Rating: 
Summary: Takes Itself Way Too Seriously
Review: This book is incredibly preachy and sees itself as the real authority on life after death. Even in the introduction Matheson asserts that the majority of the book is factual. It's more like Matheson developed some theories and "great lines of dialogue" that he forced into the mouths of his characters.The movie adaptation knew exactly what to pick up and what to leave out. The movie really is better. The book did have some captivating parts and a few interesting ideas, but it tried to tell the reader how the afterlife is rather than how it might be. Because who really knows? Not Richard Matheson, I don't care how much research he's done.
Rating: 
Summary: Life begins at the finish, and ends at the beginning.
Review: A book I think everyone should read if they have any sort of belief in having a soul mate, and even for those who don't. For me it was a powerful story of love and emotion. Granted it focuses on the life after death, but it was still fantastic imagery of love transcending life. Don't read this book expecting it to be like the movie, b/c no book ever written is the same as a movie. It just doesn't work that way. I think Matheson sums up what this book feels like in the dedication, at least for me it does. "with grateful love, to my wife for adding the sweet measure of her soul to my existence"
Rating: 
Summary: Not like the movie, thank god.
Review: Being that I'm interested in alternative thought, religion and philosophies, I enjoyed this book quite a lot. It was compelling learning of the protagonist's journey through the afterlife, starting immediately after his death and ending with his impending reincarnation. The ideas discussed, though not new, were nonetheless intriguing (and quite accurate), the depth of love displayed, touching. At times I thought Matheson went on a bit too much about the relationship between the protagonist and his wife, whereas I'd much rather he described in more detail the goings on in Summerland (and beyond). But perhaps that's more a stylistic critique than a substantive one; there was a lot of Summerland to go around. Overall, a very good book. I recommend it.
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