The Spirit Man [Hardcover]

Sean K. Murphy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 21, 2008

Is it possible to un-do the past? Is there still time to right the wrongs from years ago?

Johnny Sullivan seems to have it all. Still in his 30s, he's cashed in his high-powered career and hit the road for a new life in California. But deep inside, Johnny carries with him the tragic death of his high school sweetheart years before. In an Arizona diner, a chance encounter with a mysterious Native American sends Johnny on a journey back in time to rewrite history. Will his second chance forever change the destiny of those he loves? Find the startling answers in The Spirit Man, a timeless story of love and redemption, a journey of the heart.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...masterful...captivating and at times cinematic. Universally appealing tract breathes with a life of its own." -- Kirkus Discoveries, a review services from Kirkus Reviews

The "what if" scenario is one of the most satisyfing premises for a novel because it strikes a universal nerve. -- Brooklyn Parent Magazine

The Spirit Man is a fascinating and quick read. It keeps the reader enthralled from one page to the next. -- Love Romances, June 2003

Product Details

• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: Xlibris Corporation (October 21, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401058027
• ISBN-13: 978-1401058029
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,832,402 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 Sensitive, Well Constructed Novella, March 28, 2009

By 

Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Spirit Man (Hardcover)

Time travel is not a new topic for novels, poetry or film or even the visual arts. The concept of second chances if only one or two aspects of events of history were altered is the stuff of dreams: every reader will relate to the 'what if' setting of Sean K. Murphy's fine first work, the novella THE SPIRIT MAN. But what Murphy does with this technique of providing a character with a return to the past to mend problems that resulted in an altered life of anxious regret is the talisman of a fine story teller: he propels his tale with enough twists and turns, discoveries, and realizations that the reader is compelled to run with him to the surprising end.

The plot is one of an encounter in a stopover in Arizona where one Johnny, living a life driven by attention to business rather than emotion, pauses to mend his car and encounters a Native American 'spirit man' Huber who provides him with the means of returning to an emotional explosion twenty years ago when Johnny's behavior and choices resulted in the accidental death of his high school girlfriend and the end of his 'dream life'. How Murphy manages to make this time warp trip seem so natural and so filled with realignment of the negative aspects of the past with the 'informed' changes Johnny is allowed to make given his twenty years of living life in a fashion that has been unsatisfying is what allows THE SPIRIT MAN to succeed. For example, returning to a high school history class Johnny has the courage to say 'Sure, there are a lot of things wrong and a lot of things that I wish could be different. The luck in this world isn't equal; it should be. Yet still we keep learning and growing and finding ways to make life better, almost everyone's life. You talk about history. It's knowing history that leaves us better equipped to deal with the problems that progress brings'.

Sean K. Murphy has learned the value of brevity, of character shaping, and of leaving all angles of a story resolved - even as he quietly invites the reader to identify with some solid concepts. It would appear there is a fine new artist on the literary scene, and one from whom a longer novel would be most welcome. Grady Harp, March 09

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Spirit Man" Touches Your Soul, August 4, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Spirit Man (Hardcover)

Each of us carries a little piece of Johnny Sullivan inside of us. Who hasn't wondered "what if I had to do it all over again". Johnny has all the appearances of a successful life but his success cannot fill the void in his heart. This book is a wonderful reminder of the power of the 'small' choices that we make every day.

The characters are so real and familiar - beautifully developed by the author. The story touched my soul and took me back to a time when young love was all that mattered and dreams were pure and filled with possibilities. "Spirit Man" reminds us that the possibilities are still there if we just take the time to look for them.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to re-open their heart to their dreams!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Let the Spirit Man speak to you, January 26, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Spirit Man (Hardcover)

Sean Murphy captures the pure and powerful promise of teenage love in the '70's. If you want to remember the fragrance of 'Love's Baby Soft', the beat of Earth,Wind,& Fire, and the too long-ago feeling that you could and would right all wrongs in the world, then let "The Spirit Man" speak to you.