The Loop

This man Is an amazing author. I've read all of his books but this one is my favourite (if I was forced to choose!). Nicholas Evans is the sort of author who can really take you top the heart of the book. He achieves this by 1) describing the characters' histories. He is very detailed, it is not just a quick statement ("Helen always struggled with her bodily image" etc) but at the beginning odf the book the main characters get their own sections describing their histories so you really feel like you know them and get a feel of their past, present and future plus understand more about why they interact with each other the way they do. Also, Evans distributes references to their pasts throughout the book, but not in an intrusive way, it follows on the event as if someone was speaking. I have heard people mutter "cliche" about this book. DONT LISTEN TO THEM!! I don't think they are too clihed and anyway who cares? It is such a beautiful read - exquisite descriptions the whole way through, very easy to imagine pictures/sounds/smells etc. The dialogue is natural and even funny in places. I felt i genuinely cared for the characters and even including the wolves. he has done a wonderful job describing them, presenting them not just as the sinisteer animals who howl in the night but those who teach and play with their children. He has obviously done his wolf research. If i had to sum up to book in one word i would say RICH.

In the small town of Hope, life for many has always had something to do with ranching. The cattle industry in this tiny place is the largest source of income. The "downtown" portion contains a few spots to get a meal, and a gift shop, as well as a few other little spots along the way. All of this make it a seemingly quiet and peaceful place to live. Until one day, the wolves enter the picture. Buck Calder is not known to keep his cool well, but he is known to be a powerful rancher, who can and does get just about what ever else he wants. His enemy- the wolves. They ruin his stock, and if given the chance to get rid of the creatures he didn't want in the area in the first place, he'll take it. So when his grandson is almost attacked by a wolf, and saved by the dog, Calder uses this to get media attention on the wolves, and call to action the wolf biologists. Enter Helen, Dan, and Bill, three wolf biologists who enter a race against time and nature to spare the creatures they worked so hard to bring back from extinction. The story entangles, love, affairs, and trust. A truly captivating and exciting tale. Nicholas Evans does a wonderful job writing a tale that draws the readers in, and attaches them to the characters.

Do the words "The Horse Whisperer" remind you of Nicholas Evans? Ah yes, I see you nodding your head. Did you read the book or maybe see the movie? Both were excellent and his newest book "The Loop" is no exception. Once more Evans has masterfully portrayed the savageness and beauty of the human spirit at the same time making us treasure the magnificence of nature that surrounds us. The small western town of Hope, Montana thrives on the cattle ranchers that inhabit the area. When wolf biologist, Helen Ross comes to town due to claims of wolves attacking children and cattle, she almost gets more than she bargained for. Buck Calder proves to be a worthwhile adversary as she struggles to prove the innocence of the wolves and keep the town from shooting them all. With a population of about 519 wolf haters, it's not an easy task convincing these people the motives behind the actions of these animals.This is an excellent book and a seamless read. The slow beginning is a clever disguise for a fast-paced riveting novel that you won't be able to put down until you finish it. This is definitely a book that will make you laugh and cry alternately every moment until the very end.

Nicholas Evan's work is underrated by critics while having an avid following of readers. I loved The Horse Whisperer and hesitated to read The Loop based on reviews. What a pleasant surprise! Mr. Evans excellent understanding of the conflict between animal activists, ranchers and environmentalists gives the reader an unbiased perspective. The wolves are not "all good", the ranchers not "all bad" and love between two lonely people is developed with believable hesitancy. Readers will find this book both captivating and enlightening. Won't believe what the critics say about Evan's next book - will automatically want to read it.

I loved this book. I had bought it this summer and left it sitting one the shelf. This fall a new reading program was instituted at my school. So inorder to be a positive role model for my students I also read for the required time. I was very impressed with this book that I would stay up and read until early morning. What really impressed me was the realistic view of Montana ranch life. Growing up on an Angus ranch and having very mixed opinions of the wolf reintroduction the book grabbed me. I found my self thinking that the rancher in the book reminded me of someone I knew. At times I had to laugh, but nothing was because a fact was wrong. I think this is one of the best Montana books I have read in a long time. Now I have to gt my copy of the Horse Whisper out and read it. The movie did not do it justice.