The Great American Road Trip
Destination: Utah
Book: The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin
Bryce Canyon
The skinny red spires of Bryce Canyon; the dramatic towering cliffs of Zion National Park, the pink sand dunes–wonders just never cease in Utah.
My favorite part of Utah is the Southern area, particularly the southwest, which has the most spectacular collection of scenery you’ll see anywhere in the United States, with the exception of Arizona’s Grand Canyon. Ken and I took a western road trip including these spots in both 2004 and 2008.
The Mountain Between Us: A Novel
Fortunately in this story the male passenger is an emergency room doctor and both man and woman, in their 30′s, are in excellent physical shape. She was on her way to her wedding. He is expected to perform three surgeries back home in Florida, when their commercial flight gets snowed in, so they take a chance with this small charter plane.
Charles Martin has a distinctive voice that is easy to read and he keeps our attention riveted as he relates every detail of the fight for survival. Those pesky details sometimes caused problems for me. I believe I saw some of what in cinematic terms are called “continuity problems.” You know, they’re out of lighter fluid in one scene, and flick their Bic in the next. That sort of thing. Although the thing that kept me turning the pages was the “how are they going to survive?” question, this is not just an adventure. The novel tells four love stories really, if you count the brief look we get at the pilot’s life.
I might as well tell you right now, the first six of Martin’s novels were published by what is classified as a “faith-based” publisher. Now don’t stop reading–unless as one blog I saw recently said–you think (reading about) Christians will give you cooties. The novel’s themes of hope, love and loyalty are certainly not exclusively Christian, and there is no mention of religion. But there were times when I felt the story was just a bit TOO pure and wholesome to be totally believable. (This is a romance novel with no heaving bosoms and no burning glances.)
It is a rarity to find a male author’s voice behind what is basically a romance novel. Nevertheless there were some distinctly male p.o.v.s that made me draw back a bit. He consistently came to the rescue with his oh-so masculine skills like archery and starting a fire with a bow and stick. She was helpless and he was responsible for their safety–although she is a strong woman, and he is humble about his heroic actions. The guy works hard to overcome his ‘strong but silent’ syndrome, but still the romance lacks the physical warmth and emotional empathy that a more feminine romance would give us in a hero. Actually those are quibbles, because I DID read straight through and I did enjoy the humor and some of the interesting twists and turns. This is a fun read, but , I wouldn’t recommend it for the airplane. Those things are scary enough.
Charles Martin
You can read lots more about Charles Martin at his web site, and follow his frequently updated blog. You can also follow him on Facebook if you are less cynical than I am about the hordes of adoring fans.
Have you ever heard of or read a book that is particularly romantic written by a man? Isn’t that interesting? Why do we have a category of books called “faith based?” And who is going to play the roles in the movie? This novel, got me thinking about a lot of things like that. So let’s talk.
Sorry if the photo at the top misled you, but I just wanted to share it because I love Bryce Canyon. Plus, I’ve never crashed in the High Unitas. It is my photo. Don’t reuse without permission, please. Links to the book will take you to Amazon. You need to know that if you buy something after using that link, A Traveler’s Library benefits, but it doesn’t cost you any extra.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING, American Readers. I’m thankful that I am able to take a road trip to Utah most any time I want, and VERY thankful that I’ve never had a plane crash in the High Unitas. Also read:
And, as always, a little musical accompaniment suggested by Kerry Dexter at Music Road.
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About the Author:
A freelance writer who loves to travel. When she is not traveling she is reading about travel. When she is not reading or traveling, she is sharing with the readers of A Traveler's Library, recreating her family's past at Ancestors In Aprons. She writes frequently for Reel Life With Jane and other websites. Also co-author of a biography, Quincy Tahoma, The Life and Legacy of a Navajo Artist. Contact Vera Marie by e-mail.
Vera Marie Badertscher – who has written 684 posts on A Traveler's Library.
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Tags: American road trip, BlogSherpa, book review, Bryce Canyon, Charles Martin, High Unitas Wilderness, Road Trip, romance, Salt Lake City, The Mountain Between Us, thriller, Travel, Utah, Zion National Park
My husband the Edward Abbey fan will probably eat this up – a great stocking stuffer idea!
Casey would like you to read..Cilantro Black Bean & Lime Chili
I’m with you on Bryce Canyon. It is spectacular. Not ideal for small children though. I kept exclaiming over the beauty of the rock formations but all my kids wanted to do was look for chipmunks on the ground. You are fortunate to live so near by and be able to visit when you want.
Alexandra would like you to read..Reality of Innkeeping- Sticking to Ones Guns
This book sounds very interesting… I’ve never been to that part of Utah, but it sounds beautiful.
Margo would like you to read..Door Belles and Sleigh Belles
Your question about faith-based made me recall a series of books I read a few years ago written by a husband-wife, research/writing team, Bodie and Brock Thoene (pronounced Tay-nee).
They now have some 50 historical novels written but the series that caught my eye back then was the Zion Covenant. This 9-book series begins in 1936 with “Vienna Prelude” and each subsequent book is in a different setting, taking the reader through the war years in locales such as Paris, London, Prague, Munich, Warsaw and ending in 1940 with “Dunkirk Crescendo”
These were the first faith-based type books I had read and I was hestitant to start the first but quickly became so engrossed in the storyline and the historical information, I didn’t even think about the faith-based part any longer. I couldn’t finish one quick enough to get to the next.
If any of your readers want to know more about the books or authors I mentioned, I found they do have an extensive website, http://www.thoenebooks.com (And yes, there are all sorts of new titles that I will add to my ‘must get to soon’ list.)
Happy Thanksgiving to you Vera and to all my new reading friends I’ve come to know through your blog!
Jackie Smith would like you to read..The Bosphorus Strait – Fact and Fantasy
Jackie; Thanks for explaining your experience with faith-based books. You may not have seen the Christian message in the books, but reading over their website it seems that their principle motivation is clear. In The Mountain Between Us, the message is more muted, and even in the writer’s discussions of the book, not stressed the way the Thoenes stress their intent to show people their view of salvation.
You made a good point – I should have clarified that while the faith-basis of these books was certainly obvious, it didn’t detract from the storyline and settings.
So did you complete your editing project and have time to enjoy Thanksgiving?
Jackie Smith would like you to read..The Bosphorus Strait – Fact and Fantasy
It’s super icy in Utah right now, but in spring it is beautiful.
Thank you, Vera, for all the wonderful reviews this year. You do a great job–happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. More adventures in the year to come!
Rosemary: I’m thankful for readers like you who encourage me to keep going. Particularly nice praise from a fellow reviewer and travel writer. Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving.