Just One More Chance

Lorne J. Shields (Ireland, born in South Africa)

with Robert Alan Balaicius,

564pp., pb., 25.00 + P&H. 

The story begins in Ireland and progresses like a whirlwind, which, to explain more would give away the suspense of the story.  A gripping read you will not be able to put down and one of those rare books that you wish would never end. 

One rash decision, a regrettable mistake, can snowball and cause a chain-reaction like an avalanche; so-far reaching one may wonder if it can be outrun even if he flees to the other side of the world.  When such a brief mistake is made, as Tom McCauley finds out, it can carry you about like a beach-ball in the ocean, and all you can do is hang on for dear life and pray to God that you land safely, somewhere, eventually. 

Here begins a touching story of down-to-earth people (well... most of them), often real life stories from an earlier era.  A story of love and romance interwoven with cultures spanning several nations of a bye-gone era, hard work, drama, intrigue, foul-play, good versus evil, faithfulness, respect, devotion, desperation, and hope combined with real historical events.  The epic story of all creation is presented in a whirl: a momentary fall from grace followed by repeated attempts at restoration, while battling a myriad of unforeseen obstacles to that goal which creep out of the past into the present like vipers from a pit that just won’t die.  You will not be the same after reading this book; you may become a part of the drama itself: your heart knit with those of this story, as if they were family or dear friends.  At least, that is how it affected me.  Step back into the 1800s and enjoy an amazing story. . .

I cannot help but think of a paragraph penned by the eminent Charles Dickens, which shares similar sentiments with this moving, gripping, lively, fascinating story: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way — in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.” (A Tale of Two Cities)   —the Editor, Adapter, and Publisher, R.A.B.  A must read.  This could be the next Hallmark t.v. miniseries or motion picture.  First edition, limited printing of 150 (numbered) copies (which may become collector's items).