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Threshold by Devin O'Branagan
Cole Dillon drowns in Deer Lake shortly before his thirteenth birthday. Elijah Thunderbird, a Native American shaman, travels between the worlds to bring Cole back from death. Unfortunately, Cole isn’t supposed to survive, and with the natural order disrupted, dark spirits follow them home.During Cole’s near-death experience, he is assigned an important mission that involves saving the lives of many other children. However, when he is revived, he can’t remember the details and undertakes a challenging quest of discovery.Meanwhile, the dark spirits begin to manifest in the lives of the local town residents, bringing hatred and death. When shamanic visions reveal that many young lives are indeed in imminent danger, Elijah has to help Cole find the courage to do what is required of him before it is too late.As Elijah tries to help Cole, he struggles with his own personal demons, and both men—one young, one old—must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice in order to save others.A moving paranormal thriller about courage, faith, and the transformative power of love.
Mass Market Paperback
First published November 4, 2011
5 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Devin O'Branagan
20 books103 followersBestselling author Devin O’Branagan writes novels about uncommon heroes. Her genres include young adult urban fantasy, science fiction, paranormal thrillers, paranormal romance, romantic comedy, and erotic romance. She’s been published by Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Books, German publisher Heyne Verlag, Turkish publisher Dogan Egmont, and indie publisher Cornucopia Creations. Her books are available in print, eBook, and audio book formats.
Visit her website at www.DevinWrites.com
Visit her website at www.DevinWrites.com
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 27, 2011
Welcome to Deer Lake, Montana, the home of twelve year old Cole Dillon, a very normal and far from perfect boy. Welcome also to a story where difficult topics such as spiritualism, religion, redemption, restitution and destiny are capably and sensitively explored at the hands of author, Devin O’Branagan. Cole, in the aftermath of a life changing—almost life ending—event, finds himself on a path that he could never have anticipated and struggles to understand. In an outward spiral, those nearest to him, and indeed the entire town of Deer Lake, will eventually find themselves drawn in, each in their own individual ways…because after all, we all walk our own individual paths.
Despite the complexity of some extremely thought-provoking themes, O’Branagan writes with an accessible style that neither overwhelms nor condescends to the reader. If you’re looking for human interest, drama, suspense and a dog named Wigglebutt, you’ll find them here. If your taste runs more to challenging brain-engaging topics that will stay with you long after the last page, well, those are here too. Regardless of whether THRESHOLD leaves you with a sense of gentle admonition or merely the satisfaction of an expertly crafted page-turner of a tale, it is well worth the read.
Despite the complexity of some extremely thought-provoking themes, O’Branagan writes with an accessible style that neither overwhelms nor condescends to the reader. If you’re looking for human interest, drama, suspense and a dog named Wigglebutt, you’ll find them here. If your taste runs more to challenging brain-engaging topics that will stay with you long after the last page, well, those are here too. Regardless of whether THRESHOLD leaves you with a sense of gentle admonition or merely the satisfaction of an expertly crafted page-turner of a tale, it is well worth the read.
July 19, 2012
I've read all of Devin O'Branagan's work and this is my absolute favorite book. I have never felt so much for so many characters that fought so hard against what was going on in their lives. I laughed and cried (within the same chapter) and smiled whilst angry.
This is the story of a boy who starts out thinking that he has it all figured out in life, but has an experience that shakes him to his core and makes him question everything. He becomes a leader that will aide in many events that perhaps he never knew existed in his corner of the world.
This is a story of a young woman that is trying so very hard to be everything she can to the one person that should love her absolutely. In these pages, she discovers that to be truly happy one must love oneself absolutely before others can. Her story left me in awe.
The deep capacity to love is apparent in each chapter and the journey of each character.Devin starts out with a grab to your heart and won't let go until you close the book, sit there amazed at the journey Devin has taken you on.
She is a storyteller for the ages. It's good to live in Devin's world and I'm not leaving.Devin O'Branagan
This is the story of a boy who starts out thinking that he has it all figured out in life, but has an experience that shakes him to his core and makes him question everything. He becomes a leader that will aide in many events that perhaps he never knew existed in his corner of the world.
This is a story of a young woman that is trying so very hard to be everything she can to the one person that should love her absolutely. In these pages, she discovers that to be truly happy one must love oneself absolutely before others can. Her story left me in awe.
The deep capacity to love is apparent in each chapter and the journey of each character.Devin starts out with a grab to your heart and won't let go until you close the book, sit there amazed at the journey Devin has taken you on.
She is a storyteller for the ages. It's good to live in Devin's world and I'm not leaving.Devin O'Branagan
July 29, 2016
Life is a set of bumpy roads. These winding paths all lead to one event that changes your life forever. The way you choose to travel, determines how the end will play out. For Cole Dillon that choice came sooner than expected when he died after falling into a frozen lake. With a little help from his friend Elijah Thunderbird, a Native American Shaman, he is given a second chance on life and a mission to close a dark rift torn open by his return. On the surface this book is about how a near death experience changes the lives of the Dillon family and those closest to them. Underneath it is a tale of love, loss, and a deep faith that will leave you speechless. I would recommend this book to anyone who feels there is something missing in their lives. If you are anything like me you will do just as I did and as soon as you read the last page you will find yourself turning back to the front to read it again.
June 18, 2012
This is a book that really sticks with you once you've put it down. Very powerful and thought provoking and filled with rich characters and uncommon heroes.
December 24, 2011
I didn't really know what to expect with this story although I had advised the author a little bit on information about livestock, horses, and ranch life. I won't do a synopsis as you can get that anywhere but prefer to just comment on my thoughts as the reader. This is the story of a 12 year old boy, Cole, and what happens to him after he dies in a drowning accident....and comes back. What he sees while he has crossed over and how a Shaman helps him to understand what has happened is a great deal of the story. Cole only partly remembers enough to know that his return to life has opened a door of some kind and it is his mission to close it before terrible things happen.
The story takes place in a small Montana town and on the ranch belonging to Cole's father, Ty. Cole and his two sisters resent that his father has suddenly married a woman they do not know and brought her home to the ranch. As the reader I kind of resented her too, but she is kind of a complex character and her mother who arrives shortly is a witch of sorts. Cole's mother ran off many years ago and Leah, the oldest sister has pretty much raised the youngest, Rachel. They love their father, Ty, but do not get affection from him and are always trying to please him.
The main theme of this story is Cole's mission and the change that occurs within this boy who previously was careless and often unfeeling. It is the story of the family but of others as well, and I did like the way the characters came alive. It is the kind of story where you care about more of them than just the main players. The Shaman and the sacrifice he eventually makes for his wife who is a very unpleasant alcoholic through much of the story is very powerful. I read it in a couple of days (had our family Christmas in between so there was a gap) and stayed up late to finish.
I did enjoy the references to ranch life, the horses, Cole's Australian Shepherd, and it was all done very well. A really good read.
The story takes place in a small Montana town and on the ranch belonging to Cole's father, Ty. Cole and his two sisters resent that his father has suddenly married a woman they do not know and brought her home to the ranch. As the reader I kind of resented her too, but she is kind of a complex character and her mother who arrives shortly is a witch of sorts. Cole's mother ran off many years ago and Leah, the oldest sister has pretty much raised the youngest, Rachel. They love their father, Ty, but do not get affection from him and are always trying to please him.
The main theme of this story is Cole's mission and the change that occurs within this boy who previously was careless and often unfeeling. It is the story of the family but of others as well, and I did like the way the characters came alive. It is the kind of story where you care about more of them than just the main players. The Shaman and the sacrifice he eventually makes for his wife who is a very unpleasant alcoholic through much of the story is very powerful. I read it in a couple of days (had our family Christmas in between so there was a gap) and stayed up late to finish.
I did enjoy the references to ranch life, the horses, Cole's Australian Shepherd, and it was all done very well. A really good read.
November 11, 2011
Threshold is the essence and pinnacle of Devin O'Branagan's writing style - a mixture of realism, spirituality and the strength of human emotion. By far, it is one of her best and grittiest works. Elijah and Leah are the stand out characters in the overall story but Cole holds his own as he grows and develops. All of her characters are endearing even the ones you want to hate. There are a lot of raw emotions poured onto the pages of Threshold. You will grow, laugh, cry, cheer, and grieve right along with the characters.
For anyone who hasn't experienced O'Branagan's work, read this book first! For fans of O'Branagan, I implore you to read this book as soon as you can - you won't be disappointed!
For anyone who hasn't experienced O'Branagan's work, read this book first! For fans of O'Branagan, I implore you to read this book as soon as you can - you won't be disappointed!
December 31, 2023
I want to add to my review and say this book is really worth reading. It is one of those books that you keep coming back to and thinking about something from the story. I find myself days later still thinking about the characters like Cole and Elijah and their unselfishness.
I have had this book for a long time but was just not ready to read it whenever I picked it up. It was published in 2011 but, unfortunately, much of the same things are still going on now 10 plus years later. I guess hatred and prejudice just do not go away unless we stand up to them like Cole did. It is a good story which makes you think about life, religion(s), family, sacrifice, love and hope.
I loved the ending of the book. After so much tragedy, there was hope. I cannot say more without giving away spoilers. But I am glad I finally finished reading it because it well worth reading.
I have had this book for a long time but was just not ready to read it whenever I picked it up. It was published in 2011 but, unfortunately, much of the same things are still going on now 10 plus years later. I guess hatred and prejudice just do not go away unless we stand up to them like Cole did. It is a good story which makes you think about life, religion(s), family, sacrifice, love and hope.
I loved the ending of the book. After so much tragedy, there was hope. I cannot say more without giving away spoilers. But I am glad I finally finished reading it because it well worth reading.
October 21, 2021
Needs research
Two biggies that threw shadow on my enjoyment if this book was that Native Americans DON'T have shamans!!! There's area medicine men and women, healers, seers, prophets but no shamans!! Another thing was your " warm Chinook winds" everything Chinook is in Oregon. Specifically in the Columbia River Gorge where I live. Being Native American and an Oregonian your references to these two things bothered me so much u couldn't enjoy your fantastical tale set on a ranch in Montana.
Two biggies that threw shadow on my enjoyment if this book was that Native Americans DON'T have shamans!!! There's area medicine men and women, healers, seers, prophets but no shamans!! Another thing was your " warm Chinook winds" everything Chinook is in Oregon. Specifically in the Columbia River Gorge where I live. Being Native American and an Oregonian your references to these two things bothered me so much u couldn't enjoy your fantastical tale set on a ranch in Montana.
December 18, 2011
I've read a few books by Devin O'Branagan and each book is a bit different from the other. Each book carries strong messages and each one deals with spirituality in one form or another. Threshold focuses on spirituality, religion and near death experience, and well as family relationships and prejudices. It's all in there forming an interesting story of a young boy who drowns, the shaman/family friend who saves him and the family and town that is ultimately affected by events that were set in motion from the day of the drowning. In fact, one could say that things had been brewing even before that day...
Cole is the young teen or preteen who drowns; his drowning and near death experience changes his attitude and pulls him into a journey of thought and self discovery. His older sister, Leah is full of anger and angst. She's almost 18 and has been a surrogate parent to Cole and Rachel, the youngest of the family since their mother abruptly left them years ago. Rachel, elementary aged, has portentious dreams and a serious love of all things chocolate. All of O'Branagan's books feature at least one main character dog, and Wigglebutt is the dog star. And then there's the dad, Ty - who is trying his cowboy best to be a good dad, but the kids don't feel the love.
Other strong characters include Elijah, the Native America shaman, who has strong mystical powers yet he's dealing with his own demons of abstaining from alcohol, with a wife and son who have issues.
The seemingly ideal little town, where the inhabitants are close, have their own problems seething under the surface and Cole's drowning and near death experience seems to uncover these problems. Problems such as complacency, bigotry, depression and alcoholism. A hate group seems drawn to the small town, adding to the mix. Elijah's tribe is divided and committing violent acts on some of their own. The Pastor's wife seems full of hate. The Babtist minister seems just as full of non-acceptance...and on top of everything else, Cole - a young almost teen seems determined to sacrifice himself for the good of many others.
Threshold is the story of how things come to a suspenseful and tragic head, and how Cole's family, Elijah's family and the town seem to become damaged and yet still manage to pull together and bounce back.
Some bad things happen to people - some ugly truths are exposed and yet everyone manages to come to an acceptance and forgive each other. So even though parts of this story may seem heartbreaking, there is that thread of optimism that most of us are so good at keeping.
I enjoyed reading this book. I think in one way or another we've all had to deal with one or more of the issues brought up in Threshold. I'd definitely recommend Threshold for a good fiction read with not one, but a few good messages.
Devin O'Branagan is the author of numerous books, including Red Hot Liberty.
Cole is the young teen or preteen who drowns; his drowning and near death experience changes his attitude and pulls him into a journey of thought and self discovery. His older sister, Leah is full of anger and angst. She's almost 18 and has been a surrogate parent to Cole and Rachel, the youngest of the family since their mother abruptly left them years ago. Rachel, elementary aged, has portentious dreams and a serious love of all things chocolate. All of O'Branagan's books feature at least one main character dog, and Wigglebutt is the dog star. And then there's the dad, Ty - who is trying his cowboy best to be a good dad, but the kids don't feel the love.
Other strong characters include Elijah, the Native America shaman, who has strong mystical powers yet he's dealing with his own demons of abstaining from alcohol, with a wife and son who have issues.
The seemingly ideal little town, where the inhabitants are close, have their own problems seething under the surface and Cole's drowning and near death experience seems to uncover these problems. Problems such as complacency, bigotry, depression and alcoholism. A hate group seems drawn to the small town, adding to the mix. Elijah's tribe is divided and committing violent acts on some of their own. The Pastor's wife seems full of hate. The Babtist minister seems just as full of non-acceptance...and on top of everything else, Cole - a young almost teen seems determined to sacrifice himself for the good of many others.
Threshold is the story of how things come to a suspenseful and tragic head, and how Cole's family, Elijah's family and the town seem to become damaged and yet still manage to pull together and bounce back.
Some bad things happen to people - some ugly truths are exposed and yet everyone manages to come to an acceptance and forgive each other. So even though parts of this story may seem heartbreaking, there is that thread of optimism that most of us are so good at keeping.
I enjoyed reading this book. I think in one way or another we've all had to deal with one or more of the issues brought up in Threshold. I'd definitely recommend Threshold for a good fiction read with not one, but a few good messages.
Devin O'Branagan is the author of numerous books, including Red Hot Liberty.
January 12, 2016
Many stories involving teenaged boys are coming of age stories. The character starts out skipping to school all rosy-cheeked and tousled hair, and by the end of the book, he's shaving, drinking too much and wondering if buying a truck will help him get laid.
That last might be an exaggeration, but you get the idea.
Threshold has a slightly different approach. Without giving away the plot, the hero suffers a near death experience with a liberal amount of mysticism thrown in, and emerges from behind the curtain a changed (if you will excuse the expression) man.
The remainder of the story is what the hero does with his new-found maturity. If that sounds dull, that is only because I'm doing my very best not to give away any of the plot. Our hero must wrestle with demons of his own, suffer the knowledge that his idols have feet of clay, guide his family through turmoil and heartache and lead his friends when the world brings trouble to their sleepy little town.
Threshold is a work that feels very real, despite (or perhaps because of) the less-than-hidden spiritual message. It is tough and gritty in places, frightening in others, but hope and belief are constant themes, and it is in the darkest of times that light shines brightest.
Should you read Threshold? Yes. The best books impart a different message every time they are read. Threshold does not disappoint.
That last might be an exaggeration, but you get the idea.
Threshold has a slightly different approach. Without giving away the plot, the hero suffers a near death experience with a liberal amount of mysticism thrown in, and emerges from behind the curtain a changed (if you will excuse the expression) man.
The remainder of the story is what the hero does with his new-found maturity. If that sounds dull, that is only because I'm doing my very best not to give away any of the plot. Our hero must wrestle with demons of his own, suffer the knowledge that his idols have feet of clay, guide his family through turmoil and heartache and lead his friends when the world brings trouble to their sleepy little town.
Threshold is a work that feels very real, despite (or perhaps because of) the less-than-hidden spiritual message. It is tough and gritty in places, frightening in others, but hope and belief are constant themes, and it is in the darkest of times that light shines brightest.
Should you read Threshold? Yes. The best books impart a different message every time they are read. Threshold does not disappoint.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews