Author Rick Fishman takes readers on a spiritual journey through loss, miracles, and meaning in The Navajo Event: Proof of God’s Existence, an original and decidedly unorthodox exploration of faith and trust.
Following a tragic fire that took her husband’s life and left her broken and badly burned, Carli is facing a long and painful recovery. Her parents, Roland and Laura, are heartbroken, but when Roland’s cousin and some old friends from a local Navajo tribe come for a visit, seemingly impossible hope is suddenly reborn.
A legendary medicine man named Rising Sun has offered to perform a healing ceremony, and in only ten minutes, after a magical display of song, light, and mist, the healing begins. The miraculous change in Carli’s burned body is a bridge too far for medical professionals to believe, leading to suspicion, anger, and the confident assertion that the healed victim is in fact nothing but a hoax.
From this dynamic starting point, the real philosophical drama of the novel takes off. Carli is the first Caucasian to undergo such a healing ceremony, and thus the first mainstream example of “supernatural” healing. As expected, the world takes notice, and Carli is suddenly squarely in the global spotlight – the example of divinity on Earth for some, and an object of blasphemy and greed for others. That conflict sets the stage for the rest of the novel, as millions debate the authenticity of Carli’s freshly blessed life; even the pope comes to visit Carli in Ohio to see the wonder for himself.
Roland’s sections of narration ring with the authentic wonder of a loving father whose beliefs are being tested right before readers’ eyes, though the role of his wife seems underdeveloped. Dr. Dred, who is absolutely certain (and furious) that Roland is in on the hoax, is a larger-than-life character, and her behavior feels off-the-charts inappropriate, at times, like a blend of a rogue doctor and a rules-bending cop. The titular Navajo Event is the crux of the novel, but the family at the center of that “conspiracy” is simple and unassuming; the idea that they could pull off an elaborate operation beggars belief, which subsequently makes some of the drama of the story similarly unbelievable.
That being said, Fishman manages to unite diverse religious and cultural traditions in an engaging and entertaining novel, which is no small feat, and Fishman seems to pull off the trick with ease. The writing also tackles deeply controversial ideas – miracles in the mainstream and western vs indigenous beliefs – but generally accomplishes this with curiosity and respect, rather than sweeping judgments or declarations of truth.
In terms of the technical execution of the novel, the writing does leave something to be desired. Some obvious issues include informal sentence structure, tangential details, idiomatic language, tense disagreements, and awkward dialogue, along with inconsistencies in the tone. There are also some unbelievable exchanges between characters, and the pace of many scenes feels rushed, particularly those that are key to plot development or revelation. While that makes this a fast and fun read, this is an interesting and even important story that deserved to be fleshed out further.
As a whole, The Navajo Event is accessible but challenging, and despite the rushing and the rough spots, it poses necessary questions about faith in the modern age.
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The Navajo Event is based on the true story of my daughter, Katie, who lost her husband in an apartment fire. She did receive the injuries described in the early part of the book. My overall goal was to turn a family tragedy into a story of hope and humor.