THIS ROCK was my first encounter with Robert Morgan. I had heard many great things about GAP CREEK so my book club decided THIS ROCK would be a great book for our next selection.

Unfortunately not many of us enjoyed it.

The main character is a farm boy named Muir. He has led a rough life with a bully for an older brother. His mother plays a significant role in his decision makings. He is beyond confused about what he wants to do with his life. Yet he makes many decision throughout the book to escape everyday life. Not all of his decisions are foolproof.

Moody, the older bully brother, is also a significant character. Muir appears to hate him on the outside. But from the inside I felt it was different. He looked up to Moody and cared for him greatly. Moody and Muir go through the book dealing with personal problems, and family problems.

The ending was not what I expected. I was not too happy with the abruptness of the finale. The book felt as if it was missing a true story line. There were many aspects of Muir's life discussed but not enough substance to really show the reader what you needed to see in order to feel for him. Something was missing. I just cannot put my finger on it.

I must admit that Gap Creek was the first book by Robert Morgan that I have read. I became of a fan immediately. His story line is as multilayered as his characters. In This Rock, one brother, Muir, struggles to find himself. He seems to be heading for a life lived in the word and serving his God. The other brother, Moody, seems to do nothing more than a little bootlegging. Moody wants to lose himself. He suffers from some deep hurt we are never privy to. Robert Morgan takes these two characters and wraps a novel around them. Two brothers as different as hot and cold, living a basic life filled with the struggle to survive and yet their lives seem to be so much richer that ours.
Other characters, Hank and Julia from Gap Creek make an appearance. It was nice to see their progress. Ginny, Muir and Moody's mother is a strong woman left to get by on her own after her husband dies.
I won't give anymore away. The book is an interesting read. It appeals to the intellect and the heart. If you're looking for a techno thriller you better keep looking. This Rock isn't for you. If you're looking to be touched emotionally and spiritually, then you won't be disappointed.

I heard Robert Morgan read from "This Rock" at a book festival and it only enhanced the story in my mind. The voice of the characters came vividly to life. The story's background, complete with historical tidbits and Morgan's family folklore mixed in, make "This Rock" a tale of pathos and wisdom.

Is "This Rock" a sequel to "Gap Creek"? Yes and no. "Gap Creek" is one of those books that stuck with me. I cared about the characters of Hank and Julie and their plight. Yes, "This Rock" does interweave bits and pieces of Hank and Julie's lives with the story of new characters. What a pleasant surprise to run across these treasured fictional friends, to see where life has taken them. But, no, this book does not serve strictly as a sequel. For the most part, it's not as dramatically depressing either--though it does have a few painful moments.

"This Rock" stands solidly alone, an ode to the people who have built this great country--and some of those who have corrupted it, whether bootleggers or religious bigots. Using the dual viewpoints of young Muir and his mother Ginny, the story recounts the troubles of a family in the first half of the twentieth century. Ginny is a widow, raising three kids. Her view sheds light on the emotional struggle of a mother hoping for the best for her children. Muir's view is self-centered and driven, although it begins to taper as life humbles him.

Young Muir's dream is to be a preacher. His brother Moody has no real aspirations, save to sneak out and bootleg with the local ruffians. Both brothers make choices that will have negative consequences, but, in the author's soulful and honest manner, the book manages to bring the light of redemption through the darkness. "This Rock" moves slowly on the surface, while underneath the struggles of the human heart churn and race. I found myself pulled downstream, caught up in the story, hoping that Muir would achieve his dream and that Moody would find rest for his soul.

Robert Morgan caps off his story with events that are both predictable and surprising. As in "Gap Creek," he offers hope at the end of the day--a hope that is formed from the fires of hard work and deep pain. While other writers tend to throw out shallow promises, Morgan's writing and his characters deliver something richer and much more rewarding.

"This Rock" is worth holding onto.

Crafted by a master of hyperbole, this author has mastered the art of bringing coffee table reading on genetics to the masses

This book is bit graphic for young children--a horse's head is cut off and hung on a gate post. I do read this book to my second grade class but I do a bit of my own editing as I go along. Children love fairy tales and aside from the graphic content in a couple of places this book is a good bargain.

Although as an avid reader and modest researcher about the assassination of John F. Kennedy, I've had my share of garbage -I remember, for instance, "Mortal Error"-, I can't fathom why someone would write a book like this, full of factual mistakes, half truths and incredible thesis (ie, that Ike ordered the assasination of JFK). I am an Spaniard and, therefore, English is not my native language, but even I can detect that Richard James pretended to say "on that fateful day", but actually writes "on that faithful day" and is unable to write correctly the name of that icon of the sixties, "Che" Guevara. Outrageous, indeed!