After "Boy's Life" has just rented a house in my head (and probably will be there for a very long time), I was eagerly urging for another McCammon's on my TBR list.

Gone South was my choice. It is the next book the author has written after "Boy's Life", and as the proper writer revealed, both are so different. But it was truly amazing.

Robert writes a book with his rage towards the book industry. We also understand how a Vietnam Veteran feels after coming back, just like we learn on David Morell's "First Blood". However, Dan Lambert makes a mistake and needs to run to save his life.

The book is very well written, with good characters. Probably if you read the back of the book, you would think they would never work, but they did. And it's so much fun to read about Flint, Clint (?), and Pelvis.

But, halfway through the book, we get a huge turn of events. The supernatural takes a first step into the pages, and the ending is as crazy as one wouldn't expect. And, with Arden finding what she was searching for, we got the message about hope that McCammon can bring.

For real, "Gone South" is great, and McCammon deserves the respect as an amazing writer. Yeah, you can compare him with Stephen King, but the guy has his own unique touch. Read both of them. You won't regret it.

I had never heard of Robert McCammon before I joined Goodreads. 'Boy's Life' was one of their recommendations (thank you, Goodreads!), so I decided to give it a try and I absolutely loved it. This is my second Robert McCammon book, and I wasn't disappointed at all. The characters in this book are drawn so wonderfully. Each one has its own unique personality and characteristics that make them come alive on the page. The story is also extremely well written and paced. It keeps you engaged from the very beginning until the end. In fact, at the end, you might even want to weep with frustration because there's no more to read.

The blurb about the book talks about the author's ability to draw 'word pictures'. The word that springs to my mind is 'cinematic'. Indeed, this book would make a fantastic film. The descriptions are so vivid and detailed that you feel like you are actually watching and listening to the events unfold rather than just reading about them. It's truly an immersive experience.

I will definitely be reading more Robert McCammon books. I'm already looking forward to the next one. Now the only question is, which one should I choose? There are so many great options to choose from, and I can't wait to explore more of his works.

'God can take a man along many roads and through many mansions. It's not where you are that's important; it's where you're goin' that counts. Hear what I'm sayin'?'

Get out of this damn swamp.., I won't never look back.

He had never been able to get out before, he realized, because he'd never had anything to go to. What if...? he wondered.

What if?

Maybe those two words were the first steps out of any swamp.

He could never go back. he didn't want to. There was nothing behind him now. There was only tomorrow and the day after that, and he would deal with them when they came.

'...flesh is going to die, yes. It's going to leave this world, and that's the way life is. But I believe in the miracle that though flesh dies, the spirit does not. It goes on...'

Gone South by Robert McCammon is an extraordinary story. It details the extreme hardship that a group of travelers endure to achieve an eventual and unexpected victory. It is a perfect example of the "the hero takes a journey" scenario. Here, it's about four travelers who undertake that journey, often alone, in their own spiritual trek. They seek something far more valuable than what they initially aimed to find or obtain. It's a story filled with life-changing events.

The story commences with Dan Lambert, a Viet Nam veteran succumbing to leukemia. He experiences a destabilizing event that forces him to flee from the authorities for a crime he commits unintentionally. Eventually, he meets a young lady, Arden Halliday, who has a disfigurement that has hindered her life. Together, they embark on a search for a miracle. Since Dan now has a price on his head, two very peculiar bounty hunters are hot on their trail. The stage is set as the narrator immerses the reader in the stifling heat of the swamps in Louisiana.

McCammon has an amazing talent for creating distinct lives and voices for each of his characters. They are all individuals with diverse desires and needs, which change as the story unfolds. Consequently, the dialogue is outstanding and unique for each person, and the narrator has the acumen to describe their deepest emotions. As these characters develop during the story, the descriptions of the stifling, oppressive environment are so vivid that the reader can almost smell and feel the overpowering humidity and slime. However, McCammon doesn't overwhelm the reader with excessive description or dialogue. Instead, he keeps the story moving forward to the point where a reader will be unable to put this book down.

In many respects, Gone South is a spiritual journey, but it's also an exciting page-turner. I firmly believe that anyone who reads this novel will be compelled to keep reading until they reach the final poignant page.

Borrowing something I read in another review, McCammon's work can be classified into great and average. I've never read anything bad by him. This particular work was one of the great ones.

It is a story filled with brokenness and tragedy. The protagonist is a Vietnam Vet who is at the end of his rope. Metaphorically speaking, he has barely enough left to "hang himself". Although the book may be a little (extremely little) dated, as it deals with a Vet from the Vietnam war, the themes are still relevant to how we view war even in this post 9/11 world.

I will not repeat the synopsis that you can read from the publisher. However, I will add that there are several twists and surprises along the way. This story is presented in the same dark and gritty style that you come to appreciate from McCammon. It keeps you on the edge of your seat, constantly engaged and eager to find out what will happen next. The characters are well-developed and the plot is both complex and engaging. Overall, it is a great read that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys dark and gritty fiction.

From the very beginning, I had a hunch that this particular book was going to be something truly extraordinary.

The writing style employed by the author was precisely the kind that I have always adored. It was engaging,流畅, and had a certain charm that drew me in from the first page.

The characters, too, seemed incredibly real. They had their own unique personalities, flaws, and dreams, which made it easy for me to connect with them on a deeper level.

As I delved further into the story, I was taken on an incredible journey. The plot was full of twists and turns, keeping me on the edge of my seat and eager to find out what would happen next.

And when I finally reached the ending, I was pleasantly surprised. It wrapped up everything perfectly, tying up all the loose ends and leaving me with a sense of satisfaction.

However, I have to admit that I wanted this book to keep on going. I had become so invested in the lives of the characters that I hated for it to end. It was truly a remarkable read that I will not soon forget.

This book had the potential to be an absolute banger.

If McCammon had made the choice to eliminate an entire set of characters and instead zeroed in solely on Dan and Arden's relationship and their quest to flee the police and find the bright girl, it could have been a truly remarkable story.

However, that wasn't the case. Noooo, he decided to make it silly and goofy, engaging in this dumb cat and mouse charade.

Overall, it was just alright. It wasn't good, but it wasn't awful either. It's one of those books that I probably wouldn't ever recommend to anyone.

I really wish I had liked it more. There was so much promise, but unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to its potential.

Maybe with a different approach and a tighter focus, this book could have been a real winner. But as it stands, it's just an average read that fails to leave a lasting impression.

This is the first novel by this author, and I started with it and would definitely read his others.

The book grabbed me from the very beginning and kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. It is easy to read and can be finished in one go.

I can define this novel as an exciting and different kind of "madness" that cannot be described but must be read and felt.

The author has a unique writing style that draws the reader in and makes them feel as if they are part of the story.

The characters are well-developed and the plot is full of twists and turns that keep the reader guessing.

Overall, I highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good read.

4 and 1/2 stars. I would give this, not just four (but not a full five, I guess). This was a story where, as I was reading, I wasn't sure where it was going. As the 'Wall Street Journal' stated in a review, seen on the bottom of the book's cover: "PART CRIME NOVEL, PART QUEST... MCCAMMON CREATES A TYPE OF STORY ALL HIS OWN". I must agree with that, because this book doesn't easily slide into a particular genre. It isn't a horror. Maybe a suspense-thriller. There was no actual'mystery' as you, the reader, knows who and what at all times.

But this was also a book on spirituality and morals. It really had a good theme behind it. Well written, I must say. At first, from the beginning, I wasn't too sure about this book (like I said, I didn't know where it was going) and I was even more unsure about the characters I was reading about. Like, why did McCammon make these guys so...bizarre? But it all ties in further along in the plot. And what great imagery he creates -- so other-worldly, the southern swamp lands.

The story takes you on a journey through the strange and sometimes disturbing lives of the characters. You start off confused, but as you read on, you begin to see the bigger picture. The author's use of language is masterful, painting vivid pictures in your mind. The southern swamp lands come alive, with their eerie mists and strange creatures.

The end is what makes it all worth it. That's what earned that extra half star. It ties up all the loose ends and gives you a sense of satisfaction. You realize that everything that happened was for a reason and that the author had a plan all along. It's a book that will stay with you long after you've finished reading it.

I read this title as part of a double set with Boy's Life. I truly enjoyed both books. What's even better is that I discovered an author whose works I'm eager to explore more. I find McCammon's writing style to be somewhat similar to Stephen King's. However, it's not in a derivative sense, but rather in terms of a certain style or feeling.

Boy's Life was more of a traditional coming-of-age story with a touch of horror, which is a specialty of King's. On the other hand, Gone South contains several interesting elements. There's a leukemia-stricken, down-on-his-luck Vietnam vet, a beautiful and sad young girl with a disfiguring port wine scar, an Elvis "interpreter" named Pelvis, and a bounty hunter with a conjoined twin. The fact that McCammon can blend these elements together to create a story that is simultaneously sad, amusing, tense, touching, and disturbing, and still make it all make sense, is a true testament to his writing skills.

He definitely has a talent for creating characters that the reader can't help but care about, and who are also fully human with their own flaws, just like anyone else (some flaws being worse than others). I devoured this book in just a few days. However, as always, I'm deducting a star for the unnecessary animal death in the story. This is something I also do when evaluating films. I believe it's a cheap and unworthy device for both writers and filmmakers, and it always manages to anger and disappoint me. It's essentially the same as a jump scare, another very cheap device, and it turns me off regardless of the context. Other than that, I highly recommend this book!

After reading this book, Robert McCammon has truly become one of my all-time favorite authors.

What truly makes his work shine and stand out from the rest is his remarkable ability to craft such incredibly compelling characters. He executes this with such finesse and mastery in this particular book that it almost seems as if he is simply flaunting his talent.

I found myself completely invested in most of the characters within these pages, even those who had opposing interests and goals. Their stories were so vividly told and their personalities so well-developed that I couldn't help but cheer them on.

Now that I have finished this captivating read, it's time for me to dust off my Grandma's Elvis albums and let loose, singing along like the one and only king, Pelvis Eisley himself!

It's amazing how a great book can inspire such a range of emotions and actions. I can't wait to explore more of McCammon's works and see what other literary treasures he has in store for his readers.

Just Don't!!

Why? Because bounty hunters are chasing a man in Southern USA.

So? That's ok.

Why? Because one is a bad Elvis impersonator and one has his twin morbidly growing out of his body and????? Well.....

FLINT MURTAUGH - yep Clint Eastwood meets Danny Glover's Lethal Weapon character.......

Sadly this short review has more plot structure than Gone South.

Gone South seems to lack a coherent and engaging plot. The story of the bounty hunters chasing a man in the Southern USA could have been developed more interestingly. The addition of the strange characters like the bad Elvis impersonator and the one with the growing twin is rather random and doesn't seem to add much depth to the overall narrative. It's a pity that the movie fails to create a more captivating and well-structured story, especially when compared to a simple review that manages to have a bit more of a discernible plot framework.

Wow, this book truly begins in a most captivating manner, much like a thrilling crime novel. It then takes an unexpected turn, transforming into a story of a man on the run, filled with intense drama and suspense. And as the narrative unfolds, it becomes a perilous quest, brimming with danger and excitement at every turn.

But here's the remarkable thing: we find ourselves deeply caring for all of the characters. We are able to see into their hearts and understand their motivations, and we earnestly desire for each and every one of them to achieve some measure of success. This wild, fun, and at times scary rollercoaster ride of a story has the potential to be my absolute favorite McCammon masterpiece. And that's saying a great deal, considering I've probably made similar proclamations for his other outstanding novels like "Boy's Life" and "Swan Song". You might have already guessed that RM is one of my all-time top writers, right up there with the great Stephen King.

He has this incredible ability to not only entertain us but also make us think, all while introducing us to a whole cast of new and engaging friends. Of course, there are plenty of evil characters along the way, waiting to be outsmarted. But that's precisely what makes it so exciting.

I sure hope that someday, I'll have the opportunity to read more about Pelvis Eisley. "Ya know wat I mean, man?"