Life, and Death, and Giants starts with a compelling premise and an almost mythical central figure: Gabriel Fisher, a giant of a boy with a mysterious past and uncanny abilities. The early chapters pulled me in with their lyrical tone and hints of magical realism—Gabriel’s size, his connection to animals, his origin story all suggested a powerful narrative to come.

However, as the novel progressed, I found that initial momentum slipping. The story becomes increasingly bogged down in lengthy sports descriptions—particularly football—which, unless you're a devoted fan, can start to feel repetitive and hard to stay engaged with. I often found myself skimming these sections in search of forward movement in the plot or deeper emotional insights.

Another challenge for me was the narrative structure. The book shifts between many different characters’ points of view, and while this can sometimes enrich a story, I found it frustrating- especially because we never get to hear directly from Gabriel himself. For a story so centered on this singular character, the lack of his own voice made it hard to truly connect with him on an emotional level. He remains at a distance, observed rather than understood.

That said, readers who appreciate slow-burning, character-driven dramas with a strong sense of place and themes of faith, family, and rural life may find more to enjoy here. There are touching moments and well-drawn side characters, and the writing is quite beautiful.

I was hesitant about this book at first, thinking it might be too much of a fantasy story for me. I am SO glad I decided to forge ahead. I have so many feeling about the is book, and it’s definitely one I’ll be thinking about for a very long time. There were a couple of sections that seemed to drag on in my opinion, mainly the sports parts, but overall I really enjoyed this book!

*Prologue*
— [a little history before diving into this wonderful novel] —
“Founded in 1851, the town of Lakota, Wisconsin, is today little more than a rural crossroads where Country Roads JJ and Y meet like modestly crossed legs, with the Mecan River passing beneath the knees. The river flows across the whole of Waushara County, winding its way through woodlots, farm fields, and tangled swampland of Willow, dogwood, and boggy prairie”.

Waushara means ‘good land’, but some believe the Winnebago were trolling the white settlers who took it from them, since the soils of the country are among the least fertile in the state.

“Dr. Thomas Kennedy, an
introvert preferred the company of animals to human beings. He had moved his veterinary practice from Milwaukee to Lakota at the age of forty-seven following the horrifying death of his wife, Angela. Though the accident had ultimately been ruled a suicide, Thomas had been investigated, urged to hire a lawyer, his picture plastered across newspapers and the local television news”.

The area supported the community of Amish and their Anabaptist counterparts, the Mennonites,
who lived austere lives and took the biblical admonition to hold dominion over their animal seriously.

At once a sleepy little town, Lakota eventually became one of the most famous places in the world.

On the the juicy aspects of the page- turning storytelling… (but no spoilers):
A BIG BABY IS BORN . . .
“Jasper, wait! Thomas stuffed his phone into his pocket. Your mother‘s in serious trouble, you understand? Toxins are pouring through her body.
She’s probably had a stroke, maybe more than one. She needs to go to the emergency room. We can drive her there ourselves”.
“Jasper shaked his head. Never.”
“Thomas shouted, I can’t save her!”
“Save the babies then, Jasper said. God‘s waiting for her. She told me that. No man will have her honest, but God will take her hand. The babies, you can save them if you want to. I know you can. I seen you do it.”
“Those were animals! Thomas said. I am not a medical doctor. How many times do I have to say it?”
“You can do whatever you want to do, Jasper said”.
“Thomas exhaled. He yanked open the tailgate, crawled up into the bloodied hay. Gently, he placed his palms on Rachel‘s stomach.
A baby’s knee or elbow swiped across his hand. . . . “
“My God, this poor woman has suffered. Why didn’t you call a doctor?”
“She forbid me. I told you, Jasper said. His lips quivered”.
“As he considered what might be necessary to deliver multiple infants, Thomas fell back on his veterinary training. Dystocia in lambs and goats was not uncommon.
“Thomas recalled the masterful work of an elderly veterinarian. he’d met during his residency who could palpate the abdomen of a full-term sheep or goat, and within a minute announce how many lambs she carried.
Though he could not be certain, Thomas felt energized by his discovery: This was not a case of multiple births at all. Rachele Fisher carried just one fetus, one improbably possibility large baby.”

Gabriel Fisher was born weighing eighteen pounds and twenty-seven inches long, to an Amish mother, who passed away giving birth.
Jasper had a new baby brother.
Before reaching adulthood, Gabriel was almost eight feet tall.
As Gabriel grew and flourished, the story of his birth would be told again and again, until telling the truth had mostly disappeared.
The boys father remained unknown.

The mesmerizing story continues.
Years pass. Jasper grew into a young man (a very caring older brother), and Hannah, Rachel‘s mother, into middle age.
But Jasper dies —
A passionate devoted community raises Gabriel: Hannah Fisher, Dr. Thomas Kennedy, Bill Walton, and Trey Beathard.

Gabriel grows up in both the modern and Amish world. After his brother Jasper dies who had attended to Gabriel with complete selfishness —
Gabriel learns about his Amish roots from Hannah and others in the community.
And besides being ‘so tall’ Gabriel has a very kind disposition with a lot of compassion and empathy for animals and other people. He also becomes a sport legend and a worldwide wrestling sensation.

A moving, tragic, and uplifting story is told— one man’s extraordinary life, the Amish culture in Lakota, Wisconsin, death, grief, and love.

A few - out-of-context excerpts:
“Yet when I think of Rachel‘s final hours, when I consider the agony she endured birthing Gabriel, my mind sometimes goes black. Were it not for the spirit of God and the strength of His grace, I might die of heartbreak. I am Rachel’s mother. I should have been at
her side”.
“To compound my loss, Rachel was denied an Amish burial”.

We learn from the authors notes that ….
The tallest person who ever lived was Robert Pershing Wadlow (February 22, 1918 - July 15, 1940).
Wadlow was known as the “Gentle Giant”.

A story that revolves around Gabriel, a young man as this begins, who was unusually large. At birth he was astoundingly large for a baby, weighing 18 pounds, and was 27 inches long. He never knew his mother, as she died while giving birth to him. He spent his early childhood raised by an older brother, but when his brother died, he went to live with his grandparents, who were Amish, which the grandparents were, as well.

I went into this story without reading more than the brief description of this story, and by the time I got time to read it, I was hooked. This will be among my favourite reads this year, such a profoundly moving story, one I won't forget.

All the stars for this lovely and moving story.


Pub Date: 09 Sep 2025


Many thanks for the opportunity to read 'Life, and Death, and Giants' by Ron Rindo

Book Review: Life, and Death, and Giants by Ron Rindo
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.

Every once in a while, a book comes along that doesn’t just tell a story—it reshapes how you see the world, even if just for a while. Life, and Death, and Giants by Ron Rindo did that for me. It’s hard to explain what exactly makes this novel so special without underselling it. At a glance, it’s a story about a boy named Gabriel Fisher—born freakishly large, nearly eight feet tall by adolescence, and gifted with superhuman athletic ability—but what it’s really about is how one extraordinary life ripples outward, reshaping every person it touches. It’s a quiet miracle of a book.

Gabriel is born into tragedy, his mother dying in childbirth after being shunned by her Amish community for refusing to name his father. His entrance into the world is violent and surreal—eighteen pounds, twenty-seven inches long, delivered by a veterinarian in the back of a pickup truck. It’s a birth that feels biblical, mythic. But Rindo grounds it with empathy. Gabriel is not a freak show or a sideshow character. He is tender, wise beyond his years, and entirely human. He’s raised first by his much older brother, then by Amish grandparents who take him in reluctantly, cloaking him in silence and secrecy out of shame and fear.

The most powerful thing about this novel is that Gabriel never narrates. We don’t get his voice. Instead, the story is told through five central characters—his grandmother, a local veterinarian, a bar owner, and two coaches—each one bringing their own biases, heartbreaks, and failures. Through them, we piece together who Gabriel is, and more importantly, what he means. He is not just big in body; he’s big in spirit, big in heart, and big in the emotional footprints he leaves on others. His gentleness with animals, his quiet integrity, his hunger for love and understanding—these are the traits that make him unforgettable. One narrator says, “He was both too much for this world and exactly what it needed,” and I couldn’t agree more.

Rindo’s prose is quietly masterful. The writing doesn’t draw attention to itself, but you feel its power in every line. He knows when to pause, when to push forward, and when to let silence do the heavy lifting. I found myself slowing down, rereading passages—not because I was confused, but because I didn’t want to rush through something so thoughtful. The emotional resonance is built slowly, and by the time the story reaches its final pages, it’s devastating in the best way. And yes, I cried.

What I appreciated most was how Rindo handles the balance between realism and awe. Gabriel’s size, his abilities, and his connection to nature all feel heightened, almost magical. But they’re never presented as fantasy. It’s clear that Rindo based elements of Gabriel’s physicality on the real-life story of Robert Wadlow, the tallest man in recorded history, which gives the novel an added layer of authenticity. The result is a kind of grounded myth—legendary, but lived-in.

The novel also explores the tension between the Amish and English (non-Amish) worlds. Gabriel straddles both, never fully belonging to either. His grandmother’s internal struggle to accept her grandson’s difference—while still holding fast to her faith—is one of the book’s most moving arcs. Through her, we see the cost of rigidity, but also the possibility of grace. The Amish aren’t portrayed as villains, nor are the English as saviors. Everyone here is flawed, yearning, trying. That nuance is rare and welcome.

One of my favorite threads throughout the novel is the way Emily Dickinson’s poetry is woven into the story—not just as decoration, but as spiritual scaffolding. Her words appear when characters can’t find their own. “If love was all the same water, perhaps it lapped a bit differently on each shore that it touched?” is a line that perfectly captures the soul of this novel. Love is everywhere in this book, but it looks different from every angle—stern, forgiving, broken, and whole.

There’s a lot of sports in the book—baseball, football, even pro wrestling—and I’ll admit, I expected to skim those parts. But I didn’t. Because Rindo doesn’t write about sports for the sake of the game. He writes about the way people try to mold Gabriel into what they want him to be—an athlete, a celebrity, a savior—without understanding who he really is. Every sport becomes a stage where society tries to define him, and every chapter becomes a quiet resistance to that.

By the end of the novel, Gabriel is not just a character. He’s a presence. A reminder of what it means to move through the world with integrity, humility, and kindness, even when you’ve been othered and misunderstood. His final moments, surrounded by those who love him, are some of the most moving I’ve read in years. They made me think deeply about how we care for one another in life and in death. The community that forms around him isn’t perfect, but it is real. And in the end, that’s what stays with you.

Life, and Death, and Giants is a book that will live inside me for a long time. It’s not flashy. It’s not fast. But it’s honest, deeply felt, and full of quiet revelations. If you’re looking for something that reminds you of the best parts of humanity, read this. Gabriel Fisher may have been too large for this world, but his story fits perfectly inside the human heart.

The focus of Ron Rindo's impressive Life, Death, and Giants is Gabriel, whose birth as an 18-pounder takes the life of his Amish mother, shunned because she refuses to name the baby's father. Gabriel grows much faster than a normal boy, to his ultimate size at well over 8 feet tall and 500+ pounds, and his life is anything but normal. Living first with his much older brother, whose lifestyle is English (non-Amish), then his Amish grandparents, then out on his own, he struggles to combine both English and Amish lifestyles, opting during his rumspringa--the period when Amish teens experience a looser life before deciding whether to be baptized as Amish--to play football in high school and college.

And, of course, he is a sensation. In alternating chapters, the story is told by the people who love Gabriel. Dr. Kennedy, the large-animal veterinarian who delivered him, finds that Gabriel has an almost otherworldly relationship with animals and is a sweet-tempered boy and young man despite all the acclaim he receives. A local bar owner and a high school football coach are deeply affected by their relationships with Gabriel. And Hannah, his Amish grandmother, wants the best for him but is conflicted regarding her beloved but often difficult Amish upbringing. All of these characters, including Gabriel himself, evolve significantly throughout the book, which is a wonder to experience.

The portrayal of Amish culture and religion taught me things I never knew about the Amish. And one of the later scenes, which you have to read to appreciate, is so unbelievably beautiful and magical that I know I will return to read it again in the future. There are also dark moments in the book that may challenge the reader to continue reading. It's difficult to fully do justice to this book because it is an extraordinary story, exquisitely written. Overall, it is about the many different kinds of love, expressed so effectively by this author. I received a invitation to read this book from the publisher, and I'm so glad I did. I don't know whether I would have heard of or sought out this book otherwise, and I would have missed an unforgettable experience.

My sincere thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

This book broke me. This was a beautiful look at the complexity of human relationships, life, and the amazing things we take for granted. While Gabriel is the main character, I truly appreciated that the book was told in perspective of those who loved him, rather than hearing his direct thoughts. This was a different approach to story telling that mirrors many traditional styles. The characters were flawed, but very humanly so. ANd every moment I thought the story would be taking a more hopeful tragjectory I got hit with more emotion. But the beauty and positivity in the tragedy was very well crafted.

Set in modern day small town Wisconsin, "Life, and Death, and Giants" is a moving novel about community, faith, and family (both biological and chosen).

While Gabriel is the "Giant" and arguably the main character, the book is told from the perspectives of several people in his life, including his Amish grandmother, the local veterinarian who mentors and cares for Gabriel, Gabriel's high school football coach, and the owner of the town's bar.
So while the book centers around Gabriel, the reader sees more of how his existence changes those around him.

This was a beautiful book and I can't wait to share it with friends.

ETA: my one issue with this book is the possible misrepresentation of Amish culture when it comes to animals. The Amish run some of America's biggest puppy mills. They believe God gave them dominion over the animals and often do not treat them with much compassion.

Wow, I don't know that I've ever read a book like this. Both tragic and beautiful, the story of Gabriel is one that is ultimately very human. This book is separated into 4 different POVs that come together to tell their sides of Gabriel's upbringing. Oh boy did I cry and I recommend this to anyone who also needs a good cry. I do wish we would have gotten Gabriel's perspective.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC of this book. I ended up really enjoying this story, but I very nearly quit reading early on because of the heavy does of religion in the early chapters. Of course, it makes sense because many of the characters are Amish with deeply held beliefs. So expect lots of quotations from the Bible. Beyond that, loved the story and characters. Rindo is especially good at creating interesting and believable characters, although you may have to stretch your limits of to accept Gabriel as real. But he becomes more and more real as you read. II enjoyed Rindo's prose as well. So many just gorgeous passages, particularly when characters were in nature. This book and particularly, these characters will stay with me a long time.

I will look for more by this author!

Life and Death and Giants by Ron Rindo is a beautifully written story of how a boy, born a giant, changes the lives of the people in a small town. The story is told through alternating points of view, allowing the reader to enter multiple lives and perspectives. Lakota, Wisconsin, is a place where the Amish choose to live and where people from the outside go to take refuge from whatever they might be running from. This book explores the succor found in small and quiet places, in strong beliefs, in friendships, and in connection and love. There are magical elements to this book and yet much of it explores the everyday emotions and workings of people who live in quiet places. This is a book about what it means to be human and the gifts available within our connections. It is a book about the big meanings that are available in small things. No wonder it begins with a poem by Emily Dickinson.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Publishing Group for access to this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

LIFE, AND DEATH AND GIANTS BY RON PINTO is a giant of a book. It will stay with you for a long time. The characters a so real that you feel their pain and joys.
it is the story of a family with terrible secrets ad startling revelations some so painful it is hard to understand how they carry on. Some have great faith ,some are just good should, but all are touched by sadness and faith
It is story of Gabriel Fisher and his extended Amish family. Gabriel is truly a giant in stature as he is nearly 8 feet tall. His mother died when he was born-father unknown. He is cared for by his older brother who dies young. His Amish grandparents take him in and raise him.
I read this book way into the night and couldn't put it down. I didn't guess the most explosive secret. It was shocking. If I could give this book a higher score than 5 I would. A must read

This one is a prize!!! Be prepared with a tissue, a heartbreaker it is. I didn’t know what to expect but whatever I had, this little book surpassed them all. All of these characters had been hurt in some way, and we were so fortunate to be invited along for the ride on their healing.

The author has a wonderful style of character development and Gabriel’s story overcoming his tragedies affecting his life grabbed me at hello. This book is multi layered, the writing brought out so many deep emotions for all of the characters. Dr. Kennedy, Hannah, Gabriel, Jasper, Billy, Trey, they all have a story to tell. So many touching heartfelt moments. I hope this book receives all the accolades it deserves.

The writing is stellar; this is one I will not forget anytime soon. It is filled with love, family love, (birth and extended), even unforgiveable hidden secrets, and more. Well worth the read, the highest 5 stars I can give!!

This is my own opinion expressed in this review. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press, for providing the copy of Life, and Death, and Giants by Ron Rindo. I’m not sure what drew me to this book, but I’m glad it did. The prologue intrigued me, and I wasn’t sure where the story was going to go. The book description didn’t give much away, and after reading it I understand why, so my review won’t give spoilers either. I loved how the chapters were divided into POVs of different characters. Some of the characters were more memorable than others, but I liked learning about their relationships with Gabriel and with each other. This is an immersive book with shocking reveals and events. It was impossible to put it down the closer I got to the conclusion! 4 stars

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This book had me feeling all different emotions as Gabriel’s story unfolded. The character development was so good and made me really get to know everyone. This is one of those books that as I read it, it almost played out in front of my eyes like a movie. I was captivated by the ups and downs of Gabriel’s life and I loved the Amish references.

A heart-tugging and thoughtful look at love, loneliness, and searching — for answers to the secrets that all humans yearn to untangle — What makes a life “good”, and what, in the end, is it all “for”?

Told in the voices of multiple characters, between these pages we will meet several people who live, love, and center their lives around Gabriel Fisher, an eighteen-pound baby who grows up to become a giant — the tallest man on earth — laying claim to a life that is unquestionably unique.

Our story is revealed by each of the following:

Hannah Fisher, grandmother to Gabriel, a devout Amish woman, and yet a lover of Emily Dickinson, who identifies with the existential questions raised by the poet, and struggles with what this means to her lifelong convictions.

Dr Thomas Kennedy, a “soft spoken, veterinarian haunted by his past, who only wanted to live a quiet life someplace the modern world had left behind”. Thomas befriends the child Gabriel, who, from a very young age, has an immediate and special bond with all creatures Dr Kennedy may minister to.

Billy Walton and Trey Beathard — a tavern owner and a high school basketball coach, respectively — each man finding something in Gabriel to wonder at, to cherish, and to desperately need to be a part of.

As Gabriel grows into the extravagance of his extraordinary life, his story is complex and woven loosely with equal parts hero’s journey, small-town rite of passage, Amish community insights, and an unmistakable undercurrent of a deeply mystical force, perhaps even best described as magical.

I found myself captured by this book, with its graceful charm, and its unique, compassionate take on the pains and joys of boundaries, once released.

A great big thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.

Let me just put it this way: I teared up probably 8 times while reading this book., and I can say unequivocally that this is the best book I've read in a long, long time. It moved me and made me feel. I felt the humanity on every page, and the sincerity in the way it was written was striking and heartfelt.

The author has a new fan, and I won't forget this one for a long time.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

I honestly don’t know where to begin—this book was a beautifully layered experience. It moved me deeply with its blend of beauty, tragedy, inspiration, and sorrow. Growing up near Alton, where the “Alton Giant” statue stands, I’ve always been drawn to stories like this—ones that explore the lives of those who are “giant”, how they were treated, how they lived, and how they endured.

Gabriel’s story begins with incredible hardship: the loss of his mother during childbirth and the tragic death of his older brother, who had cared for him. Despite such heartbreak, Gabriel is portrayed with such compassion—his heart, in many ways, is the soul of this novel. When he is taken in by his Amish grandparents, the clash between strict religious beliefs and his athletic talents adds another layer of complexity to his journey.

The book is told from multiple points of view—Hannah (his grandmother), Doc Thomas (a veterinarian and friend), and Billy (his childhood baseball coach). I loved this structure; it offered such a rich, multidimensional perspective on Gabriel’s life and the impact he had on others.

This novel is so thoughtfully written, and I cherished every moment of it. It made me feel deeply—and yes, I cried.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Ron Rindo for the e-ARC. This story will stay with me for a long time.

What a story! I requested this book because it took place in an area where I used to live, Wisconsin. I'm so glad I did. It's a story about a boy, Gabriel who came into this world so large his mother could not survive delivery. He was so much bigger than other kids and grew at an incredible rate.. He had exceptional sports ability that gained him incredible fame. This story is about his incredible life which had many ups and downs. You will not go wrong getting this book! Its conception was from a real boy from Michigan who was unusually tall.
This book is heartwarming and will bring you to tears and even anger. I highly recommend this book. Thank you NetGalley and publishers St Martin's Press for the eARC This is my voluntary honest opinion. You will remember this book long after you have finished.

First, I am so grateful to the publisher, St. Martin's Press, and the author, Ron Rindo, for the privilege to read this advanced copy through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Second, I'll state right up front that I LOVED this book. I loved the story, the characters, and the author's writing style. It is definitely one of the best books I'll read in 2025. It is a wonderful, wholesome story that captured my attention right from the start. Not very many books get 5 stars from me, but this book definitely deserves a 5-star rating.

The book is set in Wisconsin and primarily in an Amish community. It "captured the depth and breadth of Amish faith and honored ... their difficult but beautiful way of life." This is what the author noted, and I believe he was successful in this effort. It provides great insight into the Amish people in a respectful way. "The locals of the town wanted to grant anyone who came to town the one freedom Americans typically refused to honor: the freedom to fail without punishment or censure."

The characters in this book are flawed individuals who come together at times of need and support. Gabriel Fisher was a giant. This is a story about his life and people in his life. Throughout the book, there is a strong connection with nature and animals. Gabriel's love for people and animals should inspire all of us. Very heartwarming!

With character names such as Josiah, Rachel, Hannah, Gabriel, and Raphael, the book is grounded in good people. I did not miss the Biblical inferences. References to the Bible were an ongoing undercurrent.

This is a story of love, hope, and faith. It touches on grief and processing its pain. I love how this book is sad at times, but yet it still made me smile. Humor is interjected into the story while your heart strings are tugged.

It is all about life. A quote from the story sums up the book: "The world is your oyster, and it's pearls are in your hands. But live wisely. Choose wisely. Love wisely. And never quit." Amen!

Read this book. You won't regret it!