R Thomas Roe

I was so excited by the synopsis of this book. It was ripe with possibilities. Sadly, at least to me, it lived up to none of them. For the second time in my reviewing life I failed to finish a book. I make it a point to read the books I choose to review; I feel I owe it to the publicists. But I also feel that when I get a book that I simply CANNOT read I owe it to myself to stop. I write honest reviews. They are MY opinions and I try and explain why I don't like a book when I don't. With this one it was both character and writing.

The hero, River was perfect. And implausible. And anachronistic. What half Indian, half Scottish boy in a pre-Civil War world world would keep answering with, "whatever"? As to his character development - now granted I only read about a quarter of the book but he did not change even though several major things happened within the pages that I read. Same, easy going, perfect lad no matter what. Well read, polite, eager to learn which is fine but there was NO drama. None.

The writing - all short, declarative sentences. This gets old fast. You feel like you are being lectured to. There is a place for them, but not the entirety of the (at least what I read) story.

So I stopped reading. I couldn't take the writing. I couldn't take the implausibilities. I read a lot. I don't want to read something I really don't like. It doesn't happen often but this book stopped me.… (altro)

Winner of a 2010 Royal Palm award in the Thriller/Suspense category, "The Gaelic Letters" is the debut novel by Irish-American author R. Thomas Roe who draws upon his background in family history research and the legal profession to weave an intense story of intrigue as the main character travels to Ireland to unravel a family mystery.

"The Gaelic Letters" follows retired attorney Quinn Parker as he traces his roots through the libraries of Georgia, Minnesota, and Utah, and then eventually to Ireland. His curiosity is peaked when he discovers a collection of old letters written in the ancient Irish language of Gaelic while rummaging around his mother’s basement after she recently passed away. When he finds someone who can properly translate these letters, he realizes that there is a whole side of his family that has remained in Ireland, straddling the line between the political conflict and becoming wealthy in the process. This family drama reaches its height as Quinn unravels the layers, exposing secrets that had been viciously protected for over a century.… (altro)