∎ Libro Gratis Ferney James Long 9780002252287 Books

Ferney James Long 9780002252287 Books

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Ferney James Long 9780002252287 Books

I didn't love the book, but I didn't hate it either. The book left me thinking and running scenarios through my head. I was intrigued by this book from the start. The premise was somewhat unique and took some figuring out, and so the book does get 2-3 stars for that effort and ingenuity. But overall, the book saddened me and left me disheartened.

***SPOILER ALERT***
I mean the idea that 2 people over the centuries meet and become a couple and then die, are reincarnated into the next life and are able to recall their past lives together, and so they go in search of one another in each additional life time - yeah, I like that idea. WOW! What an interesting scenario! It sounds like a sweet, thought-provoking read, but it just didn't get delivered within these pages. It wasn't sweet; it was selfish. The whole idea of soul mates got taken to another level here. It wasn't romantic; it was creepy. It wasn't inspiring; it freaked me out.

The idea of an 80-something-year-old man telling a woman in her twenties that they should be together because they've always been together throughout the centuries. And then telling her that they had agreed that if one of them died before the other that the other would take their own life so they could come back and be close once more. [Shiver!] That's the stuff of nightmares.


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Ferney James Long 9780002252287 Books Reviews

This is one of my favorite books I have ever read. It is a light read but full of thought provoking ideas that just propel you to the next and the next thought provoking subjects. A must read
Surely, James Long's novel of reincarnation, "Ferney" most refreshingly elevates the crossover science fiction/fiction genre to a near perfect state that will attract both men and women readers desiring an intelligent interplay of history and romance without the mawkish candlelit fantasy realm of the bodice ripper.

For as long as she can remember, vividly gruesome nightmares have plummeted Gally, the twenty-something wife of university history lecturer, Mike Martin, into such an extreme emotional abyss that settling into what would seem a pleasant stress free life becomes tinged with an unbearable incongruity. Described as "a poem with a missing verse," Gally refuses to connect whole-heartedly with the real world until she and her husband happen upon Bagstone Farm, a rundown cottage in the bucolic village of Penselwood in the Somerset part of Britain famous for its tales of Arthur, Avalon and Glastonbury. After an impulsive purchase of the farm, phobias that have plagued her since childhood rationalize away with reasonable explanations that although oddly plentiful for so short a life point towards an ultimate reconciliation that defies her common sense and frightens her with its dire yet revelatory implications.

Urging all these discoveries is not the place but the person of octogenarian Ferney who in search for his wife for nigh sixty years believes he has found her literally embodied by the ingenuous Gally. In countless ways that flare mundane husband Mike's suspicions and to his mind irrationally spark his jealousy, Ferney gradually convinces Gally to take him seriously and fully embrace the idea that not only had they lived a multitude of lives together as a couple but individually experienced the lonely discomfiture of which Gally was so aware unless the other was present. In order to prevent this sense of utter emptiness, the couple, throughout the ages, has promised to facilitate through means of suicide if necessary an existence together where they can best enjoy a simultaneous life span.

The irony of Gally and Ferney's most blatant asynchronicity partly works to fuel James Long's exquisite plotline. Gally as the personification of feminine romanticism and Ferney as the epitome of male pragmatism capture most adequately the yin and yang of this forever tale to perfection. Either Long himself has had the blessing of remembering his past lives and has reaped the benefit of hundreds of years of experience or he is endowed with the sagacity and creativity to craft a believable character that actually could have lived out many existences and who has learned as many old and cagey codgers do to look back on his memories as the only historic milestones and not relive his past idealistic driven mistakes. It is this deliberate intention to not repeat or insanely replicate the errors of yesteryear that propels the storyline from the usual "unfinished business" theme of most reincarnation tales to one of insightful obsession where the main concern of the major characters is to wisely prepare for a world that waxes with Ferney-and-Gally-centricity facilitating only the ability to enjoy the moments of each other to the fullest with adequate wealth and anonymity.

Happily, on a technical level, Long's language soars with poetic descriptions of a lyrically-rich part of Britain that literally stretches out across the novel's pages in miles of verdantly depicted hills and archaeological wonders that his clever long-dwelling protagonist shrugs off unappreciatively as just a mere changing-with-the-times backdrop. With the same expertise, he portrays Gally with the nervous energy of an insomniac suffering from all too vivid and realistic bouts of the psychological consequences of actively repressing unwanted memories. The ultimate acceptance of the characters to their fate succeeds with the reader wanting more of them--future and past, while the slightly cliffhanger ending segues nicely with the fact that author Long has been writing a welcome "part two" that should be published in hardback in 2009.

Bottom line? James Long's "Ferney" constitutes an intelligent read that supersedes most other reincarnation-themed works of fiction. Long fashions his three main characters realistically while presenting a straightforward believable storyline buttressed by historic and village folklore anecdotes that lend credibility to the fantasy genre as true literature. Long's language and ability as a natural raconteur reminds this reader of fantasy greats Graham Joyce (The Limits of Enchantment) and Keith Donohue (The Stolen Child) who have the deftness to present an unbelievable topic with great verisimilitude. Recommended with great anticipation of its sequel.
Diana Faillace Von Behren
"reneofc"
Pick up a reincarnation novel, and you know what to expect, right? Not with James Long's "Ferney," a complex story that defies your expectations at every turn. Written with a historian's attention to detail, this tale of love spanning fifteen centuries of English revolution keeps you guessing long after you finish the book.

Spiritual/metaphysical content Medium. Long plays with the idea of reincarnation in this unpredictable love story. What if, because they died together in the shadow of a mysterious stone in England's Dark Ages, a pair of lovers returns to the same place immediately after death, able to remember all their lives together? He side-steps the issue of reincarnation in general, focusing only on the experiences of Ferney and Gally. The "what ifs" allow him to pose a number of interesting questions, such as how would you behave differently if you retained all your memories? What if knowing your soul mate leads to moral dilemmas?

My take James Long's reasonably well-crafted novel demonstrates that even a formulaic reincarnation love story can be reframed in a fresh, startling way by a skilled storyteller. A murder, an incarnation that can't be accounted for, and other unexpected complications add to the complex plot that builds right to the end. The historical detail may prove tedious to some (particularly non-Anglophiles), but the depth of perception is often startling. Because Ferney can take the long perspective, he comments on aspects of human nature that reveal great insight. For instance, we widely assume that industrialization changed the world, but the real turning point came centuries earlier when time could be precisely measured. Another example is how rapid transit changed our perspective; you don't pollute a path you step upon every day. For me, the unexpected twists in what should have been a predictable reincarnation plot were worth the price of wading through the details of the multiple invasions of England. The great dilemma facing Gally and her husband as she helps the dying Ferney--her soul mate and fifty years her senior--kept me guessing even after I turned the last page and left me wishing for more.
I didn't love the book, but I didn't hate it either. The book left me thinking and running scenarios through my head. I was intrigued by this book from the start. The premise was somewhat unique and took some figuring out, and so the book does get 2-3 stars for that effort and ingenuity. But overall, the book saddened me and left me disheartened.

***SPOILER ALERT***
I mean the idea that 2 people over the centuries meet and become a couple and then die, are reincarnated into the next life and are able to recall their past lives together, and so they go in search of one another in each additional life time - yeah, I like that idea. WOW! What an interesting scenario! It sounds like a sweet, thought-provoking read, but it just didn't get delivered within these pages. It wasn't sweet; it was selfish. The whole idea of soul mates got taken to another level here. It wasn't romantic; it was creepy. It wasn't inspiring; it freaked me out.

The idea of an 80-something-year-old man telling a woman in her twenties that they should be together because they've always been together throughout the centuries. And then telling her that they had agreed that if one of them died before the other that the other would take their own life so they could come back and be close once more. [Shiver!] That's the stuff of nightmares.