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Reader's Digest Select Editions, Volume 237, 1998 #3: The Winner / Homeport / Then Came Heaven / Flight of Eagles
Readers Digest authorized condensed editions The Winner by David Baldacci, Homeport by Nora Roberts, Then Came Heaven by LaVyrle Spencer, Flight of Eagles by Jack Higgins.
573 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
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The company was founded by DeWitt and Lila Wallace in 1922 with the first publication of Reader's Digest magazine, but has grown to include a diverse range of magazines, books, music, DVDs and online content.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 13, 2020
I love the authors in this anthology, but I wasn't crazy about these particular works.
The Winner: LuAnn Tyler is a lottery winner... but before that she was a down-on-her-luck single mom with a terrible boyfriend. That she could go from one to the other in the space of the time it takes to read a set of lottery numbers is a dream come true... or the beginning of a nightmare. LuAnn believes that if she lives out the terms of her agreement, a virtual deal with the devil, she can resume some sense of normalcy. The main character, LuAnn, is written as a sort of superhero while the villain who is an evil genius eventually . LuAnn's daughter Lisa, who is only 10 by the end of the book, nonetheless is written as a child prodigy who speaks like an adult. The characters lacked authenticity for me, and that took away from the story.
Homeport: Dr. Miranda Jones is "an expert on Italian Renaissance Bronzes." Her and her brother Andrew run the family's museum in Maine. Her father travels, supervising various digs, and her mother Elizabeth manages company operations in Italy. When Elizabeth sends for her daughter, she knows it's a command, not a request. Miranda reports to Italy to authenticate a bronze found under mysterious conditions, and lands herself in a hornet's nest. With her reputation on the line, Miranda must join forces with a man who lied to her, stole from her, and makes her heart beat a bit faster when he's around. So yes, this is a mystery/suspense/romance filled to the brim with tropes. It's a credit to Nora Roberts' writing that despite the many, many problems I had with the plot and the characters, I remained invested in the story and its ending.
Flight of Eagles: Flight of Eagles is set in the present (late 90's) telling a story about the past (WWI/WWII eras). A couple recovering from a plane crash learn the story of two brothers, twins at that, who fought against each other in WWII. The setup for the brothers' eventually clash began with their parents' story in WWI, which is briefly outlined in the beginning. This was easily the best novel out of the 4. Though I didn't understand the purpose of the ending twist, I did care about the fate of the brothers and their relationship.
Then Came Heaven: Set in the 1950's, when a man loses his wife and daughters lose their mother, they can't imagine life every being the same. Perhaps it won't be, but one woman decides to reach out and help the family heal its wounds. That is the book I thought I was going to read. Instead, this is the book you get: When Eddie's wife Krystyna dies suddenly, him and his two daughters are obviously bereft. In the meantime, at least two women can barely wait for Eddie's wife to be buried before they begin daydreaming about how in love with him they are. I'm really not sure why I even read this book, that's how incredibly angry it made me for Krystyna.
The Winner: LuAnn Tyler is a lottery winner... but before that she was a down-on-her-luck single mom with a terrible boyfriend. That she could go from one to the other in the space of the time it takes to read a set of lottery numbers is a dream come true... or the beginning of a nightmare. LuAnn believes that if she lives out the terms of her agreement, a virtual deal with the devil, she can resume some sense of normalcy. The main character, LuAnn, is written as a sort of superhero while the villain who is an evil genius eventually . LuAnn's daughter Lisa, who is only 10 by the end of the book, nonetheless is written as a child prodigy who speaks like an adult. The characters lacked authenticity for me, and that took away from the story.
Homeport: Dr. Miranda Jones is "an expert on Italian Renaissance Bronzes." Her and her brother Andrew run the family's museum in Maine. Her father travels, supervising various digs, and her mother Elizabeth manages company operations in Italy. When Elizabeth sends for her daughter, she knows it's a command, not a request. Miranda reports to Italy to authenticate a bronze found under mysterious conditions, and lands herself in a hornet's nest. With her reputation on the line, Miranda must join forces with a man who lied to her, stole from her, and makes her heart beat a bit faster when he's around. So yes, this is a mystery/suspense/romance filled to the brim with tropes. It's a credit to Nora Roberts' writing that despite the many, many problems I had with the plot and the characters, I remained invested in the story and its ending.
Flight of Eagles: Flight of Eagles is set in the present (late 90's) telling a story about the past (WWI/WWII eras). A couple recovering from a plane crash learn the story of two brothers, twins at that, who fought against each other in WWII. The setup for the brothers' eventually clash began with their parents' story in WWI, which is briefly outlined in the beginning. This was easily the best novel out of the 4. Though I didn't understand the purpose of the ending twist, I did care about the fate of the brothers and their relationship.
Then Came Heaven: Set in the 1950's, when a man loses his wife and daughters lose their mother, they can't imagine life every being the same. Perhaps it won't be, but one woman decides to reach out and help the family heal its wounds. That is the book I thought I was going to read. Instead, this is the book you get: When Eddie's wife Krystyna dies suddenly, him and his two daughters are obviously bereft. In the meantime, at least two women can barely wait for Eddie's wife to be buried before they begin daydreaming about how in love with him they are. I'm really not sure why I even read this book, that's how incredibly angry it made me for Krystyna.
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March 18, 2021finished the last one I read was Then Came Heaven They were all good I think I liked "The Winner" & "Then Came Heaven" the best. In fact I'm reading a book by David Baldacci now. The readers Digest I have had for years but never read it before. Now that I have finished it I will probably donate it.
February 10, 2012
The Winner was pretty good, although I disliked the completely random, no-basis-whatsoever sex scene. Because of that, it only gets 2 stars
I have a major issue with Nora Roberts, so I did not read Homeport. 0 stars
Flight of the Eagles was written in a style that grates on my nerves. Couldn't get past page 2. 0 stars.
Then Came Heaven. Wowza. What can I say? Suicidal first wife, horny ex-nun second wife. Disturbing on so many levels, yet I read it all. 1 star
I have a major issue with Nora Roberts, so I did not read Homeport. 0 stars
Flight of the Eagles was written in a style that grates on my nerves. Couldn't get past page 2. 0 stars.
Then Came Heaven. Wowza. What can I say? Suicidal first wife, horny ex-nun second wife. Disturbing on so many levels, yet I read it all. 1 star
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews