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New Avalon
In a small Pennsylvania town, one of the most famous women in history — a woman who the world has believed dead for almost two decades — is dying.
John Chambers walked away from his life eighteen years ago to become the woman's bodyguard. He gave up everything — including the woman he loved — because he believed that was his destiny.
But destiny has other ideas.
In the tradition of BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY and A PRAYER FOR THE DYING, NEW AVALON is Robert Swartwood's finest work yet.
John Chambers walked away from his life eighteen years ago to become the woman's bodyguard. He gave up everything — including the woman he loved — because he believed that was his destiny.
But destiny has other ideas.
In the tradition of BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY and A PRAYER FOR THE DYING, NEW AVALON is Robert Swartwood's finest work yet.
- GenresFiction
206 pages, Paperback
First published November 15, 2014
About the author
Robert Swartwood
62 books313 followersUSA Today bestselling and ITW Thriller Award–winning author of The Serial Killer's Wife, The Killing Room, Man of Wax, and several other novels. He created the term "hint fiction" and edited Hint Fiction: An Anthology of Stories in 25 Words or Fewer.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 28, 2014
You are the main character. You could use a drink but you know you shouldn't. Your friend might find out about it and that would break the contract.
This story puts the reader into the middle of, actually the end of an unusual situation with a person, John, whose past is a mystery as well. We the reader are given nothing. Just John's daily routine and a very basic explanation of what he's doing.
I normally don't like not knowing where a story is headed. In this one it worked as a driving reason to turn the page. Information is revealed little by little as the plot unfolds. It's a quick read and everything tied together nicely at the end. I recommend it to you and your friend.
On the side, the event that sets this whole story in motion is not all that important to the story itself. Somehow, I didn't figure it out till the end and I slapped my head at how obvious it was. Derr..
This story puts the reader into the middle of, actually the end of an unusual situation with a person, John, whose past is a mystery as well. We the reader are given nothing. Just John's daily routine and a very basic explanation of what he's doing.
I normally don't like not knowing where a story is headed. In this one it worked as a driving reason to turn the page. Information is revealed little by little as the plot unfolds. It's a quick read and everything tied together nicely at the end. I recommend it to you and your friend.
On the side, the event that sets this whole story in motion is not all that important to the story itself. Somehow, I didn't figure it out till the end and I slapped my head at how obvious it was. Derr..
November 1, 2014
Robert Swartwood's latest offering, New Avalon, is a novel of deft plot and complex characters. Imagine that one of the most famous women is history that is counted as dead, isn't. Now imagine her surrounding herself with people to care for her and that one of these people has such a scarred past that he can't relate to any type of future for himself. Throw in a dose of romance and aspects of a thriller and you have New Avalon. Swartwood blends a small town setting with enormous ideas such as identity, truth, justice, and redemption as well as destiny to create a very unique story. The prose is lean and direct with several scenes so poignant they'll stay with you for some time. Highly recommended!
September 27, 2018
Jack Bishop aks John Chambers has given up 18+ years of his life to live in near solitude to be the driver of a woman who is dying of cancer and the world thought she died 18 years ago. John’s employer is actually Dodi Fayed and the woman is Princess Diana whose names are never said in the book. It was a book about the question of destiny, fate or do we control our own lives. Against contract rules, John starts to visit a neighborhood bar in the small Pennsylvania town he lives in and falls for Jourdan. But, it doesn’t last and she leaves town. All this and the sacrifices he’s made for so many years gets him thinking about the life he lost and how can it get it back. The entire book is written in the 2nd person (you) and is very rare. At first, I didn’t’ like it, but didn’t notice it after awhile. The second half of the book was a page-turner and I enjoyed the uniqueness of the story. 9 Stars (9.22 to 9.22.18)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2014
"New Avalon" Robert Swartwood
This is a remarkably story about a man who gave up his life to give his alliance to the cause and protect a dying woman. One day he is told the end is almost here and this opens the flood gates to all the feelings and memories that have been shut away for eighteen years. Of course, when he gave his commitment it was not suppose to be this long because she was diagnosed with terminal cancer, then she miraculously went into remission but now it's back and there's no hope.
What did I like? This was a very emotional story line that drew me in on page one. I was impressed with the whole story and how this could be possible even today. Who knows maybe it's already happen.
What did I dislike? There is one character in the story that I really hated. I have know a couple of guys in my lifetime like this guy and I was totally happy with the way that the main character handled the situation.
What are you going to like? A Very developed and detailed story. The author did an excellent job on his research and you can definitely see it in the vivid descriptions and details. The characters will come to life for you with a next door neighbors clarity. The emotions are all throughout the story with laughter, sadness, happiness and tears. The ending pulls it all together and will blow you away. The action at times is very intense and you'll be turning the pages at a fast rate, you won't be able to put it down. I definitely will be reading more of this author. I loved the dedication he has to his research and bringing it to a fascinating story. No wonder he has won awards for his work and in my opinion he sure deserves it.
This is a remarkably story about a man who gave up his life to give his alliance to the cause and protect a dying woman. One day he is told the end is almost here and this opens the flood gates to all the feelings and memories that have been shut away for eighteen years. Of course, when he gave his commitment it was not suppose to be this long because she was diagnosed with terminal cancer, then she miraculously went into remission but now it's back and there's no hope.
What did I like? This was a very emotional story line that drew me in on page one. I was impressed with the whole story and how this could be possible even today. Who knows maybe it's already happen.
What did I dislike? There is one character in the story that I really hated. I have know a couple of guys in my lifetime like this guy and I was totally happy with the way that the main character handled the situation.
What are you going to like? A Very developed and detailed story. The author did an excellent job on his research and you can definitely see it in the vivid descriptions and details. The characters will come to life for you with a next door neighbors clarity. The emotions are all throughout the story with laughter, sadness, happiness and tears. The ending pulls it all together and will blow you away. The action at times is very intense and you'll be turning the pages at a fast rate, you won't be able to put it down. I definitely will be reading more of this author. I loved the dedication he has to his research and bringing it to a fascinating story. No wonder he has won awards for his work and in my opinion he sure deserves it.
October 25, 2014
When I saw New Avalon described as a “literary” novel, I was apprehensive. I imagined a book full of people staring out of windows and making disappointed sighs. Obviously I was pretty sure this would not be the case but the term “literary” is so loaded for me, bringing to mind the worse kind of self-indulgent, navel-gazing fiction.
Introspection is certainly a large part of New Avalon, but Robert Swartwood never forgets to tell an actual story. John has had a trying life and made some decisions that he is still questioning decades later, but the reader identifies with his plight and is interested in his internal struggles.
The story does not just take place in the protagonist’s head however. I don’t want to give anything away, but the mystery and intrigue John is in the midst of is thrilling on its own merits. I would classify the story as more of a small town noir; our jaded hero with a tainted past is trying to find his own salvation in an impossible situation.
New Avalon follows John month by month through a year of his life with each section revealing a bit more, drawing the reader in more completely with each turn of the page. This is a fast read, as once you start you won’t want to stop.
The characters feel real, the emotions are authentic, and the story is engaging and exciting. I would recommend this for mainstream and genre readers alike. 5 stars!
Introspection is certainly a large part of New Avalon, but Robert Swartwood never forgets to tell an actual story. John has had a trying life and made some decisions that he is still questioning decades later, but the reader identifies with his plight and is interested in his internal struggles.
The story does not just take place in the protagonist’s head however. I don’t want to give anything away, but the mystery and intrigue John is in the midst of is thrilling on its own merits. I would classify the story as more of a small town noir; our jaded hero with a tainted past is trying to find his own salvation in an impossible situation.
New Avalon follows John month by month through a year of his life with each section revealing a bit more, drawing the reader in more completely with each turn of the page. This is a fast read, as once you start you won’t want to stop.
The characters feel real, the emotions are authentic, and the story is engaging and exciting. I would recommend this for mainstream and genre readers alike. 5 stars!
November 3, 2014
Jack Bishop is a complicated man. Doing the right thing wrecked his world and sent him off to live a life of loneliness and misery as a driver/protector for an internationally beloved and famous (and supposedly dead) female icon. He is a ghost, using someone else’s name and living a life that was not meant for him. Or was it?
Swartwood’s newest book explores destiny. Can we change it? Should we even try?
I don’t want to give anything away in this review, so forgive me for being vague. The pace of this book was just perfect. I couldn’t get enough of it…reading when I should have been sleeping, and then feeling too worked up by the storyline to go back to sleep. The Jack Bishop character formed so clearly in my imagination. Swartwood painted a vivid picture of him, so flawed and beautiful and full of rage and sadness and altruism.
As always, the language flows beautifully and concisely with no unnecessary words. There is plenty of violence, and it is gritty and brutal and awesomely horrifying. And as always, the story left me asking questions and wanting more. It’s going to take some time for me to get Jack Bishop out of my head. Well done, Swartwood.
Swartwood’s newest book explores destiny. Can we change it? Should we even try?
I don’t want to give anything away in this review, so forgive me for being vague. The pace of this book was just perfect. I couldn’t get enough of it…reading when I should have been sleeping, and then feeling too worked up by the storyline to go back to sleep. The Jack Bishop character formed so clearly in my imagination. Swartwood painted a vivid picture of him, so flawed and beautiful and full of rage and sadness and altruism.
As always, the language flows beautifully and concisely with no unnecessary words. There is plenty of violence, and it is gritty and brutal and awesomely horrifying. And as always, the story left me asking questions and wanting more. It’s going to take some time for me to get Jack Bishop out of my head. Well done, Swartwood.
November 16, 2014
I really enjoyed this novel. Mr. Swartwood is a very good author. I liked the second person perspective because it isn't always used in most contemporary writing. The prose was wonderful and I enjoyed his storytelling aspects as he peeled away the different layers of the story piece by piece until the very end. I suspected who the mystery woman was but not until about 3/4's through the book. I may have wanted the book to end differently but it had a hopeful ending that left his readers to come to their own conclusions. I would definitely recommend this easy-to-read book that has us thinking about mystery, relationships, duty, obligation, isolation and coming out of the same.
November 18, 2014
Jack Bishop left his life behind to watch over one of the world's most famous woman. But this story isn't about her as much as it is him—his relationships (or lack thereof) and a budding romance with nasty baggage. New Avalon is a unique read, one of the first books I've read written in the second person perspective, and presented in an interesting, month-by-month record of the final year of a difficult job assigned to a complicated man. This is a quick book to read, but will stay with you for awhile.
November 23, 2014
This book is a fast read. Set in the second person which makes it very different. Starts off just like the description says. Very early on there are enough hints to figure out who the "women" is. By this time the main story is more interesting. Every chapter is one day of a month so things move quickly. Each chapter ends on a note that makes you want to keep reading!
November 16, 2014
If you've read and liked the author's more commercial books, don't be put off by the prospect of reading this more literary novel. It has the two things you've come to expect in a Swartwood novel: beautiful, graceful writing and great action. Very emotional. Highly recommended.
February 1, 2015
This story was written in second person which I have never read in a story before, and the concept was new and quite fresh. I always enjoy reading something "different" and not the same ol' same ol'. This book accomplished that. Thoroughly enjoyed! Recommend greatly.
February 4, 2015
NEW AVALON
I almost quit reading this book after the first chapter, because I did not like it from a second person point of view. But the more I read the better it got, John is a very interesting character- he has to tell the story his way. It's a fast interesting read.
I almost quit reading this book after the first chapter, because I did not like it from a second person point of view. But the more I read the better it got, John is a very interesting character- he has to tell the story his way. It's a fast interesting read.
March 9, 2015
This was an interesting story, well-written, but the end was depressing - the main character took a job that was supposed to last a couple of years, and now it's 18 years later and finally coming to an end.
November 4, 2014
Absolutely loved.
June 11, 2015
My comment after reading this book was, "So?"
January 25, 2016
This was an interesting read, but it didn't go anywhere that made me care.
January 23, 2015
This was such an interesting, beautifully written book.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews