Lone Star Book Blog Tour: The Curse of Sacerdozio by Glen Aaron

The central plot about Tommy Jon (a Harvard Law School graduate and a Jicarilla Apache) and his explosive and combative relationship with Justice Sacerdozio is padded with several highly controversial subjects, such as extreme religious societies wanting more control within the government, Native American rights, abortion and traditional family ideology, and the US legal system in all its entangled and messy glory. Glen Aaron pretty much covers it all in this story that goes back and forth between plot-driven drama and textbook-like passages and lectures.

The legal scenes that unfold when Tommy Jon is accused of murdering Sacerdozio are both riveting and entertaining, and the relationship between Tommy and a fellow clerk, Catherine, and the consequences of their night of passion at the beginning of the story serve as a catalyst that sets all the ensuing drama in motion. Hang on!

What I find most interesting are the comparisons. For example, it’s interesting to see how the immense, open, and authentic West Texas landscape is juxtaposed with the claustrophobic trappings of governmental and religious and judicial secrets and hidden agendas. And Rio (who is definitely one of my favorite characters) is honest in his simplicity and pure love for the land and his ancestors, compared to the many dishonest and corrupt people and organizations peppering this story throughout. Like the Scales of Justice that are not always balanced, The Curse of Sacerdozio reminds us that while life is often filled with inequities and imbalance of power, it is filled with good people, love, and truth as well.

The Curse of Sacerdozio has many thrilling and exciting moments; however, for future editions, a good editor could tighten up the prose and eliminate some grammatical inconsistencies, such as typos and tense swapping. Overall, however, this story is interesting, engaging, and definitely thought provoking.