River of Darkness

The acclaimed author of Labyrinth of Ice charts the legendary sixteenth-century adventurer's death-defying navigation of the Amazon River.

In 1541, Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Pizarro and his lieutenant Francisco Orellana searched for La Canela, South America's rumored Land of Cinnamon, and the fabled El Dorado, "the golden man." Quickly, the enormous expedition of mercenaries, enslaved natives, horses, and hunting dogs were decimated through disease, starvation, and attacks in the jungle. Hopelessly lost in the swampy labyrinth, Pizarro and Orellana made the fateful decision to separate. While Pizarro eventually returned home in rags, Orellana and fifty-seven men continued into the unknown reaches of the mighty Amazon jungle and river. Theirs would be the greater glory.


Interweaving historical accounts with newly uncovered details, Levy reconstructs Orellana's journey as the first European to navigate the world's largest river. Every twist and turn of the powerful Amazon holds new wonders and the risk of death.


Levy gives a long-overdue account of the Amazon's people—some offering sustenance and guidance, others hostile, subjecting the invaders to gauntlets of unremitting attacks and signs of terrifying rituals.


Violent and beautiful, noble and tragic, River of Darkness is riveting history and breathtaking adventure that will sweep readers on a voyage unlike any other.

Praise for Buddy Levy and River of Darkness

"In River of Darkness, Buddy Levy recounts Orellana's headlong dash down the Amazon. Like Mr. Levy's last book, Conquistador, about the conquest of Mexico, River of Darkness presents a fast-moving tale of triumph over seemingly insurmountable odds. . . . Though impromptu, the expedition was one of the most amazing adventures of all time." —Wall Street Journal

"An exciting, well-plotted excursion down the Amazon River with the early Spanish conquistador. . . . [A] richly textured account of the rogue, rebel and visionary whose discovery still resonates today." —Kirkus Reviews

"A rollicking adventure . . . Levy successfully conveys the Amazon's power and majesty, while shedding light on the futility of humanity's attempt to tame it." —The A.V. Club