A Song for the Asking

I listened to this novel on audiobook and was so impressed. Sometimes a book featuring teenage characters comes across with false sounding conversation, but Steve Gannon did a great job of telling the story with believeable dialogue. The character of the father, Dan Kane, was at times likeable and at other times I wanted to kill him. He was trying to make sure his children grew up tough and could never bring himself to say anything positive to any of them, especially Travis, who happened to be a wonderful pianist which really rubbed his dad the wrong way. The author led the plot into a lot of different story lines, but made each of them easy to follow. I can't say enough about the narrator. He did such a good job of bringing each person to life, mainly Dan Kane's voice, that it made the story even better. I was sorry to come to the end of this book, but am hoping to see something new by this author soon. I would recommend it for anyone, even though there is some rough language.

I grabbed this audiotape up and thought the story and narration was great. A narrator can easily ruin a good book, but if anything the narrator made this book even better. I, then picked the book up, I had to re-read what I already loved!

As a writer I make it a point to read as many "first novels" as possible. Some show potential, most make me wonder HOW they got published. Not so with Steve Gannon's debut novel, "A Song for the Asking." Where has he been? For a one-time actor/dentist/contractor (per the brief author info in the book) he is not only one hell of a researcher in such areas as law enforcement, classical music, serious rock-climbing and the sea, he is a brilliant painter of characters and settings. I was spellbound and continually amazed by the relationships and detailed topics woven into this complex, yet identifiable, family. The father, Dan Kane, takes you on an emotional ride. You don't know whether you want to work with him, party with him or have him arrested for his continual verbal and physical abuse of just about every other character in the book.DO NOT MISS THIS BOOK....I almost did!!

My name is Connor Dugan and I am 12 years old. I listened to this book on tape and it was a very powerful book because it really describes how a family going through some hard times and some good times gets along I know this review is very short but the bottom line is this book was excellent.

Gannon's powerful first novel focuses on the emotional issues that glue families together and tear them apart. Cop Dan Kane loves his family but rules them with an iron fist. His particular pride is son Tommy, an outstanding athlete with a college football scholarship. Dan is less happy with 16-year-old Travis, whose artistic temperament is too namby-pamby for his father's tastes; daughter Allison, a talented writer who rates low with Dan because she's a girl; and Nate, who, at 9, is too young to be of much use. Dan is determined to mold his family into a strong unit capable of facing life's harsh blows, but it's his long-suffering wife, Catheryn, who must handle the devastation Dad leaves behind. Gannon's story focuses on one summer in the lives of the Kanes-a summer that will test the strength, love, and courage of each member of the family as they are beset by a series of shattering tragedies. Gannon writes brilliantly of the high hopes and shattered dreams, the love, laughter, tears, and pain that make up the family experience. His wonderfully dense and complex characters and his provocative plot combine to produce a heartrending, heartwarming novel. An impressive debut. --Emily Melton