Customer Reviews

Of Men and of Angels (Galway Chronicles, Book 2)

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The second entry into Bodie and Brock Thoene's "The Galway Chronicles" nearly matches the magnificence of the award winning first volume, "Only the River Runs Free." The cast of characters remains relatively unchanged, as the changing political winds of Ireland in the 1840s create new conflicts. The novel is rooted in history: the British "Act of Union" in 1800 stripped Ireland of self-government, and led to opposition to the ruling British on two fronts: the violent rebellion movement by the Ribbonmen, and the peaceful Repeal movement seeking lawful abolition of the Act of Union. The intensity of this struggle is the catalyst for most of the struggles in "Of Men and Angels", and forms the nucleus of the novel, giving it much more of a political flavour than its prequel. Joseph Connor Burke is conscripted by the leader of the Repeal Movement, Daniel O'Connell, and finds that his political allegiances place him at the mercy of the British oppressors, many of whom are willing to go to any lengths to squash Joseph's support for the Repeal movement. With political enemies bent on nothing less than total destruction of Repeal, a terrible outbreak of small pox in the village of Ballynockanor is the last thing needed. But it is hardly the last adversity that Joseph must face. Accidents and arson result in a fast paced plot, and a gripping story-line that is hard to put down. There's even a touch of romance, as the possibility of Joseph hooking up with the widow Kate Donovan becomes a more and more pressing and realistic question.

My only criticisms would be that the evil characters are occasionally rather one-dimensional and flat. Moreover, the authors downplay the fundamental divide between Protestants and Catholics. Although it is true that much of the divide can be attributed to politics rather than religion, yet one must be cautious not to express too much optimism about unity between Catholics and evangelicals. Unless they come to agreement on the fundamentals of the Christian faith such a vision will always remain a dream. Any theologian who digs beneath the surface will have to affirm that Catholics and Protestants today remain sharply divided on key points of doctrine. But those weaknesses aside, the Thoenes deserve high commendation for this excellent work in at least four respects.

Firstly, they have created a successful and suspenseful story-line. Unlike many Christian writers, they are not guilty of creating sub-standard fiction. This is fiction of the highest calibre, with a skilfully portrayed setting, realistic characters, and captivating plot.

Secondly, the novel is not marked by an overly optimistic view of life which characterizes much popular Christian fiction. Many writers plunge their characters through a multitude of dangers, but leave them unscathed and alive at the end. Such novels may be enjoyable, but they can not avoid the criticism that they are escapist. The Thoenes, however, are not afraid to portray life as it really is, even though it is often a harsh reality. They are not afraid to let their protagonists be afflicted by diseases, or even to have them die. Let's face it, that's real life. This realism may be harsh, but by facing up to reality, the Thoenes make it possible to convey important truths about how to endure the harsh realities of real life and impart important lessons for today's readers.

Thirdly, the historical context is not merely incidental, but is thoroughly at the heart of the novel. It is a completely convincing fabric on which the Thoenes paint the events of "Of Men and Angels". It enables readers to gain an awareness and appreciation for the struggles underlying Irish history, struggles that still leave their unmistakable mark on present day Irish politics.

Finally, this series conveys important and enduring truths about living the Christian faith in today's world. The Thoenes make it clear how God helps his people even in the face of horrendous evil. Only in fairy tales do people live happily ever after, but the Galway Chronicles make it clear that even where people don't live happily ever after, God uses pain and adversity as a refining fire to make them stronger in their faith. The authors also make no bones about drawing connections to contemporary politics. Their condemnation of the evil methods employed by the Ribbonmen has an unmistakable relevance for today: using violence for a good cause cannot be justified. The lesson for the struggle in Ireland today, and the condemnation of typical IRA methods does not miss the mark. The contemporary struggle in Ireland has its roots in the history that the Thoenes describe, and their endorsement of a lawful repeal movement as an alternative to revolutionary rebellion is as applicable today as it was then.

It's not hard to see that this novel - like its prequel - is a remarkable success. By the end of the novel, Repeal is not accomplished, and there are many unfinished loose ends that make the reading of volumes 3 and 4 of the series necessary. But if volumes 1 and 2 are anything to go by, reading the rest of this series will be a most rewarding pleasure!

After reading Only the River Runs Free, I had to get my hands on a copy of Of Men and Angels. When I did, I started it right away, and read it straight through. I fell more deeply in love with the characters; I laughed with them, cried with them, rejoiced with them. History, romance, intrigue, tragedy, humor and hope are all skillfully woven together to create a beautiful novel. If you're already a Thoene fan, you won't be disappointed. If you aren't a fan, after reading this book, you certainly will be.

1843 finds the people of Ireland rallying to free themselves from the rule of their neighbor England. The small community of Ballynockanor is getting caught up in everything as well. Joseph Burke, newly restored to his rightful inheritance, agrees to help his friend Daniel O'Connell with the cause. Little do they know that they not only have to face trouble from England, but also traitors within their own ranks. Meanwhile, Kate Donovan has reacted in anger and bitterness to the events of the last few months, trying her best to shut Joseph out of her life. Will he be able to win her back? And just who is this Tinker that has moved to the area? Can he be trusted?

I must admit I was a little disappointed with this book. The relationship between Kate and Joseph took on a soap operatic quality, the first half was very slow, and I saw the last page coming from the prologue, especially since they'd used that exact same plot device before in a previous book. However, as I got past the first half, the pace really started to pick up. The political struggle became very interesting to me, and I couldn't wait to see what would happen next.

While not their best book, it's certainly worth reading. I'm looking forward to picking up the next book and continuing the story.

Bodie and Brock Thoene are a great writing team who protray different places and times in a way that both entertains and makes me want to learn more about the historical period in which the book is set. I did not know much about Irish history but have loved learning from "Only the River Runs Free" and "Of Men & of Angeles." The Galaway Chronicles are a delightful series and I hope more books will follow soon. I can hardly wait start book three later this week. In my view the five "Zion Chronicles" books were the Thoenes' crowning glory. While I can not rate "Of Men and Of Angeles" as highy as these fantastic books, I certainly found this book well worth my time and very enjoyable.

I love anything written by the Theone Clan. However, I find the grade given by the Booklist disturbing, who cares about Bernard Cornwell anyway? I've been reading their stuff since I was....well, little. Which really wasn't that long ago. All I want to know is when the next book is coming out!

This book took longer to become involved in than the first book in The Galway Chronicles, but once involved could not put the book down. A wonderful historical fiction read, especially if you have any interest in the pre famine Ireland.

From the intrigue of British spies, to murder, to spreading of smallpox, to amnesia, you will not be able to put this book down.

You have to love Mad Molly Fahey. What a neat character to portray if this series would ever be made into a film.

The characters remain basically the same as in the first book with a few notable additions. The most interesting being the Tinker.

The ending of this book will quickly compell you to begin reading the next book in the series.

This second book in the series took me a little longer to get into than the first, perhaps because some time had elapsed between reading them and I had to get reacquainted with all the characters in the village of Ballynockanor.
Written as a religious fiction, it doesn't come off as over moralizing, though the delightful village priest isn't above calling a spade a spade when the main characters act out of jealousy or self-pity.
Because it was a time period I am expecially interested in, the book held my interest even though at times the characters were mildly irrating. Not a great fan of O'Connell, I was left with a sense of wonder of what he almost pulled off in 1843 before traitors and spies were his undoing.

This book has to be the best yet of the Thoenes. The character development and the parallels in the plot are rare in the world of Christian fiction today. When I finished reading the book, I wasn't left with simply a good feeling because I had been entertained. No, I was left thinking about the story, contemplating Mad Molly and the tinker (who was he really, anyway??) and the complexities of life. The questions at the end of the book helped me dig even deeper.

The story line of this book is very believable and weaves historical figures in beautifully. I appreciate how the biblical truths are presented but not in a way that would be offfensive to anyone. This was very good reading and I especially liked the questions that followed at the end to give you more to think about. I can't wait for the next release in this series. I have enjoyed this one as much or more than the Z ion Chronicles series as well as the others. Very highly recemmended to those who like historical fiction...

What a read! From theopening sentence I knew I was going to love this book! I've been waiting for months for it to come out since I fell in love with all the characters in Only The River Runs Free! Have there ever been such writers before? They make characters come alive! When smallpox hit the little children of Ballynockanor I found myself praying for Mary Elizabeth. The world of 1840 Ireland has become a part of my world. Now I understand why my family came to America and what's happening in Ireland today! Some things never change...The Thoenes are still the best there ever were. When is the next one coming out?