Taroko Gorge

A disillusioned and raggedy American reporterand his drunken photojournalist partner are the lastto see three Japanese schoolgirls who disappearinto Taroko Gorge, Taiwans largest national park.The journalistswho are themselves suspectsinvestigate the disappearance along with the girlshomeroom teacher, their bickering classmates,and a seasoned and wary Taiwanese detective.The conflicts between themcomplicated bythe outrageousness of the photographer and theraging hormones of the youngraise questions ofpersonal responsibility, truthfulness, and guardedself-interest.The world and its dangersboth natural andinterpersonalare real, changing, and violentlypressing. And the emotions that churn in darkrooms overnight as the players gather in the parkvisitors center are as intense as in any closetdrama. Theres enough action and furor here tokeep readers turning the pages, and the culturalrevelations of the story suggest that the humanneed for mystery outweighs the desire for answers.