THE LOSS OF HEAVEN

by Jack D. Warner ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 31, 1982

Belfast terrorist Dan Conway Finds love and struggles to change his violent ways--in an episodic, obvious, and talky first novel, slow going despite fitful outbursts of brutal action. First, summoned home from bombing-duties in London, Dan becomes the liaison man in a suspicious gun-buying deal--which does indeed turn out to be a trap: Dan winds up killing the loyalist Protestant agent involved (with a crucifix) and so must then flee . . . to west Ireland, where he falls for schoolteacher Kate, non-political daughter of the old activist who's hiding Dan. (""He put his arms around her, the smooth firm naked touch of her body surged through him like a current."") Then, after a Protestant guerrilla attack and after Kate semi-successfully urges Dan to quit his violent life, he's off on one last mission--to fund-raise among the Irish-Americans (and a few Jews) in Boston. More debates about the Irish problem ensue. And finally, after Dan's terrorist background is revealed to Boston (his enemies track him down for another shootout), he returns to Ireland and Kate, hoping for a quiet life at last--but too late, thanks to a clichÉd bloodshed-fadeout. Pasteboard characters, speechy dialogue, and a thin plot dependent on a few jolts of melodrama: only for those looking for a simplistic, well-meaning Northern Ireland novel--or those unaware of the rich, varied IRA-fiction that's already on the shelf.

Pub Date: Oct. 31, 1982

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Charles River

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1982

Categories: FICTION