The Burning Road [Paperback]

Ann Benson (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Delacorte (1999)
• ASIN: B001E399FE
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Burning Road: a Burning Read!, July 17, 2000

By 

Rebecca Pechefsky (Brooklyn, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Burning Road (Mass Market Paperback)

While I enjoyed the Plague Tales immensely, I found both the writing and general narrative flow to be a bit smoother in the Burning Road, and the transitions between the two time periods seemed easier to handle. Ms. Benson gives us a convincing portrayal of a time just a few years into the future, similar enough to our own time to be convincing but also new and frightening. There were a few places when I found myself thinking skeptically, "there's no way we'll have that kind of technology in seven years," but I was willing to suspend my disbelief for the sake of a fascinating story. My one big disappointment in the 14th century story was that with the introduction of Kate as a more important character, we necessarily saw less of Alejandro who, as in the Plague Tales, seems much the most compelling character in the novel. I can certainly understand Janie Crowe's obsession with him. One little caveat: there is a reference to the introduction of printed books almost 100 years before printing actually got started and Ms. Benson has Alejandro using the word incunabula about three hundred years before the first recorded usage. This may seem like a small thing, but it does make you wonder what other historical inaccuracies might have crept in. Still, overall it was a compelling read.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing Sequel, February 28, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Burning Road (Hardcover)

Having read The Plague Tales several times, considering it one of the most intriguing books I've read, I couldn't wait for the sequel. I was very disappointed in the results. While the storyline was still intriguing, the plot was confusing. There were details regarding some of the characters that I didn't understand. I found myself rereading passages to see what those were and still couldn't find reference to them. If there is a third book, it would be much more interesting to use just Alejandro's storyline. I think the "future" storyline has just about fizzled out, which was evident about halfway through the book. My recommendation if you must read this book is go to the library and borrow it. Don't waste your money.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Sequel!! When Do We Get Another Installment?!?, February 2, 2002

By 

North Carolina Reader (Burlington, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Burning Road (Mass Market Paperback)

What a sequel! I stumbled onto "The Plague Tales" by accident and was immediately hooked by all of the characters, especially Alejandro, who is one of the most genuinely human characters I've encountered in a fictional novel. Throughout "The Plague Tales" he struggles with the conflict between his passion for learning, devotion to medicine and his moral values. I also enjoyed the "future" characters, Dr. Janie Crowe and her assistant/friend Caroline. The only complaint I had was wanting to know more about the future characters, and I got my wish in "Burning Road." In this sequel, we learn about the cause of "The Outbreaks" in the future and follow Janie as she trys to track the cause of a mysterious illness affecting a certain group of young boys, while dealing with her true feelings for her lover Bruce and her attorney/friend Tom. Alejandro is back, with yet more dilemas to work through, and the character Kate, his "adopted" daughter takes on rich, deep dimensions. In both the past and future storylines, we meet new and exciting characters, revisit old characters in greater detail, and of course, encounter new enemies and dangerous situations. In "Burning Road" the novel seems to spend more equal amounts of time between the past and the future. As with "The Plague Tales", Ms. Benson weaves past and present together in an incredibly artful and satisfying manner. This is simply a great novel, but I definitely suggest that for maximum enjoyment, one should read "The Plague Tales" first. Also, be sure to have a copy of "Burning Road" ready, because you won't want to wait to spend more time with these characters! I'd love to read another installment to this story!