Suffering from cancer and haunted by the traumatic memories of his time as a soldier in Vietnam, Dan Lambert is desperate for work. He is also dealing with the grief of losing his wife and son in a divorce caused by his own mental breakdowns. One day, after being provoked by a rude bank worker, Dan finally explodes. In an act of confused rage and self-defense, he accidentally kills a man. Now, he spends his last few days on earth running from the law and searching for atonement for his terrible mistake.

On his journey of redemption, Dan comes across a girl who is looking for a miracle cure for her birth defects. However, he is also being pursued by a pair of crazed bounty hunters. One of them is a mentally unstable Elvis impersonator named Pelvis Eisley, and the other is a savage loner with the limbs of his unformed twin brother sticking out of his body.

This is my first Robert McCammon book, and I'm definitely a fan of his style. I love how morally complex and likable the characters are. It's hard to make a disturbed soldier who accidentally murders an innocent person and a pair of wacky bounty hunters extremely relatable and sympathetic, but McCammon does it masterfully. The main characters do some horrible things throughout the book, but I never once felt that any of them are truly bad people. They're all decent people placed in terrible situations that force them to make unfortunate choices to escape from bad places with no positive options.

The character development each of them goes through in such a short period of time also feels perfectly earned and natural. My favorite character is definitely Pelvis Eisley and his adorable pet dog. The cooky Elvis impersonator is so innocently dopey and lovable, and he has some hilarious and touching moments with his polar opposite partner in crime, Flint Murtaugh. I couldn't help but root for him to turn his life around and come out on top, despite his constant fumbles. The way these two misfits come together and start to influence each other is charming and comedic, but never cheesy.

Overall, this is a great redemption story with a lot of extremely bizarre plot elements that the author manages to make feel perfectly ordinary. I also like how it tackles important issues such as learning to forgive crimes, rehabilitation, and PTSD. It's a thought-provoking and engaging read that I would highly recommend to anyone.

I have made an exciting discovery! I have found a new and truly great author!!

One of the best novels I've read this year is by this author.

The story is about a Vietnam veteran who, after suffering a traumatic nightmare and being poisoned, must flee for his life.

Hot on his heels are the police and two bounty hunters.

A young girl joins him in his desperate quest to see his son for the last time and find a secure place to hide.

The plot is fast-moving and filled with peculiar and interesting characters.

I wholeheartedly recommend this novel to all my friends!!

I am definitely going to read more by Robert R. McCammon.

Happy readings and stay healthy, all of you.

Dean ;)

I had read "Boy's Life" several years ago and absolutely loved it. As a result, I had extremely high hopes for another work by this author. However, to my disappointment, I found this new book to be very average.

It is true that the story had an abundance of action, which kept the pace relatively fast. Additionally, there was a diverse range of interesting characters, each with their own unique personalities and traits.

Nevertheless, I just never became completely captivated by the storyline. Some parts, such as the character of the Bright Girl and Flint's deformity, were a bit difficult for me to fully embrace or understand. I felt that these elements were either not developed enough or were presented in a way that made it hard for me to connect with them on an emotional level.

Overall, while the book had its moments, it ultimately failed to live up to my expectations.

An ailing Vietnam veteran, who is on the run from the police, embarks on a harrowing journey that leads him to the deepest recesses of the South. Along the way, he encounters and attracts a diverse array of unusual characters. The story seems to hold a personal touch for McCammon, much like his previous work, "Boy's Life," albeit in a far less episodic manner.

The author's thoughtful characterization of the Vietnam veteran is truly remarkable. He delves deep into the psyche of this damaged individual, exploring his trauma, fears, and hopes. This nuanced portrayal adds depth and authenticity to the story.

Moreover, McCammon's exploration of the subjectivity of beauty and ugliness is another standout feature. He challenges the reader's perception of these concepts, showing that what may seem beautiful on the surface can often hide a darker reality, and vice versa. This exploration adds a layer of complexity to the narrative, making it a thought-provoking and engaging read.

I truly believe that this is my new favorite McCammon novel. When I think about Boy's Life and Speaks the Nightbird, it's an extremely close call.

I had the pleasure of listening to the Audible edition that was released just this past summer. If you're in search of a great audio book, you really can't do much better than this one. In fact, it might just be perfect. The narrator brought the story to life in the most captivating way, making every moment feel real and engaging. The plot was filled with twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. I found myself completely immersed in the world that McCammon had created, and I didn't want it to end.

This novel has all the elements that I love in a good book: a great story, well-developed characters, and beautiful writing. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of McCammon's work or who just enjoys a good read. Whether you choose to read it in print or listen to the audio edition, you're in for a treat.

Gone South is a captivating piece within one of my most cherished literary sub-genres, Weird Crime. The infusion of horror or bizarro elements into a crime novel invariably appeals to me. This particular southern gothic crime novel is truly strange, yet it is filled with brutally beautiful moments that make it difficult for me to envision anyone not relishing it.

The novel commences with an astonishing first line: “It was hell's season, and the air smelled of burning children....” It narrates the tale of Dan Lambert, a Vietnam vet who is遭遇重重困境. He is afflicted with leukemia, his wife has cast him out, he struggles to find employment, and now the bank intends to repossess his truck. He attempts to reason with the loan officer, but matters take a disastrous turn. He didn't mean to kill the guy; things simply spiraled out of control. So, he flees. The bank offers a reward for his capture, and soon every petty bounty hunter in Louisiana is in pursuit of him.

The characters in this novel are vivid and fascinating. There is a bounty hunter named Flint, who was recruited from a freak show (he has a third arm; actually, he has a little twin brother he absorbed before birth), and his Elvis impersonator partner.

While attempting to escape, Dan embarks on an adventure and encounters a young woman disfigured by a large birthmark. They embark on a journey together as she searches for a healer. Dan is skeptical of the healer known as the bright girl, but as they venture deeper into the bayou, the journey becomes even stranger.

McCammon is one of my favorite writers and perhaps the finest pure storyteller in genre novels. He is often compared to King, yet he is far more consistent. He exploits the southern setting in this book to craft a novel that is unsettling, humorous, and at times charming. Is it McCammon’s best? No, and that is the intimidating aspect. Fans of weird crime should not overlook this one.

I simply adore it when I come across a novel that has the power to make me completely and utterly lose myself in its pages for an entire week. Every single piece of work that I have read thus far by McCammon is precisely like that. He is truly a talented storyteller, capable of captivating readers from the very first sentence.

If you haven't had the pleasure of experiencing this yet, then I highly suggest that you go and obtain it by any means necessary. Take a mental road trip for a little while and allow yourself to be transported to another world.

This book is truly awesome. I would rate it a solid 5/5 and highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good story. You won't be disappointed!

Approaching the book without any special expectations, remembering that I had charged "Boys' Life" at the beginning, which has a noticeably higher rating. This time, however, I was pleasantly surprised. I really liked it a lot. Wonderful heroes, unforgettable in their own way, adventures, a well-built atmosphere, and an engaging plot. Robert McCammon writes in a way that I really like. Maybe I will try again with "Boys' Life".

The story seems to draw you in from the very start. The characters are vividly described, making them come alive in your mind. The adventures they embark on are full of excitement and mystery.

The atmosphere created by the author is truly captivating. You can almost feel the tension and anticipation as you turn the pages.

Overall, it was a great reading experience, and I'm looking forward to exploring more of Robert McCammon's works.

Bagno, aside from its literal meaning, symbolizes something murky and difficult to overcome - an unpleasant, complicated situation from which it is hard to escape.

The novel by Roberta McCammon is the story of Dana Lambert, a man whose life lay in ruins under the weight of war traumas, illness, and social oppositions. It is a tale of a man who, despite the odds, "always tried to live as he should," but in the end, he too "sank into the mire." However, within this narrative, filled with despair and sadness, lies a deeper message about struggle, redemption, and hope, which are more universal than they might seem at first glance.

The desperate, yet heroic escape begins with a tragic shot, and its ultimate destination is the vast and dangerous swamps of Louisiana. Hot on Dana's heels are the police, as well as the merciless bounty hunters, Flint and Clint, and the eccentric Pelvis Eisley, a strange and eccentric doppelgänger of Elvis Presley. The author, as is her custom, skillfully balances between the grotesque and the tragic, inserting elements of absurdity that relieve the tension but simultaneously highlight the drama of the protagonist.

The encounter with Arden - a young woman with a past as painful as Dana's - introduces an element of hope and a touch of mysticism into the story. Her goal is to find the mythical White Lady, a healer allegedly living in the swamps. Over time, the swamps become almost a character in their own right - full of secrets, dangers, and hidden wisdom, where boundless evil and unconditional good meet.

"Bagno" is a novel about fall and redemption, about confronting one's own demons and seeking forgiveness from both others and oneself. The author touches on difficult themes such as war trauma, social inequalities, loneliness, and the struggle against a soulless system that gives no second chances. All of this is presented in an incredibly accessible way, skillfully balancing darkness and hope, realism and magic.

If you are looking for a dynamic and tension-building read that is also deep, moving, and beautiful in its complexity, one that will make you both emotional and laugh out loud many times, then "Bagno" will be a perfect choice. I am sure that many of you, like me, will highly rate this book as an incredibly engaging, yet reflective and emotionally satisfying novel. In my personal ranking of the author's books, it has taken a place on the podium, right after "The Magic Years" and "The Night Boat."

Robert R McCammon is truly a prime time, top of the food chain, and stellar author. He is, in fact, the most underrated author I have ever had the pleasure of coming across. This man has an incredible talent for writing, and he most certainly did not let me down in this great cat and mouse mystery.

The writing in this book is nothing short of brilliant. The characters are brought to life in the most vivid and engaging way. The language used to describe the deep south, where the story is set, is simply outstanding. It is so vivid and compelling that it truly makes you feel as if you are right there in the midst of it all. I was completely captivated from the very start to the very end. I cannot give this book enough praise.

Would I read this book again? Without a doubt! I could quite happily pick it up and read it again right now. If you are looking for something a bit different from an author who is truly at the top of his game, do yourself a huge favour and treat yourself to this sensational piece of quality literature. You will not be disappointed.

Just beautiful.

It is a magical prose that is filled with vivid descriptions of hardships, violence, tension, and hope.

This work is, at its core, a crime story and an adventure story.

However, just like Boys Life, it is not merely the plot that makes it special.

Rather, it is the beauty of the writing that truly sets it apart.

The author's ability to paint a vivid picture with words, to bring the story to life in the reader's mind, is truly remarkable.

Each sentence is carefully crafted, each description is detailed and engaging.

It is a pleasure to read, and it leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

Whether you are a fan of crime stories or adventure stories, or simply appreciate beautiful writing, this prose is definitely worth your time.

Gone South by Robert R McCammon was published in 1992 and is 392 pages long.

Dan Lambert, a Vietnam vet, is facing a series of hardships. He's divorced, unemployed, and sick. His bills are mounting up, and he's several months behind on his truck payment. When he attempts to work something out with the loan manager at the bank to keep his truck, he encounters a world of trouble. The new bank manager shows no leniency, which causes Dan to lose his temper. Before long, a man is killed, and Dan is on the run.

Dan decides to leave the country. However, his situation only deteriorates further along the way. A reward is offered for his capture, and two bounty hunters, along with cops from all over, are on the lookout for him.

Dan also crosses paths with other people in need of help and seeking their own peace. Arden, who was born with a birthmark that has made her life miserable, is searching for a faith healer to cure her. When their paths intersect, the two embark on a journey in the hope of finding love, purpose, and peace - if they manage to survive.

I had only read one other book by Robert R. McCammon several years ago, and I vividly remember parts of it. This book sounded quite different from his other works, and I wasn't sure if I would like it.

The author's work is often classified as "horror," but this book is neither horror nor fantasy. In fact, I'm not sure what genre it truly belongs to. Essentially, it's just a great story. It contains elements of adventure, action, criminal activity, and drama. In the end, there's a wonderful happily ever after.

I read this book with my husband as a buddy read, and we both really enjoyed it. We were a bit confused because we kept expecting some sort of supernatural event that never materialized. However, the story was extremely interesting, and there was never a dull moment. If you enjoy feel-good stories that appeal to a wide audience, you'll like this one.