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Valley of Fire [Paperback]

Steven Manners (Author)
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

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Book Description

February 22, 2010

John Munin is a rational man, a gifted Montreal psychiatrist who believes that the soul and psyche are interesting only in dissection. Even relationships are ripe for analysis, and Munin has identified "six elements that are necessary for love." His wife, Cynthia, an aspiring artist who paints only self-portraits, remains unconvinced taht love can be so quantified. More susceptible to Munin's seraching analysis, though, is Penelope, who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder and is Munin's star patient.

Munin plans to present Penelope's case at a major medical conference in Nevada. But something has happened to the probing psychiatrist recently, and in the aftermath his orderly world crumbles in the crucible of the desert.

Set against the bizarre backdrop of Las Vegas where fate can change unalterably with the turn of a card, Munin is forced to question all of the truths he has held dear. Do events happen due to careful planning or is life just a game of chance? If God played diece with the universe, would he win?


Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

John Munin is a gifted psychiatrist who believes that the psyche is interesting only in dissection. Penelope, who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder, is Munin's star patient. Munin plans to present Penelope's case at a major medical conference in Nevada, until tragedy strikes.

About the Author

Steven Manners's previous novel was Ondine's Curse, published in 2000. He is also the author of Wound Ballistics, a short story collection that was shortlisted for the Quebec Writers' Federation's Hugh MacLennan Prize for Best Fiction in 2003. Recently, he published Super Pills, a cultural history of prescription drugs and a must-read by the Canadian Medical Association Journal. He lives in Montreal.


Product Details

  • Paperback: 200 pages
  • Publisher: Dundurn (February 22, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1554884063
  • ISBN-13: 978-1554884063
  • Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,000,073 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Average Customer Review
5.0 out of 5 stars (1 customer review)
 
 
 
 
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5.0 out of 5 stars Don't judge a book by its cover!, May 18, 2010
By 
Hershey (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Valley of Fire (Paperback)
Don't judge a book by its cover!

Truer words were never spoken than in the context of this book. This is a wonderful and thought provoking read which draws you in immediately as you travel to Las Vegas with Dr. John Munin, on his way to a psychiatry conference. What starts as a somewhat routine trip to do a presentation at the conference morphs into a journey of self examination. Dr. Munin's six elements of love grind a lens through which he views not only his patients, but also his own relationships. Inevitably the reader finds themselves putting on Dr. Munin's glasses and doing some of the same.

Reading this book one is struck by the density of the prose-not a wasted word. It is beautifully crafted and throughout the book one finds oneself stopping to reread and reflect on achingly precise insights about the human condition.

There are no long descriptive passages focused on painting a landscape-no such distraction! This book gets right down to the story leaving the stage design to the mind's eye. Despite the book's seemingly short length, it offers a full slate of interesting characters and compelling plot line. As a book club selection, it offers a huge variety of topics for discussion. It was a treat to read, and to re read, each time unwrapping more layers, and gleaning new perspectives. We can hope that we won't have to wait too long for Steven Manners to write another.
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