The Walk: A Novel (The Walk Series)

a book you can,t forget.i felt as if it was including me in it!!

Like all the Richard Paul Evans' books which I've either listened to or read, "The Walk" is not a deep mind-gripping,..... "I have to concentrate to the point of excluding all other things in my life" type of book. The author's books are not heavy, weighty tomes that must be labored over. What they are, are words and mental images that we can all relate to. We can identify with either a character or an emotion contained therein. They are poignant, touching and resonating. His books make us happy, they make us sad, they make us want to be better people and do better in our lives. The "openers" at the beginning of each paragraph (in all his books) are ALL memorable and things you wish YOU had said first (or end up recounting to someone else because you liked them so much). In today's economy and the state of the way things are.......with many living from paycheck to paycheck...you have to wonder "what would I do if I lost everything, almost overnight?" You can identify with the character and the experiences and emotions along the journey he has chosen. Richard Paul Evan's books are "easy reading," because you don't want to put them down once you start. They are "page-turners." "The Walk" creates vivid mental images of his trek because the descriptions are well chosen and well placed. I have been to the areas being described and the terrain is exactly as portrayed. I don't know how many books there will be in this series, but I look forward to all of them until "Alan" gets to his final destination, be it Florida, or somewhere else. I will continue to read/listen to everything Richard Paul Evans writes because of the ease and flow of his "word-smithing," and because no matter how the book twists or turns, you always come away being uplifted and wanting more.

Loved this book. Very emotional for me since I lost my husband after 50 years of marriage. I know how it feels to have pain in your heart that will never go away. This book really helped me with my own broken heart. So well written. Highly recommend this book. It’s truly given me hope.

Richard Paul Evans delights his readers again with the beginning of his new series, "The Walk". This is a well-crafted and thought out storyline. In the first installment we are introduced to Alan Christoffersen. As the story begins, Alan is living his life as he pretty much expected, having a stellar career in advertising and loving his wife and best friend McKale. As his world begins to crumble after his wife's accident, Alan is forced deal with a series of events that ultimately takes her, his job and his home. On the brink of the ultimate self- destruction, he is haunted by McKale's final word "Live". Still reeling with grief, he decides to leave it all and begins a trek across the country on a 3000 mile walk with only his backpack and his favorite hat. His is a quest for finding peace within himself and ultimately hope. Along the way, Alan's time of quiet introspection leaves him thinking and discovering what truly is inside his heart. Evans again uses the journal format and it is interesting to read and get inside Alan's head. Equally, noted are the descriptions of Alan's choice of "traveling cuisine" in the form of mostly junk food and empty calories to fuel his walking. Some reviewers noted that this was disturbing. Personally, I get it . Ding Dongs are a great anti-depressant. But more than that I was taken in by his thoughts as he dined alone where ever the mood struck him. At first I think food became his companion and he seemed to get a momentary pleasure and relief from his demons that continually lurked in the shadows. During a time of grieving, you take comfort where you can get it. Alan meets some interesting characters in this book and beyond. Some will challenge him, some will give him a reason to think outside himself and his grief. Sometimes giving someone else hope will help you to discover it for yourself. Alan begins to learn this lesson in this first book. We struggle with him and maybe some small part of what he learns will touch us too. I am truly looking forward to the series and I have already read the second book "Miles to Go". I know that a few reviewers were not happy that it is a series. I wonder how many who noted this tune in every week to either American Idol or The Bachelor? For me, if I am going to invest my time and mind in a storyline, then I would rather get lost in the pages of Alan's journal and discover all that is waiting on "The Walk". Richard Paul Evans is an amazing storyteller that keeps his readers coming back for more. Don't miss out on this inspiring journey.

The author did a great job of letting the reader feel Alan's love for his wife McKale, and his pain over her accident and loss. He also did a great job of letting us go on Alan's journey with him. The people were real, the places were real, and every thing/one was alive on the pages. Now I know we all have different ideas as to what we like and don't like in books, but really, how could anyone not like this book? I thought it was SO GOOD! I read some of the negative reviews that said the book didn't have enough action, was boring, was only about the people he met and that they were all too nice. Did they forget about the "bad" people he met? They were about as bad as you can get. Anyway, the book is not a thriller, suspense or murder mystery. It's a book about a man on a walk across the U.S. to clear his head and heart of some very bad stuff. Of course it's not going to be full of action. After all, he spends his days walking, What else could the book be about other than the people he meets, where he eats/sleeps, and the scenery? And the way the author writes the story, that's enough. I loved that Alan met Angel. I don't know yet, but I'm thinking they'll be friends for life. The book was a quick read, but I didn't want to put it down for anything. It was so good that even though it was 3:00 am when I finished it, I got up, went to my TBR shelf, got book #2, Miles To Go, and started reading it. I'm now on book #3, The Road To Grace, so check back for my reviews on these two books. I was getting sad because I thought the series ended with book #3, but I just learned that there will be a #4, and it's coming out in May! Hopefully there will be #'s 5, 6, 7, .... I'm giving this book 5 stars. I'd give it more if that was an option.

After stumbling upon MILES TO GO (book two in this series) at a bookstore, and after reading that one, I decided to order The Walk. Although after finishing book two, and being privy to what was to come in book one, I enjoyed The Walk just as much as Miles To Go. I enjoyed the stories so much that I purchased the three remaining books to this series. Simply put, we are all sojourners here, and Richard Paul Evans writes brilliantly about life's ups and downs. What a marvelous read !

Richard Paul Evans is one of my favorite authors. I have read almost all of his books. The book club at my church read "The Walk" when it first came out, and we anxiously look forward to each of the sequels when they come out in the spring. We meet with another book club once a year to review "The Walk" books. We have fallen in love with Alan Christopherson and enjoy all of his adventures. Evans actually traveled the same route that Alan takes on his journey across the United States. He did his research well and goes into great detail about the towns and everything along the way. You can just see the places that Alan travels through, the restaurants where he eats, and the hotels, B&B's, or camping spots where he stays. This is good, clean reading, and a great story that will have you hooked and looking forward to reading the next book. The only problem is the waiting....waiting for the next book release. But it is worth the wait. I highly recommend "The Walk" series!

I glanced at a few of the reviews previously written and have to agree on one major point. This book is really not a full-length novel as the 289 pages indicates. There are so many blank pages and the book dimensions are on the small side - it's really more of a novella than anything else. I was able to read 50 pages while waiting fifteen minutes for an appointment if that tells you anything. The other thing is this story is just the first phase and is incomplete. The next installment will be published in April of 2011. Now that that is out of the way and if you are still interested in reading this, here is my take on the book: Alan Christoffersen loses everything in the beginning pages. His wife is killed after a fall from a horse and he loses his business and home in the process. Having nothing left but promising his dying wife he would "live", Alan decides to walk from Washington State to Key West Florida. This book follows his journey part of the way through Washington. Each chapter opens with a quote from his journal or a quote from a philosopher and it adds a lot to the book. There are pearls of wisdom in them and they crystallize what is going on in his mind as he goes through this phase of his life. Following his journey is actually very interesting most of the time and we are exposed to a fair amount of detail that some will find irritating but I found to add texture and reality to the story. Overall, a good and enjoyable read with food for thought (especially at the beginning) but the actual length of the novel left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. The story is a 4-star and the marketing misrepresentation is a 2-star. Averages out to 3 stars for me.