Rating: 
Summary: A love story that transcends death
Review: Author Richard Matheson researched many life-after-death experience books and synthesized the best (bibliography included) in this fantasy love story about a man who dies too soon and has infinite longings for his bereaved wife. When his mourning wife, in despair, commits suicide, the husband must embark on a perilous, and indeed, soul-searching journey to the nether regions of the afterlife to rescue her. This hero's journey is ultimately a beautiful love story, satisfyingly rendered by master SF/horror writer Matheson. Watch for this book to be in print again shortly, as Robin Williams has been cast in the lead role in the film version retitled "Midvale." I can only hope that the sentiments in this book are translated as carefully as the FX that will be necessary to depict Summerland, the land beyond death. My prediction: A blockbuster film and a new audience for this long neglected and intensely satisfying novel.
Rating:
Summary: beautifully written love story describing life after death
Review: Once again, as in "Bid Time Return" aka "Somewhere in Time" , Matheson has given us a main character whose purest motive is love and the sacrifices he makes in love's name.My husband and I were deeply moved by this brilliant novel. Both of us have lost parents and found this novel to be extremely comforting. We have decided to believe that what Matheson describes to be possible. We have recommended this book to many friends who have suffered the loss of someone close. Each person who has read it has been comforted. You will want 2 copies of this book: one to keep and one to share.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting Ideas, and well-written
Review: This was an interesting book for me. I tend to get way too emotional, and I have some issues with the topic of death, so it took some time for me to be mentally ready for this. It's written in an interesting manner, as if not merely fiction, but a story told to a psychic by one who had already passed on. It is told through the eyes of Chris Nielson, a man who was tragically torn from his loving wife when a car accident took his life. He finds himself dealing with the issues of afterlife. Although Summerland may seem like paradise, what kind of heaven could it be without his beloved wife, Ann, and what will Chris be willing to give up to be with her again? The author interestingly has a bibiliography, and has studied much on the subjects of afterlife from a variety of belief systems. To me, at least, he creates a world after death that could be consistent with any number of beliefs, and he describes this world in both exquisite and horrendous detail, drawing the reader into scenes of idyllic pleasure, as well as those of a terrifying nature. It's written quite well, and allows the reader to form the images in his or her mind. (I didn't have quite the same images as the movie did - but that's all interpretation - and the movie was amazing and what inspired me to read the book.) One thing I liked about the style was the short sections (I hesitate to call them chapters). With such a weighty subject matter, it was nice to be able to put it down between sections. While the story was engrossing, sometimes I could only read so much at a time. Interestingly, I found I only cried at the beginning of the book - when Chris was dealing with his own death. The movie (if I recall correctly - it's been awhile) seems to have rather quickly moved on past that point, onto the more central conflict of the novel. During the movie's interpretation of that conflict, I recall crying quite a lot, yet not while reading the novel. At any rate, it's a relatively quick read, and I think it's worthwhile too. It opens up whole new worlds of metaphysics and religion that many may not have pondered before. Please take it with an open mind though - if you already have stern, preconceived notions of what is or isn't after death, you might find this book at odds with your philosophies.
Rating:
Summary: A good but complicated book
Review: The idea of the story was great. It described death in a way i never thought of it before. I found it very creative. Although the book was great, it did get me lost and confused most of the places. Overall though it was a very detailed book of romance and the life after death. Mixing colors and variety of scenary to create this very interesting book took a lot of creativity and thinking. And i think Matheson did a great job in doing so. After reading the book I also went and saw the movie. It was excellent. Like i was saying before i got a little lost in the book. But the movie made the story very clear for the audience. Overall the book was great and look forward to reading more books from Richard Matheson.
Rating:
Summary: Is there life after death?
Review: Richard Matheson, the great author who wrote 'I Am Legend' and many other short horror stories and science fiction stories, explores his knowledge of life after death by pouring it into a story. A story about Chris Nielsen, a man who has died and has left everything behind. He wants to stay, to be with his wife and his family, but he can't. He must move on, he must learn about life after death. What is death? What is life? What is love?
Rating:
Summary: A perfect vision of the afterlife
Review: I read this novel a few years ago, when the movie had just come out and was so taken in by its beautiful description of heaven that I stayed up late a few nights in a row to read as much as I could before going to sleep. As I read this novel, I felt a euphoric bliss, because its descriptions of the ultimate meaning of our lives feels so true and accurate. This book has become my guidebook on what to expect in the afterlife. I agree with many of the ideas, since this novel answered a lot of questions for me that religion has failed to answer, one of which is "upon death, do we learn 'the truth' if we are so dogmatic in our views being right." The answer makes sense, that we retain our belief system when we die, that death isn't an automatic enlightenment, especially for those who believe that only righteous born again Christians go to heaven, with its pearly gates and St. Peter standing out front with a large book of names. I never bought into that view of heaven, because why would heaven need a gate to begin with? I love the idea that one's soul goes to the level of his/her spiritual development, and the more open minded you are, the more diverse your heaven is (rather than some slice of heaven that only members of the same religion gravitate towards).
My only complaint about this novel, and the reason why I subtract a star, is what I consider the sappy love story angle. The main character is in heaven, on an adventure, yet all he does is wonder about his wife. Of course, that's understandable, but as a reader, I wanted a protagonist who shared my curiousity about heaven. I would have been all over the place, in the library looking up the real history of human events, looking at my past life charts, and meeting old friends. But I can't complain because this novel really is the first of its kind that I've read that is well detailed about heaven. The writer is brilliant for writing a novel like this and I love the "disclaimer" in the beginning that "only the story is made up"...that he based heaven on the consistency he saw in all the religions. That is why I believe this novel is probably more true in its depiction of heaven than any other book and I often refer to it for spiritual insight.
Unfortunately, the movie is not loyal to the novel and hardly resembles anything in this novel. I felt sick after I saw the movie, because I was expecting a beautiful movie that was somewhat loyal to the book, instead of what seemed like a parody. I hope someday that someone will make a film more faithful to this novel (George Lucas, perhaps? His creation of the city on Naboo in the Star Wars prequels look more like a city in heaven than what this film version showed). Until then, I'll just have to reread this novel and envision it within my own mind. This novel will take you to heaven. If you have any unanswered questions about spirituality or the ultimate meaning in your life, then please read this book, ponder its precepts and remember that because of free will, we create our own heaven and/or hell and God will not intervene in our self-deceptions until we recognize the illusions and ask to be led to the truth.
Rating:
Summary: A Truely Astonishing masterpiece
Review: This book touched me. Over and over again. Having already seen the movie, I alredy knew what to expect, but I was wrong. The book is soo much better and DIFFERENT than the movie which is great. The story is basically the same outline, but there is just soo much more heartfilled moments in the book u just couldnt capture on film. So much sorrow and sadness and of course happiness. Not a long read, but the amount of feelings u get out of this book just might change the way you think and live your life. It made me reflect on my life and the people in it that I love and take for granted.
Just a powerfull thought and emotional prevoking story, and Im not ashamed to say that I loved it.
totally worth the read.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting Ideas, and well-written
Review: This was an interesting book for me. I tend to get way too emotional, and I have some issues with the topic of death, so it took some time for me to be mentally ready for this. It's written in an interesting manner, as if not merely fiction, but a story told to a psychic by one who had already passed on. It is told through the eyes of Chris Nielson, a man who was tragically torn from his loving wife when a car accident took his life. He finds himself dealing with the issues of afterlife. Although Summerland may seem like paradise, what kind of heaven could it be without his beloved wife, Ann, and what will Chris be willing to give up to be with her again? The author interestingly has a bibiliography, and has studied much on the subjects of afterlife from a variety of belief systems. To me, at least, he creates a world after death that could be consistent with any number of beliefs, and he describes this world in both exquisite and horrendous detail, drawing the reader into scenes of idyllic pleasure, as well as those of a terrifying nature. It's written quite well, and allows the reader to form the images in his or her mind. (I didn't have quite the same images as the movie did - but that's all interpretation - and the movie was amazing and what inspired me to read the book.) One thing I liked about the style was the short sections (I hesitate to call them chapters). With such a weighty subject matter, it was nice to be able to put it down between sections. While the story was engrossing, sometimes I could only read so much at a time. Interestingly, I found I only cried at the beginning of the book - when Chris was dealing with his own death. The movie (if I recall correctly - it's been awhile) seems to have rather quickly moved on past that point, onto the more central conflict of the novel. During the movie's interpretation of that conflict, I recall crying quite a lot, yet not while reading the novel. At any rate, it's a relatively quick read, and I think it's worthwhile too. It opens up whole new worlds of metaphysics and religion that many may not have pondered before. Please take it with an open mind though - if you already have stern, preconceived notions of what is or isn't after death, you might find this book at odds with your philosophies.
Rating:
Summary: Life or Death, Which do you prefer?
Review: This book, oh, this book, is absolutely amazing. I read it for the first time about 3 years ago. Anytime I am board or have nothing to read, I reach for this book.
The book grabs a hold of your mind, emotions, and soul. It tells of a journey of a man's life, death, and life again in a way I never imagined possible. The details that this author uses to describe the events in the book is amazing. I feel as if I am the one clinging to life's last thread and trying to hold on to all that I know. His journey begins clouded and disoriented as he struggles to regain what he once had on Earth, only to see that there was no way to go back. He later sees that death is not the end, but the true beginning.
It is a powerful and riveting book with many twists and turns. It opens doors to the way people look at life, death, and the next life. I recommend this book to people who don't mind seeing different views about life, death, heaven, and hell.
If you saw the movie and you didn't quite understand you need to read the book, it is sooo much better than the movie.
Rating:
Summary: Thought-Provoking
Review: The idea of what happens in the afterlife is intriguing. I more readily believe that heaven and hell are the products of our thoughts than punishments or rewards imposed by an outside source, so I thought the premise of this book very easy to envision. It was, on the whole, well written, thought necessarily depressing for the last half. The movie was actually a very good adaptation, although it made the two main characters seem selfish. I would recommend this if you are not offended by having traditional Christian dogma questioned.
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