Diamonds Are Forgiving

During the era of slavery in Brazil, the libertine son of a plantation owner is coerced by his father into marrying his half-sister. Some years later he dies and discovers that life continues after death. 


“Wow, that’s a tough story to buy – you’re not pulling my leg, are you? Could this all be a dream?” 

“I assure you it’s not,” the doctor declared firmly.


The rake became introspective. He felt his body with his hands, touched the tree’s roots, stomped his feet on the ground to check for firmness but everything felt absolutely normal. “Impossible; damned impossible,” he murmured to himself. His companion smiled indulgently and gave him a brotherly pat on the shoulder. “You’ll get used to it, friend, you’ll see. From what I’ve learned, you, I and everybody else have been through this many times already, but in the beginning we can’t remember the former experiences. You’ll become adjusted, don’t you worry...”


Meanwhile, disowned by the family and raised by slaves, the offspring of the incestuous marriage runs away from home and ventures into the Land of Diamonds. Three months later he comes upon his first stone. It was only a mosquito of a diamond, next to nothing but for him, it held the magic spell of his first finding, his first diamond! 


“A diamond is always a diamond,” the gem trader explained. “But these are almost worthless. Look here, look. See? This one is full of flaws. This one too. Almost all of them. They’re only useful for industrial purposes. These little gems are no big deal. They’re almost worthless.” He selected a pair of stones with his forefinger: “These two here are ‘fine water’, but they’re under a quarter of a carat. Too small. Less than a grain. Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” the trader said. “Prospecting is no joke, my boy. It's tough as hell! If you want to give up...”


In the hereafter, the libertine eventually becomes aware of his own death. After being advanced to a spiritual colony and evolving a little, he aims to discover the reason for his irresponsible acts. 

“Have no fear. This device has the sole purpose of helping you clear your mind. The process of incarnating and disincarnating can be very traumatic, causing our conscious registers to temporarily erase, which is understandable. What this device does is to stimulate the region where this information is stored, making it surface. That’s all. See, there’s nothing to fear. Don’t you wish to learn the reason for your being born? Wouldn’t you like to know why you never really bonded with your son? So, you will get your answers". 


The bubbling sound suddenly ceased and the macabre scene disappeared. A shiver went up and down his spine as he sat there. Nobody had the same appearance yet he was sure the child and the boy he had seen a few hours before in the Land of Diamonds were one and the same person. The raped woman was his half-sister on his father’s side and later his wife in his last incarnation. And the soldier was none other than himself. His body started being wracked with violent sobs.


After experiencing some amusing adventures in the after-world, the hare-brained father decides to lend his son a hand, paving his way for a fulfilled and accomplished life.


This is a rough outline of the plot in “Diamonds Are Forgiving”. An endlessly entertaining novel, fast-paced reading, a real page-turner. Fluent writing, sometimes funny, sometimes romantic, steamy or touching – all the ingredients to make the reader rejoice.



About the Author

Aydano Roriz was born in Brazil in 1949. As a journalist, he has been writing for magazines since 1972. In 2005, he moved to the paradise island of Madeira in the North Atlantic, 1,000 km from Lisbon. This is where he writes his books. He has published seven novels and will launch his eighth in 2013.