Customer Reviews

The Missing: A Novel

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4 star:		(1)
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Formerly titled THE LAST RIDE, author Thomas Eidson mixes the concepts of Grace, Justice, Hope, Pennance and Family with the age old Western genre elements of Wilderness, Violence, Horses, Savagery and Strength and creates a great contemporary Western.

The characters of Samuel Jones and his daughter Maggie and grandaughters Lily and Dot are destined to become classic figures in the Western pantheon. They are flawed to be sure, but endowed with healthy portions of intelligence, resolve and spiritual endownment. Eidson brilliantly creates strong women characters, deftly able to bridge the femine nurturing instinct with the warrior spirit- perhaps his greatest achievement with this book. He also uses his narrative to explore, challenge the concept of, and define the notion of "Family"- both extended and nuclear.

THE LAST RIDE (now called THE MISSING), ventures into the bloody, eerie and mythical territory of Carmac McCarthy and Larry McMurtry. It is not a book for the faint of heart or weak of heart.

On a personal note, I really value Eidson's willingness to confront the issues of Christian values as well as Native American spiritualism and finding the common ground between them. It is rare to find literary characters so invovled with an active Faith.

A most worthy read.

Previously titled The Last Ride, this is the basis for the new Ron Howard film. The novel of family, a search for faith and courage, is a page turner that will stay with you. Grab it.

Originally published as The Last Ride, this was made into a movie with this new title. A "western", yet not an "old western". This novel examines a father-daughter relationship with the setting in the uncivilized West. It carefully examines the overall role of women in the West; carefully because of the subtlety of how it accomplishes this. Maggie is a heroine for all time. The novel also builds an understanding of the native Indian cultural ways for the reader. Enjoy!

Grabs you right from the start, with a style that initially seems lean and stark, but which paints vivid pictures in your mind, quickens your pulse, and leaves an indelible impression. The movie does not do the book justice. This is a stunning novel. It combines all the best, and most credible, aspects of contemporary Westerns. The characters are unique, real, and affecting. What an amazing book.

The book, "The Missing," by Thomas Eidson is suspenseful, exciting and unpredictable. The movie is excellent; however, the book is better. Neither are profane and both take you back to the western life and the daily trials they had to endure. I have ordered two more books by Eidson, I enjoy his writing.

The book is in excellent shape upon receipt. It is almost like new. The print is large and easy to read. The story has many added details, with new characters to add to the excitement. The author also writes an introduction and review of the movie, praising Cate Blanchett for her excellent acting as Maggie. This is a must read and is hard to put down!

This is an excellant book for anyone who likes westerns or Native Americans. The character of Samuel Jones is unique. He was my favorite character in the book. I believe that Thomas Eidson did a great job presenting all of his characters and their backgrounds. Being a writer myself I know that the presentation of characters means a lot to the reader. As for this book being a movie, which I bought the movie also but have not had time to watch it, all movies that come from books differ from the book itself.