In the Shadow of the Pines

By Giovon Madrid Colón

In The Shadow of the Pines is a collection of gritty, literary short stories, exploring the dark shadows of the human condition, yet grounded in a vision of faith struggling both with itself, and against the tides of an increasingly hopeless world. The deeply poetical writing is laden with echoes of philosophy, and explores far-reaching themes: guilt, dystopia, progress, forgiveness, death, technology, isolation, and freedom. From a pair of scientists abandoned at the south pole, waiting to die; to a vision of a nightmarish future, where AI has become like God, and science stands at the cusp of erasing human freedom; to a wedding ruined by deep-rooted family hatred, there is one message which prevails: hope. Hope beyond what the mind can fathom. The stories of In the Shadow of the Pines are the result of diverse literary influences, and embody a variety of genres, from criminal drama to Socratic-esque dialogue. These stories do not shy away from grappling with difficult, existential questions, nor from pushing the boundaries of language, and are rich with poetic spirit which endlessly delights in finding new ways to portray the stirrings of the human heart. Stories featured: "At World's End" - A nuclear war leaves two scientists stranded at their isolated Antarctic post. "Vows at Cliffside" - Details the wedding of two unlikely lovers, who are besieged on all sides by those wishing to tear them apart. "Who will give You thanks?" - Investigating a young woman's disappearance, a detective visits the home of a potential witness, only to be faced with a fatal dilemma which will change his life forever. "The Precipice" - Amidst a world in dreadful transition, where people are kept perpetually numb by bombarding themselves with mindless, algorithm-curated noise, a young man faces crisis when the brutal police killing of his dear mentor forces him reevaluate everything. A protest in the man's honor threatens to tear the city apart. "A Pronouncement" - Some decades after the events of "The Precipice", in a society controlled by artificial intelligence, a religious holdout to state-enforced atheism is convicted of sedition. He faces imprisonment, and endures nightmarish "reconditioning" which threatens to shatter his sanity. "Wrapped and Burned" - A philosophical dialogue between a terminally ill atheist and his Christian friend, who discuss religion, the meaning of life, and mortality. They eventually part ways, leaving the atheist alone in his empty home, reflecting on his death through the lens of the death of the universe. "Underneath, a Thousand Years" - Three friends go on an expedition into the highlands of South Texas, seeking out a mysterious, abandoned cave, where intrigue and conspiracy surrounds the disappearance of a young man within its dark depths. "A Thief in the Night" - A vision of Biblical apocalypse, the final twilight of the universe, where everything that our cynical protagonist thought he knew is turned on its head. Explores Catholic theology, faith, and the sometimes impure motivations which motivate godlessness. Giovon Colón is a twenty-two-year-old Catholic convert and former agnostic, who enjoys studying philosophy, reading classic literature, composing music, and playing various instruments. His cites a wide array of literary influences: Hemingway, Faulkner, Shakespeare, C.S Lewis, Dostoevsky, Steinbeck, and O'Connor, among others. He attended Aquinas College for nearly two years, studying biochemistry and serving in various leadership roles with Peer Ministry before withdrawing with Dean's List honors. He currently resides in San Antonio, Texas. Features some strong language and elements of violence.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0CSCRTWXZ
• ISBN13: 9798875981272
• Release Date: January 2024
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 262 Pages
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.7" x 5.5"