The Hummingbird

I think we all take each day of our life for granted. I believe it's because we firmly believe that there will be a tomorrow and the day after that until we grow old. But the people I think truly appreciate what they have are those that have to face a terminal diagnosis, knowing that tomorrow is never a guarantee for any of us. Stephen P. Kiernan has written an unforgettable novel that showcases three very unique relationships in The Hummingbird. It is written in alternating chapters, one in the life of hospice nurse, Deborah Birch, and the story of the Sword she reads to her dying patient Professor Barclay Reed.

Deborah's relationship with the Professor is to help him see that even though time is running out on his life he still has a lot to offer. She promises that even though he has fired every single nurse in three different hospice care facilities, she will not give up on him. As the two work on coming to terms with how they interact with one another in the time that is left, the Professor asks her to read an unpublished book that he had written and at the conclusion of the story, to tell him if she believes it is true or simply a work of fiction. Along the way, the Professor's brilliant metaphors for life, help Deborah deal with her husband, Michael who after returning home from his third tour of duty is not the man she married. His violent outbursts have been a huge strain on their marriage and now they simply exist as roommates in the same home. Not the life she had ever imagined and not one she wanted to open up to the Professor about.

The Professor has written numerous volumes on the Pacific Theater and the Sword was the only one that never got published. As they read through the story together, the Professor helps Deborah understand the subtleties behind what Michael has brought home from the war. He uses parts of the story to help her gain insight into the clues he brings up that offer more than what she has been seeing all along. Deborah also finds that through each case she has worked with her patients, they all offer her the one thing that money can never buy and it's a gift she carries with her to each and every patient. She promises that she will do all she can to ensure that their death is peaceful, as painfree as possible and that they leave behind no regrets if she can help it.

I received The Hummingbird by Stephen P. Kiernan compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. While this is NOT a book for my Christian readers, those who find an interest in hospice, WWII and PTSD, will love where these stories intersect and find such value for life, it kinda of changes how you move forward after reading this. There is some profanity, but taken in the context of the character of Michael, as a returning soldier from the war, it would be what one would expect dealing with the nightmares and issues he has. In my opinion, this one is worth 4 out of 5 stars.

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The Hummingbird from Stephen P. Kiernan 

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The Curiosity

Each year a handful of people who are dying decide to take the chance that in the future someday there might be a cure for what is slowly killing them now and have their bodies frozen just before their death. But is it possible for that to really happen? Does science possess the skill to reanimate a person who was frozen or it is possible that the body can never fully recover from being place in suspended frozen animation?

Dr. Kate Philo has been searching the Arctic Ocean in hopes of finding out those very answers. She and her team have been harvesting what they classify as hard ice in icebergs found floating in the Arctic Ocean. She hopes to find what she calls as a "candidate berg," one that is five times larger than any prior find, and one that is at least 91.7 percent of the berg being underwater. Today's find is 93.151 and not only that, they have discovered a large carbon signature bigger than anything they have found to date. All their subsequent discoveries have been shrimp, plankton, krill which have been reanimated at the Carthage Institute. Yet none of the species have lived but a few seconds before succumbing to what is believed the end of their life cycle anyway. These poor creatures simply were frozen while still alive and thus never really died to begin with.


Dr. Kate Philo believes that they have discovered frozen solid in one of the deep hard ice veins, a seal or large whale. What they soon discover will shock the entire team and possibly bring about one of the largest moral and ethical debates in the world of science, a man! But is it possible to reanimate a human? Does this go against everything the world believes when it comes to life after death? Is science attempting to play God?

In the debut novel, The Curiosity by author Stephen P. Kiernan, Dr. Kate Philo is about to be thrust into a world she never dreamed possible. It will put her at odds with everything she faces about her morals and the ability to put the needs of what the lab is calling "Subject One" above her own and even risk her job. It seems that all Erastus Carthage cares about is making more money and gaining more fame, and nothing will stop him from obtaining all he desires even if it means exploiting Subject One for his own means. He is the financial catalyst behind all the research and the reanimation attempts on Subject One and he will remove anyone who tries to stop him. He even has the media under his financial control enabling a sole reporter, Daniel Dixon the exclusive rights to all press releases on Subject One's reanimation.

I received The Curiosity by Stephen P. Kiernan compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review and received no monetary compensation for a favorable one. I was immediately drawn to the story because it promises a story about Michael Crichton meets The Time Traveler's Wife which I absolutely LOVED and wondered how this would all play out to reanimate a man frozen in ice who died over a 100 years ago. What would he think of the world today? What are the implications from a religious side in dealing with this idea of bringing someone possibly back to life?

I have to hand it to author Stephen P. Kiernan for completely captivating me! The premise is amazing and I think he hit this one out of the park. The novel is divided among the characters, Dr. Kate Philo, Daniel Dixon, Erastus Carthage and Jeremiah Rice as known as Subject One. He makes you really despise Erastus Carthage who is simply motivated by greed and fame, the slimy newspaper reporter, Daniel Dixon who has a fascination with the female body and does not go out of his way to hide it, Dr. Kate Philo who is the only one who sees Jeremiah Rice as a person and not some lab rat and Jeremiah Rice, a judge from the late 1800's who is challenged between wanting to make the most of his second chance and fighting simply to stay alive long enough to make it count.

 I rate this book a 4 out of 5, simply based on the language content and sexual references made by certain characters in the book. I would have rated it a 5 out of 5 if these were left out but see the authors need to include them based on his character development. It does allude to the theory of evolution in regards to Erastus Carthage's team which believes they are simply doing what they are called to discover and feel no moral obligation to Jeremiah Rice, as a person as he continues to refer to him as Subject One no matter what happens. To Erastus Carthage, Jeremiah Rice is simply a large lab rat at his disposal. The best parts of this book are the conversations between Kate and Jeremiah as she shows him the new world and all that we've done in the last 100 years since he "died." It really is quite eye opening to see things from his point of view and also quite sobering as well to see despite all our advancements, we really are a violent and morally loose world. This is a wonderful novel and one you won't want to miss! The best part is that this will soon be made into a movie coming to the big screen in the future. I know I can't wait to see this one!

For more information about The Curiosity, Stephen P. Kiernan, and where to preorder this novel that is slated for release in July, please click on the links below:

The Curiosity by Stephen P. Kiernan

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• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow (July 9, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006222106X
• ISBN-13: 978-0062221063
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.4 inches 

Available at your favorite book retailer in Hardcover and eBook formats.