Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for offering me this ARC that totally wrecked me. The first few pages of the book slid over me like a favorite blanket and I knew I was hooked. And you might as well know right from the get go - plot twist! I had no idea. The framework of the book is the interaction of an Amish community and a small town in a place where it is challenging for either to make a good living. This is similar to areas near where I live, and I enjoyed learning more about the day-to-day lives of the Amish, their faith and the subjugation of women.

An enormous baby is born in the back of a pickup truck, killing the mother who was shunned from her Amish community for a previous pregnancy out of wedlock. The baby grows into a giant child and then a giant man. The accommodations in daily life made for his size are amusing at times. His life and the lives of those who care for him are at once joyous and tragic. The arc of his life is a shooting star, brief, but all the better to have have lived, loved and be loved. The touches of magical realism really pump up the emotion. Readers of Sarah Addison Allen may enjoy for those bits. There is a little bit of an Owen Meany vibe here as well. I think this will appeal to a fairly broad range of readers, so jump right on it when it publishes this September!

What a tale! This story highly exceeded my expectations. This was such a strange, but very complex and emotional story. I absolutely love the characters so much and was desperately rooting for them till the very end. I loved the poetic undertones weaved throughout, it was so thoughtful and intentional! Love, love, love this.

I finally to read this book. I had trouble with the change from Adobe to get it on my e-reader. I had to borrow a Kindle. ( It's causing a lot of issues for people)
Anyway, so glad I finally got to. This book blew me away. I loved all the characters so much. It was a very interesting, quirky at times, sad at times book that kept me enthralled throughout. This might be my favorite book this year! Look forward to more by this author, who has a brilliant way of writing that will touch your soul.

I loved this book. It's a complex story about a boy who is born a giant - so big that his birth killed his mother, despite the local veterinarian's best efforts as he attended the birth in the bed of a pickup truck. The characters in this mixed Amish and English small town are all quirky, interesting and well fleshed out. There is a lot of backstory, but the plot moves right along, taking a little bit of your heart along for the ride. It's about family, faith, friends and acceptance, while simultaneously showing us a bit of the dark side of human nature. I shed a few tears reading this one.

Thanks to Net Galley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC to read and review.

this is by far the best book of the year that I have read. the story is so compelling. many surprises along the way. your heart stops beating to learn about Jasper and his mother, Rachel at the beginning of the book. then there is Gabe Fisher, the extra large baby. enjoyed that the story was told from different people, learning something about the Amish way of life. thought it was interesting that the English way took over Gabe with the help of a local bar owner, a down and out football coach and the kind local vet. will be telling all my reading friends about this book.

Life, and Death, and Giants is hands down the best book I have read so far this year. What a wonderful story of a gentle giant of a man and the community and family around him. The characters are phenomenal. Gabriel, the character the story revolves around, is such a fantastic person. Kind-hearted and gentle in the body of a giant. His standoffish Amish family is complicated, and the more you read the more complex they become. I especially liked Hannah and her thoughtfulness. The local vet is another favorite as are the bar-owner and the coach, All very well-written characters that will stick with you long after you turn the final page. The reveal of Gabe's father blew me away. Wow. This book made me cry several times near the end. I did not want it to end. Fantastic work. I will read anything this author writes, they have a gift for storytelling.

WOW! I absolutely LOVED Life, and Death and Giants.!! I have read many books about the Amish but this was book totally different and SOO good. It really made me think about life, family, relationships and so much more. I am still thinking about this book and will be for a long time. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

Thank you so much to St. Martins Press, NetGalley and Ron Rindo for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This is my first book by this author and I loved it!! It was a grilling book that kept me engaged. Character development was well designed

Without a doubt, this is the best book I have ever read. It’s simple story about a young man who changes the lives of everyone who knows him. It’s beautiful. Well written. Magical even. This is a book for the ages that can be read over and over. It was perfect. If I could give it. 40 I would! Congrats to the author. Thanks you to NetGalkey and the publisher. Great read.

I received a free copy of Life, and Death, and Giants by Ron Rindo from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Life, and Death, and Giants was a captivating read following the story of Gabriel Fisher, who was born weighing 18lbs and grew to nearly 9 feet tall. More importantly than being a story of one extraordinary man, this is the story of how certain events can affect an entire community, and how no life is linear.

I found this book difficult to read until about halfway, and then I couldn't put it down. Many inconsequential details were added to paint a picture of the community that slowed down the pace, but once I had the full picture in mind, I saw that this book was a masterpiece.

The story is told from multiple points of view, each telling a passage of time. I found some POVs, especially those from sports coaches, unrelatable and challenging to understand due to my lack of knowledge on the subject. However, the point of the story is not lost during these chapters.

Around halfway through the book, the storytelling shifted from recounting the past to driving the plot forward. This book kept me up until 3 a.m. to finish, and I realized I had become quite fond of the cast. Their triumphs and trials will sit with me for a long time.

Wow, what an incredibly powerful novel! Every so often, a story comes along that completely blows me away, and Ron Rindo’s latest book, “Life, and Death, and Giants” most definitely falls into that extraordinary category. The narrative unfolds with a mesmerizing array of layers that skillfully intertwine the characters’ lives, making their journeys feel deeply authentic and relatable.

There were numerous moments throughout the book that genuinely caught me off guard, leaving this book unputdownable for me. I’ve rarely encountered stories with Amish characters as the focal point, and I found myself captivated by their rich traditions and values, which Rindo brings to life with such vivid detail. “Life, and Death, and Giants” deserves a total and complete 5 stars! It would be an exceptional choice for any book club, sparking lively discussions and deep reflections. I can hardly wait to read more from Ron Rindo in the future!

Life, and Death, and Giants stunned me. When I was offered the ARC, I debated reading it because the description didn’t interest me. However, the exceedingly positive reviews persuaded me to give it a shot; I’m grateful that I did.

Small town Lakota, Wisconsin is the kind of place people live if they want a quiet, unbothered lifestyle. Whether they are born there or transplanted, Lakota’s residents are fiercely protective of and private about their neighbors. There are what this book calls English, or what I’d call American, residents and Amish residents. The story is told through alternating perspectives, which include both English and Amish characters. I fell in love with all of them. The character development is SO good. In particular, I fell in love with Hannah Fisher, Gabe’s grandmother and veterinarian Thomas Kennedy.

The story is centered around the eponymous giant, Gabriel Fisher, but never told from his perspective. Instead, we view Gabe from the vantage point of his mother, his coaches, and mentors. We see the different emotions and struggles of family, religion, being othered, being venerated, and loved.

And while Gabriel’s size, topping out at almost 9 feet and 600 pounds, seems unbelievable, the story itself does not. And to my utter surprise, while the story is entirely fictional, the size of Gabriel is based on the world’s tallest man and entirely factual.

Overall, this book moved me in ways I did not expect. I loved it. Highly recommended. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the digital copy of, Life, and Death, and Giants, by Ron Rindo, published by St Martin’s Press with release date of Sept 09,2025
In exchange for the copy I have agreed to submit a honest review and that I will.
This book grabbed me from page one being a wonderful story of life losses and a gentle grant Gabriel.
Gabriel Fisher came into this world in a tragic way his birth was on the day of the loss of his mother. He was born a large baby at a whopping weight of 18 lbs, born to an Amish mother. Gabriel has had a lot of losses in this life. The story is told by alternating views of the characters in this novel.
This was a very interesting story of a boy who tipped the scales at birth and continued to tip them all his life. The story was definitely bittersweet! I really enjoyed the book and appreciate being able to read early. Highly recommend this book, Ron Rindo really knows how to spin a story. I will be looking for more of his books. Thank you!!
Five stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

This is a story about Gabriel Fisher, who was born a large sized baby and continued growing to become an even bigger man and not just physically. Told by those who loved him, supported him, cheered him on and were blessed to have spent time with him. Gabriel was a big man with big dreams, big plans and a big heart.

This is a beautifully written story, it can be sad at times and yet your heart sings too. Told in the voices of alternating characters and their experiences and different perspectives of Gabriel. This book contains different aspects, in part, a look at an Amish community and the way of life, in part, a look at how the outside community view the Amish and interactions with them, and finally, partly, a look at how one man tried to have a foot in the Amish life and in the world outside of the community. The author did a great job of weaving the voices together to tell the story, each voice adding to the complexity of the character of Gabriel, the descriptions of Amish life, of friendships between the Amish and English (those living outside of the Amish community, and what meant to them. Bravo!

This was a wonderful story! Told from many viewpoints and narrators, the story unfolded over several years and several characters. Running through most of the characters’ stories was the theme of redemption, and how life can give us second chances. The story also straddles two cultures - the Amish and the « English ».

We follow the giant Gabriel’s story from birth to death. Through his story, we meet everyone involved in his life some way or other. His grandfather, grandmother, brother, coaches and « adoptive parents ». They all play a role in his development, until at a certain point, Gabriel blazes his own trail.

I enjoyed the gentle pace of the novel, and each character’s journeys and musings about life and death. The final chapters of the novel are beautiful and touching. I must admit, I shed a few tears. That is the sign of a novel that truly touches your soul.

This was a beautiful book. I was drawn in from the first chapter. So many rich characters and stories that I will think about long past today. I think special people come into our lives and transform them. That is what Gabriel did for everyone who knew him.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Ron Rindo writes as if he has intimate knowledge of this saga. It is written with respect and incredible wonder of the giant among them, yet
plagued by the sinful nature of man.
I sobbed through various parts of this book, but it is a heart-touching story.
You won't regret reading Life, and Death, and Giants. Bring the tissues.

I received a free copy of, Life, and Death, and Giants, by Ron Rindo, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Gabriel Fisher was born weighing 18 lbs, in Wisconsin, to an Amish mother. Before he is an adult, Gabriel is almost 8 feet tall. This was an interesting story of a man who was tall.

Life, and Death, and Giants is an absolutely wonderful book that chronicles the life of Gabriel Fisher, an extraordinarily tall young man born to an unmarried Amish woman who had left her religious community. Gabriel's life is told through the voices of those who are closest to him. He is an amazing human being who touches many lives. Being over eight feet tall, he excels at sports, which takes him away from his little town and exposes him to the larger world.

Ron Rindo is a brilliant storyteller, and this is an amazing book. I did find the descriptive sports scenes a little tedious, but that's just me. I also would have loved to learn more about Isabella. I feel like we never really got to know her at all really. But those are nit-picks. This is a touching, beautiful novel. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

This is a fascinating, thought-provoking story of young Gabriel Fisher, who at birth weighed eighteen pounds and was twenty-seven inches long. His unmarried Amish mother died at his birth, so Gabriel was raised by his brother until his death at which time he then went to live with his Amish grandparents. Over the years Gabriel continued to grow until he was over 8 feet tall. He was gifted with a natural athletic ability and even as a young boy playing T-Ball he could hit the ball out of the park. Later he went to college on a football scholarship and became known world-wide for his athletic ability.
There are many moving parts to this compelling story, including memorable and lovable characters that enhance the story. They include the country veterinarian who delivered him and later was his mentor; the owner of a bar who seemed to be the connection between the Amish and English communities and the football coach who also mentors him. His Amish grandparents, love him and do whatever it takes to accommodate his size as he continues to grow. Each of the people in Gabriel’s life, play an important role.
Life-long secrets come to life that are shocking; the close-knit Amish community is overrun by paparazzi and others who are hoping to catch a glimpse of Gabriel. This touching, heartfelt story will stay with me for a while, even after the last page is turned.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own.,