Must be read if you've read the first five books in the series and have become enamored of all things Tillerman. It doesn't stand on its own, which was okay by me. It doesn't really start and it doesn't really end, which, also, was okay by me. It's like reading a diary of a good friend who is still alive--you don't want or expect an ending. It's a...how did you get that way? novel.Cynthia Voigt demonstrates amazing skill at portraying the adolescent mind. You absolutely know these kids and, because you know them, you love them. Love them the same way you do Frodo Baggins or Sam Gamgee--you've been with them to Mordor and back--you've been in their heads as they fight orcs, cower in the shadows, shiver in the cold under the stars. I have one small quibble--with all Ms. Voigt's skill and understanding, why does she totally skip sexuality? I'm told that the adolescent male spends a lot of time and energy on it--when I once suggested to a friend that the primary thoughts in a young man's mind concerned, "girls, sports, school," in that order, his correction was: "girls, girls, girls..." with sports maybe on the list at number 39 and school totally absent.Don't get me wrong--I'm not wanting Cynthia Voigt to change her writing. I'm just a little puzzled that she leaves out such a huge slice of the adolescent psyche.
I reread this recently, as part of my reread of the entire Tillerman cycle. I don't think I've reread the entire cycle in the stated order in a long time. I've always liked some books of it more than others, and this is one of my lesser favourites, though I'm never entirely sure why. perhaps it's because I really like Dicey, and she barely features in this book. Perhaps it's because I don't entirely agree with the way Sammy and James act on one or two of their trips in search of information. Perhaps its because, at the end of it all, they end up knowing very little more, and I wish they came to know more, for all that they looked and searched and hoped.But for all that, I really do like Voigt's writing, I like her turn of phrase and the way she covers the introspective moments. I like the way her characters become real people, and their hopes and dreams and wishes and hardships and work seem to eat away at you, turning you into their very own cheerleading section (only not in a brash way). The triumphs are the best part, and the understanding of those teachers worth writing about.
What do You think about Sons From Afar (1996)?
Sons from Afar is the penultimate book in Cynthia Voigt's Tillerman cycle. This novel was narrated mainly by James and Sammy Tillerman, who are on a quest to find out who their father is and ultimately who they are.Though I've enjoyed nearly all of the Tillerman books, I didn't enjoy this one quite as much. With the exception of A Solitary Blue, I just haven't really connected with the books when the narrators are male. I did love learning more about Sammy and James, along with the rest of the Tillermans, and I loved getting a glimpse of them further down the line, but overall the book was just not on parr with the rest of them. I would say, however, that my opinion of the book is really based on personal preference; Voigt's writing is, as usual, impeccable.
—Tori
In the process of cataloging a K-8 elementary school library, one comes across old favorite authors. Cynthia Voigt is one. Her Tillerman Family chronicles make an engaging study of children growing up, family dynamics, American society before the electronic age.Sons from Afar is the story of the Tillerman brothers'search for their father. THese two boys, as different as chalk and cheese, take great risks to find out just who their father is (or was) and why he has never been with them. Their ingenuity, self-discipline, and support of each other is precious to read. What they find out... well, I won;t spoil it.I recommend the whole series, preferably in order (there are 7 or 8) starting with Homecoming,. The second, Dicey's Song, is the best known. Frankly I think an adult has a better chance of grasping what is going on in these stories than a Young Adult
—Anne Slater
once more, i'd like to climb into this series and throttle a parent or two! how could they leave their kids like this, and let them grow up w/ all this "i wonder if ... ?", and pain, and ... to deal w/, on top of all the normal crud we humans, especially kids, pile up on each other just because?!of course, w/ a so-called "man" like there father apparently was, they're probably better off not having had him in their life, but still ... to have left them like that, no word, no ... not the best book in the series, but a good one all the same, and, at least for me, riveting. quick read too, if anyone is interested in a wk/end read
—joyce lynn
