Killashandra

Book Description

At first Killashandra Ree's ambitions to become a Crystal Singer, get rich, and forget her past, were going just as she had hoped. But after she grew wealthy, a devastating storm turned her claim to useless rock. In short order she was broke, she had crystal sickness so bad she thought she was going to die, and the only way she could be true to the man she loved was to leave him....

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Killashandra Ree's life was one of catastrophic changes. She had joined the Heptite Guild to becoma a Crystal Singer, get rich, and forget her past.

And at first everything went just as she had hoped. In one season on the deadly beautiful world of Ballybran, she had sung Black Crystal, grown wealthy, and met a man, who made her sorrows seem unworthy of notice.

But then, a year later, a devastating storm turned her claim to useless rock. In short order she was broke, she had crystal sickness so bad she thought she'd die, and the only way she could be true to the man she loved was to leave him...

Cover art by Michael Whelan

Customer Reviews:

2nd In Series.......2007-09-04

I read all 3 books in one weekend. I could not put them down. Some of the most imaginative, creative storytelling, but then it is Anne McCaffrey. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy with a touch of wonder. All of Anne McCaffrey's series are enjoyable, this series takes second place only to "The Rowan" series of books.

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

The problem with the whole crystal singing gig is that you can lose your mind. Here, the protagonist has other problems. After an accident mining on the planet with the good stuff she has to take a job off world.

She ends up uncovering an alien brainwashing plot, and finds someone to shag, with a few adventures along the way.

Not as good as the first book.

An enjoyable read.......2007-01-19

This was a very enjoyable read. This is one of Anne's last good books. I recommend it.

Killashandra.......2007-01-10

Another series to collect for my library. This is the last one I needed. Like McCaffrey's tales a lot.

Fly with Killa !.......2005-01-17

This has got to be one of my all time favorite characters in SCI-FI.
Anne Mccaffrey has a fine sense of detail without smothering you in them.
This book is eclipsed only by one other similar book, it's predicessor Crystal Singer. Buy them, buy them all.
Crystal Singer, Killashandra, Crystal Line.
Read and thrill with Killa as I do.

Ramjet

Average customer rating:

Not Free SF Reader
A Classic
McCaffrey hits another home run
Killashandra, book 1
I love this book

Crystal Singer
Anne Mccaffrey
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0345327861
Release Date: 1985-11-12

Book Description

Her name was Killashandra Ree. And after ten grueling years of musical training, she was still without prospects. Until she heard of the mysterious Heptite Guild who could provide careers, security, and wealth beyond imagining. The problem was, few people who landed on Ballybran ever left. But to Killashandra the risks were acceptable....

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Her name was Killashandra Ree; and after ten grueling years of musical training she was young, beautiful -- and still without prospects.

Then she heard of the mysterious Heptite Guild on the planet Ballybran, where the fabled Black Crystal was found.

For those qualified, the Guild was said to provide careers, security, and the chance for wealth beyond imagining. The problem was, few people who landed on Ballybran ever left.

To Killashandra the risks were acceptable...

"...no dragons, but [the novel] has all of McCaffrey's gifts for world-building and characterization... an excellent book."
    CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

Cover art by Michael Whelan

Customer Reviews:

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

A woman is a talented singer, however she is not good enough to be the best there is, so she gets a bit grumpy.

So, she goes and takes a job as a crystal miner on another planet, where, for some reason, the ability to sing in perfect pitch is a very useful ability.

The book really isn't as dumb as that sounds, though.

The crystal they mine is a valued and important technological resources.

A Classic.......2007-01-19

I have read this book many times, and it is an enjoyable read every time.It is a good addition to any science fiction library.

McCaffrey hits another home run.......2007-01-12

I read this book over two years ago and hung on to it to read again. It made such an impression on me that I can still remember a lot of the book.

Killashandra, book 1.......2005-07-18

Killashandra Ree doesn't know what she's getting herself into. Killashandra Ree doesn't care. After devoting ten long years of hard work and study, her dream of becoming a top-rank concert singer is yanked painfully from her grasp.

Now she is angry, frustrated and alone. So when a mysterious man from Ballybran enters her life she follows him without reservation.

So begins the adventures of Killashandra as she travels across the galaxy to the strange forbidden planet of Ballybran and it's darkly mysterious Heptite Guild. If she is found worthy she will have more than she ever dreamed of.

But those who come to Ballybran are forever altered and few ever leave. Those who do leave are always called back by the seductive lure of the fabled Crystal.

Killashandra Ree always wanted to be a singer. Now she has a chance to be a Singer.

I love this book.......2005-03-23

The Crystal Singer is one of my top 10 favorite Sci-fi books of all time. The concept of Crystal Singing, the planet Ballybran (and all of it's unique characteristics), black crystal communications... are wonderful. I almost wish that I could be a Crystal Singer too. I re-read this book almost yearly and I love it every time.
The main character Killashandra is a very strong female character so I think that this book might appeal to women more than men.
If you love sci fi I would highly recommend this book.

Average customer rating:

What Oprah should have picked instead of Anna K.
Pretty awful
Will there ever be a sequel....?
THOUGHT PROVOKING SCIENCE FICTION
Exciting, provacative; I dare anyone to put it down.

Crystal Singer Trilogy
Anne Mccaffrey
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

The Harlequin (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 15)

ASIN: 0345402928
Release Date: 1996-02-06

Book Description

CRYSTAL SINGER
Young and beautiful, Killashandra Ree was a trained musician with no prospects . . . until she heard of the mysterious Heptite Guild on the planet Ballybran, where the fabled Black Crystal was found. For those qualified, the Guild was said to provide careers, security, and the chance for unimaginable wealth. But once you'd sung crystal, there was no going back . . .
KILLASHANDRA
Killashandra's first season on Ballybran was everything she had hoped for: She had sung Black Crystal, grown wealthy, and met a man who could make her forget her own sorrowful past. But then, a year later, everything had changed. She was broke, she had crystal sickness so bad she thought she'd die, and the only way she could be true to the man she loved was to leave him. . . .
CRYSTAL LINE
Crystal singing changed the singer forever, bringing ecstasy and pain, near-eternal life . . . and gradual loss of memory. Killashandra had a lot of painful memories she could afford to lose. What she hadn't counted on was the loneliness she felt when her heart still remembered what her mind had forgotten. Then she found she might have a chance to salvage what was left of her mind. But to do that, she would have to learn to open herself--to another person, and to her own unhappy past . . .
THRILL TO THE SONG OF CRYSTAL ALONG WITH KILLASHANDRA REE!
AT LAST, ALL THREE CRYSTAL SINGER NOVELS COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME!

Customer Reviews:

What Oprah should have picked instead of Anna K........2004-06-14

This is one of the best science fiction books i've read not just because of how realistic the characters are but because of the sexuality incorperated in this book. It's not the classic princess being chased by a knight but modern relationships built on lust and the need for companionship. Addmittedly, it is quite long but if you can get past the first 200 pages you'll love it. It took me about a week to get past 200 pages and then a day and night to finish it. The first book is the best while the second build on Killa's relationship with Lars. The last book doesn;t really continue the story but act more like an epilogue detailing Killa's loss of memory and the effects being a Crystal Singer has on her memory. It's quite sad at times but worth a read it you are in love with Killa as much as I am.

Pretty awful.......2002-07-11

There's a lot wrong with Crystal Line. Anne McCaffrey would have done better to have left the Crystal Singer series at two books and not written this at all.
I enjoyed the first two books in this series despite Killashandra, not because of her. She's her usual unpleasant self in this book, only more so. But the problems in this book go far beyond an unsympathetic heroine.
The plot is disjointed. Killashandra and her lover/professional partner Lars travel to an alien planet in a brain&brawn ship to investigate "jewel junk" - a substance that may or may not be a life-form, and may or may not be intelligent. Having successfully completed that assignment, Killashandra and Lars return to Ballybran to resume their crystal-cutting career. It is here that the plot takes a ninety-degree turn. On Ballybran, tragedy strikes when Lanzecki, Guildmaster of the Heptite Guild, dies. Lars takes over the position - and Killashandra can't handle the change in circumstances. The lovers split, both personally and professionally. Killashandra goes off on her own, while Lars struggles to turn around the stuggling Guild. Eventually, they are reconciled - and then help with the "jewel junk" is requested from them once more. Tragedy in a couple of different forms strikes, and then everything is resolved happily. By this time it is clear than the "jewel junk" storyline, which took up so much space initially and promised a different kind of book, is nothing more than a deus ex machina device to manipulate a happy ending.
Characterisation is also a problem. The supposed depth of the supposed love between Killashandra and Lars does not shine through; and given how unpleasant Killashandra is, it's hard to believe that she cares for Lars, or that he could care about her at all. There's no real depth to any of the characters, and the "crises" that each of them face do not come across to the reader with the force with which they are meant to have struck the suffering characters. Then there's McCaffrey's usual propensity for cheap titillation.
McCaffrey seems to have been struck with a disease that is becoming more and more common amongst authors: the desire to control your imaginary world from beginning to end. All the problems of Killashandra, Lars, and the Heptite Guild and all its members are solved by the end of this book, or as good as - no room for more stories, everything closed off with a happy-ever-after ending. If she felt it absolutely necessary to close out this series, rather than leave it open-ended, she could have given us something better than this contrived, shallow effort.
Crystal Line is not up to the standard of The Crystal Singer and Killashandra. Read them instead, and remember how much better this series used to be.

Will there ever be a sequel....?.......2000-03-04

I have read these 3 books many times over a span of several years, and I still enjoy them thoroughly. Killashandra is a strong character and the Crystal League provide the Sci'Fi part, but I must admit that there is a very strong romance line to the plots, so be ready to be swept away by more than just a new and future "world". The stories are fun, the plot line thickens and the final solutions develop the stories in the most convincing terms. I want more... please Anne? Do some more on Killa!

THOUGHT PROVOKING SCIENCE FICTION.......1997-11-22

ANNE HAS THIS WAY OF BRINGING THE MOST OUT OF A CHARATER. KILLISHANDRA REE IS THE MOST THAT THE UPWARD WOMAN OF THE 90'S WANTS TO BECOME. THE TRILOGY GIVES A PERSPECTIVE TO THE READER THAT IT IS OK TO STEP OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE. THAT IS DEFINETLY NOT WHERE THE READER IS GOING. THE READER OF THIS TRILOGY WILL FIND THEMSELVES "THRALLED" BY THE EVER POWERFUL ANNE McCAFFERY. YOU WON'T LEAVE HOME UNTIL YOU'VE FINISHED!

Exciting, provacative; I dare anyone to put it down........1997-10-09

This book is beyond words. Read it over and over again and you will still find new things. The imagery is exqusite, and the feelings are overwhelming. In depth and full of details, this book is a must read for anyone who has ever dreamed of adventure, no matter the interest.

Family and Farm in Pre-Famine Ireland: The Parish of Killashandra

Average customer rating:

A groundbreaking study.

Family and Farm in Pre-Famine Ireland: The Parish of Killashandra
Kevin O'Neill
Manufacturer: Univ of Wisconsin Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0299098400

Book Description

Now available in paperback, Kevin O'Neill's highly praised study of rural Ireland in the years leading up to the "Great Hunger" of the 1840s explicates the social, economic, and demographic conditions of the era. He argues that overpopulation and deprivation were inextricably linked to a third variable-the rapid economic development of rural Ireland that was shaped by British interests.

Customer Reviews:

A groundbreaking study........1998-06-04

This is a demanding, scholarly book, but one which anyone interested in the historical causes of the Irish Famine should read. O'Neill focuses on a parish in Co. Cavan which has incredibly complete records, allowing him to portray the true nature of landholding and tenancy in the century before the Famine. In doing so, he counters some of the myths on both sides of the question about who was responsible for a potato blight becoming the killer of millions. The statistical information can be daunting, but the use O'Neill makes of it is eye-opening.

Average customer rating:

Barely makes the grade
Crystal Line
Words McCaffrey is not allowed to use anymore:
Great ending to the trilogy;
Nice finale to a wonderful trilogy

Crystal Line (Crystal, Vol. 3)
Anne McCaffrey
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0345379845
Release Date: 1992-09-29

Book Description

"A treat for long-time McCaffrey fans, a good read and a satisfying look at one of the most haunting facets of the crystal singers' profession."
LOCUS
When Killashandra Ree joined the mysterious Heptite Guild, she knew that she would be forever changed. Crystal singing brought ecstasy and pain, near-eternal life...and gradual loss of memory. What she hadn't counted on was the loneliness she felt when her heart still remembered what her mind had forgotten. Fortunately, someone still cared enough to try to salvage what was left of Killashandra's mind. But she would have to learn to open herself--to another person, and to all her unpleasant memories.

From the Paperback edition.

Download Description

When Killashandra Ree joined the mysterious Heptite Guild, she knew that she would be forever changed. Crystal singing brought ecstasy and pain, near-eternal life... and gradual loss of memory.

What she hadn't counted on was the loneliness she felt when her heart still remembered what her mind had forgotten. Fortunately, someone still cared enough to try to salvage what was left of Killashandra's mind. But she would have to learn to open herself -- to another person, and to all her unpleasant memories.

"A treat for long-time McCaffrey fans, a good read and a satisfying look at one of the most haunting facets of the crystal singers' profession."
Ã,Â Ã,Â Ã,Â LOCUS

Customer Reviews:

Barely makes the grade.......2007-01-19

This book does not live up to first two books in the trilogy.This book was poorly written, although the ending is somewhat satisfying. Everything in between the beginning and ending could have been better,though.I recommend it only to die-hard McCaffrey fans, with the caveat that they will not find the quality work of "Crystal Singer","Dragonflight", or "The White Dragon".

Crystal Line.......2007-01-10

Just filling out my library with a good read. I like McCaffrey, not deep, but well written.

Words McCaffrey is not allowed to use anymore:.......2007-01-05

"Yarran beer"
"good brew"
"Jewel Junk"
"Lanzecki"

Though I greatly enjoyed Crystal Singer, and thought Killashandra, though flawed and not up to the quality of Crystal Singer, was a good enough read, though the bodice-ripper aspects of the romance were irritating. But Crystal Line promises a lot and delivers little. The characters are getting wearisome, Killashandra's memory loss is irritating and becomes a very tiresome and overused plot device, and McCaffrey falls into the trap so many series writers do - of using the same phrases and references again and again, ad nauseam, to the point where the reader wonders if the author is simply cutting and pasting lines and phrases from the previous two books. How many times must these characters drink Yarran beer in these books and act as if each and every sip is a great revelation of a "good brew"? Let them discover something else to drink, for heaven's sake! It becomes embarrassing.

For fans of the Crystal Singer series, this is a fairly satisfying ending, but a lot of red pencil wielding on the part of a good editor who was aware of how often McCaffrey was re-using tired old phrases in a misguided attempt to tie the three books together would have been a very good idea.

But then, this is the author who has used the word "dragon" in titles to the point where it's painful and gives rise to continuous jokes about the possible risque titles for the next "Dragon-whatever" book. Repetition obviously isn't a problem for her, or her devoted fan following.

Great ending to the trilogy; .......2005-04-29

I love the CRYSTAL SINGER trilogy----KILLASHANDRA is my favorite of the three, although I like this one as well. Make sure you read the three CRYSTAL SINGER books in the proper order (CRYSTAL SINGER first, then KILLASHANDRA, then CRYSTAL LINE)---if you don't, you'll have a hard time following what is going on. This end to the trilogy does have a few minor flaws and inconsistencies, but as always with McCaffrey's writing, her plot and universe is so compelling, you'll keep reading anyway.

Nice finale to a wonderful trilogy.......2005-03-23

While Crystal Line is NOT my favorite book in this trilogy, it is still a good read. It is great to go back to Ballybran and cut crystal with Lars and Killashandra. My biggest problem with this book is that there are some inconsistencies/errors in it that were seemingly missed in the editing.
The plot seemed a little lacking in my mind and the story jumps around a bit. I also missed some of the favorite characters from the first two books who are now dead or incapacitated. I found the sections where Killa is suffering from severe memory loss difficult to read.
All in all I did enjoy the book -- it's great to spend more time with old friends on Ballybran.
If you have read the other 2 books (Crystal Singer & Killashandra), don't miss this one.

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Killashandra Crystal Silver Novel

Manufacturer: Del Rey Ballantine
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HZ5YKE

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Killashandra

Manufacturer: Bantam Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HJWXR2

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Killashandra
Anne McCaffrey
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OCQ88C

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Killashandra
Anne McCaffrey
Manufacturer: Corgi
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000M670GO

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Killashandra
Anne McCaffrey
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NZS05E

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Conjecture & Catholic Propaganda

Please understand who GEN X is

The New Faithful

A reasonable read on a fascinating subject

Talented Author Pens Insightful Observations!

The New Faithful: Why Young Adults Are Embracing Christian Orthodoxy
Colleen Carroll
Manufacturer: Loyola Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Church History | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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The Rebirth of Orthodoxy: Signs of New Life in Christianity

Big Questions, Worthy Dreams: Mentoring Young Adults in Their Search for Meaning, Purpose, and Faith

The Courage to Be Catholic: Crisis, Reform and the Future of the Church

Preaching to a Postmodern World: A Guide to Reaching Twenty-first Century Listeners

Preaching: The Art of Narrative Exposition

ASIN: 0829416455

Book Description

Born between 1965 and 1983, the young adults of Generation X grew up in an era of unprecedented wealth and consumerism. Rebelling against the liberal family, social, and academic environments in which they were raised, some have made strengthening their faith a priority.

This is a groundbreaking new book that examines the growing trend toward religious orthodoxy among today's young adults. Author and journalist Colleen Carroll offers strong opinions on how this movement might transform an American society steeped in moral relativism and secularism.

Blending investigative journalism with in-depth analysis, Carroll seeks the reasons behind the choice of orthodoxy in a society that often denigrates traditional morality and rejects organized religion.

Customer Reviews:

Conjecture & Catholic Propaganda.......2007-08-12

This book is propped up and praised by members of the press as a ground breaking earth shattering piece of research; however no religious theologians have endorsed the authors' conclusions and her date simply isn't scientific. The statistical conclusions are conjuncture and do not support the authors' statements. Her methodology in interviewing a small cross section of the upper middle class, and elite do not constitute a major move toward orthodoxy in America. Twenty believers leaving Campus Crusade does not mean one iota; I don't think that is a significant number that supports her premise.

Loyola Press should be ashamed for publishing this book! Oh, but it gives credence to the supposition that people are breaking down the doors of the Catholic Church to become members.

Please understand who GEN X is.......2007-03-09

On the first page there is a reviewer who says they are 25 years old and are a member of Generation X. This person needs to realize that a 25 year old in 2004 is NOT a member of Generation X. Gen xers typically have parents who served in the Korean Conflict. Not a single true Gen xer was born after 1980. The conrast in the book identifies Gen xers vs Boomers. Incidentally a Gen xer would be very unlikely to have a boomer as a parent. The world hasn't yet experienced the pain of the boomers children. But it is coming.

The New Faithful.......2006-12-21

As a product of a non-religious household who only converted to Christianity earlier this year at age 24, I might have been the ideal reader of this book. Regrettably, it didn't speak to me at all. Without any doubt, many of those coming of age today sense deep, underlying problems with the state of society. Many are responding by turning to the teachings of Jesus Christ that until recently guided all of western civilization. There must be a good book to be written about us, but this isn't it.

Carroll's hypothesis is simple: today's young adult Christians reject both secular thinking and watered-down versions of Christianity (as typified by Vatican II) in favor of orthodox Christian belief and practice. She presents some statistics, but her main body of evidence is interviews. She mentions dozens of young adult Christians as well as priests and community leaders, but she doesn't quote them at length. Each one gets a page or less, barely enough to recite a few cliches. For instance on page 118:

"In a suburb on the western edge of St. Louis, a cohort of young Catholics gathers each month for eucharistic adoration, confession, and charismatic praise-and-worship sessions. The group, known as the House of Prayer, is run by a handful of young adults brimming with enthusiasm for Catholicism and the desire to convert their peers. Attendance at meetings sometimes hovers around a hundred, and postmeeting conversations routinely include news of the latest conversions to Catholicism or vocation to the priesthood. Participants in the group also lead door-to-door evangelization blitzes and youth ministry events intended to invigorate the faith of Catholic teenagers."

Period. End of sentence, end of paragraph, end of section; House of Prayer is never mentioned again. This abrupt style shortchanges the subjects. Nobody in the book really gets a chance to share their stories. A real conversion experience takes more than a page to explain (I would know) and this book really gives only rough outlines of what happened to each person and organization, sometimes not even that. Hence it's hard to form an emotional attachment to anyone you read about.

Furthermore, Carroll can't stop her own opinions from bleeding over into the text. For instance, she cites several people complaining that their childhood churches were too dedicated to service, and not enough to ritual. Her attachment to ritual--particularly the Catholic mass--is clear, but she doesn't acknowledge alternatives. Some people may feel at home in a ritualistic, prayerful life, and more power to them. But if others feel that God calls them to a life of service, then that's what will suit them better.

The chapters on politics on academics are even more one-sided. For instance, we hear about City College and the annual Society for Law, Life and Religion symposium, which, Carroll notes approvingly, "featured conservative columnist Ann Coulter." (If she cares that Coulter opposes all three things in the title, Carroll doesn't mention it here.) The big problem is the ceasless attempts to play the victim. Almost every paragraph villianizes the big bad postmodernists, secularists, relativists, etc... etc... It's taken as a given that these people completely control our society and dominate everything that everyone sees and hears.

Personally I don't recall ever seeing Jacques Derrida deconstructing Rousseau when I turn on my TV. The evidence is thin for the "tyranny of relativism"; in fact it consists of only one student saying that in class he'd "get funny looks if he mentioned Jesus." (Horrors!) But besides insulting the reader's intelligence, this insistence on perennial victimhood masks a bigger problem. Carroll keeps insisting that young orthodox Christians are counterculture, but you can't be counterculture when there's no culture left to counter. It's useless to insist that we have to undermine existing beliefs. As Chesterton said, "You can't undermine a hole in the ground. If you try, you will only make the hole bigger." It's time for Christian writers to give up the endless victimhood and realize that if we want our religion to last we need to start building up out of the rubble rather than just claiming our own patch of it.

A reasonable read on a fascinating subject.......2006-11-04

Carefully weaving personal anecdotes with social commentary and the occasional study or survey, Carroll constructs a reasonably persuasive argument that might be summed up as follows: Unfulfilled, world-weary young adults are returning to christianity where it is exercised in demanding, sacrificial, incarnational, and liturgical ways.

Carroll shares some interesting interviews, offers surprisingly insightful analysis, poignant quotes, and surveys a wide range of traditions. There are some real nuggets of wisdom here, for example Carroll writes:

"Many young adults find traditional religion intriguing and fellowship groups appealing but ultimately reject the accountability and discipline they require. Like the Generation Xers who avoid marriage while pining for stable committed relationships, young adults attracted to orthodoxy often feel conflicted when faced with its demands. What often makes the difference between flirtation and a commitment is the personal witness of an individual or community that makes Christian virtues seem irresistible-and worth the work."

All of that said, a few problems:

1) At 320 pages, this was just too long. Personal anecdotes are interesting and useful, but there are simply too many.

2) This looked, felt, and smelled like an inspirational read. But at the end, I wasn't particularly roused. Carroll tried so hard to present the material objectively that the text was dried out more than I prefer.

Despite those issues, this is definitely worth a look, especially given how few writers have addressed this subject. Recommended.

Talented Author Pens Insightful Observations!.......2006-10-17

Carroll does a spectacular job writing about her experience interviewing young Christians from all over the United States. What is revealed is curious and explanatory. Her conclusion is that, while there are still many "liberal" (a term, like "conservative", that I disdain) young adults around, many young Christians are embracing traditional liturgy and morality unseen in the previous generation.

While the book is a joy to read - thanks to the writer's noticeable talent in that area - there are some questions that the text raises. The first is about the pool of interviewees. Why were no more than four major centers of Catholic higher learning chosen? (Primarily St. Louis university - the home base of the author -, Notre Dame, Harvard and Franciscan University in Steubenville.) The voices presented in the book are mostly located or formerly educated at one of the four with a few exceptions noting the evangelical youth that have studied at small evangelical liberal-arts colleges. While the new orthodox voice is given center stage, clearly since this is the thesis, few opposing views are presented. The author acknowledges the existence of opposing views, but rarely, if ever, quotes them.

That said, as a young professional religious, I could identify with much that is written of my generation and my first-hand experience of my peers' faith experiences. I think that this is an insightful book that is of value especially to those who work in campus ministry or any public ministry.

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