Irish Storytelling
Reading Until the Next Time by Kevin Fox is much like watching a Martin McDonagh play: you laugh so hard, tears well in your eyes - and there is such violence, you cringe. I laughed at all the Irish phrases I've grown up with, but even more so, the family arguments that all sounded so familiar - four generations away from the auld sod and I am still accused of answering every question with question :). Here is a love story caught up in the Troubles - and before and beyond them. Here is discussion of religion and its effects on humans that should cause excitement like the religious discussions in Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code - not that they are at all similar but that they make you pause and re-think! I could NOT put this book down. One caveat: Irish Gaelic phrases are not pronounced in English at all the way they are spelled. Where foreign phrases are used liberally, foreign phrases need to be spelled out phonetically in parentheses right there in the text (as opposed to a glossary). I do not understand why NO authors DO this for their readers. "Hearing" it the way it should sound would be a great enhancement to this story, most particularly. Slainte!
Rated of 5
by Colleen T. (Lakewood, CO)
Until the Next Time
This book I really, really liked. The romance story is great, especially with the past lives woven into the storyline. The characters are likable and believable. I found the switch between the past and present refreshing, and with the historic aspect of the troubles in Ireland, it make the story even more interesting. I highly recommend this book.
Rated of 5
by Mark O. (Wenatchee, WA)
Time out of Memory
Transporting books are safe passages to hard places. “Until the Next Time” takes us deep into the Troubles of Northern Ireland, where history is a congenital disorder, something to be lived with and overcome. But where there is hate, there seems always to be love. “Until the Next Time” is also an old story, of perennial love.
Profound books allow readers to climb into a Paradigm Simulator, flying themselves through wholly unfamiliar worldviews. “Until the Next Time” will leave you contesting the implications and conundrums of a universe in which time is more important than space.
“Until the Next Time” could be an airplane book, a gritty love story set in shifty and slithery danger, good enough to keep you awake on the red-eye flight. But it could also make what were harmless déjà vu moments in your life seem like brooding messages from an unremembered smartphone app.
Rated of 5
by Sandy K. (Iowa City, IA)
Until the Next Time
I enjoyed this novel very much, partly because of my Irish heritage and interest in Irish history, but readers of different backgrounds will also be held by its universal questions and themes. At first, I had some difficulty keeping track of characters and events because each chapter is narrated by a different but related character with 20 years between events. I was able to improve my understanding by careful attention to details and parallels between the narrators, and by realizing that the theme of reincarnation, essential to the novel, was enhanced by this construction.
The author's use of a vernacular version of English for the dialog of the native Irish characters aids in the reader's sense of experiencing the story personally, as do his marvelously detailed descriptions of places and people, and of events associated with phases of the Irish Troubles into which he blends his fictional characters.
Rated of 5
by Dianne S. (Green Valley, AZ)
Until The Next Time
I thought Until The Next Time was a good read. The book a lot of characters in several time periods that but the way that it was written it was fairly easy to follow once ou got the jist of it. I did get a little confused near the end, but the author brought it all together nicely.
I also thought the author did a good job of presenting the political & relgious struggle that Ireland has been going through for years.
Readers of history, fantasy & romance would really enjoy this book.
Rated of 5
by Marion H. (Los Angeles, CA)
You are Yourself and More as Well
If you are willing to invest in reading 200 pages before significant plot development begins, learning little about most of the characters in these first 200 pages, and/or are open to the intriguing possibilities of karma and reincarnation, then you will be nearly unable to put this book down until you have read the last 200 pages. While the novel was an exciting ride, I was very moved by the themes - I am still reflecting on the power of belief in karma and multiple lifetimes. The narrative flowed smoothly and the dialog was realistic, making the reading of the first 200 pages at least manageable. Although, ironically, I cannot say that I liked any of the characters, their stories of love and loss resonated with me and I find myself wanting to share the novel with my friends.
Rated of 5
by Colleen L. (Casco, ME)
Until The Next Time...
Kevin Fox's "Until the Next Time" was a very enjoyable read. It moves along at a fast pace and keeps you interested throughout the entire book. I enjoyed the introduction of reincarnation into the story. It seemed especially apropos given the setting in Ireland. The aspect that I particularly enjoyed the most was the way the author made me think about parables in the Bible and its' hidden meanings. This is a book with many layers and I'm sure if I read it again, I would find new items to mull over and analyze. My only small complaint was that I occasionally got lost between the characters and needed to backtrack. It might have helped to have changed the names just a bit more to make them more distinctive and easier to follow. I didn't necessarily like any of the characters either. Overall, however, I would recommend reading the book. The setting of Ireland was beautiful. The history of Ireland during the "Troubles" was very interesting and the reincarnation theme made this a very solid book to read.
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