Helpful Score: 5
This is the second book I've read by Nicholas Evans and I enjoyed both. He writes with passion and breathes life into not only his characters but the environment in which they live. The setting is as much a character as the people. Through use of rich vocabulary, combined with metaphors, similes, he evokes scenes sometimes beautiful, sometimes tragic. The story is compelling and takes you on a journey through the lives of three people. He easily switches back and forth between them, weaving in their backstory while revealing bits and pieces of who each of them are. The story unfolds slowly, but holds your interest as you become attached to each of them and begin to care about their outcome.
Essentially, this is a love story that evolves over many years simmering like the fires the smoke jumpers are faced with. It is also a story of friendship and loyalty. Each character is unique, and not just a caricature. Ed, the musician, looking to make it big in the world of New York city musicals, Julia, the teacher who works with troubled teens, and Connor the photographer. Ed and Connor, both outdoors men, both adventurous, meet while training to become smoke jumpers and a great friendship ensues. Then there is Skye, the troubled teen, part Native American, who plays a crucial role in the first and second part of the book.
The characters journey's take you from New York, to Montana, to Africa and beyond, through war troubled third world countries and into the heart of a smoke jumpers life, to a quest into the woods with a group of troubled teens and into the heart of war correspondent. This book has a little bit of everything and it keeps it coming for all 560 pages. Thanks Nicholas for a great ride.
Essentially, this is a love story that evolves over many years simmering like the fires the smoke jumpers are faced with. It is also a story of friendship and loyalty. Each character is unique, and not just a caricature. Ed, the musician, looking to make it big in the world of New York city musicals, Julia, the teacher who works with troubled teens, and Connor the photographer. Ed and Connor, both outdoors men, both adventurous, meet while training to become smoke jumpers and a great friendship ensues. Then there is Skye, the troubled teen, part Native American, who plays a crucial role in the first and second part of the book.
The characters journey's take you from New York, to Montana, to Africa and beyond, through war troubled third world countries and into the heart of a smoke jumpers life, to a quest into the woods with a group of troubled teens and into the heart of war correspondent. This book has a little bit of everything and it keeps it coming for all 560 pages. Thanks Nicholas for a great ride.
Helpful Score: 4
Great love/action story. Great descriptions of Montana, the reader feels like you're there with the characters.
Helpful Score: 2
I love this story. Many times I was crying so much I had to put it down for a few minutes. It was very moving. One of my all time favorites.
Helpful Score: 2
This book was SO wonderful. I laughed, I cried, and my heart ached for these characters. I've read it three times, and the only reason I am getting rid of it is bc there is no more room on the bookshelves!
Helpful Score: 2
My Amazon review - This book took my breath away - literally. I found myself on the edge of my seat and holding my breath so many times while reading this wonderful book that I would have to set it aside, calm down, and return to it later. I can't remember the last book that made me care so much about the characters, to the point that the tension became almost unbearable. If you like Evans' first two novels I think you will like this one, too, but be prepared for a much edgier story and more nail-biting action. If you have never read Evans before, this is one of his best so it's a great place to start.
Helpful Score: 2
A little slow getting started, but then, I couldn't put it down. The endng is very satisfying.
Helpful Score: 1
This is a well written attention-getting , if not gripping, book and I enjoyed reading it.
Helpful Score: 1
Beautiful mind images of the American West, war-torn Europe and Africa, along with a compelling story of love too late and the invariable pitfalls of lives lived completely and with joy.
Helpful Score: 1
Great book from the author of The Horse Whisperer. Love story mixed with some grief & trauma.
Helpful Score: 1
Connor Ford is a smoke jumper (firefighter) who falls in love with a woman he cannot have, his best friends girlfriend. This book spans about 10 years. The trials of life and human experiences compellingly written with just the right amount of suspense.
Helpful Score: 1
This was a really terrific book. The subject matter was new to me, and quite eyeopening.
Another great one by the author of The Horse Whisperer! I learned so much about people who sacrifice themselves to help fight huge forest fires and so much about smoke jumpers! Great epic love story and drama, too.
Same author as the horse whisperer. another twist of fate books. Talks about fire jumpers and city kids that need a good butt kicking and of course love. Love in this book takes years.
Excellent book!
His name is Connor Ford and he falls like an angel of mercy from the sky, braving the flames to save the woman he loves but cannot have. For Julia Bishops is the partner of his best friend and fellow smoke jumper, Ed Tulley.
This book is awesome. I could not put it down.
From the author of The Horse Whisperer
This book is awesome. I could not put it down.
From the author of The Horse Whisperer
An excellent book. It is hard to put this book down once you start reading it.
i think this is one of Evans' best. Love triangle with fire fighting and dreams deferred.
Loved this book, good love story line, good ending and lots of suspense along with it.
Nicholas Evans is usually too sappy for me - but this one was good.
this book is great the author also wrote The horse whisperer
A very good book! I enjoyed it very much.
Great story - if you likethe Horse Whisperer, you'll love this book.
By the author of "The Horse Whisperer" this is another great story, told by this writer I enjoy.
A really good book, while still giving a glimpse into what a firefighter's life is like.
Absolutely a must to read. One of the best books I've read for a very long time.
I enjoyed this book. Good story line about forrest fire fighters.
Made me cry a few times. Couldn't put it down, I had to know what happened to them next!
Another "timeless" author. The way he weaves a story, and then wraps you up in it, may just leave you wanting this story to never end!
One of his best. Author of Horse Whisperer
Great Book! Loved it From Begining to End.
Excellent book! Not a depressing ending like most of his books!!! :)
Realistic depiction of the life of a smoke jumper.
excellent reading could not put it down.
Another GREAT read by Nicholas Evans. I couldn't put it down.
author of the horse whisperer
This is an amazing, yet haunting book. It takes a turn that's not really expected. You become engrossed in the lives of the characters in this book and feel their pain. It makes you feel grateful for what you have in your life. A book I would definitely recommend.
As one other reviewer said---"It took my breath away"---This is such a moving novel, so beautiful, you experience, suspense, trauma, grief, wonder, and find yourself praying that on the next page things will be ok. The smoke Jumper is a book you really want everyone you know to experience.
This is a excellent book by Evans. What a great writer!
Really amazing book of what these guys go through. Makes the CNN stories of ragin fires hit home.
Really good read. Once I started to read I had hard time putting it down.
I love this book! If you are a Nicholas Evans fan, you will love it too. It is captivating and romantic. I couldn't put it down!
Pretty good, quick read, but it's way different than it's marketed. The beginning was really interesting and different, but near the middle and definitely by the end it became a sappy, predictable, cliche love story. My first read by Nicolas Evans, wasn't too disappointed.
My husband liked it, but I couldn't get through it. I was so bored.. I've had that problem with this author a bunch so I think he's just not for me.
i really enjoyed this book.
From the author of "The Horse Whisperer" a moving story of friendship, loyalty and romance.
I always love his books!!
My bookclub read this book and it got a resounding thumbs down. There were so many holes in the story as well as it being unbelieveable. A very disappointing read from an otherwise great author.
Great Book! New York Times best seller. Conner Ford falls like an agel of mercy from the sky, braving the flames to save the woman he loves but knows he cannot have. She is hes bes friends and fellow "smoke jumpers" partner. Good Novel.
Very good reading!
This is my favorite Nicholas Evans book.
I absolutely loved this book!! It is now one of my all time favorites! This story is so good and heartbreaking and I was sorry to finish it. It was on of those books you read, then when you start another one and it just doesn't stack up to what you just read. It stays with you long after you've finished. Would definitely recommend this book!
In the style of previous books.
Great plot to the story and of course a happy ending!
Good book.
AWESOME READ,VERY INTERESTING,COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN!
This book isn't so much about smoke jumpers like I thought if would be but of 2 men who are smoke jumpers and the love triangle that evolves as one of the men marries his sweetheart. His best friend also loves the same girl but knowing he can't have her travels the world trying to get her out of his mind and takes several life threating experiences. I really enjoyed this book. I also read "The Horse Whisperer" that was also written by Nicholas Evans. I enjpyed that book too.
By the author of ' The Horse Whisperer'...very interesting and moving book
I was interested in this book because I am a firefighter...so the name jumped out at me. I thought the story line would mainly be about firefighting, and smoke jumpers in particular. But in truth, it is actually a love story, with 2 of the main characters as smoke jumpers. And yes, some of the story has fire settings, but as I said, it is not the core of the book. If you like a good love story, this book is great....I still enjoyed it even though it was not what I originally thought it would be.
A great book by a great author. This is a story of three people's quest for happiness and self-fullfilment.
Another winner by the author of "The Horse Whisperer"
I would certainly give this a 5 star rating and worthy of a keeper for your library. Don't let the title deceive you. The story line is much deeper than about forest fire fighters jumping out of airplanes and fighting fires.
New York born and bred, Julia Bishop has no warning that spending the summer counseling troubled teens in Montana will change her life forever. Happily in love with smoke jumper and musician Ed Tully, she looks forward to spending the summer weekends with him in Missoula and is stunned and disturbed by the instant connection she feels to his best friend, Connor Ford. Connor, a Montana rancher and smoke jumper, loves fighting fires almost as much as he loves photography, and before the summer is barely started, he loves Julia Bishop just as deeply. The bond between the three is strong but the work of a smoke jumper is fraught with danger and the trio soon face death by fire. Survival changes their lives forever and places them on paths that divide Julia, Ed, and Connor just as surely as their individual journeys bind them irrevocably together. The Smoke Jumper is a tale of loyalty and guilt, honor and selfless love, and the human cost of choices made.
Smoke Jumper is a wonderful book! A must read! -Mirah W.
"Epic...compelling...crackles with suspense." -The Seattle Times
"Epic...compelling...crackles with suspense." -The Seattle Times
This is a very compelling adventure by the author of \"The Horse Whisperer\". I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
Incredible story of love.
I usually only read mysteries so I was not sure if I would like this book. I was worried it would be too much of a romance. It romance parts are small though. The book kept my interest throughout. It is a pretty good story.
Connor and Ed met while training to be smoke jumpers. Even though they were very different they became close friends. When Ed met Julia he was love struck and told Connor all about how she was "the one." Later, when Connor was picking them up at the airport and he saw Julia he couldn't stop staring at her. As they spent time together he found it harder and harder to keep his mind off of her. He knew he couldn't fall in love with his best friend's girlfriend but he was. What he didn't realize was she was feeling the same way, although, she did still love Ed and tried to contain her feelings. Later, when a fire sprang up where Julia was camping with a group of troubled kids in the WAY program, they were called to jump. A girl had wandered away in the night and Julia and another one of the counselors was trying to follow her tracks. The fire was out of control though and they found themselves in the middle of a deadly situation. Ed, Connor, and another jumper leave to try to find them while the other jumpers stay to help fight the fire and prevent it from spreading.
Connor and Ed met while training to be smoke jumpers. Even though they were very different they became close friends. When Ed met Julia he was love struck and told Connor all about how she was "the one." Later, when Connor was picking them up at the airport and he saw Julia he couldn't stop staring at her. As they spent time together he found it harder and harder to keep his mind off of her. He knew he couldn't fall in love with his best friend's girlfriend but he was. What he didn't realize was she was feeling the same way, although, she did still love Ed and tried to contain her feelings. Later, when a fire sprang up where Julia was camping with a group of troubled kids in the WAY program, they were called to jump. A girl had wandered away in the night and Julia and another one of the counselors was trying to follow her tracks. The fire was out of control though and they found themselves in the middle of a deadly situation. Ed, Connor, and another jumper leave to try to find them while the other jumpers stay to help fight the fire and prevent it from spreading.
Thoughtful, wonderful book..
Great book for long trips, easy to get into and follow, great condition
"(Evans') richest work to date...compulsively readable." - The Denver Post
In a searing novel of love and loyalty, guilt and honor, the acclaimed author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Horse Whisperer gives his millions of readers another hero...The Smoke Jumper
In a searing novel of love and loyalty, guilt and honor, the acclaimed author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Horse Whisperer gives his millions of readers another hero...The Smoke Jumper
"Combining the exciting elements of photo journalism, and ferocious fires, 'The Smoke Jumper' explores how far we will go to get happiness in our lives, and the price that is paid when we finally have it. With it's strong narrative, fleshed out characters, and fast pacing, the novel keeps the drama level high, without being sappy, giving readers a powerful tale of guilt, honor, and love." amazon
From the author of THE HORSE WHISPER,THE SMOKER JUMPER is a searing novel of love and loyalty, guilt and honor.
His name is Connor Ford and he falls like an angel of mercy form the sky, braving the flames to save the woman he loves but knows he connot have. For Julia Bishop is the partner of his best friend and fellow "smoke jumper", Ed Tully. Julia loves them both, until a fiery tragedy on Montana's Snake Mountain forces her to choose between them, and burns a brand a on all their hearts. In the wake of the fire, Connor embarks on a harrowing journey to the edge of human experience, traveling the world's worst wars and disaters to take photographs that find him fame but never happiness. Reckless of a life he no longer wants, again and again he dares death to take him, until another gatefuul day on another continent, he must walk through fire once more...
New York born and bred, Julia Bishop has no warning that spending the summer counseling troubled teens in Montana will change her life forever. Happily in love with smoke jumper and musician Ed Tully, she looks forward to spending the summer weekends with him in Missoula and is stunned and disturbed by the instant connection she feels to his best friend, Connor Ford. Connor, a Montana rancher and smoke jumper, loves fighting fires almost as much as he loves photography, and before the summer is barely started, he loves Julia Bishop just as deeply. The bond between the three is strong but the work of a smoke jumper is fraught with danger and the trio soon face death by fire. Survival changes their lives forever and places them on paths that divide Julia, Ed, and Connor just as surely as their individual journeys bind them irrevocably together. The Smoke Jumper is a tale of loyalty and guilt, honor and selfless love, and the human cost of choices made. --Lois Faye Dyer
In a searing novel of love and loyalty, guilt and honor, the acclaimed author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Horse Whisperer gives his millions of readers another hero...
The Smoke Jumper
His name is Connor Ford and he falls like an angel of mercy from the sky, braving the flames to save the woman he loves but knows he cannot have. For Julia Bishop is the partner of his best friend and fellow smoke jumper, Ed Tully. Julia loves them both--until a fiery tragedy on Montanas Snake Mountain forces her to choose between them, and burns a brand on all their hearts.
In the wake of the fire, Connor embarks on a harrowing journey to the edge of human experience, traveling the worlds worst wars and disasters to take photographs that find him fame but never happiness. Reckless of a life he no longer wants, again and again he dares death to take him, until another fateful day on another continent, he must walk through fire once more...
The Smoke Jumper
His name is Connor Ford and he falls like an angel of mercy from the sky, braving the flames to save the woman he loves but knows he cannot have. For Julia Bishop is the partner of his best friend and fellow smoke jumper, Ed Tully. Julia loves them both--until a fiery tragedy on Montanas Snake Mountain forces her to choose between them, and burns a brand on all their hearts.
In the wake of the fire, Connor embarks on a harrowing journey to the edge of human experience, traveling the worlds worst wars and disasters to take photographs that find him fame but never happiness. Reckless of a life he no longer wants, again and again he dares death to take him, until another fateful day on another continent, he must walk through fire once more...
