Nobody's Pilgrims, by Sergio Troncoso

Nobody’s Pilgrims, by Sergio Troncoso 1 Nobody’s Pilgrims By Sergio Troncoso Lee & Low Books: Cinco Puntos Press (1-888-320-3190, option 3) ISBN-10: 1947627414 ISBN-13: 978-1947627413 Publication date: May 10, 2022 Adult Fiction *Top Ten List in Fiction, Nonfiction, and Social Advocacy of the In the Margins Book Awards *Gold Medal for Best Novel- Adventure or Drama (English) from International Latino Book Awards *Bronze Medal for The Rudolfo Anaya Best Latino-Focused Fiction Book Award (English) from International Latino Book Awards *Finalist in Multicultural Adult Fiction in Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards *Honorable Mention for Fiction Award from the Philosophical Society of Texas Three runaway teenagers are chased in a road trip from the Texan frontera to New England, by a drug cartel planning to unleash chaos unto the country. A coming-of-age novel of literary fiction with a thriller twist, from preeminent Mexican-American author Sergio Troncoso. Seventeen-year-old Turi escapes from his abusive family by reading. He plans his real escape by saving up from his work at a chicken farm near Ysleta, Texas. He believes the beautiful setting of his favorite book, Connecticut, will be the perfect home for him. So, Turi sets off on the road with Arnulfo―an undocumented teenager he met at the farm, and Molly―a lonely girl looking to build a better life. The boys start their trip by hitching a ride with an elderly man, but they leave him behind and steal his truck when they begin to suspect he’s in the middle of an illicit operation and hiding a dangerous secret. Unfortunately for the three runaways, the secret is hidden in the truck and results in a drug cartel chasing them down, the release of a virus, and the total breakdown of society around them. With pensive, likable characters traveling and coming of age together, and a thriller twist that drives the narrative with intensity, Nobody’s Pilgrims is a can’t-put-down book with heart. The teenagers’ journey builds on the classic bildungsroman The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but author Sergio Troncoso adds a gritty, frontera twist with the tension of No Country for Old Men. Check website for the most current information on Appearances: http://www.sergiotroncoso.com/guides/appearances/index.htm Join Sergio Troncoso’s Email List: https://form.jotform.com/sergiotroncoso/sergio-troncoso-email-list Nobody’s Pilgrims, by Sergio Troncoso 2 Praise for Nobody’s Pilgrims: “The castoffs and castaways of Nobody’s Pilgrims hit the road in search of the American Dream, a long shot made longer by the pack of human devils hot on their trail. In this superb novel, Sergio Troncoso gives us a fresh take not only on the great American road trip, but on the American Dream itself in all its glorious and increasingly fragile promise. The propulsive force of this novel, and the destination it ultimately brings us to, left me wanting more, and yet feeling completely satisfied. As only the best novels do.” —Ben Fountain, PEN/Hemmingway award-winning author of Brief Encounters with Che Guevara “In a world marked by cruelty, corruption, bigotry and disease, Troncoso shows us there’s still room for love. With his finely honed prose style, he takes us on a journey across the country with three young hungry teens whose dreams are the only lifelines they have left. A powerful, compelling read.” —Octavio Solis, author of Retablos: Stories From a Life Lived Along the Border “Nobody’s Pilgrims offers a stark vision of a country whose social ills have sullied the path to the pursuit of happiness. Yet its intrepid protagonists Turi and Molly persevere, charting their own map and adapting, like generations of dreamers, immigrants, and adventurers before them, to the latest hurdles of our troubled world. Sergio Troncoso has given us a timely dystopian tale heavy with anguish but invigorated by resilience.” —Rigoberto González, author of Butterfly Boy: Memories of a Chicano Mariposa “Eloquent, bold and terrifying, Nobody’s Pilgrims is a fresh new take on the ancient themes of innocence pursued by evil, and of the young finding their way through a chaotic and uncertain world. Turi, Arnulfo and Molly are original and uniquely endearing, and they're a pleasure to travel with, even on such a frightening journey.” —Elizabeth Crook, author of Monday, Monday Book reviews for Nobody’s Pilgrims: “Troncoso delivers a surprisingly fast-paced, character-driven story. For example, readers watch Turi evolve from a meek 16-year-old loner to a capable young man who genuinely cares for his ‘semi-friend’ Arnulfo. At the same time, the road trip keeps the tightly plotted narrative moving across the country, all while villains (there are quite a few) close in. The cast also shines, including one criminal henchman harboring a tender affection for his ‘hulking giant’ of a partner. The author rounds out his memorable tale by touching on contemporary topical issues, like prejudices against caramel skin and undocumented immigrants. A sublime, diverse cast drives this tale of looking for a safe, welcoming home.” —Kirkus Reviews “Nobody’s Pilgrims is anything but complacent in its critique of the US government relating to the violence and death in and beyond the US–Mexico border. Its representation of ‘looming maquilas,’ the barrels of acid—like the ones that El Guerrero cartel uses to dispose of ICE Nobody’s Pilgrims, by Sergio Troncoso 3 agents—near the I-44 US interstate highway that one Mexican sicario describes are ‘bigger, rusty, white, and blue,’ and the gruesome imagery of a ‘gob of a finger,’ nails, fingers, hands, shoulders, biceps, and arms are all subtle yet powerful. However haunting, Nobody’s Pilgrims poignantly reshapes the US road-trip narrative, reminding readers of the transformative power of books and friendship.” —Miriam Santana, American Book Review “Nobody’s Pilgrims has so many good things going for it. It’s funny. It’s scary. It’s sweetly romantic. Don’t stop there, let it sink in that, la-dee-dah while these kids are falling in love, the world is being brought to its knees, not just owing to the virus, but because how people respond to it. What are you going to do about that? Where are you going to go hide out, ride out a hard storm?” —Michael Sedano, La Bloga “A masterfully wrought thriller road trip from El Paso, Texas to Kent, Connecticut... Troncoso writes about the new pilgrims of this country. Those who some are calling vermin or saying that immigrants are poisoning the blood of this country. In other words, those people who some people would call nobody’s children.... These immigrants—like Turi, Molly, and Arnulfo— represent as Troncoso has confirmed in his writing and lectures the best values of this country. They show us what it means to work hard and make it on your own. They show us the importance of fighting for your place. They show us that we need each other and we must help others to succeed.” —Rey M. Rodriguez, IAIA Chapter House Journal “This suspense filled, dystopian adventure will keep readers on the edges of their seats as our heroes run into tight situations that appear to have no way out. I read it in just one day! As I read I could see it playing out in front of me on the big screen so, if any scriptwriters are out there, this is your next big blockbuster! Highly recommended for ages 18 and older.” —Alma Ramos-McDermott, You Decide: Should I Read It Or Not Blog “[T]his was a page-turner. I couldn’t wait to start the next chapter to find out if I would be following the teens with hearts of gold who just want a good start at life, or the bad guys, or the family who inadvertently did the wrong things because they believed.... Nobody’s Pilgrims would make for one on-the-seat-of-your-pants movie!” —Skye Anderson, Patch.com for Columbia, Maryland “The first time I finished Sergio Troncoso’s Nobody’s Pilgrims, I realized that I was absentmindedly petting the cover. His characters had somehow taken up residence in my heart. It was love at first sight. A second reading, and a rereading of some of his earlier fiction, only confirmed the power of this odyssey of Turi, Arnulfo and Molly.” —Bob Dunton, El Paso Matters SERGIO TRONCOSO is the author of The Last Tortilla and Other Stories, A Peculiar Kind of Immigrant’s Son, Crossing Borders: Personal Essays, the novels Nobody’s Pilgrims, The Nature of Truth and From This Wicked Patch of Dust; and as editor, Nepantla Familias: An Nobody’s Pilgrims, by Sergio Troncoso Anthology of Mexican American Literature of Families in between Worlds and Our Lost Border: Essays on Life Amid the Narco-Violence. He has taught fiction and nonfiction at the Yale Writers’ Workshop for many years. A Fulbright scholar, Troncoso was inducted into the Hispanic Scholarship Fund’s Alumni Hall of Fame and the Texas Institute of Letters. He was born in El Paso, Texas, and attended Harvard College and Yale University, where he earned graduate degrees in international relations and philosophy. Contact: SergioTroncoso(AT)gmail(DOT)com www.SergioTroncoso.com 4