Great novel: Deliverance

James Dickey is known more for being a poet than a novelist, but it was his book Deliverance which really grabbed my interest when I first read it back in April 2002. I was in college at the time, and I remember sitting in the dining hall asking a friend if he'd ever read Deliverance. He said he had, and he thought I'd enjoy the novel. So I read it, and I'm glad I did.

The story is written in the first person, narrated by the main character whose name is Ed. Ed decides to go on a canoe trip with three friends of his - Lewis, Bobby, and Drew. The trip goes smoothly until Ed and Bobby encounter a couple of mountain men on the riverbank. The men assault the two at gunpoint. Lewis shoots one of the men with an arrow, killing him. The other guy scampers off. After arguing about what to do, the four bury the body and continue on their way. Unfortunately for them, the other mountain man follows them and shoots Drew, causing both canoes to capsize. Lewis suffers a bad leg break.

It is up to Ed to ensure that the remaining three make it off the river alive, granting them "deliverance". How he does it is both harrowing and fascinating.

Deliverance was made into a movie in 1972, directed by John Boorman and starring Jon Voight and Burt Reynolds. It is a great movie, but, as is the case with most movies adapted from books, it's not as involving or as detailed as the novel.