Conceived Without Sin [Unbound]

Bud, Jr. MacFarlane (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1997

a book about life and faith, struggles and strenght.

Product Details

• Unbound: 528 pages
• Publisher: Saint Jude Media; 1 edition (1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 096463161X
• ISBN-13: 978-0964631618
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #835,242 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars At last, a novel with real characters, April 10, 2000

By 

John Doman (Collegeville, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Conceived Without Sin (Unbound)

Readers of Bud Macfarlane Jr. fall into two categories: haters and lovers. Both positions are understandable. Haters contend that Macfarlane is a terrible writer. His style is sophmoric and obvious, and occasionally contains typos. His subject matter is fantastic and fanatical; at least to people who aren't fervent Catholics. Lovers reply that the characters that Macfarlane comes up with are among the most real and most personal that they've seen in a long time. I'm personally among the lovers, although as a literature student, I understand the haters' point of view. Conceived Without Sin, MacFarlane's second novel, contains some of the the most rounded, expertly portrayed characters that I've ever seen in a popular novel; they far outshine the cardboard cutouts in Cricton and Grisham. I don't want to give away the ending, but let me just assert a few things; first, that Macfarlane writes with an instinctual, untrained talent that is both accesible and passionate; he tends to drag on at times, but readers who stick it out will be well rewarded by the conclusion, which is both surprising and satisfying. There are approximately seven subplots that occur and link together, and the many characters are rounded out by entertaining and realistic conversation. Macfarlane has an uncanny knack for portraying an interesting character at first glance, and then revealing the inner workings of that character through conversation and interior monologue. The best example of this is Buzz Woodard, who is first portrayed as a devilishly funny orthodox Catholic, and then is revealed as a desperately lonely man haunted by his demons, who nearly falls into despair before returning to his faith. Conceived Without Sin is not without flaws; there are some subplots and some discussions that could use a little editing, and they dimminish some of the power of the main story involving the three friends Buzz, Sam and Donna. But readers who plow through some of the duller parts will be amply rewarded by the ending. Although Bud Macfarlane's first book, Pierced by a Sword, will grip you and excite you, Conceived Without Sin will stay with you longer.

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Bud re-read your own book please, January 14, 2006

By 

Suzy Shepherd "suze" (Vermont, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Conceived Without Sin (Unbound)

I think that perhaps Bud should re-read his own book. His insights on marriage seemed to be so on the money, his characters learn to sacrifice in order to save their marriages. Now Bud himself apparently has walked away from all he taught, while he still makes money off people who believe his previous message. The message of the book is still valid, the author apparently no longer believes it. He now believes, according to quotations from court documents that such an attitude towards marriage is too conservative. Too bad, so sad, maybe Mr. MacFarlane should go back to marketing or better yet go back to his wife.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Catholic classic, July 18, 2004

By 

Sam Adams "Catholic teen" (MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Conceived Without Sin (Unbound)

MacFarlane is no Shakespeare. This is not the best writing on the planet (far from it) but it is pure A+ popcorn literature. MacFarlane creates characters so real that I feel they must be real. The dialogue is so insightful that I have new insights on the religious life, priesthood, marriage, and a host of other things. Every Catholic should read this book.

It isn't as good as "Pierced by a Sword", his first work, for those who read it, only because this is not apocalypic at all. The supernatural elements of the previous book aren't here and I love science fiction, so I recommend that first.