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The Two Crosses
It's 1916, and Roy is a southern teenager deeply in love with a sweetheart Yankee named Emily...with a hidden mean streak. When the circus comes to town and a rampaging elephant named Mary kills a man, their relationship faces the ultimate test when the townsfolk decide to hang the elephant for her crimes.
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 3, 2010
26 people are currently reading
215 people want to read
About the author
Ernie Lindsey
52 books183 followersErnie Lindsey grew up in the Appalachian Mountains of southwest Virginia, working on the family farm and reading, and has spent his life telling stories to anyone that will listen. He currently works as a freelance writer and is the author of five Mystery & Suspense novels and numerous short stories. When he's not writing, you can find him tackling the gigantic To Be Read list on his Kindle or the never-ending stack of books in his office.
Ernie and his family live in Oregon, along with a multi-fingered Hemingway cat named Luna.
Head over to Ernie's site where you can pick up some free Kindle books. Join him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ErnieLindseyFiction.
Ernie and his family live in Oregon, along with a multi-fingered Hemingway cat named Luna.
Head over to Ernie's site where you can pick up some free Kindle books. Join him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ErnieLindseyFiction.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 15, 2012
I'm a Christian who doesn't read much Christian lit. It is usually trite, overwrought, predictable, and preachy. This is none of those. It discusses God and miracles without any of the need to smack you over the head. The characters were real, intricate, and well written. The author knew these people. They had their own views and perceptions. They were written with insight and subtlety. I cared for all of them, even the secondary characters. Too much of modern fiction is story driven so that the people that populate them are ever changing to fit the plot. This was character driven. The story went where the characters did. Don't get me wrong, it's not slow or a character study, it is full of happenings, all of which made sense because the characters made sense. I enjoyed the three different responses to healing miracles. I liked that two were slight variations with the third as a total contrast. I liked the exploration of faith. I liked the exploration of the purpose of miracles. Is it the physical healing that is important? Or the faith of the healer and the healed? Perhaps it is the bestowing of gifts by a benevolent God, a kind of reward? All thought provoking questions.
Then I got to the last chapter. Suddenly, the characters weren't remaining faithful to who they were. They suddenly and without much explanation and no hints, were totally different people. They didn't grow and change with or in response to events. They just did a 180 and went the other way. And I felt like I'd been punched. I had been really interested to see how these three people would effect each other. I wanted to explore what happens when three differing beliefs come into contact. It would have been interesting to see how the lives of the three could be healed by each other. Not in a flash by the laying on of hands, but as a response to extraordinary situations. But it needed to grow organically. Instead we are given the briefest of glimpses at their now mingled lives all tied up in a nice bow. It didn't make sense and it was very disappointing. If I had not read that last chapter, this would be a five star review, even though I wouldn't have a resolution (which might have been interesting). I understand why the author felt he needed a resolution, but it's as if he got lost. He just didn't know what kind of resolution, so he gave us a campfire song. Even with waiting a couple weeks after finishing the book to review, I still find myself disappointed. I can't say I don't recommend this book, it has a lot going for it, but I just wish it didn't have that last chapter. I hope the author someday revises this so that the characters stay true to who they are, but until then 3 stars is the most I can do.
Then I got to the last chapter. Suddenly, the characters weren't remaining faithful to who they were. They suddenly and without much explanation and no hints, were totally different people. They didn't grow and change with or in response to events. They just did a 180 and went the other way. And I felt like I'd been punched. I had been really interested to see how these three people would effect each other. I wanted to explore what happens when three differing beliefs come into contact. It would have been interesting to see how the lives of the three could be healed by each other. Not in a flash by the laying on of hands, but as a response to extraordinary situations. But it needed to grow organically. Instead we are given the briefest of glimpses at their now mingled lives all tied up in a nice bow. It didn't make sense and it was very disappointing. If I had not read that last chapter, this would be a five star review, even though I wouldn't have a resolution (which might have been interesting). I understand why the author felt he needed a resolution, but it's as if he got lost. He just didn't know what kind of resolution, so he gave us a campfire song. Even with waiting a couple weeks after finishing the book to review, I still find myself disappointed. I can't say I don't recommend this book, it has a lot going for it, but I just wish it didn't have that last chapter. I hope the author someday revises this so that the characters stay true to who they are, but until then 3 stars is the most I can do.
July 29, 2018
Wow, this was much better than I'd expected, although the ending left me a bit unsatisfied (author's notes say he'd originally written more but readers didn't like that ending, so he cut it shorter and left some things to your imagination)
The main story is that 2 random people suddenly develop healing powers. What they do with that power is very different.
The main story is that 2 random people suddenly develop healing powers. What they do with that power is very different.
July 28, 2014
Published in 2013 as an e-book.
Estimated length - about 14 pages.
Finalist for the 2005 Sherwood Anderson Short Story contest.
Ernie Lindsey's short story Noose is a coming-of-age story set in the American south in September of 1916. It features a 17 year-old named Roy who works as a farm hand for a northerner who moved down south for a simpler life. Roy has a strong love for animals which makes him an excellent farm hand. Besides working on the farm Roy also dates Emily, the boss of his daughter. Roy and Emily are much more intimate than anyone suspects and Roy is quite sure that he and Emily are completely in love.
The farm community receives word that a circus elephant named Mary is going to be killed for killing one of her handlers during a parade in a nearby town. The elephant will be executed by hanging from a railroad crane. This part of the short story is based on a true story (click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(el... for more information). This hanging does more than kill an elephant - it changes everything for Roy.
Read all of my reviews at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/
Estimated length - about 14 pages.
Finalist for the 2005 Sherwood Anderson Short Story contest.
Ernie Lindsey's short story Noose is a coming-of-age story set in the American south in September of 1916. It features a 17 year-old named Roy who works as a farm hand for a northerner who moved down south for a simpler life. Roy has a strong love for animals which makes him an excellent farm hand. Besides working on the farm Roy also dates Emily, the boss of his daughter. Roy and Emily are much more intimate than anyone suspects and Roy is quite sure that he and Emily are completely in love.
The farm community receives word that a circus elephant named Mary is going to be killed for killing one of her handlers during a parade in a nearby town. The elephant will be executed by hanging from a railroad crane. This part of the short story is based on a true story (click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(el... for more information). This hanging does more than kill an elephant - it changes everything for Roy.
Read all of my reviews at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/
October 9, 2012
Two men receive the ability to heal people... how do they handle it.
Both handle it very differently
One chooses to go public & sacrifices his family for the fame
The other chooses to keep it quit & ends up having his love of his life sacrificed in exchange...
Made me wonder about both of their choices... is it the best thing to not want to share your gift? And how horrible is it to exploid your gift from God?
I thought this story was OK... I was more intrigued with Jay Cross & his life & how it effected him, more then the other man
& then throw in a crazed relgious freak that belittles every person because they're not good enough for God, & thinks he can save his mother's soul who killed herself when he was little... I could have done without this dude the whole book. Actually, I did skip most of the pages that was about him. too predictable
I wouldnt recommend this book really... especially when it came to the end. I was like "WHAT? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?.. that's all I'll say about that :)
Both handle it very differently
One chooses to go public & sacrifices his family for the fame
The other chooses to keep it quit & ends up having his love of his life sacrificed in exchange...
Made me wonder about both of their choices... is it the best thing to not want to share your gift? And how horrible is it to exploid your gift from God?
I thought this story was OK... I was more intrigued with Jay Cross & his life & how it effected him, more then the other man
& then throw in a crazed relgious freak that belittles every person because they're not good enough for God, & thinks he can save his mother's soul who killed herself when he was little... I could have done without this dude the whole book. Actually, I did skip most of the pages that was about him. too predictable
I wouldnt recommend this book really... especially when it came to the end. I was like "WHAT? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?.. that's all I'll say about that :)
May 26, 2012
I won a copy of The Two Crosses from Library Thing.
I don't read much Christian Literature, but decided to take Mr. Lindsey at his word when he said his book wasn't preachy. Lucky for me (and him) he was right. I found the story of David and Jay interesting, how both got incredible healing powers out of nowhere, and what they decided to do about them. I personally would've taken Jay's approach, to try to keep it on the down low, and not charge people for a gift he received from God. But someone has to reap the rewards and exploit their "gift" and David was that man. The healing gift changed both men, caused them both to suffer from loss, and also had Conner, a raving lunatic, after them. The end of the book left me assuming maybe more than I would normally like, but it was a happy enough ending, all in all.
I don't read much Christian Literature, but decided to take Mr. Lindsey at his word when he said his book wasn't preachy. Lucky for me (and him) he was right. I found the story of David and Jay interesting, how both got incredible healing powers out of nowhere, and what they decided to do about them. I personally would've taken Jay's approach, to try to keep it on the down low, and not charge people for a gift he received from God. But someone has to reap the rewards and exploit their "gift" and David was that man. The healing gift changed both men, caused them both to suffer from loss, and also had Conner, a raving lunatic, after them. The end of the book left me assuming maybe more than I would normally like, but it was a happy enough ending, all in all.
July 25, 2012
I don't remember reading the description so maybe I just like the title. Who knows. As I was reading it I came across some language that bothered me. I have forgotten that the book is not Christian fiction yet it strikes me as odd as to why two characters who really don't know God or live a holy life would be given a gift of healing. Both characters have different motivation for the use of gifts. Both lost a loved one differently: one to divorce and one to death. One managed to go on and the other didn't want to but did for his fiance' Then here was this modern day pharisee who became enraged when he heard about the healings and wanted to end it, hoping that by murdering the one he thinks is Satan incarnate that it would atone his mother's suicide. Th ending leaves yo wondering what's next like a cliff hanger.
September 8, 2012
A very good read, it kept me emotionally involved and reading pretty steadfastly until I put it down. I recommend picking it up.
It's a story of hope despite adversity set in engaging locales, with characters that speak to you, right from the pages of your own memory, straight to your heart. You really are afforded wonderful character development with the young man, Jay Cross, and the struggles he goes through as he comes into acceptance of his gift.
The anguish in Conner is felt as genuine and very real and David is a roller coaster in and of himself. The choices made by each of these men are akin to a brief glimpse into the potential variance in human response and associated moral implications to what could happen if there were modern-day miracles.
It's a story of hope despite adversity set in engaging locales, with characters that speak to you, right from the pages of your own memory, straight to your heart. You really are afforded wonderful character development with the young man, Jay Cross, and the struggles he goes through as he comes into acceptance of his gift.
The anguish in Conner is felt as genuine and very real and David is a roller coaster in and of himself. The choices made by each of these men are akin to a brief glimpse into the potential variance in human response and associated moral implications to what could happen if there were modern-day miracles.
June 18, 2013
Based on true story...
"Noose" is a sad short story based on a actual true story, implausible as that may seem. I had actually read of this poor elephant's fate in another story quite a few years ago.
Author Lindsey does a good job telling Roy's story, along with the cruel story of Mary, the ill-fated elephant.
Roy's awakening to Emily's darker side is handled especially well.
"A Noose for Mary" is now published simply under the title "Noose" and it has a different, very nice cover picture on it.
"Noose" is a sad short story based on a actual true story, implausible as that may seem. I had actually read of this poor elephant's fate in another story quite a few years ago.
Author Lindsey does a good job telling Roy's story, along with the cruel story of Mary, the ill-fated elephant.
Roy's awakening to Emily's darker side is handled especially well.
"A Noose for Mary" is now published simply under the title "Noose" and it has a different, very nice cover picture on it.
October 6, 2013
The three story lines were interesting enough, especially Conner's, and I did like Richly. But I just can't believe God would have given special healing powers to these two men. What would be the point? Also, the abrupt ending bothered me. What happened to the estranged wife and son? Are the two healers friends? Co-workers? Rivals? I did like Conner's ending but wanted to hear more about him, too.
August 20, 2014
Short sad and thought provoking
Short sad and thought provoking
As I read this short work I was hoping it was fiction because it was such a sad story.Only when I read the authors note and realized that it was a true event that I realized as a people how seriously blood thirsty we are. Even cruel to a point of what we don't understand. How eye opening to realize that we usually kill what we don't understand.
Short sad and thought provoking
As I read this short work I was hoping it was fiction because it was such a sad story.Only when I read the authors note and realized that it was a true event that I realized as a people how seriously blood thirsty we are. Even cruel to a point of what we don't understand. How eye opening to realize that we usually kill what we don't understand.
November 26, 2016
I don't think so
I would not consider this in a Christian novel category. Although some although part of the story could have been . I did get the book because the title intrigued me it was really 3 stories in 1 book. It was hard to keep straight on which story started again until you read a little bit. It had joy sadness, killing,healing, Bible verses. Although I thought Ernie Lindsey is a good writer it shouldn't have been classified as a Christian Suspense Novel
I would not consider this in a Christian novel category. Although some although part of the story could have been . I did get the book because the title intrigued me it was really 3 stories in 1 book. It was hard to keep straight on which story started again until you read a little bit. It had joy sadness, killing,healing, Bible verses. Although I thought Ernie Lindsey is a good writer it shouldn't have been classified as a Christian Suspense Novel
March 16, 2012
What a journey this book took me on! There is happy, feel-goody, love story stuff. There's heartbreak, sorrow, and despair. Senseless death. Profound hope. A bad guy who inspires pity. A bad guy who's a jerk. A good guy who's a jerk. Another good guy who is achingly good. My heart was broken, and my heart was uplifted.
I will be looking forward to reading more of Ernie Lindsey's work.
I will be looking forward to reading more of Ernie Lindsey's work.
March 26, 2013
I had a hard time with this book. Sigh :(
I read authors book Sara's Game and found I like his style of writing and I liked that book. At the time I read this I didn't realize it was based on a true story. I found the story of the boy and girl to get lost in the background with worrying too much about Mary. I still really like the authors writing.
I read authors book Sara's Game and found I like his style of writing and I liked that book. At the time I read this I didn't realize it was based on a true story. I found the story of the boy and girl to get lost in the background with worrying too much about Mary. I still really like the authors writing.
April 14, 2012
This book was pretty well written, although the ending was disappointing. It was truncated and didn't make much sense. Too bad because I thought it was good up until the epilogue. I would definitely not categorize this as Christian fiction, personally.
May 28, 2012
Not my thing. I got this book as a free Kindle book because the description sounded interesting. I just didn't really get into it. It was a fast read, but just sort of stopped instead of coming to a conclusion.
April 30, 2012
I wasn't sure about this book at first. It got better as it went along. It brings up questions about why things happen the way they do. There was an interesting twist at the end that I wasn't expecting at all. I got this as a free book on my Kindle.
June 28, 2012
Not sure about it. Two men with "healing" powers. One uses for good, the other lets the "power" consume him and he becomes greedy. Religious undertones, but even the "men of God" who counsels one of them is quick to use their powers for healing.
March 16, 2012
good story, not enough depth, ended too quick and not how i wanted
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February 25, 2016kindle 303 metaphysical
December 14, 2014
Different. Like other comments. I found the ending abrupt.
January 1, 2013
Parts one and two were well done. The last section seemed as though the author had no idea what to do next and just wanted to be done. Very disappointing.
February 24, 2015
Good read.
Unexpected ending. You can fill in the blanks and take it where ever you want. Looking forward to reading other books by this author!
Unexpected ending. You can fill in the blanks and take it where ever you want. Looking forward to reading other books by this author!
June 7, 2016
A some what trite story of two people who suddenly accquire the gift of healing ... and how they deal with it...
June 15, 2012
Horrible ending!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews