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New Radiance Reviews
July 2003
Not Alone Out Here
by Tom Orrell
Xlibris, 2003
This particular book is a piece of fiction - a
ghost story, in fact. It is the third book that Tom Orrell has written and has
published through Xlibris. It is the story of a man named John who has lost his
wife through a tragic car accident and decides to relocate in order to provide a
fresh start for himself and his two young children. The ghosts, the smells, the
noises, the basement door that keeps opening on its own, all manifest themselves
shortly after the young widower moves into the old white farmhouse in Madison
County. It is a place that he feels powerfully drawn to, and in the end we find
out why. We also find out why all the strange things have been happening, for
after conducting research and meeting with several descendants of the ghosts, he
obtains skilled professional help. Meanwhile, a descendant of one of the ghosts
has been brutally killed and even up until the end, his murder remains unsolved.
It is an interesting story which raises some questions about life, especially
the part that is unseen. The writing, however, lacks the passion and verve that
would make a story of this nature come to life. There is too much repetition and
not enough dialogue, particularly when it comes to the children. We don't get a
sense of who they really are or what they are really like. Writing good
imaginative literature is a very difficult task. The author has good writing
skills, but the work does not quite come off the page and into the reader's
imagination. The artwork selected for the cover, however, is an excellent
choice, and the story itself has merit.
(Reviewed by Brenda Dupas, MLS)
New Radiance
