I was reading this book alongside O'Brien's _A Landscape with Dragons_. Doing so might have been a mistake, as the "secret formula" of his storywriting stood out too obviously and awkwardly to me in _Strangers and Sojourners_, making it quite tedious. Or maybe it was just the plain old fact that it was slow! I wonder what happened to the literary device of "showing" rather than "telling" that the author used so masterfully in _Elijah_?

Well, maybe with these three "Delaney" (Children of the Last Days) epics out of his system, O'Brien can get back to writing enjoyable novels.

(By the way, although it is not a novel, his _Landscape with Dragons_ is superbly insightful, and subtly transmits the same genuine, deep mystical spirituality of its author, as did _Elijah_. I recommend THAT one to any parent, teacher or pastor.)

It's fun to wonder what genre O'Brien will decide to use in his next novel. Perhaps an historical novel, with an actual Saint or two as its main characters? I, for one, would love to see more of the Elijah type character. Whatever he decides, I surely hope that he keeps that same sense of mystery and Providential foreshadowing that makes Elijah such an enjoyable, (and spiritually inspiring) read and re-read.

As with his previous novel, Father Elijah, O'Brien's Strangers and Sojournors is an instant classic. It is much different from his best-selling debut, however, for it deals with a woman who comes from England in the early part of the 20th century to live in the wilds of northern British Columbia. It is her story, the story of a human being dealing with the mystery of human existence. Hence it is our story, too, for, as the title belies, we are all strangers and sojournors on this earth. With this book, O'Brien shows his artistic side; one can almost hear the music and poetry behind the prose, which will reach deep into the heart of the reader. Noted writer Peter Kreeft has said that "No novel since Dostoyevsky has nourished my soul like Strangers and Sojournors." I agree. O'Brien is a spiritual storyteller of the most extraordinary calibre and this book is his best so far.

In Father Elijah, O'Brien showed us the sword. In Strangers and Sojourners, he shows us the heart. Anne Kingsley Ashton is a character that I will never forget-- in so many ways her struggles are my struggles. She is often overhwhelmed by life, both the daily struggles for existence and the spiritual questions of meaning and purpose. The battle she fights against the temptation of despair defines courage. What tools, if any, can Anne find to fight these feelings? And what is at the root of her discontent? I, too, have wondered these things about myself. O'Brien has given life to the process of healing the emotional and spiritual wounds we accumulate throughout a lifetime. And most of all, shown us the importance of courage. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Wild Decembers is the story of three people and the Irish mountainside they reluctantly have to share. This is a classic tragedy, full of deep love, and heartbreaking drama. Love of people, love of the land, and love of family...and how far the limits will be pushed to possess these are the elements that weave this tale. A brother Joseph, and sister, Breege, live quietly until a man from Australia, Bugler, arrives to lay claim to his deceased Uncle's land. The men argue and go to battle over land boundaries, as Breege slowly falls in love with Bugler, leading to an obvious clash of loyalties for all. The descriptions of the land read like poetry. The people are complete and full of heart and soul. You know what they are going to do and you understand why, even if you wouldn't agree with their actions.The artistry of O'Brien is that you are able to maintain hope that somehow the outcome will be different. Among O'Brien memorable cast of players are the wild sisters Rita and Reena who are nothing that you would expect! The story is beautifully sad, and classically told.

I heard a fascinating interview with the author on NPR and immediately went online to buy this novel. What a wonderful read! This is a passionate tale about love and duty, honor and sex, fidelity and family. Every single character (& there are dozens) is drawn fully and deeply, even those characters who appear only for a few pages. The story is a simple one with its routes in "Romeo and Juliet:" two families forever at war even after they've forgotten why they are feuding. It is also a story of a small town in Ireland and every single one of its inhabitants and how they effect the three principal characters: Joseph, a farmer, and his sister Breege who falls in love with Mick Bugler, a stranger from Australia, and how their love for one another changes everyone's life. You cannot help but know that the story will end tragically, but because you care for each of the principal chararacters so much and because Edna O'Brien refuses to label some good and others bad, you keep hoping for the inevitable to be put off. O'Brien is obviously influenced by James Joyce: her language is at all times ripe and imaginative and wonderfully descriptive. Her prose also reminds me of William Faulkner and the way he had of burrowing deep into the minds and souls of his complex people. This is certainly one of the finest contemporary novels I have read in many years.

Joseph Brennan and his sister Breege have always lived in Cloontha, Ireland just like generations of Brennans before them. Joseph remains a bachelor because no woman can compete with his love for the land. Their close relationship changes when the Brennan siblings meet Australian Mick Bugler, who has recently inherited a nearby farm from a deceased relative.

Joseph and Mick initially get along quite well until the ancestral dispute between their families over land drives a wedge between them. However, Breege is attracted to the handsome newcomer who admits he has a fiancee waiting for him Down Under. As she falls in love with the Australian, she tries to reconcile the differences between Mick and her beloved brother, who will do anything to keep his innocent sister from being hurt by the "Despoiler."

WILD DECEMEBR is an excellent character-driven piece that will thrill fans of relationship dramas. The splendid story line is entertaining, as Ireland becomes vividly alive through the writer's pen. The three prime protagonists are fully developed so the audience understands their motives even as Edna O'Brien keeps her plot consistent to their individualism and their interrelationships. Readers who enjoy an Irish relationship drama will gain immense pleasure from Ms. O'Brien's novel.

Harriet Klausner

Despite the marathon title here's another introspective look at what's happening on the distaff of life from the views of two accomplished authoritive types. As such, man's better half, helpmate, and significant other have made great strides and truly have come a long way to dispel notions of inferiority, either in the workplace or otherwise. Where women are now, and where they go from here are given a platform for a head-to-head, if not spirited debate from two women representing our politifal parties. Unfinished Busines: A Democrat and a Republican Take On The 10 Most Important Issues Women Face reads like a mundane and plodding entity full of anecdotal and personal analogies indicative of the women that wrote the book. Although the book is well-written, it doesn't really lend anything to make it really jump out and grab your attention. Those that are fans and followers of the authors probably will be able to give it creedence lofty of their interpretation of a good read. I rated this book three stars out of five, which makes it a midpoint perceptive analogy which does have some good points.

It has stirring and provocative exchanges in spots where opinionated views tend to give it color, tone, and a certain tenor when each author plaintively give their heartfelt views on the reported issues. Dr. Julienne Malveaux (The Democrat) is a noted Economist whom have discussed many of the points here as a syndicated columnist for several national newspapers. In the other corner is the Honorable Deborah L. Perry (The Republican), a former Bush cabinet advisor, and a current political commentator on MSNBC and Fox News. Unfinished Business succinctly examines the ten issues women care about most (at least to the liking of these two women) from two very different perspectives. After reading the book I came to realize and marvel at how well-informed and motivated these combatants were in espousing their views on topics ranging from the failings of our education system, the inequities that women face in the workplace, reproductive rights, taxes, childcare, et al. I expected more for a unique style that would possibly separate it from other books written in the same idiom. My interpretative view would more than likely agree with readers who may look at it as the 'same old same old' and relegate it average in appeal - or worse. Always in such competitive analysis when looking for clear-cut winners in debatable issues, I couldn't say with any overwhelming conviction that one of these author were better than the other.

Moreover, and to their individual credit, Malveaux and Perry found enough common ground in the passion they felt for those issues and the role that women must play in initiating and effecting meaningful change. Written in classic call and response style, I surmise that this would be the type of book to pique disenting views from those in either direction - liberal or conservative to to incite lively discussion where there's a men vs. women inequitive discourse. Another good point is the resource section ending every chapter for further reflective views. The collaborative effort of both these women was a good idea, but it lacked the oomph to elicit more oohs and aahs!

A fascinating look at the top issues that are at the forefront of the political spectrum. Ms. Perry and Dr. Malveaux have written exceptional analyses of the issues that face women and how to go about getting more involved. I highly recommend this book, extremely thought-provoking and well-versed for both sides of the political platform.

I saw Julianne Malveaux mix it up after the BET Trent Lott interview and I went online to find out about anything she had written. This book is great! She explains why she is liberal, about all the things that have shaped her views, and why the government should play a role to providing a safety net to the disadvantaged. I really admire this woman. She needs her own television show, and to have her work more widely distributed.

In my opinion, Deborah Perry is no match for Dr. Malveaux, but she seems to be an interesting woman who presents her point of view intelligently. Their views mesh well on globalization, and their sharpest differences are clear in the chapters on equal pay and on education. I don't see how any thinking woman can agree with Ms. Perry, but I appreciate her willingness to put her views out there.

Three cheers to Julianne Malveaux -- I think that she has initiated a conversation that stretches and expands all of our thinking about women's issues. Cheers, too, to Deborah Perry for going toe to toe with Dr. Malveaux.

Every woman should read this book and share it with her friends. It helped me clarify my views, and it reminded me how important it is to be involved in political work.

I loved Meg O'Brien's Jesse James series and was disappointed when they ended. I read Gathering Lies - the first O'Brien book I read since that first series and really liked the book. It was very good. But Crashing Down? I agree with one reviewer. The author should have just written her own life story instead trying to fit it into a suspense novel about other people. I found this book very dark and hard to get thru - meaning there just wasn't anything there - nothing compelling you to read. I made it to 2/3 thru and just skimmed the rest. I didn't like the character development of Nicky and I didn't get much in the way of a growing love relationship between Nicky and Callie. Her descriptions of the abuse scenes were chilling, especially since you knew from the forward that they were based on her own experiences, but the rest of the book seemed to be lacking something. I tried to read to the end, but just gave up.

Crashing down was an exempelary book and well written. You could feel the turmoil and pain that Carrie Holt was experiencing and feeling.Child abuse was covered up and ignored in the past.It brought forth an enlighment to that ugly situation.The plot, the story,was exciting as well as suspensful.It kept me turning page after page, not wanting to put the book down (but then, all Meg O'Brien's books have that effect on me).I enjoyed this book well enough to read twice I thank the author for a great novel, you could feel the emotions running high.

I just discovered Meg O'Brien about a week ago and decided to give "Crashing Down" a try. I fullfillingly enjoyed the whole novel. It says on the cover "If you like Mary Higgins Clark, then you'll love Meg O'Brien," that is definitely TRUE! She's just as good. The story revolves around a woman named Carrie, who was sexually abused at age eight by her father, who was a pastor, and by a teacher who worked in her father's church. Carrie is now about thirty and has moved away from her hometown. Her father is long dead at this point and she has tried to forget about the teacher who raped her. Carrie's now an prolific author who writes books about abuse and children. She is invited to speak at a function back in her hometown, she nervously accepts. Carrie is even more startled to discover that the main head speaker is man named Christopher. HE WAS THE SAME MAN WHO MOLESTED HER WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG! He is now the new Mr. Rogers, the host and sponsor of a child's program! Carrie is shocked and is determined to bring down this monster before he can abuse more children. She turns to local cop named Nick, but is afraid to give away too much. Carrie goes to confront Chris at the local church but he isn't there and she meets one of Chris's followers, a little girl named Tess, who looks sore and red on her legs. Carrie then discovers that her sister who was a teenager committed sucicide a few months earlier. Is Christopher still molesting little girls or is there another person who follows in Chris's tradition? This is an amazing and somewhat frightening novel of suspense. If you are a fan of Erica Spindler, Helen R. Myers, or Christiane Heggan, then you'll love this book!

I enjoyed this book for the first 40 pages...at which point it became disappointingly repetitive. I continued to plow through the book, hoping for some less obvious observations and insights, but they never really came. If you have a best friend (especially one you've had for a long time), most of what you read in this book will be obvious to you, and not very new or thought-provoking. That's unfortunate, because I usually enjoy the finely-honed insights of both of these authors. There are two tests of friendship that I wish the authors had addressed in more depth: What do you do when your best friend marries a man you can't stand? And what do you do when your best friend's parenting approach and values turn out to be completely different from yours? In the end, I'm not sure who the real audience is for this book - it's not women who've maintained long-term friendships, and it's not really women who haven't, and if the authors' assessment of men's relationships is correct, it's not really men, either.

I have been blessed by some wonderful friendships. I have muddled through conflicts in others. I have always thought that friendship was a powerful relationship that gained far too little attention. In this book I found women who describe feelings and needs and situations I have been trying to express for years.

We sacrifice friends too easily, not giving ourself permission to care deeply enough. In the chronicling of their own path and those of others Ellen and Pat have given all women a priceless gift. The possibilities of a deep and meaningful friendship unfold, and the pitfalls that can hamper growth are discussed in words that welcome and are easy to read.

If this book is widely enough shared, perhaps our daughters will be able to develop friendships earlier and avoid the destructive nature of middle-school cliques, or falling into the arms of the wrong man to satisfy their need for a friend.

What a delight it was to come across this terrific book! I think the authors were able to capture something many women feel throughout their lives but sometimes have difficulty articulating -- the precious nature of their friendships with other women. I found myself wanting to contact those women with whom I've shared my joys and pains to tell them, first, how important they have been to me throughout my life, and second, to READ THE BOOK. Goodman and O'Brien were able to cover a wide spectrum of sociocultural backgrounds in their interviews with women, focusing on the commonality of the experience of friendship in women's lives. I thought the book was provocative and stimulating; it made me examine my relationships and intensified my appreciation of the women I cherish as my friends. It's a pleasure to know that I've read a book I can recommend with great enthusiasm to women I know -- and to men as well.

_The Nuclear Age_ recounts one person's search for safety and sanity in a world that is anything but safe and sane. To develop this theme, Tim O'Brien uses William Cowling, the narrator of this book , as his instrument. The novel opens in 1995 with William, debatably insane, digging a huge hole in his backyard for use as a shelter (or is it meant to be a grave?) for his wife, daughter, and himself against an impending nuclear war.

Growing up in the 1950's I recall being extremely fearful of a nuclear war with the then-Soviet Union. I remember gazing in terror at a photograph on the cover of the New York Daily News of a huge mushroom cloud, with the newpaper reporting the Soviet Union testing a 100 megaton hydrogen bomb that was capable of destroying civilization 1000 times over. Like William, I would occasionally lay awake in bed wondering if the next day would be my last and also, like William, being afraid to share my fears of doomsday with my parents.

A child, naturally vulnerable and unfamiliar with the world around him needs to know that he is loved and protected from danger by his parents. When he is constantly bombarded by the media with the imminence of death from nuclear annihilation, even his parents are rendered totally impotent by that possibility. Building a shelter from a ping pong table with a roof lined with "lead pencils" may seem like the only answer to this child.

Years later William, who is a pacifist by nature, chooses to dodge the draft during the madness and carnage that was the Vietnam War. Even then he cannot escape death: all those who are closest to him, including his parents, all die. Even Sarah, his college cheerleader queen, turned anti-war revolutionary, is completely baffled by her imminent demise. Maybe if William had really chose to love her she could could have been protected. In the present, William's shadowy, former flight attendant wife, can only make fun of his fears by pinning puzzling, inscrutable poems that she composed to his clothing.

I agree with those who say that the best parts of this book are those dealing with William's childhood experiences, which includes his relationship with his parents. The sessions with his equally troubled therapist, Charles Adamson, who identifies and verbally empathizes with William's problems, are just priceless. I also liked the variation in the author's writing style, from a standard narrative during William's childhood to the near post-modern, sometimes stream of consciousness style of 1995. I did feel, however, that the 1995 parts concerning William's digging of the nuclear shelter a bit over the top. Also, I do not think that even someone like William, who grew up with the fear of nuclear war and who, though suffering great loss all around him would carry his fears of nuclear war with him into the present day. Nuclear terrorism and massive contamination from nuclear power plant material meltdowns seem more believable fears.

This novel takes a look at how you would live your life if you were always cognizant of, and worried by, the threat of extinction in a nuclear war. O'Brien treats this subject very seriously, but the book is written in a comic style.

In _The Nuclear Age_ Tim O'Brien explores coming of age in America during the Vietnam War. He poses the question, "What would it be like to stay in the states, and protest?" Tim O'Brien had to make this difficult decision himself. The main character, William Cowling, decides to skip the war, and protest. This book shows the American public what can happen when you disagree with the American government. The book is well written, although, I have a problem with the means by which William gets his money. William Cowling is so oppsed to the war and what not. But yet he makes millions of dollars by selling a mountain containing uranium to Texaco. Other than that minor flaw, the book is an excellent look into the anti-war movement

Everyone has heard of urban legends, those absolutly true accounts of apocryphal events which are truer with every telling. Usually, they represent an exaggeration, a fabrication or an outright hoax. In Einstein's Refrigerator, author Silverman serves up a host of stories collected from his Useless Information web site that sound much like urban legens, but aren't; each is absolutely true and substantiated. Ever hear the one about the guy who attached helium balloons to a lawn chair, then used a rifle to pop the balloons one by one to descend? Really happened! Or the one about the salvage company that raised a sunken ship by filling it with millions of ping-pong balls, inspired by a Donald Duck comic book? Also happened! The volume suffers though from a lack of cohesion; it is less a book than a collection of anecdotes. As a collection of conversation-starters or bet-settlers the book is at least as good as the compilations of urban legends from Thomas J. Craughwell and others and a pleasant diversion for those odd moments of down time.

This is a pretty lightweight book, consisting of humorous and bizarre stories of weird history, reprinted from Silverman's "Useless Information" website. But Silverman freely admits that he's not trying to be dense or research-oriented, and just wants to provide some fun reading. In this regard, the book works well as an enjoyable and breezy diversion, and offers light reading for a day when you want to beat the blahs and feed your mind a little. Silverman isn't even trying very hard - the different sections of the book have trite titles like "Oops," "Hmmm," and "Unbelievable" (I wonder why he bothered), and in a rather annoying way he ends every single story with the line "Useless? Useful? I'll Leave That For You to Decide." But the stories are quite enjoyable and often very informative in an offbeat way. Favorites include the stories about the invention of Vaseline and kitty litter, the truly bizarre story of a lake disappearing into a collapsed salt mine in Louisiana, and of course Einstein's refrigerator. (In case you're wondering, Einstein really did invent a new type of refrigerator, but it wasn't practical for home use. His technology is now used in nuclear reactors.) The best story in the book is the one on the unappreciated genius Nikola Tesla, which has encouraged me to read more about this man's accomplishments. Plus, you just gotta love the bat bomb.

Note: I recommend Silverman's "Useless Information" website, which contains the type of stories found in this book, and is another enjoyable diversion when you're at a boring job with online access.

All science teacher's should be like Steve! In a search to find the most interesting and obscure facts in history, this book is the champion. Many people find urban legends an irresistible read, and at first glance you would expect as much from Steve Silverman. The most amazing thing about it is these are, in fact, all true! From the secret of America's first subway to the near disaster of the Citicorp Tower, these stories are guaranteed to keep you reading on. Who would of thought that the screen siren Hedy Lamarr was actually a genius inventor that gave us the idea behind the cordless phones we all use today, and also brought about one of the biggest advances in our nations military technology? Or the fascinating The Lake Peigneur Disaster, where one false move by an oil rig made an entire lake disappear! This in one book I highly recommend. If you're looking for serious literary work, go buy Chaucer. If your looking for some good, light hearted humorous reading along the lines of Larry Gonick from "A Cartoon History Of The Universe", this one is for you.

Sixteen-year-old Samantha McKenna has just wrecked her dad's precious new BMW, and she's desperate to escape. Clutching her birthday present, an antique locket, she wishes desperately to escape, and finds herself thrown back in time to England in 1553, to the castle of fifteen-year-old King Edward VI. The sickly Edward thinks Sam is his angel, come to take him to heaven. But with her modern knowledge, Sam brings Edward back from the brink of death. As months go by, Sam begins to adjust to life in the past, although she still longs for a way to return home. Then she meets Barnaby, a handsome nobleman, and falls in love with him. But court life in the sixteenth-century is dangerous, and Sam finds her life, and that of her newfound love, in danger. I really though I'd love this book, since I enjoy stories with romance, time travel, and history, and this book has all three. However, the romance between Samantha and Barnaby developed too quickly to be very believable, and the ending was unrealistically happy. The book was enjoyable, but it just needed something more. I don't think I'd recommend buying it, but it might be worth a read if you can get it at the library.

Thoughts on Timeless Love

Timeless Love is a book about a teenage girl name Samantha who runs into a bad situation and ends up wishing for an easy way out. This interesting story written by Judith O'Brien is a teen fiction that incorporates both the subjects of history and romance in it. The story starts out with Samantha, also known as Sam, accidentally crashing her father's new BMW. Sam ends up making a wish that she was anywhere else but home because she didn't want to face the consequences her father was going to give her. Incidentally, she was holding the strange charm necklace that her mother gave her while she was making the wish. All of a sudden, Sam ends up feeling dizzy and opens her eyes to realize that she is in England, in the bedchamber of Edward VI, the young king of England in 1553. Edward, who is about her age, looked very ill because he was sick and was going to die at the age of sixteen. Sam knows about Edward's early death from her history book and so she tries to save King Edward from it. She helps to restore the king's health to normal. She may have thought she performed a good deed, but actually she ended up making the lives of thousands of people who Edward ruled, worse. It is not until later that she realized that she isn't in a dream and that she might not ever get to go back home. She then starts to appreciate and value the objects, possessions, and people she took for granted in her life. The experience of being trapped in a different time era and place makes you really think and be grateful for what you have. Sam even misses her annoying brother and even said that she would give p anything just to be back home. In the 1500s, they didn't have television, or running water, or even electricity. But the whole situation wasn't all that horrible. Sam ended up meeting a very handsome guy and even ended up having a crush on him, but this infatuation they had with each other leads to problems later on in the novel. Both jealousy and conspiracy plays a role in aiding the problems to occur. There is also a character named Duke of Northumberland who greatly despises Sam because of all the changes she has brought about in the kingdom. Due to the drastic changes she helped to bring about, while she was by Edward's side, the future ended up changing with it. Sam's interference with the past changed the entire future. When Sam finally returned back home, by making a wish on her necklace, she realized that her home wasn't right. The changed she made while she was in England changed the whole course of history that was suppose to happen. Many of the great inventions and even didn't occur. She then finds a way to fix the problem so that the course of history turns out the way it should and for the greater good of the whole world.

Timeless Love is a very enjoyable book to read that anyone would like. This book has many intriguing twists and will keep the readers attention throughout the entire book. The diction and style Judith O'Brien uses is very effective. All of the descriptive words she uses make it possible for the readers to clearly visualize the time period in the 1500s. The reader can actually visualize the clothing and atmosphere back in that time period. This novel is great for teenagers to read on their free time and I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes to enjoy reading books about adventure, fantasy, romance, or a little about history.

I read the book Timeless Love by Judith O'Brien. It is about a girl named Samantha who is magically whisked back in time to England in 1553. While she is there, she is known as Lady Sam. Lady Sam comes to know the procedures of the court. She helps King Edward grow stronger, but he starts becoming a tyrant. In the midst of all this, Sam meets a stunningly handsome stranger who steals her heart away. Timeless Love has great description, a superb plot, and several surprising turns of events.
One example of the description in this book is when Sam first meets Edward. "...Wrapped in what appeared to be a very thick bathrobe with fur on the collar. On his head was an embroidered cap tied under his chin." This description gave me a very clear mental picture of how Samantha saw King Edward. The entire book had as much description as this passage. Furthermore, Judith O'Brien described people's feelings, looks, and behavior. Another example of description is when Edward thinks of himself as a vibrant prince full of robust vigor. He was no longer a pious youth with red-rimmed eyes and otherworldly air.
Not only did this book have great details, but it also had a strong plot. All the events of this book came together and fit. The content of this book was part historical and part romantical. For instance, when Sam's eyes meet Sir Barnaby's eyes, the mysterious young man's expression changed. He bowed to her from across the room, and the smile on his face left. This young man steals her heart at once, and she comes to know him well in a short time. Lady Sam feels that she is in love, and it is more than just a crush. One other potent element of this book is the historical part. King Edward the sixth is in the novel along with Lady Jane Grey, the duke of Northumberland, Barnaby Fitzpatrick, etc. All those people actually existed in the 1500s. Every piece of clothing mentioned in this novel was actually what the woman had to wear in the 1500s. Lastly, the ways of life in this novel are very similar to what life was like then. Bowing and curtsying was a way of life.
The last thing I really liked about this book was the interesting twists. Some very unusual things occurred. Sam's friend Lori tried to give her a perm and highlights. But, everything went wrong. Her hair ended up very frizzy, and it resembled straw. Many other twists and turns played themselves out in this novel. A final example of interesting things that occurred in this novel is when Sam first meets King Edward. He thinks that she is an angel sent to him by his mother. These are both very small details in the story, but I never expected them to occur.
The description, plot, and interesting twists of Timeless Love were dazzling. I would recommend this book to girls who enjoy books with historic elements and lots of adventure. Girls who like small romantic details and science fiction would enjoy this too. This novel gives a twist on history, and was very fun to read. Miss O'Brien did a wonderful job of combining history and fiction to create an awesome book.

This book was really fast paced until it slowed down to almost a complete halt! When I first picked this book up I loved it; it was like riding a lighting bolt; but about page a hundred I started realizing that all the surprises were so old and used they were like a piece of gum on the road that's been hit by every other Mac truck that goes by. By about page two hundred I saw the surprises coming so far ahead it made me feel like I was writing the book. Worse I found that the heroes's characters could be summed up as sexy but normal, plain, bland, boring huminoid robots. I got so mad I skipped to the epilogue read it. That's when I sat up in bed and said, "That's stuuuuuupid." I haven't finished the book and don't plan on doing so. The writer said some certain things in the book would happen, but they didn't. I'm not talking about a twist. I love twists; I'm talking about a narrative lie; and if you ask me, he cheated the reader; he cheated me!! And I'm mad!!

I enjoyed Kevin O'Brien's second novel, "The Next to Die," and found it to be a well-paced and nicely orchestrated thriller.

The basic premise is that a right wing group is knocking off people with "alternative" lifestyles. They end up targeting an actress that portrayed and lesbian and an actor that portrayed an abortion doctor.

The novel takes jabs at the entertainment industry, cheesy private investigators, white supremacists in Idaho and far, far right-wingers on television.

There were a couple gaffs and plot holes that could have been fixed. In one scene, a man is talking to a woman in her kitchen and a gun falls out of his pocket on to the floor, and she doesn't notice. She gets shot, of course. The worst one was a blatant lie of a red herring where a shadow character smiles into a phone for no other apparent reason than to be part of an evil plot. Later, this character is innocent. I felt cheated.

I hope the author will clean up some of these types of slips in his next work. He shows promise as a thrill-writer and I can see his novels being optioned for screenplays.

Perfect example of what a thriller should be. I will say what I can without leaving any hints, because everyone should read this book. This story is very action action packed. It will keep you guessing. This book has a very high number of characters and at the same time the plot thickens and stays solid. All the characters are very strong. If amazon.com would allow the readers to go as high as a 20 star rating, that is exactly what I would have given this book.
A lot of movie celebrities are murdered for the wrong reasons. The story is so fast moving and has a lot of twists and turns. This is the first book I read by Kevin O'Brien. I notice there are other books out by Kevin O'Brien that I have yet to read. It will be good summer reading material for myself as well as for the rest of the readers out there.
I highly recommend this book. I was only getting very few hours of sleep for a few nights because I was so mesmerised.

In this volume, Michael O'Brien has provided both and invaluable service to parents (like myself) who want their children to read, but who are also concerned about much of the reading material currently available. He has analyzed children's literature, concentrating especially in the genre of fantasy and fairy story. He has clearly and cogently demonstrated how neo-paganism has become the dominant worldview of many authors in this genre.

Unlike many Christian authors, O'Brien has not made the mistake of throwing the baby out with the bath water. He does not lump all fantasy literature together in one category and toss it out. He carefully demonstrates the difference between good and bad fantasy literature, or, if you will, authentic and inauthentic fairy stories.

I do have a few points of contention, but they are minor, and detract very little from the overall value of the book.

1)CS Lewis is identified correctly as an Anglican -- a member of the Church of England -- but incorrectly as a member of that church's Evangelical wing. Lewis, in fact, attended a "High Church" parish, and strongly resisted political factions within churches.

2)JRR Tolkien is correctly held up as the model by which modern fantasy and fairy story should be judged. Having said this, very little actual analysis is provided for Tolkien's writings.

3)Similarly, in the book's "blurb", Charles Williams is held up -- but then not analyzed in the text. An analysis of Williams would have made O'Brien's concerns about Lewis' novel "That Hideous Strength" make more sense. (I'd still disagree with O'Brien on this one, but his case would have been stronger and easier to sensibly defend.)

4)O'Brien's analysis of Anne McCaffrey's "Pern" stories needed either to be fully developed, or eliminated entirely. O'Brien is using the image of the dragon as a neo-pagan symbol as one of the cornerstones of his book, and tries to place McCaffrey's "good dragons" within this context. To me, it was unconvincing.

Overall, an excellent book. As a final note to parents, O'Brien has helpfully added a lengthy appendix listing good (and usually available) books for children of all ages, arranged by level of difficulty and author. An extremely helpful resource for homeschooling parents.

O'Brien has issued a wake-up call to conscientious parents in his latest book. We cannot take it for granted anymore that the entertainment aimed at our children is worthy of their attention. In fact, it may be harmful. The classic stories which teach us about good and evil (fairy tales, myths, classical literature) are being replaced or modified. The Dragon, the symbol of evil or chaos, is being tamed, leaving our children's souls in danger. O'Brien cites many examples of this in popular books and movies. I found his take on Disney movies very insightful and a little scary. Disney invariably belittles authority and religion, especially Catholicism. Yet this company is the world leader in feeding our children their steady diet of movies and videos. One only has to watch the Esmeralda dance in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" to question Disney's idea of 'family entertainment.' O'Brien doesn't leave you in the lurch, however, as he helps us discern what is good entertainment for our children. He also provides a comprehensive list of good literature -- and, thankfully, there's a lot of it out there. I hope every parent and educator reads this book. It is too important to be missed.

I found this book to be an eye-opening study on the effect and presence of neo-paganism found in pop culture and children's literature. Especially noteworthy is the section on Disney's animated films, in which O'Brien calmly and rationally analyzes and exposes certain trends in these films. This book will be particularly appreciated by parents, but it is also a fascinating read for students such as myself, and all those interested in culture and media.