Shannon

From its opening, which finds a shell-shocked priest hearing the confession of a dying soldier in the Irish civil war, there's a surprising depth to Frank Delaney's novel. Delaney delivers his own work in his familiar Irish brogue, but it's understated here, letting his story of Father Robert Shannon's recovery from war trauma and a scandal within the Catholic Church take on its own natural rhythms. A gentle travelogue and Irish charm are always present, but they're in service of a story about war, conscience, duty, and love. Yes, there's a romance between the priest and an Irish nurse. Delaney's work can be demanding, but listeners will find it worth the effort. J.A.S. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

December 22, 2008
Delaney's meandering novel follows an American priest as he travels along Ireland's Shannon River in search of his family roots, and while it's peace he seeks, trouble has a way of finding him. After witnessing the atrocities of WWI, Father Robert Shannon returns to the United States shell-shocked, and the church eventually sends him to Ireland to restore himself and seek out his origins along the famed Shannon River. Along the way, he gets by through the kindness of strangers and witnesses Ireland's descent into civil war. With leads to his family history few and far between, Robert finds comfort in the home of a nurse he knew while serving as a chaplain during the war in France. Meanwhile, there's a hired killer from the states hot on his tail, and an unknowing Robert could make for a very easy target. The narrative is slow and thoughtful, spiritual though not overbearing and rounded out with a nice vein of intrigue. Though the family roots/hired gun mix may sound bizarre, Delaney handles the disparate thematic elements with a sure hand.