Can't believe I only have one book left in this five-book series! So good. Wish I could pack up and start walking across the country this very minute. ( )

A great work of literature....maybe not. But I just can't put the books in this series down. Not only do I want to follow Alan along his journey and find out what happens to him, but I also want to meet everyone he meets and see all the places he sees. I continue to thoroughly enjoy taking this Walk with Alan and I look forward to the next installment. ( )

I feel like the author hit upon an idea that worked and is continuing it in various ways as long as he can (since this journey feels very similar to "The Broken Road" series he wrote). I haven't read any of the previous books in this series. I got this one from the library as an audiobook to listen to while I drove. I figured it wasn't the first in the series if he was walking cross country and the book started with him in St. Louis.

I liked "The Broken Road" a bit more since it dealt with Route 66--an icon even I've heard about. There were pieces of this one that I liked but there wasn't as much about what was on the road that he saw as it was about his inner journey.

POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD:
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The book starts out with Alan interrupting his walk due to finding out he has a brain tumor. He returns to Pasadena with his father and has surgery on what turns out to be a benign tumor.

After a brief period of healing, Alan flies back to St. Louis and resumes his walk, against the wishes of his father. Alan makes it to Florida before learning that his father has suffered a heart attack and having to fly back to Pasadena.

The book is somewhat about loss. Not only that Alan has lost his wife and his business, but he's also losing relationships. Falene's in love with him but leaves because she thinks he'll never love her and that he's in love with Nicole. Nicole leaves when she realizes he loves Falene more than he loves her. Alan's father withdraws when he realizes Alan plans to resume his walk.

I'm not sure I like Evans's views on religion/faith based on what's presented in this novel. Alan's dad seems to have a decent grasp of (Christian?) faith as does the pastor who gives Alan a bed for the night. The cult leader (El?) has an odd view of faith. I do know that El is used to refer to God--so it was telling that he used that name as well as having all his followers have a name that ended with -el. Alan also encounters a prepper in the Okefenokee Swamp--a prepper who seems to have driven his wife away with his views and isolated fortress etc.

Just as Alan realizes he does want others to be with him at the end of his walk, and just as he gets a way to contact Falene to tell her he loves her, his walk gets interrupted again by the news that his father is in intensive care back in Pasadena--so we know there's a least one more book in this series. ( )

This book is the fourth in "The Walk" series. Each book adds to the story of Alan Christofferson and this one is extremely enjoyable and inspirational. After Alan is diagnosed with a brain tumor, he flies home to have surgery. Falene and Nicole both show up to help Alan through his surgery, but Falene leaves when she feels she is in the way. Nicole leaves when Alan calls out for Falene while in recovery. Alan recuperates with his father and heads back to St. Louis to continue his walk. He encounters some very strange characters in this episode (a survivalist, a cult leader and some members) as well as some very friendly and helpful people. Alan decides to look for Falene and see if she wants to start a relationship. Another great story and I can't wait to read the next one in the series. ( )

Can't believe I only have one book left in this five-book series! So good. Wish I could pack up and start walking across the country this very minute. ( )