Wow. This was one of the best books I've ever read. Excellent character development and a very exciting story. ( )

Although I seem to recall enjoying a previous novel by this author, long before joining Goodreads, I'm afraid that wasn't the case with this book. The beginning was very promising: the Vietnam veteran who has fallen on hard times (the story is set in 1991) and is reduced to waiting around in punishing heat in a remote area outside town in the hope that someone will offer him work. But when he gets home from another day without an offer, a letter awaits from the bank threatening to impound his car and without that he can't reach any jobs he is offered. So he goes to the bank to beg for more time to make a payment but the man who used to cut him some slack has been 'let go' himself and a ruthless replacement installed. Things play out badly and the next thing he knows, he is on the run with a fifteen thousand dollar reward on his head.

So far so good, but then it all 'went south' from there with the introduction of a couple of peculiar bounty hunters one with an embedded twin in his chest and a not very good Elvis impersonator with a lapdog. The story became increasingly unconvincing and roped in just about every cliche of American Gothic. The final action shoot-em-up, reminiscient of a low budget movie was quite well written, but I found most of the characters one dimensional and the whole thing very predictable apart from the slightly odd ending. So I can only rate this as a 2-star OK read. ( )

Gone South by Robert R McCammon was published in 1992 is 392 pages long.

Dan Lambert is a Vietnam vet down on his luck. He's divorced, out of work, and sick. His bills are piling up and he is several months behind on his truck payment. When he goes to the bank to speak to the loan manager about working something out so he can keep his truck, he finds a world of trouble. The new bank manager won't give Dan any breathing room and Dan loses his temper. Before it's all said and done a man is killed and Dan is on the run.
Dan's plan is to leave the country. Along the way, Dan's situation goes from bad to worse. A reward has been placed for his capture and two bounty hunters, as well as cops from all over are on the lookout for Dan.
Dan also meets up with some other folks in need of help and in search of their own peace.
Arden, born with a birthmark that has made her life miserable is in search of a faith healer that will heal her. When her path intersects with Dan's ,the two of them start on a journey that will hopefully see them finding the love and purpose and peace they are looking for - If they make it there that is.

I've only read one other book by Robert R. McCammon and that was some years ago. (I do vividly remember parts of it of though .) This one sounded a lot different from anything else he had written and I wasn't really sure if I would like this one.
The author's work is often placed in the "horror" genre, but this book is NOT horror or fantasy. Actually, I don't know what genre it is really. Basically, it was just good story. Perhaps, a little adventure, some action, some criminal activity, and some drama. In the end, there is an awesome happily ever after.
I buddy read this book with my husband. We both liked it a lot. We were a little perplexed because we kept waiting for some kind of supernatural type occurance that never came. But, the story was very interesting. There as never much of a dull moment. If you like feel good stories that appeal to everyone, you will like this one. ( )

It's gotta be me.I see this book getting constant rave reviews. I remember expressing concern to a friend when it first came out. "It'll never measure up to Boy's Life," I said. I was told that it not only held up, but was better.

So I read it back then. I was disappointed.

Almost twenty-five years later, I gave it a second go.

What you have to understand is, there are very few novels like Boy's Life. The story, the characters, the setting, the time, the dialogue, the narrative, the word choice...all of it was absolutely magical. It was so many miles above the other novels that McCammon had released to that point that I'd almost swear it was a different author.

For me, reading Gone South reinforces the belief that McCammon didn't write that previous novel. Because, for me, this one just dropped right back down to his regular output.

For me, Gone South simply doesn't go anywhere. It's another road novel, much like Mine, though that one, to my mind, was better. It's got very damaged characters, much like Swan Song though again, that book did them better. I didn't even mind that the promise of the ending wasn't held up. I can take that.

What I couldn't take was Flint and Clint, and Pelvis. I'm sorry, I couldn't get past the stupidity of these two characters. Hell, I could even muster up a modicum of sympathy for Pelvis, but Flint and Clint simply didn't need to be the way they were. It didn't serve the story.

And the story itself, though present as Dan's, really ended up more Arden's.

Bottom line, McCammon is a good enough author to make this book work at a basic level, but there was, at least for me, no wonder and no magic.

Again, maybe it's just me. ( )

4.5 stars!

I loved this book!

It's a story of a sick, struggling Vietnam vet who "loses it" when he is denied a loan extension at the bank. That's all I'm going to say about the plot other than general observations.

The characters in the book are truly unique. I wager that you've never met characters like these in any other book, no matter how well read you may be.

This story is serious while also being quite funny and adventurous. This is also a spiritual story, which I find to be true of almost every single Robert McCammon book.

If you are a fan of Mr. McCammon, you are sure to enjoy this novel. If you have never read any of Mr. McCammon's works, this would be an excellent place to start. This story has everything: love, hate, anger, disappointment, and most importantly, redemption.

I give this novel my highest recommendation! Please do yourself a favor and read it! ( )