The Valley of Light [Audiobook, MP3 Audio, Unabridged] [MP3 CD]

Terry Kay (Author, Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 10, 2004

The novel begins when a stranger comes to town...Noah Locke, a gifted fisherman, has wandered up from Georgia, doing odd jobs and fishing. Noah had been with the Forty-second Infantry when they liberated Dachau and images of what he saw there still haunt his dreams. The friendly residents of Bowerstown, N.C. take an interest in the mysterious young man and encourage him to stay at least until the annual fishing contest. Littleberry Davis, the six-time champion has become too arrogant and the townsfolk would like to see him taken down a peg. Noah agrees to stay and is given a room by a young widow whose soldier husband killed himself shortly after returning home from the war. Over the course of the next week, Noah will be let into the secret lives of the town's residents and join with them as they mourn a tragedy. The novel ends with a miracle that surprises everyone except Noah...and will be the sign he needed to find his way home at last. Beautifully capturing the rhythms and personalities of small town life, Terry Kay's novel is a tender celebration of the special gifts inside each of us. The simplicity of Kay's prose belies the mythic nature of his story. Luminous, memorable, and deeply moving, The Valley of Light is Kay's finest work to date.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

An enigmatic young man's preternatural gift for fishing changes the fabric of a rural North Carolina village during the post-WWII years in Kay's latest, a dreamy, poignant and richly written novel, marred somewhat by slow pacing. Noah Locke, a quiet, earnest veteran from Georgia, arrives in Bowerton, called by some the Valley of Light, and quickly becomes known for his fishing skills; the welcoming locals promptly invite him to participate in their upcoming fishing contest. He settles in, earning his keep as a housepainter, and soon meets Eleanor Cunningham, a comely young widow whose husband died, an apparent suicide, after coming home from the war. Their romance develops hesitantly, largely due to Noah's shyness, and while Kay pens some lovely scenes of rural life, the narrative doesn't move much faster. Before the contest commences, a young boy whom Noah had befriended goes missing and, after several agonizing days, Noah finds the body. He realizes that the boy died trying to catch a legendary fish that Noah himself had been chasing, after hearing about it from a benevolent but mysterious old man. Kay's lush descriptions form a shimmering backdrop to his gracefully drawn protagonists, but the romance is somewhat predictable, and the fishing subplot-the search for a mythic bass-does not fully sustain narrative tension. Kay (To Dance with a White Dog) comes close to generating suspense in the chapters describing the questionable conduct of Eleanor's husband following the war, but it's too bad there isn't a more compelling plot to anchor the graceful writing.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Shortly after World War II, returning veteran Noah Locke begins wandering the South, looking for something. Noah is illiterate and, frankly, not very intelligent. But he's good-natured and knows how to talk to people. He is also a mystically gifted fisherman, capable of catching strings of catfish in ponds others swear have long been dry. When an old man tells him about a town known as the Valley of Light and its annual fishing contest, Noah decides to visit. Once there, Noah quickly becomes part of the small town's life and secrets. He is especially drawn to a young widow whose husband may or may not have killed himself after returning from World War II. The townsfolk are universally kind to Noah--which, unfortunately, leaves the book without much dramatic tension. When tragedy strikes the town, Noah is inspired to head back to his hometown and reconnect with his jailed brother. A supernatural moment at the end of the novel reveals a perhaps divine plot behind Noah's travels. The book is full of biblical allusions, some of which are somewhat hard to unravel. But it is a nice, calm read, perfect for a day spent fishing, and fans of the author's previous best-sellers, Shadow Song (1994) and To Dance with the White Dog (1990), will appreciate it. Marta Segal
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• MP3 CD
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio on MP3-CD; MP3 Una edition (June 10, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593352360
• ISBN-13: 978-1593352363
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,353,924 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this man!, October 8, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Valley of Light: A Novel (Kay, Terry) (Hardcover)

I am as excited about a new Terry Kay book, as when my kids listen to me. I wish he has a new book as often as that happens, I could be assured of at least 2 excellent reads a year. I bought Mr. Kay's book the day it arrived, finished it that day and was not disappointed. Every story he writes makes me want his characters for my new best friends.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Brilliant Story, October 20, 2004

By 

Busy Mom (Ohio) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Valley of Light: A Novel (Kay, Terry) (Hardcover)

I saw this among the selections for my bookclub and decided to read it ahead of time ~~ and this is definitely one of the best books I've read in 2004. It is way more than a fishing story (though I thought it was at first ... ) and it's a story about people, broken dreams and beauty.

Noah came to the Valley of Light, a little area in the Carolinas, in his travels. He had heard from his old friend about the lake there ~~ where there is this big mean bass there and no other fish around. Noah meets the townfolks and several of them are helped by his presence ~~ and for a short week, he becomes one of them.

It's a beautifully written novel ~~ full of light and grace as Noah remembers the war and as the other characters move forth into new lives. This is definitely one of the better reads and one I highly recommend for any time ~~ a trip to the beach, to the cottage, or for sitting by the fireplace. It's a book that is guaranteed to take you down memory lane and perhaps discover new things to think about.

10-20-04

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Book, November 30, 2003

By 

Sara Rockwell (Pleasant Hill, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Valley of Light: A Novel (Kay, Terry) (Hardcover)

Terry Kay is an excellent writer. His description of the area of NC-GA, is very true. His characters are very true. Whe I read VALLEY OF LIGHT, I read 100 pages very quickly. Then, I decided to slow down and savor the writing which is so beautiful. I will suggest this book to many friends and library patrons.
This is not the first book by Kay I have read, but it may be my favorite...well, THE RUNAWAY is a wonderful book; I would have to toss a coin for my favorite.