3 comments about The Innocent Libertine (Heirs of Acadia #2).

1. In 1814 and though her wealthy American expatriate family has become part of London's high society, eighteen years old Abigail Aldridge feels she must help those less fortune than herself. Abigail sneaks out with her cousin at night to tend to the needs of the residents of the Soho slums when Reverend Derrick Ames finds her wandering the dangerous alleys. While her cousin flees for home, Derrick and his friends escort Abigail to the Soho Square Church. When a raid of the church occurs, Abigail is arrested and taken to Newgate along with others.
   
   Her parents use their contacts, influence and affluence to gain her release. However, the subsequent scandal forces Abigail to return to the United States. Though stunned by the reactions of the Ton to her good intentions, Abigail plans to continue her efforts to help the poor chaperoned by the Countess Lillian Houghton, who seeks solace from her own woes.
   
   INNOCENT LIBERTINE is a vivid early nineteenth century character study that looks deeply into two women (more so Abigail than Lillian) as they adapt to new lives trying to tend to the poor. Abigail and Lillian have learned what paves the road to hell (or at least "colonial" exile), but both courageously move on with hopes of helping the impoverished as they feel all good Christians should do. Fans of inspirational Americana tales will appreciate this fine look at an expanding nation through the eyes of the two brave females and Abe, a brilliant intellectual who helps them find the path even as he and Abigail fall in love.
   
   Harriet Klausner



2. Abigail's story begins in "The Solitary Envoy", when she is still a child. Now grown, she is determined to see and share more adventures than her privaleged family intends to allow. Her rebellion brings disgrace on herself and her family; so, the family has little choice but to send her to her grandmother in America.....which of course leads to more intrigue and unexpected romance.
   
   Davis and Isabella Bunn again weave a fascinating and hard to put down tale that mixes well researched historic realities told with all-too-true human missteps and foibles. Let's hope this is but the beginning of a substantial book series.



3. I liked this book. The characters of Abigail and Lillian seem very "real" to me in this book. My only real quibble with it is that it seems that everyone falls in love so quickly. I will admit that the book is only 318 pages long and that you have to move quickly in a book that short. Lillian's story is so mysterious that when it is finally revealed, many things make sense.
   
   The novel is about the anti-slavery movement in both the US and England, the westward expansion of the United States, a little bit of the political system of the 1800s, but mostly about how forgiveness can change a person's entire outlook on life.

5 comments about The Great Divide (Marcus Glenwood Series #1).

1. I loved this book from the very beginning. Usually I can read this size of a book in a day, but this one took me a full week. Every time I tried to skim I ultimately had to go back over and re read the skimmed parts. I loved it! Characters so real that it was better than watching a movie!



2. This book is magnificiant. It truly displays strong character, awesome courage and some mind blowing courtroom arguments. Marcus Glenwood is a tired man after the unfortunate accident that destroys his life. Before he can think straight, he is hired to represent a missing girl, Gloria Hall.
   
   Here, though Marcus is not in the best of his minds due to presonal tragedy, he still represents the Halls. Every page leads to new problems in Marcue life. Though, Marcus knew that fighting against a Multinational Giant won't be easy, the arguments presented are very good. There are some excellent arguments presented in the book.
   
   The twist in the story continues till the last page. Marcus has almost given up hope when he strikes the final punch. The book is a great read !!!!!



3. I have come to the conclusion that a really good novel is one that unnerves me, provokes me, makes me think.
   
   The Great Divide, is just such a novel. The top line here is: get it and read it because it is entertaining and provoking and I happen to think that everyone needs to be challenged a little if they are really going to be entertained.
   
   So what of the book itself? The pace is indeed more measured in the middle third, but the plot is gripping and the fruits of the authors research can be seen in the richness of the book's environment. And, by the time you are in to the final third it really is a roller coaster down to the finish, with some very satisfying discoveries in the final pages.
   
   It's interesting to note who here has given this a poor review - someone who used to work in China for a US firm who thinks the plot is far fetched, hmmm would I want to risk it if i were the main character in this book? would I want to trust my life and liberty to the Chinese justice system?
   
   Then there is someone who argues about the geography of North Carolina; well I don;t know who is right on geography because I am not from those parts, but lets just call it artistic licence and get on with the story! This is not a book about the layout of one American state, it's bigger than that.
   
   The comparison with Grisham is not unwarranted, and with Davis' work maturing (this book was released on 2000) you can expect to get some real gems.
   
   If you have read this one can I recommend the more recent and equally compelling "The Lazarus Trap".



4. T. Davis Bunn's basic premise is compelling: an American activist is captured while seeking to expose slave labor conditions in Chinese factories that double as prisons for political undesirables. A brave Southern lawyer bucks enormous odds to try to win her freedom and expose the collusion between an American textile giant and the Chinese slavemasters. I listened to this book on tape and several times I found myself sitting in my car after I'd arrived at my destination wanting to hear what would happen next. My main criticism is Bunn's writing. His descriptions of people, places, and emotions caused me to wince on many occasions. He uses words imprecisely and seems to think that combining several ill-chosen words will more effectively convey his point. Also, the good people in his story are all good and the bad people are all bad, with no gray areas. Last, most of the main characters are seriously depressed, and I saw no gradual transformation through the story that would lead me to believe that their struggles led them to a better life.



5. I truly loved this book. If you start it, be sure you have time to read, because you won't want to put it down. The characters were complicated and three-dimensional. The plot was interesting and compelling. Although, the ending is a bit predictable, some of characters motivations were not discovered until the end, and this made it "worth the ride." I believed in Marcus and his journey to find peace. I liked that fact that everything wasn't handed to the reader in a neat little package. Thanks T. Davis Bunn for Christian fiction that is believable and well-written.

5 comments about The Beloved Land (Song of Acadia Series #5).

1. Please read more carefully. John Price's half-sister was the mother of Louise Robichaud. Louise therefore is his niece, making her first cousin to Catherine.

   I've very much enjoyed this series. They have portrayed great faith without being preachy.




2. Ok, not to give anything away, but I've got to have this figured out for me. I've missed something. In the first book The Meeting Place Louise's name is Louise Belleveau, daughter of Jacques Belleveau, with two brothers Eli and Philippi. Now it the last book Nicole delares her mothers name to be Celeste Louise Evangeline Brassard, before marrying Henri Robichaud, and the letter from Charles states that (Celeste) Louise's mother had three children and only one lived to adulthood being Louise herself. Did I miss something? Information on her mother dieing seems to be know before the deportment of the Acadians according to the Charles' investigation, though her mother was on the boat with her which is when the investigator says there is thereafter no further information.

   The other thing I can't figure is where Uncle Guy comes from. He is Guy Robichaud in TBL, appearing to be Henri's brother, but then it seemed in TMP Henri was an only child, though not stated. And in The Sacred Shore it says: "He (Henri) slowed and waited for Louise's brother to hurry over. Henri had always liked Guy."

   Although another reviewer missunderstood that Celeste was actually the name of two different characters, first the name of John's father's first wife but also the part of Louise's name. They missed the fact that she was named after her Grandmother, thus confirming her decent from John's half-sister.

   All this said I found the entire Acadia series gripping, inspirational, challenging and it sparked a desire for a closer walk with God.




3. I probably notice the history content more then I should due to my schooling, but other then that, the book was pretty good. I felt this book was meant to tie up all the loose ends that had come about in the other books from the series. At times this book can come across preachy, but that's just my opinion. I liked this book, but enjoyed the others more.



4. I have loved all the stories in the Song of Acadia and I hope that there are more to come. I completed the reading of this story in only three days. Once started it is almost impossible to put down.
   This story is the continuation of Louise and Catherine's story which started in The Meeting Place and the lives of their daughters Anne and Nicole. At the end of this book the two families find that are bound more closely together in a way they could only imagine.
   However, there may be a mistake in the story line. As another reviewer mentioned, I remember Louise's mother leaving Acadia in The Meeting Place with her family. My memory may be wrong;but, never the less it is still a great story.
   Once again the fervrent love of God and his will among our lives through prayer and His answers is the cornerstone of this story.
   A wonderful story. One you will not want to miss.



5. This was a great series, enjoyed all the story from the first book to the last.

5 comments about Winner Take All (Marcus Glenwood Series #3).

1. Marcus Glenwood is back! But as much as I hate to admit it, this does not hold a candle to The Great Divide. I learned about opera a little bit... YUCK! I was about ready at one point and time to give up until I was about 2/3 of the way done with it and I stuck it out. I enjoyed the ending, but this book could have been so much more promising. Believe it or not, I thought this book was maybe 3 3/4 stars, but not four. In my opinion, Bunn fell short because I really didn't see much of a witness all in all for Jesus. When Bunn puts Jesus in light of everything, then he scores a 5, but this time, AH, not quite. I still enjoy Bunn's work. I'm looking forward to the chance to read The Warning or The Ultimatum.



2. Winner Take all is an awesome example of courage and boldness. The beginning for me was a little slow to get me interested but about half to three quarters of the way through it got more intense and exciting. Since Bunn is a christain author I do think that he could of added a bit more of Jesus, But to an extent he did show how much evil is in the world and how good always prevails. Even in the hard times. I would read another of Bunns novels.Definately



3. I have enjoyed every one of T. Davis Bunn's books. I've bought his books from the beginning. I continue to enjoy his books, and this one is great as usual. Without getting into details, Winner Take All continues to give me a very interesting, fast paced story with great characters.



4. I was so happy to have a continuation of "The Great Divide" that I dove right into this book. While I did enjoy it, I was left with a sense of incompleteness. It did answer so many questions about Kirsten and her relationship with Marcus; but, it did not give the reader a sense of closure. It ended too abruptly and I was shocked to find that there was not another chapter or an epilogue to give a glimpse into the future. Yes, the reader supposes that Kirsten and Marcus have their long awaited talk about her past and the wedding then takes place. However, it would have been nice to at least have a page that simply skipped ahead to perhaps the day of their wedding and made mention of the attendants and a sentence as to how their lives had changed in the meantime. At least a page saying that the wedding was in fact taking place, such as the mention of the funeral in the epilogue of "The Great Divide".
   Perhaps the author was just setting us up for a third in what would be a series about Marcus Glenwood. I certainly hope so. It would also be nice to have a third book where Glenwood has a better outlook and doesn't seem so defeated all the time. Now that he and Kirsten are together maybe he can stop being such a victim and stop obsessing about her so much.



5. This review pertains to the abridged Audiobook version of this novel. I listened to it recently and found it rushed, the plot hard to follow, and missing depth. I didn't really understand the characters and their relationships, and found myself lacking emotional involvement in the climactic scene involving Marcus and Kirsten. Reading the rest of these reviews, I realized that most of what readers have commented about (the courtroom drama, the relationship between Kirsten and Marcus, the parallel between the pasts of Kirsten and Erin) was taken out in the abridged audio version. And the audiobook really gives no indication of why this would be called Christian Fiction at all. These seem to be essential parts that would have made the book much more enjoyable- so, I recommend that you read the book (which sounds good, now that I read more about it) rather than listening to the abridged audiobook!

No comments about Winner Take All (Marcus Glenwood Series #3).

5 comments about Heartland.

1. I always liked Davis Bunn so what happened here? The truth is I made myself finish this book. Jay Jay is interesting but comes across as a cartoon cut out of the real thing. The antagonist of the story is no better; flat and predictable. There is much to learn in this novel about the film and television industry and I guess that is why kept reading. All the same. This is just not one of Bunn's best.



2. While 'Heartland' has an interesting premise, the execution is horrible. It is nothing more than a religion tract, partially fleshed out with pasteboard characters. The dialogue is almost silly. Everyone constantly refers to how they pray at night and always talk in complete sentences. No one ever uses any kind of bad language. And everyone in Hollywood seems to be an ardent Christian!
   
   On top of these sillinesses, there are amazing numbers of technical or contextual errors - calling a camera lens a 'nozzle'; talking about jerry rigging a digital lense onto a film camera (lenses are lenses and if they fit, they fit - no amount of meddling with a 35mm lens will make it fit an incompatible wrong body); Having 'paparrazi' use a 35 mm motion picture camera - those things weigh 500 pounds and everyone uses hi-def digital; having the Vietnamese grandmother figure calling rice soup 'rice gruel."; Having the VIetnamese old ladies play mah jong which is a typically Chinese game(The Vietnamese have their own games); calling Asians, Orientals (where has the author been for the last 50 years?)
   
   I quit after page 50.



3. "Heartland" is a long-running television western whose lead character is a hero whom audiences love to cheer for. Often, in these kinds of programs, the public confuses the actor with the role he plays --- and that's exactly what happens with the character of JayJay Parsons. Through the years, viewership has been shrinking for "Heartland" because actor Neil Townsend is gaining weight, boozing and exhibiting erratic behavior; he no longer looks like the manly winner-take-all hero.
   
   The Centurion Studio hires a replacement actor, whose real name happens to be JayJay Parsons. JayJay can't explain where he came from; he just got off the bus and landed at the Studio. In an uncanny way he looks, walks and talks like the television character yet has never appeared on camera. The lead scriptwriter, Peter Caffrey, adds a romantic interest to the show, with Kelly Channing, a relatively inexperienced actor, assuming the role. Director Britt Turner has always worked in television and wants to direct feature films, but he never has had the chance. To every observer, "Heartland" is positioned for cancellation.
   
   Early in the novel, JayJay befriends some Vietnamese Christians who invite him to live with them. Their Asian grandmother loves "Heartland" and has hated the decline of the show. Film student Ahn Nguyen ends up becoming JayJay's agent and negotiates his contract.
   
   For almost 10 years, Davis Bunn has been on the inside of the motion picture and television industries. He uses this background to craft a well-told story with multiple threads. The dialogue is crisp, characterizations sharp, and plot vivid. One of the subplots revolves around Martin Allerby, Centurion's Studio Chief and Greenlight Man, and his director of sales, Milo Keplar, who are attempting to orchestrate a takeover of the studio. Allerby has no interest in "Heartland"; he is merely following orders from the majority owner of Centurion stock, Carter Dawes. The mysterious and elderly Dawes lives on a ranch, never comes to the studio and sends his attorney to board meetings to carry out his instructions.
   
   Allerby directs the "Heartland" crew to create the studio's first feature film. However, they face a number of key challenges, as there's no script and they're merely writing as they go along, while the actors and those working behind the scenes are inexperienced. Almost everyone, including the "Heartland" cast, thinks they may get cancelled at any point in the process and not complete the project.
   
   Then something new begins to stir, which Allerby has never seen before on a studio lot. The lead actor, JayJay Parsons, begins a prayer meeting and invites anyone in the cast and crew who would like to attend. These spiritual elements are woven into the fiber of this well-told story. Will the Christians be able to rise to these seemingly impossible challenges and succeed where others have failed?
   
   Audiences love "Heartland" because the stories are predictable and good wins over evil. It's the behind-the-scenes drama that drives this novel and the uncertainty that the inexperienced cast and crew will succeed. I highly recommend this contemporary novel because of Bunn's engaging style and the fact that the unexpected twists and turns keep coming.
   
   --- Reviewed by W. Terry Whalin



4. I found "Heartland" to be enjoyable and with a little more meat it could have been one of the best books I've ever read. Unlike L. Lorton's review I actually read the entire book, understood why JayJay spoke in cliches, and realized that Hollywood's movie business is far from a Christian industry, as the book clearly shows.
   The secondary characters were interesting and well written. JayJay however seemed to be a bit more troubled then I believe he should have been. I realize Bunn was trying to make him human but let's face it, he wasn't. Except for JayJay's internal turmoil's the fantasy aspect of the story could have continued throughout the book but it wasn't and if it had the possibilities could have been endless. There should have been a few surprises written in at the end but that didn't happen either. In fact some of the story didn't have an ending i.e., what happened to the problem the town was experiencing? What we get is a fairly straight story (even though JayJay is a fictional character), good versus evil, Godly standards beating worldly ones.
   Not preachy to those in Christ but to your average close-minded unbeliever they may find the obvious Christian references and lifestyles a bit to loving and kind. If you want a "mainstream" book you may want to look somewhere else but if you want an enjoyable story and an eye-opening look into Hollywood I recommend this book.
   
   
   1 Star = I've been robbed!
   2 Stars = Why'd I finish it?
   3 Stars = Good
   4 Stars = Excellent
   5 Stars = Life changing



5. At first I thought I had accidently picked up a Western novel. But then Jay Jay is involved in a wreck and wakes up nude in a Hollywood studio. The twist in this story intrigued me. Heartland isn't a classic literary novel, but is it meant to be? I don't think so. Rather it's a fun book with a cool twist that keeps you reading to the end.

5 comments about The Distant Beacon: Song of Acadia, Book 4 (Song of Acadia).

1. This may very well be the best book yet in the series. The story line is very believable and unpredictable. I must say that all the books in the series are great and once started are almost impossible to put down. I am excited that another book in the series is coming out in the fall of 2002.
   As the other reviewer mentioned, I too would like more involvement of the Acadian parents.



2. Book four in Jannette Oke and T. Davis Bunn's "Song of Arcadia" historical fiction saga, The Distant Beacon is set amid the war for American Independence, as two women find themselves swept into different lives - one in Great Britian, the other setting sail for the American colonies. Filled with passionate romance, betrayal, and a revolution that will change the world, The Distant Beacon is a compelling novel that sweeps the reader away with its heartfelt emotion. Also highly recommended are the early volumes of the "Song Of Arcadia" series: The Meeting Place; The Sacred Shore; and The Birthright.



3. So far, I have enjoyed this series very much. However, I thought that book 3 was the best so far. This book is the story of Nicole, more than anyone else, trying to find her place in the world. It is filled with faith, daring, adventure and love. She comes to realize that she must hold firm to her convictions of right and wrong in order to live a happy and successful life. Gordon comes to realize what it is Nicole requires in order to admit her love for him.

   Throughout it all, the relationship between family members is strengthened and enriched by the love they share for one another. I am looking forward to book 5 this fall.




4. I realized what a glorious text this was after I read thru it for the second time. The first time thru I got the impression that the storyline was somewhat scattered. But I was wrong. Thank you, Mrs. Oke and Mr. Bunn, for keeping the language and mannerisms true to the era and cultures portrayed in the books. Nothing is more disappointing and annoying than for the characters in the book to suddenly take on 20th century attitudes and conduct. A precious story...



5. It was a really good book that I got deep into, but I must admit the historical perspective of the book was off in places. That did not take away from this gripping story. This was my first book I've read in this series, so it took me a while to understand the ins and outs of ths story. For people who may be reading this, I would recommend you read the other books in the series first so you don't encounter the same problem I did.