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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic Flashbacks, July 9, 2001
I've never read a novel that made me cry - a few movies have done the trick, but never a novel. I still haven't. But Angel Fire came as close as any to date. Ron not only opened a vein to write this book, he opened up the depths of his heart to create a wonderful tale that weaves love for family, the magical moments of growing up in small town America in the 1950s, and the tragedy of war into a excellent plot. The story centers on Cassidy McLeod, a disenchanted writer and journalist from San Francisco whose father had been an editor and publisher of a small town newspaper in Wyoming. Cassidy's life is shaken when his revered older brother, Daniel, a war correspondent presumed killed in the Vietnam War, shows up in his Wyoming hometown in 1995. Cassidy puts his life on hold to care for Daniel, who is all but catatonic from horrific war experiences. The particular strength of the novel is in its flashbacks. Usually, flashbacks are considered a fiction taboo, especially for an inexperienced novelist. The theory is that all they tend to do is slow down the plot. That's anything but the case in Angel Fire. The flashback chapters and scenes are compelling, unforgettable stories in themselves that establish the powerful emotional bond Cassidy has for his brother. When that bond collides with the tragic circumstances of 1995, it creates the stuff of which unforgettable stories are made. The flashback scenes represent writing and storytelling at its finest, capturing the innocence of the post-war 1950s, the essence of hometown newspapering and the aura of growing up in a small town as well as any novel I've read. Ron's style flows as smooth as an AP wire story, and he has an excellent instinct for compelling detail and vivid description, both executed without slowing down the story. Many literary writers complain that their work is ignored in favor of the Tom Clancys, John Grishams and Danielle Steels of the writing world. But in many cases literary writers create beautiful prose and then forget the most critical element of any work of fiction, whether it's literary, a romance, a thriller or a mystery. They forget to tell a good story. Ron Franscell doesn't forget to tell us a good story. In Angel Fire, he tells an excellent story that elevates and embraces the humanity in all of us.
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