The Gospel of Gods and Crocodiles

Book excerpt: Missionary Amen Morley arrives on a tropical island to find a community largely untouched by the modern world. A magnet for eccentric characters, the island paradise soon becomes a hotspot of conflicting cultures.The preachers are competing to save souls, while others have come to make a new beginning. There's Herbert Glass, the English doctor who cures clocks, Missy Wing, the Chinese trader, and Sam Maitland, who the locals dub the 'crocodile man'.The islanders are bemused by the behaviour of these strange intruders. But instead of being the ones doing the converting, the foreigners end up most transformed by this extraordinary place.The Gospel of Gods and Crocodiles is overflowing with subversive wit, brilliant observations and larger-than-life characters. This bold novel is suffused with Elizabeth Stead's unique literary style and humour.