Island Woman: A Novel [Paperback]

Richard Sessions (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1997

College graduate Abbie Spence, against her will, is put on a California island in 1704 by an Englishman bent on changing the history of the New World. Discovered by Chumash Indians and taken aboard Spanish warships, Abbie becomes entangled in the harsh colonial world on the west coast of the Americas, where enmity between Spain and England is fierce. She is carried by events to Juan Fernndez Island, west of Chile, where the bitter test of wills between her and the old Londoner is almost as intense as the passionate love she finds there. Suspenseful and sensual, Island Woman takes the reader on an amazing journey through history and time.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

When Abbie Spence meets Gordon Bitterroot, she thinks him an eccentric but harmless old Englishman. But she soon learns that he can both travel through time and send others on similar journeys. When he strands Abbie on an island off the coast of California in the year 1704, she also learns that she is the key to his plans to change the history of Spanish colonization in the New World. Unable to return to the present by herself, Abbie faces survival in a hostile world. In this debut novel, Abbie's adjustments to strange, unfriendly cultures are interesting, but they sometimes seem too easy. The ending, in which Abbie loses all memory of her ordeals, seems rather strange, because the rest of the story has been told in the first person. If one can ignore these inconsistencies, however, it is easy to be caught up in an entertaining historical adventure story. For popular fiction collections.?Barbara E. Kemp, SUNY at Albany Libs.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

A novel for historical fiction lovers and nautical buffs...this tale of a young woman literally taken back in time to the early 1700s...is an intellectual as well as entertaining story and would make a terrific movie. -- Alan Caruba, Editor, Bookviews and charter member, National Book Critics Circle, August 1997

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Product Details

• Paperback: 287 pages
• Publisher: Arch Grove Pr (October 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0965940209
• ISBN-13: 978-0965940207
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,957,045 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A well-written adventure that is hard to put down, July 4, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Phoenix, AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Island Woman: A Novel (Paperback)

This is a well-written page turner which combines philosophy, anthropology, history, and adventure in one volume. It reminds the reader of the best work Jean Auel, Robert Heinlein, Diana Gabaldon, and many others. But it is not only adventure. It is a thought-provoking examination of the modern human whose philosophies may not always agree with current reality, but finds that an opportunity to change that reality bears significant responsibilities and burdens. The author exhibits a talent for story-telling and captivating the reader. We will be hearing more from him in the future.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is fantastic!!!, November 1, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Island Woman: A Novel (Paperback)

I found this book to be very engaging and fast paced. I particularly liked the historical context and the weaving of modern day events with the past. A good, thought provoking read.

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!, March 17, 2001

By 

lorrie lucero (salt lake city) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Island Woman: A Novel (Paperback)

Having Chumash blood in my veins from my paternal grandmother, coming across this book was just wonderful. The Chumash are a coastal tribe who lived in the Santa Barbara, Ca. area. This book was fun to read, and the historical content was helpful in answering some of my questions regarding a small part of my heritage. Thank you Richard Sessions! I have to also wonder if Richard Sessions is from Santa Barbara as I am (I currently reside in SLC, Utah). I am looking forward to his next story, and hope he writes and publishes another book very soon.