The River, A Novel
Michael Neale ©2012
Thomas Nelson Publishers
ISBN 978-1-4016-8848-6 (trade paper)
287 pp. plus reading guide and author interview

A traveler whose flight home was changed spends the three hours in Denver Airport listening to the life story of Gabriel Clarke, a Colorado river guide.

Gabriel, at age five, lost his father when his dad drowned rescuing a foolish kayaker. The boy moved to Kansas to live with his mother and for years gave in to isolating grief. After high school he worked at the Five and Dime but felt he was on a hopeless path.

Friends convinced him to visit Colorado and the river but Gabriel’s fears kept him from participating fully in activities—until he experienced a mysterious connection with the river. And he met Tabitha. He returned to Kansas briefly, then moved to Colorado to work at a river guide business.

From then on, Gabriel’s life changes, sometimes for good and occasionally for bad---very bad. He packs to return to Kansas, but an elderly man, Elias, patiently helps Gabriel think clearly. Surprising twists in the tale force Gabriel to decide what’s most important.

I was occasionally disappointed that the quality of writing was 90%-95% a skilled professional level. However the likely metaphor of the entire tale makes the book a treasure. Even the cover and pages trims follow the theme of something ancient and vital---suggesting far more than the story speaks aloud.

Those who understand the River will relish the story. Others will hopefully be challenged to discover hidden truths leading to a fuller life.

Had the opportunity to read the advanced copy of this book and I could not put it down. It tells of the tragic loss of the father of a young boy, Gabriel, and the "secret place" he would went to dealing with the loss of his father. His father and his grandfather grew up on "The River" in Colorado. After the loss of his father, he moved to Kansas to live with his mom but he never felt whole.

Once Gabriel came back to The River, his healing began.

I would recommend this book to anyone as it is a great read.