picking crisp apples from the area orchards. All this reminded me why I love to visit New Mexico in the fall, to enjoy the long mild season.
But Sonny is also busy on the trail of a murderer, and an evil force. This second book in the series takes up almost at the place where the first book ended. Sonny has the Zia medallion that he gained in that earlier book, but he needs even more help as he tries to prevent more murders, and also to stop the influx of a huge shipment of cocaine and heroin onto the streets of Albuquerque. The story touches on the American role in certain countries of Central America, and the involvement of the CIA in trading arms for drugs there. Although Sonny is a private investigator, he continues to work closely with local law enforcement, at the same time that he suspects that there may be people at the highest levels of government working with the cartels that are pushing these drugs into the U.S. And of course Sonny is in extreme danger several times, with Raven fast on his trail, and using people Sonny loves to lure Sonny into his lair.
As with the other stories by Anaya, this story incorporates the complexity of the culture and beliefs of the peoples of New Mexico. The belief in a magical spirit world where the forces of good and evil battle for the soul, are blended with beliefs of the Native America and Pueblo cultures, the Mexican, and the Catholicism introduced by the Spanish. I wil be looking forward to the next books in this series.
But Sonny is also busy on the trail of a murderer, and an evil force. This second book in the series takes up almost at the place where the first book ended. Sonny has the Zia medallion that he gained in that earlier book, but he needs even more help as he tries to prevent more murders, and also to stop the influx of a huge shipment of cocaine and heroin onto the streets of Albuquerque. The story touches on the American role in certain countries of Central America, and the involvement of the CIA in trading arms for drugs there. Although Sonny is a private investigator, he continues to work closely with local law enforcement, at the same time that he suspects that there may be people at the highest levels of government working with the cartels that are pushing these drugs into the U.S. And of course Sonny is in extreme danger several times, with Raven fast on his trail, and using people Sonny loves to lure Sonny into his lair.
As with the other stories by Anaya, this story incorporates the complexity of the culture and beliefs of the peoples of New Mexico. The belief in a magical spirit world where the forces of good and evil battle for the soul, are blended with beliefs of the Native America and Pueblo cultures, the Mexican, and the Catholicism introduced by the Spanish. I wil be looking forward to the next books in this series.
December 9, 2017
Book two in the Sonny Baca mystery series is set during the Albuquerque NM Hot Air Balloon Fiesta. It’s set to be the biggest moneymaker for the city, until a body plummets from a gondola. Was it a tragic accident, or was the woman murdered?
There’s a lot going on here. We have the aftermath of book one’s mystery; the woman who falls from the balloon is a key witness in that case. There’s an effort to bring in a major drug shipment, using the Balloon Fiesta as cover. Sonny has found a homeless family that he’s trying to help. His mother wants him to forget this investigation business and settle down with Rita, a very good woman. It’s Rita who takes Sonny to Lorenza, a curandera who will perform a limpieza - a cleansing ceremony – to help Sonny dispel the trauma of his past encounter with Raven.
Sonny is in touch with his spirit nagual – the coyote, but is he really a brujo? Can he fly? And can he go up against Raven, who is definitely an evil brujo who has slipped through the various efforts to capture him.
I like magical realism, in general, but this series has gone too far. I read mysteries for the plot, the action, the fast-paced story. This book failed to deliver that. It lacked focus for me and the fact that it took me a week to read it, is reflective of that. I just wasn’t interested.
There’s a lot going on here. We have the aftermath of book one’s mystery; the woman who falls from the balloon is a key witness in that case. There’s an effort to bring in a major drug shipment, using the Balloon Fiesta as cover. Sonny has found a homeless family that he’s trying to help. His mother wants him to forget this investigation business and settle down with Rita, a very good woman. It’s Rita who takes Sonny to Lorenza, a curandera who will perform a limpieza - a cleansing ceremony – to help Sonny dispel the trauma of his past encounter with Raven.
Sonny is in touch with his spirit nagual – the coyote, but is he really a brujo? Can he fly? And can he go up against Raven, who is definitely an evil brujo who has slipped through the various efforts to capture him.
I like magical realism, in general, but this series has gone too far. I read mysteries for the plot, the action, the fast-paced story. This book failed to deliver that. It lacked focus for me and the fact that it took me a week to read it, is reflective of that. I just wasn’t interested.
February 3, 2019
The second Sonny Baca novel is not just a sequel, but a continuation of a journey through the four seasons and the four sacred directions that began in book one, Zia Summer. Sonny, the great-grandson of legendary New Mexico lawman Elfego Baca, grows as heir to his bisabuelo’s role and also in his spirituality and capacity for love.
To recover from the soul sickness caused by a murder he dealt with in the first book, Sonny seeks healing from a curandera. The healing is his initiation into the spirit world and shamanic experiences, and it introduces the most compelling aspects of the story.
This private investigator character far from noir. Sonny is colorful, a flawed but basically virtuous young man strongly connected to his family, culture, and community. He’s realistic in many ways and yet also a larger-than-life hero who has mythic-scale adventures in his archetypal battle with Raven, the cult leader and domestic terrorist he pursued in the first book.
Sonny is hired by the Alburquerque International Balloon Fiesta when a balloonist who could have been a witness in a case involving Raven dies. (Get use to that extra r in Albuquerque as you read the series. It’s not a typo. Anaya restored it, though it fell off the city’s name a long time ago.) An intriguing aspect of the crime plot is the time period, in the aftermath of the Iran-Contra scandal and the arms-and-drugs deals of that era. One of the themes is corruption.
The balloon fiesta itself, the city’s diverse neighborhoods, and the glory of October in New Mexico, are as central to the story as the characters. The author is so passionate about them he gets carried away sometimes, re-describing them more often than necessary. He also restates his themes a bit too often. I guess his editor didn’t dare tell the master cut, but these repetitions slow the pace. A reflection on autumn in the Rio Grande valley isn’t needed when lives are at stake. The book overall is still powerful. I mean this as praise when I say it has an occasional comic book quality—a fight scene with a leap off a balcony, a mad scientist scene, the invocation of special powers—because myths, archetypes, and superheroes are closely related.
The most complex characters aren’t the good ones or the evil ones, but two women who are torn between: Madge, the balloon fiesta director, and Tamara, Raven’s former follower. The Good Women aren’t filled out as well. Though their roles in Sonny’s life differ, his lover, Rita, restaurateur and herbalist, and the curandera, Lorenza, are virtually identical. This may be due to Sonny’s idealization of them—or the author’s.
Lorenza is Sony’s new spiritual teacher. His neighbor don Eliseo, a traditional elder, was his teacher in the first book and remains one in this. I’ll be interested to see if each book in the series adds another teacher and how these teachers balance his spiritual wholeness by the end. Despite some excess verbiage, I’ll follow the rest of the series. After all, it’s excess verbiage by Anaya.
To recover from the soul sickness caused by a murder he dealt with in the first book, Sonny seeks healing from a curandera. The healing is his initiation into the spirit world and shamanic experiences, and it introduces the most compelling aspects of the story.
This private investigator character far from noir. Sonny is colorful, a flawed but basically virtuous young man strongly connected to his family, culture, and community. He’s realistic in many ways and yet also a larger-than-life hero who has mythic-scale adventures in his archetypal battle with Raven, the cult leader and domestic terrorist he pursued in the first book.
Sonny is hired by the Alburquerque International Balloon Fiesta when a balloonist who could have been a witness in a case involving Raven dies. (Get use to that extra r in Albuquerque as you read the series. It’s not a typo. Anaya restored it, though it fell off the city’s name a long time ago.) An intriguing aspect of the crime plot is the time period, in the aftermath of the Iran-Contra scandal and the arms-and-drugs deals of that era. One of the themes is corruption.
The balloon fiesta itself, the city’s diverse neighborhoods, and the glory of October in New Mexico, are as central to the story as the characters. The author is so passionate about them he gets carried away sometimes, re-describing them more often than necessary. He also restates his themes a bit too often. I guess his editor didn’t dare tell the master cut, but these repetitions slow the pace. A reflection on autumn in the Rio Grande valley isn’t needed when lives are at stake. The book overall is still powerful. I mean this as praise when I say it has an occasional comic book quality—a fight scene with a leap off a balcony, a mad scientist scene, the invocation of special powers—because myths, archetypes, and superheroes are closely related.
The most complex characters aren’t the good ones or the evil ones, but two women who are torn between: Madge, the balloon fiesta director, and Tamara, Raven’s former follower. The Good Women aren’t filled out as well. Though their roles in Sonny’s life differ, his lover, Rita, restaurateur and herbalist, and the curandera, Lorenza, are virtually identical. This may be due to Sonny’s idealization of them—or the author’s.
Lorenza is Sony’s new spiritual teacher. His neighbor don Eliseo, a traditional elder, was his teacher in the first book and remains one in this. I’ll be interested to see if each book in the series adds another teacher and how these teachers balance his spiritual wholeness by the end. Despite some excess verbiage, I’ll follow the rest of the series. After all, it’s excess verbiage by Anaya.
January 22, 2020
There is plenty of trouble afoot as the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta de Alburquerque begins. A body has fallen , apparently from one of the balloons, but one that was not registered and no one recognized. One with the face of a raven.
The victim was a key witness in a murder case and P.I. Sonny Baca knows that it and the mysterious balloon are the clear signs of an enemy and to capture him, Sonny must reach deep into his culture and its mysteries to find and battle the infamous Raven.
A good read with a strong mystery and Southwestern mysticism. While the descriptions and storyline about whether Sonny is strong enough to take on his adversary, and how he gets prepared to do so, are interesting, they can be distracting from the mystery. Overall, I enjoyed it very much.
The victim was a key witness in a murder case and P.I. Sonny Baca knows that it and the mysterious balloon are the clear signs of an enemy and to capture him, Sonny must reach deep into his culture and its mysteries to find and battle the infamous Raven.
A good read with a strong mystery and Southwestern mysticism. While the descriptions and storyline about whether Sonny is strong enough to take on his adversary, and how he gets prepared to do so, are interesting, they can be distracting from the mystery. Overall, I enjoyed it very much.
May 9, 2014
I am definitely hooked on the Sonny Baca series (there are four, and this one is the second). Rio Grande Fall picked up where the Zia Summer left off, and the way it doesn't end, there's no way for me to stop here. The setting is in the fall during hot air balloon festivities and includes a harried balloon ride. There is much intrigue and mystery as to who are the good and bad guys. Raven, Sonny's nemesis, is around though not too prominent, and there is a hint that he will be more present in the next book (Shaman Winter). The spiritual world of brujo's, animal spirit guides, and other aspects of the New Mexican metaphysical realm are woven into this book. This is definitely a series to read in order.
September 7, 2020
While this mystery can be read without having read the first book in the series, ZIA SUMMER, I think this sequel is more enjoyable after reading ZIA. As with ZIA, the detective's exploration and digressions into New Mexican history and Chicano & Native American traditions drives the story as much as the mystery itself; perhaps even more so. The story is filled with excursions into traditions that are ancient and mystical, and merge or conflict with contemporary culture.
I'd say a feature of this mystery that makes it quite different from most mysteries is the spirit world, where sorcery is practiced by "brujos" and individuals obtain power (for good or evil) or protection (from evil) by transforming into animals or calling upon one's "nagual." This gives an unusual, interesting twist to the mystery.
The story's conflict is nicely summed up by Sonny: "The struggle has always been between a harmonious universe and one which collapses into complete chaos. Put another way, it's the struggle between good and evil. All resides in our souls, so the energy of evil brujos works too defeat us."
I'd say a feature of this mystery that makes it quite different from most mysteries is the spirit world, where sorcery is practiced by "brujos" and individuals obtain power (for good or evil) or protection (from evil) by transforming into animals or calling upon one's "nagual." This gives an unusual, interesting twist to the mystery.
The story's conflict is nicely summed up by Sonny: "The struggle has always been between a harmonious universe and one which collapses into complete chaos. Put another way, it's the struggle between good and evil. All resides in our souls, so the energy of evil brujos works too defeat us."
June 3, 2019
Rio Grande Fall follows the events that were described in Zia Summer. All the same characters appear in this book, including the enigmatic evil man known only as Raven. This book is pretty much of a mess. Sonny again goes into dangerous situations without thinking and is rescued in the most unlikely ways. He is attempting to learn the “old ways “ by using his animal spirit to aid the solution of several terrible crimes—and to prevent catastrophe. At one point, Sonny’s spiritual guide tells Sonny not to take his gun into a confrontation because “ bullets cannot kill Raven.” A short while later she appears to rescue Sonny, by—what else?—shooting Raven! If there was an editor of this book, he/she was sleeping or taking peyote. There are so many strange coincidences and improbable events that the book is just about unreadable. The author got seriously off track in his otherwise insightful descriptions of Albuquerque facing the challenges of the twentieth century.
April 26, 2023
Liked strengthening of relationships of the major players. An interesting blend of what I would call fiction and science fiction with a touch of fairy tales/fantasy. Starting to get a little "Huh? What the....not on my watch...." Not so much so that I will skip Shaman Winter though. Won't go into it enough to ruin someone's reading. New problems to solve - some on this side and some on the dark side. Physical challenges as well as time slippage to deal with. Enough said -
December 7, 2020
I really wanted to like the protagonist, Sonny Baca, but his repeated behavior of bad choices and untimely responses were a huge negative. I’m familiar with the Albuquerque area, Balloon Fiesta and Chicano culture but I question whether someone without that knowledge and understanding would fine this an enjoyable read.
January 1, 2021
I am a fan of Rudolfo Anaya, having read Bless Me Ultima, Albuquerque, and the Sonny Baca books many years ago. I started rereading the Baca mysteries but decided to stop after this one. Too much folklore and mysticism for my taste.
March 25, 2022
After reading Tortuga I really wanted to enjoy this book, this series. But for me, it was just too much super hero fighting super villain. Love the southwestern culture background just felt the storyline was a bit too thin.
Nuff said.
Nuff said.
May 15, 2017
2.5 Stars. Not impressed by the plot, or the characters. The description of NM in autumn was nice, but I live here and don't need the travelogue. Suffice it to say I'm not the audience for Anaya's mysteries.
November 7, 2017
I've read just about every Anaya book. This was my least favorite
January 10, 2018
A PI in the midst of the internationally famous Albuquerque Hot Air Balloon Fiesta.
March 16, 2018
The plot in this one was pretty clunky. Favorite parts: Landscape descriptions of New Mexico. Least favorite parts: False dichotomy of modern/antiquated to unnatural/natural.
August 20, 2021
What a shame Rudolfo Anaya has passed or the next world. A storyteller beyond compare. Love his books. 505 stories
November 3, 2021
Anaya's follow-up to Zia Summer, Sonny Baca, flawed hero, discovers another pathway to battle his nemesis, Raven. Spiritual Chicano urban fantasy of the first order.
January 11, 2024
Wow, full of twists, real life places and tales of old. Enjoyed it totally!
August 20, 2011
Having spent time in New Mexico, I am probably inclined to like a mystery written by a new author (to me) set in that state. Love the Spanish phrases, the references to New Mexican food (which I adore), and the cultural background that flows through the novel. A private detective known as Sonny Baca finds himself searching for a murderer after a woman he knows it thrown from a balloon. Another murder and it becomes obvious that drugs are involved due to be delivered during the famous Albuquerque Balloon Festival (a marvel if you've never seen it). Lots of action, interaction with the spirit world and natives, both good and bad, speeds the reader to an unexpected conclusion. While I was able to discern who one of the major culprits was, others in the tale were not so obvious. Quite a good mystery for mystery lovers!
February 18, 2012
I didn't want to even give one star. I am from Albuquerque and thought I'd read this because that's where it takes place. However, it is so farfetched I could not bring myself to finish it. I had only 100 pages to finish but just couldn't bare it any longer. Sonny gets himself in ridiculously dangerous situations and miraculously gets out way too many times and then there's the whole science fiction aspect of him feeling "connected" to wolves and the villain "connected" to ravens and supposedly being able to become one. This is simply not my genre at all.
May 29, 2013
When I read the jacket of this story it grabbed my attention. Since this hard back edition was only .49 I bought it. What I failed to notice in small print at the top of the inside jacket were the words - Chicano Literature.
This story is generously sprinkled with Spanish words. Since I don't read or speak Spanish it was very frustrating trying to read this story.
This story is generously sprinkled with Spanish words. Since I don't read or speak Spanish it was very frustrating trying to read this story.
June 23, 2010
I had hopes for this book because I enjoyed "Bless Me Ultima," but the good plot was marred by having the protagonist rush blindly into dangerous situations where he escapes or is rescued at the last possible moment.
March 1, 2015
Rudolfo Anaya is an amazing author, the descriptions in this book reminded me so much of my great grandparents who lived in Albuquerque, where the drama unfolds. There is so much culture, history and social issues that keeps this book so interesting,I highly recommend it!
May 6, 2015
I really enjoyed reading a fantasy book with magic and traditions from my own part of the world. For folks who believe in a the mystical traditions described in this book, I suppose it may not be fantasy, but the same can be said for Celtic magic in books based on those tradions.
October 8, 2007
First review was the wrong Anaya book... This is the one that I found too macho (IIRC) on first reading. Might go back if I get a chance sometime and am in the mood...
July 22, 2008
Entertaining enough.
November 4, 2008
Book two, continues the themes from book one with the same villain.
November 20, 2008
Read after Zia Summer- 2nd book of three.
March 25, 2009
Another exciting read.
July 30, 2011
The second in the Sonny Baca series. Loved reading it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews