Rating: 
Summary: enthralling and invigorating
Review: I had heard of some of the scenes in Deliverance from friends who had seen the movie, so I pretty much knew what to expect ... or so I thought. This is unbelievable storytelling, literally a book that you can't put down. I found myself reacting physically to some of Dickey's descriptions and imagining myself in the characters' positions ... that's how powerful the language is. I believe that this book is a masterpiece, one that really makes you the center of a fascinating eco-narrative and one that delves deep into the horror and mystery of human psychology.
Rating:
Summary: phenomonal... I'd give it 10 stars if possible
Review: I've never read such a vivid and lasting book before... I can only remember one line, but I remember the entire story as if it had happened to me. From start to finish, James Dickey creates a believable yet mind-boggling tale.... not to be missed by anybody. The book draws you in... if you've seen the movie and you don't want to read the book, then think again... the book contains loads and oodles of content that can't be expressed in the movie; things like what the characters are feeling and thinking. The one thing the movie has that you can't get from the book is that great 'Dueling Banjos' thing. I won't forget this story in my entire lifetime.
Rating:
Summary: A SUPREME INTELLECTUAL AND ARTISTIC ACHEIVMENT
Review: An incredible read, but unlike most books this one stays with you. It is so real on the page, so exquisitely written, exciting, and haunting. The only writer that even approaches this standard is Pete Dexter.
Rating: 
Summary: The kind of book you wish you yourself had written.
Review: There is an undying Quality about deliverance. On it's surface, it's an adventure_a popular novel with a plot strong enough for the movie hollywood made from it_but Deliverance has more levels than that. It talks about the nature of being in the world, and the nature of being a man in the world using a stunningly robust, deeply poetic language that draws the reader in and accomplishes miracles without once becoming florid or precious. Deliverance demonstrates the kind of facility and craft in writing that convinces. One might not agree with what Dickey's narrator has to say about the world and about the world of men_some of it might not ring true in every ear_but the places and things he used to make his points are and remain unmatched in popular fiction. Deliverance, unlike many adventures that are written today, is more than a typing excersize; more than a book that derives it's depth from its length or from the force of its writer's ego. One could almost imagine a modern Jack London having written it. It's the kind of book that any writer would be proud to have written and it is nothing less than superb.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Read!
Review: Enjoyed the movie,(heck, I loved that movie) so I read the book. It was not a disappointment! Dickey was every bit as good a novelist as he was a poet. Maybe even better. Possum Ronnow was impressed!!
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic adventure, well written descriptive narrative!
Review: a spell-binding book, much better than the movie. I was particularly enthralled by the character development. The description of Ed as he visually tracked the killer from his treetop perch, with fully drawn bow, the target framed within a frame, waiting for the right release moment is particularly memorable with its detail. The other main character Lewis is similarly developed by a wealth of descriptive detail that is a joy to read. These are ordinary people you can identify with from your own life, yet they are tempered by the extraordinary events they experienced on this canoe adventure. It left me with a desire to read more of Dickey's works. Unfortunately there is only one other novel that I know about.
Rating:
Summary: What an amazing piece of literature
Review: I knew from the very first page of this book that I was on to something. Dickey's first paragraph, of the unrolling of the map, was simply a joy to read. Ed's climb up the rock face left me sweating. The curiosities of the local law enforcement tired my nerves. But the book was more than a series of cool scenes. After finishing it, I felt I had to do as I had done after reading another grand piece of literature, Moby Dick, and sit and think about what I had I been engrossed in for 3 constant hours. This book will stick with you. You will learn that life is a treasure, and you will wonder if such plots and extremes could very well be the product of your own mind, given deadly situations.
Rating:
Summary: The key to life.
Review: Hidden within the pages of this book is author James Dickey's outlook on life: live life the only way you know how, despite what others may think. He emphasizes the point with succinct statements like:
"It feels like when you turn loose the arrow, and you know when you let go that you've done everything right. You know where the arrow is going. There's not any other place it can go."
He also drives the point home with a more direct approach, extreme violence. The end of the book returns to more subtleties, particularly regarding who turns out to be the hero. You'll have to read closely to understand the true meaning of this book, but it's worth it because the message is timeless.
Note to the publisher: I was guided to this book approximately two years ago through a dream. I had never seen the movie and never knew it was based on a book. I was searching the net to find an address where I could write to Mr. Dickey to thank him, when, much to my sorrow, I discovered that he had passed away. That's when I began searching for a hardcover copy of his book at your web site. I would appreciate any help you could give me in locating a hard copy verison of the book, as the one I read was a library copy. Thanks, Charlie Kempf Phoenix, AZ
Rating:
Summary: A Neo-Classic
Review: Mention the word "Deliverance" to many people and they tend to immediately recall the famous movie scene and the comment about "...squeal like a pig". I too approached this book with a similar impression of it, though it was surprisingly ranked at number 42 on top-100 list. Unfortunately, the excellence of Dickey's work is lost in the constant and chronic referencing to that one scene. This story is about man's search for self-identity, self-awareness, and acceptance. The story is told from the perspective of Ed Gentry, one of four men to embark on a whitewater river adventure. Ed's frame of reference on this trip is primarily defined by his athletic friend Lewis. Ed compares himself and the other members of the group to Lewis as he looks to find himself in a bit of a mid-life crisis. Ultimately, Ed finds his validation in his ability to push himself beyond what he previously thought possible. Dickey manages to generate some interesting insight into the human psyche within the context of a plot that is as exciting as anything I've read. The descriptions of the river and the challenges the four men face are well done enough to get you there. The plot has several sections where it almost becomes a page-turner rather than a brooding, introspective classical novel like much of the other selections on the top-100 list. I liked this book because it was an exciting story that was far more deeply written than most adventure novels.
Rating:
Summary: Harrowing Journey Into the Darkest Recesses Of Men's Souls
Review: Shocking when it was published in 1970, James Dickey's DELIVERANCE has become a classic on par with J.D. Salinger's THE CATCHER IN THE RYE, or Kurt Vonnegut's SLAUGHTERHOUSE 5. It is the full, unflinchingly honest story of one man's observations, experiences, travails and---yes---horrors of going out into the natural world for a taste of the wild life. An odyssey for which he had never been even remotely prepared in his life. It is the story of Ed Gentry, his born-to-be-wild, alpha-male best friend Lewis (we never do find out his last name), and two acquaintances, soft-bodied insurance salesman Bobby Trippe and banjo-playing sales manager Drew Ballinger, as they set out on a three-day whitewater canoe journey. A canoe journey that would bring them much, much more than any of them---including Lewis---had bargained for. One that would bring them face-to-face with the wild side of human nature. One which they might not survive. Told from Ed's viewpoint, DELIVERANCE is a powerful study in what happens when two extremes meet each other; when one has to play the other's game in order to hope for any chance of survival. When raw masculinity is freely expressed in one moment, then cruelly stripped away in the next. When one's biggest fear was making it through the daily grind, and who now must rely on his own long-atrophied natural instincts to achieve his own needed deliverance. This is a study in suburban routine and complacency meeting the ugly rural face of chaos. This is the story of the weekend these men had when they didn't play golf. This is a story that is unsuspectingly brutal, not for the squeamish and certainly not for children. Everyone else should experience it. Whether it turns you off or intrigues your senses, one thing's for sure: DELIVERANCE is a novel that will stay with you long after you finish the journey. MOST RECOMMENDED; AGES 17 & UP
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