A Flight of Storks and Angels

Robert Devereaux is not a writer of cookie-cutter formula novels. This man has real vision and boldness and originality. Here he takes the premise of guardian angels, which could have been cheesy and very Touched by an Angel, and creates something incredibly moving and beautiful. His use of language in this novel is masterful, his prose style being slightly offbeat, not exactly what you've come to expect from a lot of modern writers in the horror and fantasy genres, and it hooks you right in. In fact, reading Devereaux's prose here was like falling under a spell and falling through a hole into the story. It was magical, like the best of Bradbury. The premise of a town that can suddenly see its own guardian angels and thus starts becoming the best of humanity until the rest of the world sort of intervens, is very gripping and intriguing. The last third of the book is some of the most riveting stuff I've read in years, and I was so invested in the characters I felt genuine concern for their fates. I like how the ending shows you a promise of what is to come without actually spelling everything out for the reader. Devereaux is a writer that definitely trusts his audience's intelligence and imagination. This is a hell of a book, and one I had never even heard of until recently. It is a shame, this man has so much talent he should really be known and discussed by a large audience. I'll do my part to spread the word, starting here by encouraging everyone who can get a copy of this book to do so and read it and discover a real gem.

Everyone who resides in Auroville, California from Mayor Porter to the town bum believes that the Keeshan brood is a bunch of lunatics. That opinion holds though the elderly patriarch is a bestselling author making millions per book but that is because visitors seeing him are forced to buy the book by cult members. Residents rationalize their belief based on his weird novels, his semi-comatose spouse, and his grandson thirteen year old Ward, who is often seen holding animated discussions with himself while insisting that an angel is his companion. Even the parents of Ward's best friend June prefer their daughter find a new pal as they believe Ward is a nut.Though he would prefer chess with his invisible friend Timothy, Walt's insistence that he has a guardian angel opens the floodgates. The world descends on Auroville. As the town divides between religious believers, agnostic skeptics, and hostile atheists, Ward and his grandpa encouraged by angels begin a quest for a better world. Today Auroville, tomorrow the UN, but none of the in crowd wants to give up their entitlements.This whimsical fantasy will provide plenty of delight for fans of angels or those who really care about the downtrodden. The story line moves slowly forward at first as the personalities of the key players (including Timothy) are established. Once the plot goes into gear buoyed by the angels, readers will hope for the best for the Keeshans and their supporters. The character names pay homage to heroes while the dedication sums up the book best as the author states that "May Miss Francis, Mr. Rogers, and Captain Kangaroo always prevail over Hoover, McCarthy, and Ashcroft".Harriet Klausner