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Truly Like Lightning: A Novel Hardcover – February 2, 2021

by David Duchovny (Author)

4.4 486 ratings

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From the New York Times–bestselling author David Duchovny, an epic adventure that asks how we make sense of right and wrong in a world of extremes

For the past twenty years, Bronson Powers, former Hollywood stuntman and converted Mormon, has been homesteading deep in the uninhabited desert outside Joshua Tree with his three wives and ten children. Bronson and his wives, Yalulah, Mary, and Jackie, have been raising their family away from the corruption and evil of the modern world. Their insular existence―controversial, difficult, but Edenic―is upended when the ambitious young developer Maya Abbadessa stumbles upon their land. Hoping to make a profit, she crafts a wager with the family that sets in motion a deadly chain of events.

Maya, threatening to report the family to social services, convinces them to enter three of their children into a nearby public school. Bronson and his wives agree that if Maya can prove that the kids do better in town than in their desert oasis, they will sell her a chunk of their priceless plot of land. Suddenly confronted with all the complications of the twenty-first century that they tried to keep out of their lives, the Powerses must reckon with their lifestyle as they try to save it.

Truly Like Lightning, David Duchovny’s fourth novel, is a heartbreaking meditation on family, religion, sex, greed, human nature, and the vanishing environment of an ancient desert.

Print length

464 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication date

February 2, 2021
Dimensions

5.5 x 1.25 x 8.5 inches
ISBN-10

0374277745
ISBN-13

978-0374277741
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From the Publisher

Praise for David Duchovny's Truly Like Lightning: A Novel

Editorial Reviews

Review

“[David Duchovny’s] most complex novel is also the best of the batch, and makes a solid case for him as a real-deal novelist. It’s a provocative, entertaining book that, much like [Tom] Wolfe did, exposes our collective foibles and makes everybody look a little cartoonish. But it persuades you that we deserve the caricature he’s made of us.” ―Mark Athitakis, The Washington Post

"This beguiling book crackles with energy and intelligence. It makes you laugh and then just when you think the ride is coming to an end . . . it delivers a right hook that leaves you aghast. It kind of broke my heart and I loved every minute of it." ―Samantha Bee

"Truly Like Lightning is an emotionally captivating tour de force from start to finish. David Duchovny fires on all cylinders in penning a modern-day fish out of water tale . . . A true must-read for 2021." ―Philip Zozzaro, San Francisco Book Review

“Duchovny is best known for his idiosyncratic roles in The X-Files and Californication, and he has a wildly unpredictable voice as a writer. Here he offers a dramatic parable involving trespasses against others and the dire consequences that follow . . .Duchovny’s characteristically nimble prose not only connects the various narratives, but exposes the complicated humanity of his multifarious cast. An engrossing story about a clash of cultures and the extremities of faith.” ―Kirkus Reviews

"A bucking ride through the 21st-century American West . . . Duchovny’s jam-packed page-turner is just waiting for someone to snap up the film rights." ―Publishers Weekly

"Truly Like Lightning is a terrific novel―smart, moving, propulsive―at once a satire of Hollywood power brokers and a dead-serious contemplation of American values and ideals. David Duchovny writes with the heart of a great comic novelist and the soul of a philosopher." ―Jess Walter, author of The Cold Millions

"In this broad social novel, David Duchovny makes a thrilling leap as a writer, with the skill to match his ambition. I love the high desert of Southern California and he claims it for his own mythology. Written before the social maladies of 2020, it reflects them in advance. He rides the zeitgeist." ―Michael Tolkin

About the Author

David Duchovny is a television, stage, and screen actor, as well as a singer-songwriter, screenwriter, and director. He lives in New York and Los Angeles.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Farrar, Straus and Giroux; First Edition (February 2, 2021)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 464 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0374277745
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0374277741
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.25 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.25 x 8.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #679,313 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #10,023 in Family Life Fiction (Books)
- #32,038 in Literary Fiction (Books)
- #36,870 in American Literature (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.4 486 ratings

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David Duchovny

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David William Duchovny (born August 7, 1960) is an American actor, writer, producer, director, and singer-songwriter. He is known for playing FBI Agent Fox Mulder on the sci-fi horror action drama show The X-Files and writer Hank Moody on the comedy-drama series Californication, both of which have earned him Golden Globe awards. Duchovny appeared in both of the two X-Files films, the 1998 science fiction-thriller of the same name and the supernatural-thriller The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008). As of May 2015, he has been executive producing and starring in the historically based cop drama Aquarius.

Duchovny has a B.A. in English Literature from Princeton University and an M.A. in English Literature from Yale University.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by Gage Skidmore [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5

486 global ratings

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Danielle,Abington PA

Did not expect it to be so good!

Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2021

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I never bought a book by David. I was always kind of on the fence about buying a book by an actor by trade. The title didn't pull me in but the little summary did. The writing is so good! It really sucked me in to the story and you can really feel for the characters. David wrote a beautiful detailed story and you can tell he did his research. I learned and I loved it so much. Great Read! So Smart!

5 people found this helpful

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Cathy G.

Epic American Tale

Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2021

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I read an advance copy of the book on NetGalley
Truly Like Lightning is an epic American novel, set firmly in the here and now, but reaching back to past generations and pushing forward into the future. It follows a large cast of characters, each with unique and fully developed backgrounds and motivations. These characters are dynamic and interesting, their paths and finish lines are surprising and yet absolutely true to them.

One thing I truly appreciate is the way the main characters are presented, for the most part, without mockery or derision. There’s no judgment of their lives, this is just who they are. It takes a lot of talent to put forward such an extreme story as if it just IS, and the author has accomplished that. This perspective helps the reader find commonality with the characters, who may have had very different experiences. Even though their lives aren’t run-of-the-mill, their emotions and reactions are in many ways universal.

The novel is not so neutral about society at large. It calls into question the cost of “progress”, particularly in the past 20 years. The criticism is harsh yet presented with a deft use of humor, focusing on shared reality rather than blame. It was this humor in which I recognized the author’s voice most clearly.

I’m a huge fan of Mr. Duchovny’s earlier novels. I enjoyed the almost light, almost fantastical storytelling, even where darker themes were explored. This novel is a step above. It draws you in with crisp, clear prose, an intensely fast pace, a compelling, multi-faceted story, and characters who break your heart in the best way. I’d say I couldn’t put it down, except that I had to stop every few pages just to catch my breath. True to form, the author leaves us with a fairy tale ending, albeit slightly more grounded in reality. It’s stunningly brilliant.

28 people found this helpful

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robert garrard

4th book for Mr. Duchovney

Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2021

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Good original story line. Strong characters. Too many references to President Trump that have nothing to do with the plot. I suppose Duchovny just wants his elitist Hollywood friends to know how much he hates Trump. Personally, I don't give a crap about David Duchovneys' political views, except I would rather NOT know.

4 people found this helpful

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Alison H

Packs a punch, thought provoking and entertaining

Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2021

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The first chapter was intriguing, if a little slow, but the author gradually sucks you in with a combination of quirky characters, unexpected plot twists and sly humor until you are completely immersed. the last third felt like watching a speeding car—you know a big crash is coming, just not exactly when or how, and you can’t look away! (Or put it down). A terrific read.

2 people found this helpful

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Michael Roof

Duchovny's best, which is high praise

Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2022

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This is the fourth of David Duchovny's books that I have read, and it is, for me, by far the best. The last 75 pages or so are real page-turners (please forgive the banal expression). The plot and characters are unique and very well developed and, as far as I am concerned, Duchovny's writing style has reached a high water mark. He is a great writer, which shouldn't be a surprise given his Princeton/Yale education and multi-faceted "Hollywood" credentials. The story is quite dark, seemingly hopeless at times, but not unreasonably so. My only criticism is that there are several places where the writing become redundant, where he has said what he needed to say, but then repeats the same information in multiple ways. I found myself skimming over some of these sections, waiting for the story to resume. He's not the first author to fall into this trap, and I have done so myself far too frequently though, of late, I've tried (with limited success) to take a more Bukowski approach to my writing. I highly recommend this book subject to the following caveats: it isn't light reading, and it isn't for the faint of heart.

4 people found this helpful

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dogfish

Attention keeping with distractions

Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2021

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The characters were interesting and the setting was unique. I found issue with the foundational plot as to the legal justification which would allow the corporate protagonist to achieve her end game. I didn't find it at all feasible. Also the pervasive Trump insults, negativity, and blame seem forced, disconnected to the story and as a result I started to find myself curious of the authors obsessiveness to the detriment of my interest of story.

One person found this helpful

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LM Smith

A thoughtful, amazing journey. A comedic tragedy. Amazing and brilliant.

Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2021

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David Duchovny’s fourth novel, Truly Like Lightning, is an emotional tale of a family at the crossroads. The characters are many and well developed. You empathize with them; become attached to them and care about them. His tale is as rich in humor as it is in darkness. The story comes at you fast and furious and is unpredictable. It is full and rich and is bound to be a bestseller. It leaves you thinking about it long after the last word is read. This belongs on the big screen. It deserves more than 5 stars!

13 people found this helpful

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Digital Duchess

5 stars

Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2023

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Absolutely love it! ❤️

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Top reviews from other countries

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Neide Alves de Souza

Livro Truly Like Lightning

Reviewed in Brazil on January 17, 2023

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Um ótimo livro, o autor não se propõe a dar lições de moral, seus personagens são vistos pela lente do proprio leitor, observando suas experiencias com a vida do cotidiano ao qual não estavam acostumados. Acho que é uma visão possível de ser análoga às nossas próprias experiencias ao sairmos de nossa zona de conforto. Como agiríamos, como suportariamos as mudanças extremas a nossa vida habitual . É um livro muito bonito.

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Amazon Customer

Excellent

Reviewed in Canada on November 18, 2021

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Myself

Me, Myself and I

A Novel of Tragicomic Extremes

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 13, 2021

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Truly Like Lightening is a wonderful book, it's full of gorgeous descriptions, has plenty of richly drawn characters and it's scope is quite cinematic. It's compelling also and entertaining too and not easy to put down.

It's not always an easy read (especially that first chapter which is both heavy and laden with backstory and religious history) but it is most definitely a rewarding read.

The lead characters are not always likeable either especially Bronson Powers, an ex Hollywood stuntman who's converted to an early form of Mormonism and moved out into the desert with his 3 wives and plenty of children to homestead. There's also Maya the greedy property developer and her unscrupulous boss who are trying to grab the Powers' land through a wager to send some of the Powers children to school, and Bronson's wives who excuse some of Bronson's more radical and questionable behaviours (at least until the very end anyway) and the themes of the novel are hard hitting (religious extremism, incest, underage sex, the corrupting force of power, wealth and money, racism, environmentalism, politics and trying to navigate a modern 21st century world while also trying to stay sane).

However, that Duchovny manages to discuss all of these themes deftly and without judgement is where he truly shines as a writer. He is in turns funny, provocative, controversial and philosophical without being preachy or 'woke'.

Where he also shines is in his drawing of his female characters. I've read a few of Duchovny's novels now and his female characters are always marvellous, three dimensional and real. They have real issues, real struggles, real motivations and actually talk like real women. That they also manage to avoid being props for men and don't allow themselves to be victims or used and spat out by society is refreshing (and even when they are faced with crushing adversity, and crushing adversity at the hands of men, there's always a ray of hope that they will be ok in the long run). This book is no exception: Yaya is mostly a side character but Mary, Maya and Janet (the social worker overseeing the wager) are dripping in complex and unique motivations. Maya and Mary especially are a fantastic addition to modern literature. I'm struggling to think of many modern day male authors who have managed to achieve what Duchovny does when he writes of the opposite sex.

Is this the next great American novel? Hard to say, only time will tell, but it'll certainly stay with you long after you put it down and I thoroughly recommend it.

4 people found this helpful

Vavie

A must read

Reviewed in France on February 7, 2021

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Don't be intimidated by the opening chapters of David Duchovny's new novel. I wondered a bit where he wants to lead us, there are multiple literary and cultural references which are actually quite heavy, especially for me who English isn’t my native language, where the author shows he made good use of his Princeton and Yales’ education. I struggled to really fit into the novel, but over the chapters, I got carried away by the story of this ex-stuntman turned FLDS (more than Mormon), who retreats into the Joshua Tree wilderness with his wives and many children, and who is confronted in spite of himself with the new realities of the world.

The critic is broadly present, often with humor, which characterizes the author's prose, and the topics covered are numerous: consumerism, junk food, social media, and politics. He also mentions a problem close to his heart, climate change. The author mentioned in a recent interview that he felt close to the characters he had played, because most of them were transgressive: there is a subject in this novel that may shocked some readers. The author wants us to have empathy even for the problematic people. Mr Duchovny is preaching tolerance.

The characters aren’t necessarily likeable at first, even if most of them are well drawn, but we start turning the pages to know their fate, and the strength of the novel is precisely there, in a growing intensity and an almost cinematographic writing (the novel could be adapted for television).
It’s a powerful, exciting and thoughtful novel.

One person found this helpful

Paula

Really compelling narrative

Reviewed in Brazil on April 4, 2021

Verified Purchase

Great book. I really enjoyed the story. It may be too controversial for some people with strict religious beliefs and moral values but the author challenges the reader to take a look at our society and the way we live these days. I still like Miss Subways better but Truly like Lightning is really captivating. And defiant.

3 people found this helpful

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