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Title: Beside a Burning Sea
ISBN: 0451224922
Author:
John Shors
Publicate Date: 2008-09-02
Publish: 2008-09-02
List Price: $14.00
Average Customer Rating: 4.0
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $6.50
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $4.79
Amazon Merchant Price: $11.20
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| Customer Review: |
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1: interesting story, poorly written
I normally do not finish a book with such stilted and unnatural dialogue and narration of character's interior thinking. I found myself consistently irritated by the writing and the distracting and unnecessary detail that did not contribute to the story, but rather inhibited its pace. Yet, in this case, I did finish the book because the story was interesting, I cared about the characters, and I wanted to see what happened.
The bottom line is that I felt that I was reading a self published novel by someone who had a good idea, but lacked the craft to bring it alive in a compelling way.
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2: A favorite of mine...
So it's official I've started a new relationship and it's one I see as having a very long life. This is the second book by Mr. Shors I've read and I most certainly intend to read his 3rd and 4th books which I know are in works. I'm a fan and have been since I read Beneath a Marble Sky this past spring.
Mr. Shors writes love stories. Not your average, everyday romantic, giddy love story but the gut wrenching, soul searching kind. The kind of love you'd lay your life on the line for. The kind some of us spend our lives searching for. If we're lucky enough to find this kind of love we treasure and value it because it's worth everything to us and we don't want to waste the gift we've been given.
The basic story line is a medical ship is attacked and sinks during WWII. The survivors find themselves on an island in the South Pacific that is strategically located for both the US and Japan. They spend their days and nights trying to survive until rescued. The survivors include the ship's captain and his wife, a nurse. Her sister also a nurse. Another nurse, a young stowaway, a Japanese prisoner of war, and 3 crew members. All is not peace and harmony among these people and danger lurks within their numbers.
While battling the elements and each other several different love stories unfold. The captain and his wife who try to piece back together their lives and love, attempting to reconnect after the rigors and stress of war have torn them apart. One of nurse's struggles with her feelings for 2 vastly different men. She's engaged to man who has it all but cares little for her. On the island she finds herself quietly falling in love with man few would approve of and has nothing to offer except himself, his poetry and his deep, abiding love for her. The crew member who seeks only to survive so that he can get back home to his family who he misses beyond words. Another crew member who befriends the young stowaway and finds that he cares deeply for this child, as a parent would, and will go to any lengths to reunite him with his family.
Lest you suspect that this is all love story our intrepid survivors must battle the island, the elements, themselves and the enemy. Beating the odds is paramount beyond all else. Coming out on the other side is essential.
So ... I loved it, I recommend it.
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3: overrated
I was quite dissapointed in the way the book was written. This is the first, and most likely the last, book I've read from this author. The storyline sounded interesting, but as the story progressed, I found it to be somewhat "corney" at times. I made it through the first 300 pages and then skimmed the last 100 just so I wouldn't waste the $$ I spent on it.
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4: A Page-Turner
It's always good to find a novel that is both a page-turner and beautifully written. This is certainly the case with Beside a Burning Sea. This novel hooked me from the first page and didn't let me go until the last. In a nutshell this is the story of a small band of people who survive the sinking of a hospital ship during WWII. Finding themselves on an island in the South Pacific, friends and foes must rely on each other in order to stay alive. At the core, Beside a Burning Sea is a love story between an American nurse and her Japanese patient. Each chapter begins with a haiku written from the patient's perspective. Lyrical writing brings such characters and the island to life. The tension, meanwhile, mounts as a traitor threatens the safety of every survivor. Though the entire book moves at a good pace, the last fifty pages or so fly by. I'd recommend this novel to anyone who is interested in a classic love story set in an exotic location.
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5: Another Hit
After reading Mr. Shors' first book, Beneath a Marble sky, I couldn't wait for his second book to come out. Now I can't wait for the third!!! This is a great story. From the first chapter, where the survivors are swimming to safety, I found myself living with these characters, sharing their fears, sorrows, pains and hopes. I have no doubt that Shors will leave an indelible mark on American literature.
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