This epic tale will stay with me for a long time. As a librarian, I read several books a year but I have to say, I don't want to read anything else for a while. Nothing else could compare to this book. It was that wonderful.

I enjoyed this book very much. It's not the best book I've read recently, but it's certainly not the worst. It kept me entertained and I enjoyed the unique storytelling narrative. It could have been a bit more substantial and the ending felt a little rushed, but I'd read it again and I will probably check out Mr. Atkins other offerings at some point.

Positives:
-- I loved the main character of Wendel and I could picture him clearly. Well defined and a great personality that adjusted (but not much) throughout his life.
-- I enjoyed the humor. I haven't laughed out loud while reading a book in a very long time, but I found myself doing just that after the first 25 pages or so.
-- The back stories (and there are a lot of them) are fun and unique. I have never read a book written in this style before and it felt fresh.
-- The supernatural aspect was interesting, but not overpowering and not so far fetched.

Negatives:
-- It seems like most every man in this book was mean, angry, violent, stupid, a drunk, or a little of each.
-- The ending felt rushed. It was a nice, sweet ending that made an attempt at a twist, but it was rushed none the less.
-- As mentioned in the Positives, the back stories are fun and enjoyable, but there are an awful lot of them. It felt like too many at times and I wish a few of them (maybe Birma Mae, the nut that discovered the Sorrow Wood cave while looking for the arc, or Dixie) could have been dropped and the plot added to a bit more.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and I'm glad I picked it up. A nice love story (and that is not my favorite genre by a stretch), some humor, some supernatural and some good characters make it a good read.

Who said small-town life couldn't be exciting?

Raymond L. Atkins paints a vivid landscape with expansive, yet small Sand Valley, Alabama, a town monitored by policeman Wendell Blackmon and his wife, probate judge Reva. Together, the pair maintain the town's order, keeping animal-fighting rednecks Otter and Deadhand in line and the extramarital issues of many a townsperson behind closed doors. However, when Sorrow Wood, a nearby farm, catches ablaze and leaves behind a charred body, Sand Valley is turned upside down, making even the unlikeliest of folks a suspect.

What's most interesting about the story is the way in which it is told; using alternating chapters to jump from the present time to the past and back, the reader gradually becomes more and more well-acquainted with the Blackmons and their history together, opening the door for the shocking and unexpected ending. Beautifully written with bouts of hilarity only a small-town native could truly appreciate (and perhaps relate to), Sorrow Wood is another ballpark home run for Atkins.

What could be better than great Southern fiction that includes both a love story and a mystery told with humor and emotion? I read this book in four hours, and then wanted to pick it back up and read it again. Atkins is a wonderful storyteller,he has a gift for creating characters that you would love to spend time with.

I opened this book last night and couldn't put it down! Raymond Atkins is the Bard of Northwest Georgia! His dry sense of humor, intelligent prose and charming observations are like jewels being mined by your brain. After marvelling at what you have read and how it is written, surprise! You've found another. Roll over, Mark Twain!