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The Valley of Light
1948 sunny summer, Noah Locke spends a week in Bowerstown, North Carolina, bordered by lakes, in the Valley of Light. A quiet, simple war veteran, Noah has a mystical gift for fishing, yet remains haunted by Dachau terrors. Eleanor Cunningham is a widow whose husband supposedly killed himself at home after WW2. After a miracle, Noah comes home at last.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
26 people are currently reading
386 people want to read
About the author
Terry Kay
59 books107 followersTERRY KAY, a 2006 inductee into the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame, is the author of The Book of Marie, recently released by Mercer University Press. Kay has been a sports writer and film/theater reviewer (Atlanta Journal-Constitution), a public relations executive, and a corporate officer. He is the author of nine other published novels, including To Dance with the White Dog, The Valley of Light, Taking Lottie Home, The Kidnapping of Aaron Greene, Shadow Song, The Runaway, Dark Thirty, After Eli, and The Year the Lights Came On, as well as a book of essays (Special K) and a childrens book (To Whom the Angel Spoke)."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
June 12, 2009
I was sad and satisfied to reach the last page: sad to leave behind new friends; satisfied with the way the story ended. The Valley of Light is both the novel’s title and nostalgic setting; the Hiawassee River running through a little valley in post-World War II North Carolina.
It’s a quiet story involving a drifter fisherman who comes in search of a certain lake and a particular fish. In the process, he provides the catalyst for mystery and change. Who is this Noah Locke? What does he really want? Or rather, can he be who he seems to be? Most of the townsfolk have been affected by the war – in one way or another – and Hitler’s death camps are mentioned frequently. And then there are all the interesting people who inhabit the valley, are fascinated by Noah’s fishing abilities and transformed by his meek, unassuming presence.
But mostly what I treasured in Terry Kay’s writing was his gentle observations about the natural world and human nature. He writes with an Artist’s eye -- about both -- and for that reason his book was such sweet pleasure. The Valley of Light is a glimpse into a memorable time and place. I know I'll remember my visit there and be looking for more books by the same author.
It’s a quiet story involving a drifter fisherman who comes in search of a certain lake and a particular fish. In the process, he provides the catalyst for mystery and change. Who is this Noah Locke? What does he really want? Or rather, can he be who he seems to be? Most of the townsfolk have been affected by the war – in one way or another – and Hitler’s death camps are mentioned frequently. And then there are all the interesting people who inhabit the valley, are fascinated by Noah’s fishing abilities and transformed by his meek, unassuming presence.
But mostly what I treasured in Terry Kay’s writing was his gentle observations about the natural world and human nature. He writes with an Artist’s eye -- about both -- and for that reason his book was such sweet pleasure. The Valley of Light is a glimpse into a memorable time and place. I know I'll remember my visit there and be looking for more books by the same author.
October 31, 2021
Wow! This is a beautifully told story; one of those stories where nothing seems to happen in a big way but things change, people grow and learn and continue their life journey. A young wandering man, carries his fishing pole and his memories of WW2 into a small Southern community in the late 1940s. Very mellow in tone, like late summer sunshine and long shadows, and if you're willing to just sink into it, you'll be quietly rewarded.
This is the first I've read of Terry Kay; he's very good with sight and sound and even smells--the little things you don't think of on your own but as soon as he mentions it, you know exactly what it looks or sounds or smells like. Like the smell of a lake, or earth, or creaking of wood. The characters are intriguing too: the young widow looking to move forward in life, the men in the community who have their own stories and burdens, etc. It's also interesting to have a lead who hardly ever talks...but he thinks and he listens...and he fishes.
If you've ever enjoyed an afternoon of fishing, then you get a little extra treat.
I really liked the Hallmark Hall Of Fame adaptation and they captured nicely the main characters and the atmosphere of the story. The only significant change in the film was souping up the story of Matthew, the little boy. But it definitely worked for film and the book works just fine with that storyline at the level it's written.
This is the first I've read of Terry Kay; he's very good with sight and sound and even smells--the little things you don't think of on your own but as soon as he mentions it, you know exactly what it looks or sounds or smells like. Like the smell of a lake, or earth, or creaking of wood. The characters are intriguing too: the young widow looking to move forward in life, the men in the community who have their own stories and burdens, etc. It's also interesting to have a lead who hardly ever talks...but he thinks and he listens...and he fishes.
If you've ever enjoyed an afternoon of fishing, then you get a little extra treat.
I really liked the Hallmark Hall Of Fame adaptation and they captured nicely the main characters and the atmosphere of the story. The only significant change in the film was souping up the story of Matthew, the little boy. But it definitely worked for film and the book works just fine with that storyline at the level it's written.
July 15, 2010
I discovered Terry Kay at the Blue Ridge Community College BookFest. He pre-dates Ron Rash, Charles Frazier and Bob Inman in writing about mid-century southern life. I read The Valley of Light in less than 24 hours. I couldn't put it down. Kay's writing has been likened to poetry disguised as prose and I agree 100%. The story had a spiritual quality for me. Was Hoke a ghost? Was Noah an angel? It ended with more questions... Will Noah reunite with his brother? Will he ever return to the valley? What will Eleanor do with the $3000? Will Taylor Bowers win the heart of Eleanor?
August 14, 2012
Terry Kay is such a masterful Southern storyteller. I loved, loved To Dance with the White Dog so I had high expectations. This doesn't get there. Nothing really happens in the whole book. I was more than disappointed. Two or three characters are rich, no real tension, no resolution, and then it just drifts away...the end.
November 17, 2025
“The Valley of Light”, is a poignant story, written with such tenderness, its effect is calming. The pace is slow burning, but it’s a beautiful storyline and I didn’t want this book to end. The author introduces the reader to a troubled World War II veteran Noah Locke who returns home to find his life in ruins and aimlessly wanders the South in search of a new life or to just simply live. The backdrop for this book is a few years just after the second world war, highlighting the negative impact that war has on people. The trauma inflicted by war on the human soul is profound and the effects of war is profoundly far-reaching.
The book follows Noah as he settles in a small North Carolina community known as the "Valley of Light". While constantly haunted by his wartime experiences, particularly the liberation of Dachau. In the “Valley of Light”, Noah develops a gift for fishing, It’s a little magical and supernatural. What a glorious read Terry Kay has created in writing this book. Chance encounters with friendly locals can have a lasting impact, a healing impact. Not only for Noah, but for a young widow Eleanor as well. You feel at peace in finding a sense of belonging, it’s therapeutic and you can heal yourself in the magical realism of the south while being wrapped in a blanket of biblical allusions and symbolism. This valley brings people back to life.
Noah Locke, shares a name with the biblical Noah, who found a new beginning after a period of devastation and destruction. The old man who points him toward the valley is named Hoke Moore, a potentially symbolic role in guiding Noah's path. At the end of the journey Noah will receive a simple message of faith, understanding that there are no perfect people or places, you just have to learn to be content. Happiness stems from contentment. Ultimately, the unresolved ending is about accepting the imperfections and finding solace in love and community after the trauma of war. To be at peace and to have reassurances.
This book was absolutely amazing and you will find so much spirituality between the covers of this book. Highly recommend this book and I will definitely read more from this fantastic storytelling author.
The book follows Noah as he settles in a small North Carolina community known as the "Valley of Light". While constantly haunted by his wartime experiences, particularly the liberation of Dachau. In the “Valley of Light”, Noah develops a gift for fishing, It’s a little magical and supernatural. What a glorious read Terry Kay has created in writing this book. Chance encounters with friendly locals can have a lasting impact, a healing impact. Not only for Noah, but for a young widow Eleanor as well. You feel at peace in finding a sense of belonging, it’s therapeutic and you can heal yourself in the magical realism of the south while being wrapped in a blanket of biblical allusions and symbolism. This valley brings people back to life.
Noah Locke, shares a name with the biblical Noah, who found a new beginning after a period of devastation and destruction. The old man who points him toward the valley is named Hoke Moore, a potentially symbolic role in guiding Noah's path. At the end of the journey Noah will receive a simple message of faith, understanding that there are no perfect people or places, you just have to learn to be content. Happiness stems from contentment. Ultimately, the unresolved ending is about accepting the imperfections and finding solace in love and community after the trauma of war. To be at peace and to have reassurances.
This book was absolutely amazing and you will find so much spirituality between the covers of this book. Highly recommend this book and I will definitely read more from this fantastic storytelling author.
June 27, 2025
The author of this book is a happy discovery for now that I have read one of his books I will definitely read others. Reflective and beautifully written it tells the story of a wandering man who can’t seem to settle after what he had seen in WWII. Drawn to a small North Carolina town due to a chance encounter with a fellow fishermen, who is from the town, he finds solace, kindness and warm companionship in the town’s inhabitants. Staying only a week, the man and the town find a kinship that will leave each the richer for the encounter.
June 26, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were interesting and I kept being surprised but the story line. I can’t wait to read another book by this author.
May 27, 2024
Something charming about this read. It indeed meanders through a quiet community touching the reader to be present as lives are shown to intersect and inspire. A calmness stays with you as you participate in the story telling.
May 23, 2009
It is always a sweet surprise to pick up a book in the bargain bin and have it turn out to be a jewel. I felt that way about this novel. The author writes in such a beautiful, lyrical way that just feels calm, yet rich in his descriptions of thoughts and feelings. A sample passage: "She did not have friends. Not really. She knew people, but she did not have friends. Not the kinds of friends who left little pieces of themselves with her after a visit, little peices of laughter and noisy talk scattered over the house like the confetti of a parade." Pg. 37 Another on the same page reads, "Words were powerful. Steinbeck had painted the dust bowl with word-strokes over the canvas of book paper." Beautiful. This book is FULL of gems such as these two passages. I loved it!
November 28, 2016
North Carolina, 1948, a loner, Noah Locke, shows up in a small town. He is a simple man, but a gifted fisherman. This book takes place during one week during which he gets to know the residents of the town and experiences with them a small part of their lives. This is a very quiet, peaceful, slow book, but it has a heart.
October 25, 2015
Calm and peaceful story that unfolds at it's own pace. Easily immersed into the tone and setting of the small town and lives the drifter touched.
January 15, 2018
This book is really more of a 1.5 star for me, but since we don't get the half-star option, I'm rounding up to 2 stars.
Just from reading the back description, I was so looking forward to this book. The American South, post-WWII, characters trying to find themselves...all of that seemed like it was the perfect recipe for me. However, I'm deeply disappointed by it. For starters, 70% of the book is about Noah walking, Noah fishing, Noah sitting, Noah doing this or that, and maybe 30% of it has dialogue. And that's not even a huge problem because I can get behind books where there's more description/exploration/etc. than dialogue, but only when it adds to the book. I felt like it added nothing here. Noah just aimlessly wandering around and somehow managing to charm every single person in town despite the fact that he really has no personality but an uncanny ability to catch fish. That's all it is. And when there's dialogue, the dialogue isn't even that good. Every time Taylor spoke, I cringed because it just came across as a caricature of a likable guy from a small town in the South.
The only character I was really interested in was Eleanor, but the chapters that were centric to her were far fewer than Noah's, and we unfortunately didn't learn too much about her other than the fact she loves to read and write, and she may or may not have loved her now dead husband, and she may or may not want Noah. Between that, her story with Noah, and then the weird thing with the dead husband's money, it felt too crammed. Too crammed, not interesting, and then when the whole thing is over, how did anyone change or grow? Eleanor says that Noah helped her but how? They don't even end up together. Noah just picks up and walks on, and he seems no happier than he'd been in the beginning, which just drove me crazy because what was the point of this entire book?
All of that being said, the most interesting parts were the bits where Noah's experience in WWII were explored. The bits about Dachau were heartbreaking and made me sick in that way all books that describe the Holocaust do, and I was far more interested in what went on during the war and Noah's involvement than anything else. So much fishing that was boring as hell and barely any interesting war anecdotes and how this little valley helped Noah put that trauma behind him.
I feel like I'm being harsh in this review here, and I don't mean to be. I sincerely hate leaving negative reviews because when I start a book, I want to love it. I WANT to get swept up in the story and the characters and feel things, so finding things I don't like and focusing on them aren't activities I enjoy since I'm not actively seeking them out. If anything, I actively look for the good parts and all the little bits that will make me fall in love with it. Sad to say, I didn't find much to be in love with here in this book and would not recommend it.
Just from reading the back description, I was so looking forward to this book. The American South, post-WWII, characters trying to find themselves...all of that seemed like it was the perfect recipe for me. However, I'm deeply disappointed by it. For starters, 70% of the book is about Noah walking, Noah fishing, Noah sitting, Noah doing this or that, and maybe 30% of it has dialogue. And that's not even a huge problem because I can get behind books where there's more description/exploration/etc. than dialogue, but only when it adds to the book. I felt like it added nothing here. Noah just aimlessly wandering around and somehow managing to charm every single person in town despite the fact that he really has no personality but an uncanny ability to catch fish. That's all it is. And when there's dialogue, the dialogue isn't even that good. Every time Taylor spoke, I cringed because it just came across as a caricature of a likable guy from a small town in the South.
The only character I was really interested in was Eleanor, but the chapters that were centric to her were far fewer than Noah's, and we unfortunately didn't learn too much about her other than the fact she loves to read and write, and she may or may not have loved her now dead husband, and she may or may not want Noah. Between that, her story with Noah, and then the weird thing with the dead husband's money, it felt too crammed. Too crammed, not interesting, and then when the whole thing is over, how did anyone change or grow? Eleanor says that Noah helped her but how? They don't even end up together. Noah just picks up and walks on, and he seems no happier than he'd been in the beginning, which just drove me crazy because what was the point of this entire book?
All of that being said, the most interesting parts were the bits where Noah's experience in WWII were explored. The bits about Dachau were heartbreaking and made me sick in that way all books that describe the Holocaust do, and I was far more interested in what went on during the war and Noah's involvement than anything else. So much fishing that was boring as hell and barely any interesting war anecdotes and how this little valley helped Noah put that trauma behind him.
I feel like I'm being harsh in this review here, and I don't mean to be. I sincerely hate leaving negative reviews because when I start a book, I want to love it. I WANT to get swept up in the story and the characters and feel things, so finding things I don't like and focusing on them aren't activities I enjoy since I'm not actively seeking them out. If anything, I actively look for the good parts and all the little bits that will make me fall in love with it. Sad to say, I didn't find much to be in love with here in this book and would not recommend it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 5, 2020
This is one of the most beautiful books I have read in a long long time. The beautiful prose was like resting in a hammock on a gorgeous spring day next to a gently flowing stream - relaxing and refreshing and lovely. There was definitely some sadness in the book, but mostly it was a portrait of beauty in nature and in people - not the beauty our modern world looks for, but the beauty of love and care and community and kindness. There is no hot sex or fast action, and some readers may even find the book boring, but for me it was like going on a mini-vacation to a beautiful spot in a world I truly enjoyed visiting. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 was that I found the ending confusing and unsatisfying. That was the only blot on an otherwise perfect book.
August 29, 2025
The Hallmark movie by the same name inspired me to read the book from which the movie was based. Having now read that book, my opinion is that the book was well written, having a great story line with a limited number of characters that were very well developed by the author. I found the book enjoyable and entertaining and would recommend its reading.
Too bad so much of this movie was left on the cutting room floor as, in my opinion, missed the underlying story as well as not providing the viewer the benefit of the books rich character development. I did however like the ending of the movie better than the ending of the book, but I think I understand why Terry Kay ended the book as he did.
Too bad so much of this movie was left on the cutting room floor as, in my opinion, missed the underlying story as well as not providing the viewer the benefit of the books rich character development. I did however like the ending of the movie better than the ending of the book, but I think I understand why Terry Kay ended the book as he did.
Read
January 31, 2021Lushly written, the story draws many allusions to the Bible and reads, if not as a song, a prayer. Throughout the book and the handful of comments at the back, answering book club questions, Kay gives us a glimpse of what makes his words magical.
"I think that all stories begin with innocence (explicit or implicit), which provides the perfect contrast to storytelling. Contrast, after all, is the requisite for the story; without it you have nothing but idle thought." and "As a writer, I try to employ the use of rhythm to provide a visual, believing tht the eyes also have ears. ... I seldom “see” a scene, I hear it and the rhythm of those sounds created the image."
"I think that all stories begin with innocence (explicit or implicit), which provides the perfect contrast to storytelling. Contrast, after all, is the requisite for the story; without it you have nothing but idle thought." and "As a writer, I try to employ the use of rhythm to provide a visual, believing tht the eyes also have ears. ... I seldom “see” a scene, I hear it and the rhythm of those sounds created the image."
September 5, 2020
What a wonderful, peaceful and easy read this was. A true example of great writing, this book does not take the reader on wild adventures or adrenaline rushes. It's simply a great story about good people in a good place. And about one gentle man with a talent for fishing that few have ever witnessed. Just by passing through The Valley of Light and being himself, the man named Noah had a lasting impression upon the community and upon the heart of the reader as well.
December 20, 2022
Kay has crafted a captivating drama. I was immediately engaged in the story. I enjoyed my time visiting The Valley of Light. This close-knit community has weathered many storms together. Their indomitable spirit is inspiring. I read this novel in one sitting.
Recommend to readers who enjoy historical fiction.
I borrowed a copy from my local library. I've expressed my honest view.
Recommend to readers who enjoy historical fiction.
I borrowed a copy from my local library. I've expressed my honest view.
June 23, 2023
A well written book, although there were some aspects of it that I did not care for. A handful of religious exclamations and mild obscenities with a few brief sexual references. Hallmark made this into a movie in 2006, and I have to say that this is one instance in which I enjoyed the film better than the book.Excellent acting with more whimsy and a lighter tone.
April 1, 2024
One of the Greatest Historical Fiction Books Ever
I love historical fiction! I had never heard of Terry Kay nor this book until I recently watched the movie via the Hallmark Family channel. in early March. I bought the book two weeks ago and I finally it today. Terry Kay is a great writer and he does a great job of capturing southern culture. Great read!!!
I love historical fiction! I had never heard of Terry Kay nor this book until I recently watched the movie via the Hallmark Family channel. in early March. I bought the book two weeks ago and I finally it today. Terry Kay is a great writer and he does a great job of capturing southern culture. Great read!!!
September 2, 2020
If only there were more stars for ratings. The characters are drawn beautifully, the author writes with a poets voice. It is the kind of book that when the last page is turned you clutch it to your breast and sigh in delight. Don't miss reading this one.
December 17, 2025
I live in Hayesville and so many places described in this book could be my daily drive.
A beautifully told story, in old fashioned prose.
If you like fishing and a good old fashion story., this one is for you!
A beautifully told story, in old fashioned prose.
If you like fishing and a good old fashion story., this one is for you!
April 12, 2018
Wonderful story. Beautiful writing. We see ourselves in these simple country folks, and long for days of old.
April 29, 2018
A quick read. Good book about people interacting with each other through fishing.
December 8, 2020
Terrific fan of Terry Kay! He is one of Georgia's premier writers-his words come alive on my pages! This was a really interesting story even though I am not a fisherman.
April 1, 2021
Laid-back and suitably haunting. RIP, Terry Kay.
March 17, 2024
pretty good, death of a child is not all their should be sad,but the sad part was the man himself he seemed pretty lost. was a pretty good ending though
June 13, 2024
It's slow going and honestly not much happens, but that ending is just *perfect*
June 22, 2025
Old school writing with really figurative language. Just a good solid book
February 23, 2016
Terry Kay, The Valley of Light (New York: Washington Square Press, 2003) 239 pages
Three years after the end of World War II, a drifter is walking across the Southeast, traveling from one fishing hole to another. Noah Locke’s gift is for fishing. He’d served in the Army during the war and was at the liberation of Dachau. In his travels, an old man tells him about the “Valley of Light†and the large bass that resides in a lake there. Noah discovers the lake near the small community of Bowerstown in the North Carolina Mountains, not far from the Georgia border. Stopping in town to pick up some coffee, he quickly becomes friends of Boyd who runs the local store. After they spend time together fishing, the word spreads about this strange fisherman who seems to have a gift to catch fish when no one else can. Boyd encourages Noah to stick around till the following weekend for an upcoming fishing tournament and hires him to paint his store. Throughout the week, Noah also befriends Eleanor, a young widow whose husband committed suicide a few years after he came back from serving in Army in Europe. Noah learns the terrible truth of Eleanor’s husband (which he doesn’t share) along with the reason why the lake on which he has camped (home of the large bass) is known as the Lake of Grief.
Kay is a wonderful writer. You can almost taste Noah’s coffee and Eleanor’s pan-fried chicken with butter-rich creamed potatoes. You can almost see the light coming into the valley in the morning, burning off the fog. You can almost feel the heat of mid-day and the sounds of crickets and frogs and night. Reading the story, you get the sense of the goodness that is deep down in most people as they come together to help those in need. There’s a magical quality to Kay’s words and the images he draws.
This is a book about gift and about hope. Noah uses his gift of fishing in a way that brings hope to the people of the valley. It’s an enjoyable read even if Noah never owned a fly rod.
Three years after the end of World War II, a drifter is walking across the Southeast, traveling from one fishing hole to another. Noah Locke’s gift is for fishing. He’d served in the Army during the war and was at the liberation of Dachau. In his travels, an old man tells him about the “Valley of Light†and the large bass that resides in a lake there. Noah discovers the lake near the small community of Bowerstown in the North Carolina Mountains, not far from the Georgia border. Stopping in town to pick up some coffee, he quickly becomes friends of Boyd who runs the local store. After they spend time together fishing, the word spreads about this strange fisherman who seems to have a gift to catch fish when no one else can. Boyd encourages Noah to stick around till the following weekend for an upcoming fishing tournament and hires him to paint his store. Throughout the week, Noah also befriends Eleanor, a young widow whose husband committed suicide a few years after he came back from serving in Army in Europe. Noah learns the terrible truth of Eleanor’s husband (which he doesn’t share) along with the reason why the lake on which he has camped (home of the large bass) is known as the Lake of Grief.
Kay is a wonderful writer. You can almost taste Noah’s coffee and Eleanor’s pan-fried chicken with butter-rich creamed potatoes. You can almost see the light coming into the valley in the morning, burning off the fog. You can almost feel the heat of mid-day and the sounds of crickets and frogs and night. Reading the story, you get the sense of the goodness that is deep down in most people as they come together to help those in need. There’s a magical quality to Kay’s words and the images he draws.
This is a book about gift and about hope. Noah uses his gift of fishing in a way that brings hope to the people of the valley. It’s an enjoyable read even if Noah never owned a fly rod.
November 13, 2022
This paperback was sitting in my unread book pile for a while. It was first published in 2002/ 2003. The plot concerns a young wandering WW2 veteran who visits a small town in southwestern North Carolina. The young man's family had passed away while he was in combat in Europe. Towards the end of the war, the veteran visited liberated concentration camps, and other anecdotes from the war describe traumatic experiences he suffered.
The main character has a name, but for this discussion it is enough to note that he is presented as a cipher. He does not have much personality or characterization of his own. He seems to be written mostly to drive the plot. The story concerns his visit to a small town in an idyllic valley, where he joins the natives for a week and even lives in his own small cottage on a mysterious lake. HIs connection to the town is via his apparently (maybe?) supernatural ability as a fisherman. That is the hook to the overall story.
The writing, at least at first, is terrific. Mr. Kay's style is simple and direct, but subtle The place he writes about is atmospheric and glowing, the story's pace is slow and finely detailed. It reels you in. The valley and its inhabitants are great to read about and visit. Unfortunately, the plot has nowhere to go, and it jumps the shark with melodramatic tragedy at the end. Loose ends are tied up, but the denouement is not earned.
After reading, I saw that the novel became the subject of a Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie in 2007.
The main character has a name, but for this discussion it is enough to note that he is presented as a cipher. He does not have much personality or characterization of his own. He seems to be written mostly to drive the plot. The story concerns his visit to a small town in an idyllic valley, where he joins the natives for a week and even lives in his own small cottage on a mysterious lake. HIs connection to the town is via his apparently (maybe?) supernatural ability as a fisherman. That is the hook to the overall story.
The writing, at least at first, is terrific. Mr. Kay's style is simple and direct, but subtle The place he writes about is atmospheric and glowing, the story's pace is slow and finely detailed. It reels you in. The valley and its inhabitants are great to read about and visit. Unfortunately, the plot has nowhere to go, and it jumps the shark with melodramatic tragedy at the end. Loose ends are tied up, but the denouement is not earned.
After reading, I saw that the novel became the subject of a Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie in 2007.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews