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Last House Before the Mountain by Monika Helfer

Last House Before the Mountain

by Monika Helfer

  • Critics' Consensus (8):
  • Readers' Rating (43):
  • Published:
  • Apr 2023, 192 pages
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Reviews


Page 2 of 3
There are currently 21 member reviews
for Last House Before the Mountain
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  • MEP, Atlanta GA
    Hardly Anyone Likable
    I found it hard to get into this strange tale about three generations living in a remote corner of Austria. The plot centers on the years the father is away fighting in WWI, and stories are retold by several siblings, becoming a bit repetitive. There are no chapters or headings, and narration jumps back and forth in time as well as between characters. Very little is linear.

    The large Babage (meaning riff-raff) family lives on the village outskirts and are objects of curiosity, disdain and lust. They keep to themselves and take care of each other. Villagers see what they want to see and are conniving, judgmental and uncharitable. All the characters seem to be out for what they can get, and hardly a single one is likable.

    My favorite bit was the narrator comparing family members to Pieter Bruegel, the Elder's paintings of country life. It helped me visualize them and how they lived.
  • Jean F. (Bradenton, FL)
    Layers of Memory
    How do you learn about the generations before you? In this autobiographical novel, the narrator delves into the lives of her grandmother Maria, her mother, Grete, her uncles, and her aunt in Austria during WWI. Maria's husband Josef is away fighting. The family has little food and virtually no interaction with the villagers. Maria's beauty is something of a curse, and Mayor Fink who has been deputized to look after her, feels its pull, as does a German stranger.
    The novel moves forward in a winding pattern with the relation of wartime events punctuated by details about the future fate of Maria's siblings. Apart from the narrator, the most present character is Aunt Kathe, a wise woman and source of much of the family's trauma-filled history.
    I didn't love this book, but I admired the way Helfer wove in single strands of memory or fact and then re-introduced these elements later, often fleshed out. Although short, this book deserves careful reading and might prompt readers to recall what they know and what they intuit about previous generations in their own family.
  • Paula K. (Champaign, IL)
    Heartbreak and Secrets
    War on the home front can be as chaotic as war on the battlefront, especially if the home front is the last house before the mountain in Western Austria. The Moosbrugger family, known locally as baggage, is isolated and struggling to survive while husband and father Josef is away on the battlegrounds of WWI. Male attention to his wife Maria, mother of four children, intensifies during Josef's absence and includes the postal carrier who has lusted after her for years, the mayor, on whom Josef relies to watch Maria and tend to the family's welfare, and Georg, a German stranger. Although Josef comes home on leave, when Maria becomes pregnant, everyone suspects the German stranger. Daily life is chaotic and Helfer does an excellent job of portraying the main characters as well as the landscape, the rigors of daily life without electricity and running water, and the impact of secrets on families throughout the generations.

    This heartbreaking story, which is based on Helfer's family, is narrated by a granddaughter of Josef and his exquisitely beautiful wife, Maria, but the narration is not told in a linear way. The novel's style reflects the story it tells. The prose is beautiful but the story unfolds in bits and pieces, leaving the reader to either become absorbed in the book, as I was, or to put it down in confusion. There will be a limited audience for this Last House Before the Mountain, but that audience will be well rewarded.
  • Ruth H (Florida)
    When Men Go To War
    I so enjoyed the story of Josef and Maria, their children and others that had an influence on this family. Once Josef went to war, the children stepped up to help Maria. Living on a farm by the mountains was not an easy task. Josef had asked the Mayor to look after his family until he returned from Serbia. I grew to dislike the Mayor very much!!! The author described many situations very well. The narrator was a little difficult to follow at times, but stay with the story as it is quite interesting. I wouldn't call this a romance novel, more a family history.
  • Deborah W. (Boynton Beach, FL)
    A Story Out of Time
    "Last House Before the Mountain" is a spare, quiet story told in plain language by a nameless narrator. It's set in Austria during the Great War, and it's mostly about her grandmother, the beautiful Maria, with some about her inscrutable grandfather, Josef and also their children, which includes her own mother. Who is the narrator's grandfather? Is it Josef, or someone else? With parental names like that, could the child be the product of an immaculate conception? The story loops back on itself several times, covering the same episodes from different perspectives (when they occurred, for example; and what the narrator's aunt says about them years later); and sometimes the narrator muses about what might have been said that might have changed things. The story has the feel of an allegory, something out of time that speaks to us across time. It's an unusual book with deep themes, but it's not for everyone.
  • Shirley T. (Comfort, TX)
    Last House before the Mountain by Monika Helfer
    The book is both a memoir and a novel based on the authors family history and the rather sad tale of a lonely poverty stricken family in rural Austria at the beginning of WW1 .

    The style of the book, switching from the time of the war to the related story in the daughter's memoir is sometimes hard to follow. The characters are well described, especially the mother who is apparently so beautiful that many of the events and reactions depend on her looks. The hard working loyal but neglected children, the cruel vicious husband and the duplicitous mayor of the unfriendly village all add color and reality to the book. The husband goes off to the war leaving the family near starvation.

    However a mystery occurs when a stranger appears only to disappear again. Is he real or a visiting spirit or only in the lovely mothers' imagination. When the next child, a daughter, is born to the mother, who is the father ?

    The memoir never is sure but the fifth daughter becomes the strange mother of the writer.
  • Nancy K. (Perrysburg, OH)
    Somewhat hard to Follow
    The reader should know that this is really not about the war but about the family left behind to cope.the mother, Maria, tries to be a good mother but has her hands full. The children really raise themselves.

    I would have liked the book better if the translator had more clearly made who was speaking. Pronouns such as she, her, or he needed names such as Maria said or Lorenz said. As it is I found it hard to follow the plot. Switching back and forth between Grete and her grand child several years later didn't make it any easier.
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Debugging Information
ColdFusion Server Developer 2021,0,13,330286
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Time Stamp 31-May-26 09:40 PM
Locale en
User Agent Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)
Remote IP 127.0.0.1
Host Name 127.0.0.1


Execution Time

Total Time Avg Time Count Template
1780263657552 ms 1.78026365755E+012 ms 1 /root/website/app_server.cfm
313 ms 313 ms 1 /root/website/arc/arc_reviews/detail/index.cfm
101 ms 101 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_discussion_by_id.cfm
76 ms 76 ms 1 /root/website/app_layout.cfm
50 ms 50 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_briefs_reader_rating.cfm
43 ms 43 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/layout/dsp_right_column.cfm
41 ms 21 ms 2 /root/website/adsystem/adsystem_mod.cfm
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27 ms 27 ms 1 /root/website/adzones/showcase_track.cfm
19 ms 19 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_arcs_for_ad.cfm
19 ms 19 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/dsp_border_first_impressions.cfm
15 ms 15 ms 1 /root/website/adzones/AdZone6.cfm
12 ms 12 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_active_obc.cfm
12 ms 12 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_preview_by_id.cfm
8 ms 8 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_books_by_briefs_category.cfm
7 ms 7 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_author_bookcount.cfm
6 ms 6 ms 1 /root/website/arc/arc_reviews/detail/dsp_briefshell.cfm
6 ms 6 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_current_wordplay.cfm
6 ms 6 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/dsp_book_giveaway.cfm
5 ms 2 ms 3 /root/website/actions/act_spider_tracker.cfm
4 ms 4 ms 1 /root/website/act_check_login.cfm
4 ms 4 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_member_info.cfm
4 ms 4 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_obc_number.cfm
3 ms 3 ms 1 /root/website/actions/adstatus.cfm
2 ms 2 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_current_competition.cfm
2 ms 2 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_preview_awards_by_id.cfm
2 ms 2 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_reviews_by_arc_id.cfm
1 ms 1 ms 1 /root/website/arc/arc_reviews/detail/dsp_reviews.cfm
1 ms 1 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_arc_by_id.cfm
1 ms 1 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_current_ezine.cfm
1 ms 1 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/dsp_top_brief_block.cfm
1 ms 1 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/layout/dsp_bottom_block.cfm
1 ms 1 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/layout/dsp_header.cfm
1 ms 1 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/layout/head.cfm
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0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/act_libraryIPLogin.cfm
0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/actions/udfs.cfm
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0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/formurl2attributes.cfm
0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/js/fbjavascriptsdk.cfm
0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_free_newsletters.cfm
0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_previous_arcs_for_ad.cfm
0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/act_book_view_tracking.cfm
0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/dsp_border_booktalk.cfm
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0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/layout/main_search.cfm
1 ms  STARTUP, PARSING, COMPILING, LOADING, & SHUTDOWN
314 ms  TOTAL EXECUTION TIME
red = over 250 ms average execution time


SQL Queries

spidercheck (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=3ms, Records=1) in /root/website/actions/act_spider_tracker.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT	a.bot_number
        FROM	bots a
        WHERE	charindex(a.bot_name, ?) > 0
		OR a.bot_ip = ?
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(cf_sql_varchar) = Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)
Parameter #2(cf_sql_varchar) = 127.0.0.1

get_member_info (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=4ms, Records=0) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_member_info.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
select 	a.*, 
    		b.member_account_type_name, b.member_account_type_charge, b.member_account_type_charge_frequency,  b.member_account_type_months, 
            c.member_chargetype_name, c.member_chargetype_number, a.member_classification_number, a.member_book_format
	
    from members a, member_account_types b, member_chargetype c
	
    where a.member_account_type_number = b.member_account_type_number
	and a.payment_method_id = c.member_chargetype_number
	and a.member_number = ?
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 0

adactive (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=2ms, Records=2) in /root/website/actions/adstatus.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT	viewby, section
    FROM	adsystem 
    WHERE	active  = 1 
    AND		start_date <= GETDATE()
    AND 	(viewby = ? OR viewby = 'all')
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_VARCHAR) = non

get_current_ezine (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=0ms, Records=1, Cached Query) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_current_ezine.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
select		top 1 ezine_number, ezine_dt, ezine_image, ezine_brief_description, ezine_introduction
from		ezines
where		ezine_active_flag = 1
and 		ezine_type_number = 4
and			ezine_dt < getdate()
order by 	ezine_dt DESC
get_current_wordplay (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=6ms, Records=1) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_current_wordplay.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT		a.wordplay_number, a.wordplay_dt, a.wordplay_name, a.wordplay_intro_text, b.wordplay_puzzle_number, b.wordplay_puzzle_question
    FROM		wordplays a 
	INNER JOIN	wordplay_puzzle_mapping c on c.wordplay_number = a.wordplay_number
	INNER JOIN	wordplay_puzzles b on b.wordplay_puzzle_number = c.wordplay_puzzle_number
	WHERE		a.wordplay_number = (	select top 1 a.wordplay_number
                                from wordplays a, wordplay_puzzles b, wordplay_puzzle_mapping c
                                where a.wordplay_number = c.wordplay_number
                                and b.wordplay_puzzle_number = c.wordplay_puzzle_number
                                and a.wordplay_dt < getdate()
                                and a.wordplay_expiration_dt > dateadd(day, -1, getdate())
                                order by a.wordplay_dt asc
                                )
get_ComNo (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=1ms, Records=0) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_current_competition.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT 	TOP 1 	x.competition_number, x.bb_briefs_flag
	from			competitions x
	
		WHERE	x.competition_dt <= getdate()
		AND		x.competition_expiration_dt > dateadd(d,-1,getdate())
get_current_competition (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=1ms, Records=0) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_current_competition.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT 	x.competition_number, x.book_number, x.competition_teaser_title, x.competition_teaser_description, x.competition_intro_text, x.competition_expiration_dt, x.bb_briefs_flag, x.competition_full_info_flag, x.competition_type, x.competition_optin,x.competition_optin_text, 
				a.book_title as "title",
				(b.author_first_name + ' ' +  b.author_middle_initial + ' ' + b.author_last_name) as "author",
	            f.edition_publish_dt AS "hardcover_publish_dt", f.edition_jacket_image as "hardcover_jacket_image",
				g.edition_publish_dt AS "paperback_publish_dt", g.edition_jacket_image as "paperback_jacket_image"
	
		FROM 		competitions x
		INNER JOIN	books a on a.book_number = x.book_number
		INNER JOIN	book_author_mapping c on c.book_number = x.book_number
		INNER JOIN	authors b on c.author_number = b.author_number
		LEFT JOIN	editions f on a.book_number = f.book_number and f.edition_paperback_flag = 0
		LEFT JOIN	editions g on a.book_number = g.book_number and g.edition_paperback_flag = 1

		WHERE		x.competition_number = ?
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 0

get_previous_arcs_for_ad (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=0ms, Records=0, Cached Query) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_previous_arcs_for_ad.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT 	a.arc_number,a.arc_client_url,a.arc_active_dt, a.arc_off_ad_dt,
		b.ezine_preview_number, b.ezine_preview_title, b.ezine_preview_subtitle, b.ezine_preview_jacket_image, b.ezine_preview_author, b.ezine_preview_publisher, 
		b.ezine_preview_publish_dt, b.ezine_preview_jacket_desc, b.ezine_preview_number_of_pages, b.ezine_preview_bb_comments, b.ezine_preview_isbn13,
		c.ezine_preview_category_name AS "ezine_preview_category",
		(select count(*) from arc_allocator d where d.arc_number = a.arc_number and arc_allocator_review_approved_flag = 1) as "reviews",
		(select (CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,0))) AS numeric(12,0)))+
				(CASE WHEN right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) > 25 AND right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) < 50 THEN 0.5
				 WHEN right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) > 50 AND right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) < 75 THEN -0.5
				 ELSE 0
				 END)
 			from arc_allocator	where arc_number = a.arc_number and arc_allocator_review_approved_flag = 1) AS arcrating,
 			(select (CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,1))) AS numeric(12,1)))from arc_allocator where arc_number = a.arc_number and arc_allocator_review_approved_flag = 1) AS "decrating"

FROM arcs a
INNER JOIN ezine_previews b ON b.ezine_preview_number = a.ezine_preview_number
INNER JOIN ezine_preview_categories c ON b.ezine_preview_category_number = c.ezine_preview_category_number

WHERE arc_closed_flag = 1
AND arc_obc_flag = 0
AND getdate() >= arc_on_ad_dt
AND getdate() < arc_off_ad_dt

ORDER BY a.arc_on_ad_dt DESC
get_future_obc (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=2ms, Records=0) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_active_obc.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT 		a.arc_forumidfk, a.discourse_flag, a.arc_promo_text, arc_on_ad_dt,
				b.ezine_preview_number, b.ezine_preview_title, b.ezine_preview_subtitle, b.ezine_preview_jacket_image, b.ezine_preview_author, b.ezine_preview_jacket_desc, b.ezine_preview_publisher, ezine_preview_publish_dt, ezine_preview_number_of_pages, ezine_preview_isbn, ezine_preview_short_summary,
	            b.ezine_preview_bb_author_link, ezine_preview_bb_link
	
	FROM 		arcs a
	INNER JOIN 	ezine_previews b ON b.ezine_preview_number = a.ezine_preview_number
	
	WHERE 		arc_obc_flag = 1

	AND 		getdate() < arc_on_ad_dt
	
		ORDER BY  	NEWID()
get_active_obc (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=3ms, Records=1) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_active_obc.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT 		a.arc_forumidfk, a.discourse_flag, a.arc_promo_text,
				b.ezine_preview_number, b.ezine_preview_title, b.ezine_preview_subtitle, b.ezine_preview_jacket_image, b.ezine_preview_author, b.ezine_preview_jacket_desc, b.ezine_preview_publisher, ezine_preview_publish_dt, ezine_preview_number_of_pages,  ezine_preview_isbn, ezine_preview_short_summary,
	            b.ezine_preview_bb_author_link, ezine_preview_bb_link,
	            c.book_reading_guide
	
	FROM 		arcs a
	INNER JOIN 	ezine_previews b ON b.ezine_preview_number = a.ezine_preview_number
	LEFT JOIN  	books c on c.book_number = b.ezine_preview_bb_link
	
	WHERE 		a.arc_obc_flag = 1
	AND			a.arc_active_flag = 0
	AND 		arc_closed_flag = 1
	AND 		getdate() >= arc_on_ad_dt
	AND 		getdate() < arc_off_ad_dt
	ORDER BY  	NEWID()
get_recent_obc (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=6ms, Records=4) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_active_obc.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT 		a.arc_forumidfk, a.discourse_flag, a.arc_promo_text,
				b.ezine_preview_number, b.ezine_preview_title, b.ezine_preview_subtitle, b.ezine_preview_jacket_image, b.ezine_preview_author, b.ezine_preview_jacket_desc, b.ezine_preview_publisher, ezine_preview_publish_dt, ezine_preview_number_of_pages,  ezine_preview_isbn, ezine_preview_short_summary,
	            b.ezine_preview_bb_author_link, ezine_preview_bb_link,
	            c.book_reading_guide
	
	FROM 		arcs a
	INNER JOIN 	ezine_previews b ON b.ezine_preview_number = a.ezine_preview_number
	LEFT JOIN  	books c on c.book_number = b.ezine_preview_bb_link
	
	WHERE a.arc_number IN (select top 4 arc_number
							from		arcs
							WHERE 		arc_obc_flag = 1
							AND			arc_active_flag = 0
							AND 		arc_closed_flag = 1
							AND 		getdate() > arc_off_ad_dt
							ORDER BY	arc_on_ad_dt DESC)
	ORDER BY  	NEWID()
get_arc_by_id (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=1ms, Records=1) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_arc_by_id.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT		a.arc_client_url,
			a.bc_active_flag,
			a.arc_forumidfk,
			b.ezine_preview_number, b.ezine_preview_title, b.ezine_preview_subtitle, b.ezine_preview_jacket_image, b.ezine_preview_author, b.ezine_preview_publisher, b.ezine_preview_publish_dt, b.ezine_preview_number_of_pages, b.ezine_preview_isbn, b.ezine_preview_isbn13, b.ezine_preview_bb_link, b.ezine_preview_bb_author_link, b.ezine_preview_firsts_flag, b.ezine_preview_rating, b.ezine_preview_reading_level,
			c.ezine_preview_category_name,
			(select count(arc_allocator_review_rating) from arc_allocator	where arc_number = ? and arc_allocator_review_approved_flag = 1) AS arccount,
            
            (select (CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,0))) AS numeric(12,0)))+
				(CASE WHEN right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) > 25 AND right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) < 50 THEN 0.5
				 WHEN right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) >= 50 AND right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) < 75 THEN -0.5
				 ELSE 0
				 END)
 			from arc_allocator	where arc_number = ? and arc_allocator_review_approved_flag = 1) AS arcrating
     
FROM		arcs a
INNER JOIN	ezine_previews b on b.ezine_preview_number = a.ezine_preview_number
INNER JOIN	ezine_preview_categories c on c.ezine_preview_category_number = b.ezine_preview_category_number

WHERE		a.arc_number = ?
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 1032
Parameter #2(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 1032
Parameter #3(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 1032

get_reviews_by_arc_id (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=2ms, Records=21) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_reviews_by_arc_id.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT		arc_number, arc_allocator_number, arc_allocator_review_dt, arc_allocator_reviewer_name, arc_allocator_review_title, arc_allocator_review, arc_allocator_review_rating,
			member_cc_city, member_cc_state

FROM		arc_allocator a
inner join	members m on m.member_number = a.member_number

WHERE		arc_number = ?
AND			arc_allocator_review_approved_flag = 1


	ORDER BY arc_allocator_review_rating DESC, arc_allocator_review_dt DESC
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 1032

get_briefs_reader_rating (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=50ms, Records=1) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_briefs_reader_rating.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT	(CAST(AVG(CAST(rating AS numeric(12,0))) AS numeric(12,0)))+
				(CASE WHEN right(CAST(AVG(CAST(rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) > 25 AND right(CAST(AVG(CAST(rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) < 50 THEN 0.5
				 WHEN right(CAST(AVG(CAST(rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) >= 50 AND right(CAST(AVG(CAST(rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) < 75 THEN -0.5
			ELSE 0
			END) AS "avrating",
            count(rating) as "ratcount"
            
	FROM (
		SELECT reader_review_rating AS rating
		FROM reader_reviews
		WHERE ezine_preview_number = ?
		
		AND reader_review_rating > 0
		
		UNION ALL
		
		SELECT reading_list_book_rating AS rating
		FROM reading_lists
		WHERE book_number LIKE 'p%'
		AND TRY_CAST(SUBSTRING(book_number, 2, LEN(book_number)) AS INT) = ?
		AND reading_list_book_rating > 0
		AND TRY_CAST(SUBSTRING(book_number, 2, LEN(book_number)) AS INT) IS NOT NULL
	) combined_ratings
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 17373
Parameter #2(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 17373

get_preview_by_id (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=11ms, Records=1) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_preview_by_id.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
select 			a.ezine_preview_number,
				a.ezine_number, 
				a.ezine_preview_category_number, 
				a.ezine_preview_title, 
				a.ezine_preview_subtitle, 
				a.ezine_preview_author, 
				a.ezine_preview_publisher,
				a.ezine_preview_publish_dt,
				a.ezine_preview_number_of_pages, 
				a.ezine_preview_jacket_image,
				a.ezine_preview_reviews,
				a.ezine_preview_short_summary,
				a.ezine_preview_jacket_desc,
				a.ezine_preview_reading_guide,
				a.ezine_preview_bb_comments, 
				a.ezine_preview_isbn,
				a.ezine_preview_isbn13,
				a.ezine_preview_rating,
				a.ezine_preview_bb_link,
                a.ezine_preview_bb_author_link,
                a.ezine_preview_firsts_flag,
                a.ezine_preview_reading_level,
                a.ezine_preview_paperback_flag,
				b.*,
                c.ezine_dt, c.ezine_description
,(select publisher_holding_company from publishers where ezine_preview_publisher like publisher_imprint AND publisher_holding_company LIKE 'Harper%') AS "publisher_holding_company"		
 				
from ezine_previews a 
inner join ezine_preview_categories b ON b.ezine_preview_category_number = a.ezine_preview_category_number
left join ezines c ON c.ezine_number = a.ezine_number

where ezine_preview_number = ?
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 17373

get_preview_awards_by_id (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=2ms, Records=0) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_preview_awards_by_id.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
select a.book_award_number, a.book_award_name, a.book_award_image, c.book_award_dt
    from book_awards a 
    inner join book_awards_category b on b.book_award_number = a.book_award_number
    inner join book_awards_mapping c on c.book_awards_category_number = b.book_awards_category_number
    where ezine_preview_number =  ?
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 17373

get_arc_idfk (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=2ms, Records=0) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_discussion_by_id.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT 		a.arc_forumidfk,a.discourse_flag
    FROM 		arcs a
    INNER JOIN 	ezine_previews e on e.ezine_preview_number = a.ezine_preview_number
    
	
        WHERE 		e.ezine_preview_number = ? 
    AND DATALENGTH(a.arc_forumidfk) > 0 AND arc_obc_flag=1
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(cf_sql_integer) = 17373

get_arc_idfk_legacy (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=2ms, Records=0) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_discussion_by_id.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT 		a.arc_forumidfk,a.discourse_flag
    FROM 		arcs a
    INNER JOIN 	ezine_previews e on e.ezine_preview_number = a.ezine_preview_number
    
	
        WHERE 		e.ezine_preview_number = ? 
    AND DATALENGTH(a.arc_forumidfk) > 0 AND arc_obc_flag=1 AND a.discourse_flag = 0
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(cf_sql_integer) = 17373

obc_discussions (Datasource=booktalk_new, Time=66ms, Records=0) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_discussion_by_id.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT 		t.name,
                m.title, m.body,
                u.username, t.id,
				(SELECT COUNT(*) from booktalk_messages where threadidfk = t.id) AS	"responses"
                
    FROM 		booktalk_forums f
    INNER JOIN	booktalk_threads t on t.forumidfk = f.id
    INNER JOIN	booktalk_messages m on m.posted = t.lastpostcreated
    INNER JOIN	booktalk_users u on u.id = m.useridfk
    
    WHERE 	f.id = ?
    AND 	f.active = 1
	AND		t.active = 1
    
    ORDER BY t.name, t.messages DESC
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(cf_sql_varchar) =

searchResults (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=29ms, Records=0) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_discussion_by_id.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT book_number, post_id, topic_id, blurb, username, topic_title
					FROM DiscourseSearchResults
					
        WHERE 		book_number = ? 
                    AND topic_id IS NOT NULL
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(cf_sql_varchar) = p17373

ya_check (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=3ms, Records=0) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_books_by_briefs_category.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
select ezine_preview_reading_level 
from ezine_previews 
where ezine_preview_number = ?
and ezine_preview_reading_level = 2
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 17373

get_books_by_brief (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=2ms, Records=20) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_books_by_briefs_category.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
select 			top 20
				a.ezine_preview_reading_level,
				b.category_name,
				c.category_number, 
				d.book_number, d.book_title,
				f.author_number, f.author_first_name, author_middle_initial, author_last_name
				
from 			ezine_previews a 
inner join		categories b on b.ezine_preview_category_number = a.ezine_preview_category_number
inner join		category_book_mapping c on c.category_number = b.category_number
inner join		books d on d.book_number = c.book_number
inner join		book_author_mapping e on e.book_number = d.book_number
inner join		authors f on f.author_number = e.author_number

where			a.ezine_preview_number = ? 

order by 		d.book_number DESC
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 17373

get_author_bookcount (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=6ms, Records=0) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_author_bookcount.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
select		b.book_title as "title", 1 as "bb_flag", b.book_number as "number"
        from		book_author_mapping a
		inner join	books b on b.book_number = a.book_number
        where		a.author_number = ?
union
    	select		c.ezine_preview_title as "title", 0 as "bb_flag", c.ezine_preview_number as "number"
        from		ezine_previews c
        where		c.ezine_preview_bb_author_link = ?
        and			c.ezine_preview_bb_link = 0
		and 1=0
order by title DESC
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 0
Parameter #2(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 0

get_obc_number (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=4ms, Records=1) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_obc_number.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
select a.arc_forumidfk
    from arcs a
    
    	where a.ezine_preview_number = ?
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(cf_sql_numeric) = 17373.0

get_arcs_for_ad (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=5ms, Records=0) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_arcs_for_ad.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT 	top 10 a.arc_number,arc_promo_text,
		b.ezine_preview_number, b.ezine_preview_title, b.ezine_preview_subtitle, b.ezine_preview_jacket_image, b.ezine_preview_author, b.ezine_preview_publish_dt, 
		(select (CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,0))) AS numeric(12,0)))+
				(CASE WHEN right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) > 25 AND right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) < 50 THEN 0.5
				 WHEN right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) > 50 AND right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) < 75 THEN -0.5
				 ELSE 0
				 END)
 			from arc_allocator	where arc_number = a.arc_number and arc_allocator_review_approved_flag = 1) AS arcrating

FROM arcs a
INNER JOIN ezine_previews b ON b.ezine_preview_number = a.ezine_preview_number

WHERE arc_closed_flag = 1
AND arc_obc_flag = 0
AND getdate() >= arc_on_ad_dt
AND (select count(*) from arc_allocator d where d.arc_number = a.arc_number and arc_allocator_review_approved_flag = 1) > 1
and getdate() <= dateadd(day,1,a.arc_off_ad_dt)

ORDER BY NEWID()
get_arcs_for_ad (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=14ms, Records=3) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_arcs_for_ad.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT 	top 3 a.arc_number,arc_promo_text,
			b.ezine_preview_number, b.ezine_preview_title, b.ezine_preview_subtitle, b.ezine_preview_jacket_image, b.ezine_preview_author, b.ezine_preview_publish_dt, 
			(select (CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,0))) AS numeric(12,0)))+
					(CASE WHEN right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) > 25 AND right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) < 50 THEN 0.5
					 WHEN right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) > 50 AND right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) < 75 THEN -0.5
					 ELSE 0
					 END)
				from arc_allocator	where arc_number = a.arc_number and arc_allocator_review_approved_flag = 1) AS arcrating

	FROM arcs a
	INNER JOIN ezine_previews b ON b.ezine_preview_number = a.ezine_preview_number

	WHERE arc_closed_flag = 1
	AND arc_obc_flag = 0
	AND getdate() >= arc_on_ad_dt
	AND (select count(*) from arc_allocator d where d.arc_number = a.arc_number and arc_allocator_review_approved_flag = 1) > 1

	ORDER BY a.arc_off_ad_dt DESC
get_ads (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=6ms, Records=0) in /root/website/adsystem/adsystem_mod.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT		a.adid,	adweight
	FROM		adsystem a
	INNER JOIN 	ad_category_mapping b ON b.adid = a.adid
	WHERE		a.section = ?
	AND			a.active  = 1
	AND 		a.start_date <= GETDATE()
	
	AND (a.viewby LIKE '%n%' OR a.viewby = 'all')
            

	AND     (b.category_number IN (	SELECT	category_number
									FROM	category_book_mapping
									WHERE	book_number = ?)
      		OR 	b.category_number = ?)
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_VARCHAR) = adzone6
Parameter #2(CF_SQL_VARCHAR) = 0
Parameter #3(CF_SQL_VARCHAR) = 0

get_ads (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=5ms, Records=1) in /root/website/adsystem/adsystem_mod.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT	a.adid,	adweight
        FROM	adsystem a
        WHERE	a.section = ? 
        AND 	a.active  = 1 
        AND		a.start_date <= GETDATE()	
        
        AND (a.viewby LIKE '%n%' OR a.viewby = 'all')
        AND (select count(*) from ad_category_mapping where datalength(category_number) >= 1 and adid = a.adid) = 0
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_VARCHAR) = adzone6

get_type (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=1ms, Records=1) in /root/website/adsystem/adsystem_mod.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT	a.start_date, a.adid, a.end_date, a.camp_views, a.image_name, a.alt_text, a.views, a.code, a.adsize
        FROM	adsystem a
        WHERE	a.adid = ?
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 1112

get_quotes (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=5ms, Records=1) in /root/website/site/blocks/dsp_book_giveaway.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
select top 1 ezine_number, ezine_quote, ezine_quote_title
	    from ezines
	    where len(ezine_quote_title) > 1
	    order by newid()
get_free_newsletters (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=0ms, Records=4, Cached Query) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_free_newsletters.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT 	*
    FROM 	free_newsletters
get_ads (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=7ms, Records=0) in /root/website/adsystem/adsystem_mod.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT		a.adid,	adweight
	FROM		adsystem a
	INNER JOIN 	ad_category_mapping b ON b.adid = a.adid
	WHERE		a.section = ?
	AND			a.active  = 1
	AND 		a.start_date <= GETDATE()
		 	AND a.adid NOT IN (?) 
	AND (a.viewby LIKE '%n%' OR a.viewby = 'all')
            

	AND     (b.category_number IN (	SELECT	category_number
									FROM	category_book_mapping
									WHERE	book_number = ?)
      		OR 	b.category_number = ?)
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_VARCHAR) = showcase_track
Parameter #2(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 1112
Parameter #3(CF_SQL_VARCHAR) = 0
Parameter #4(CF_SQL_VARCHAR) = 0

get_ads (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=10ms, Records=1) in /root/website/adsystem/adsystem_mod.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT	a.adid,	adweight
        FROM	adsystem a
        WHERE	a.section = ? 
        AND 	a.active  = 1 
        AND		a.start_date <= GETDATE()	
        		AND a.adid NOT IN (?) 
        AND (a.viewby LIKE '%n%' OR a.viewby = 'all')
        AND (select count(*) from ad_category_mapping where datalength(category_number) >= 1 and adid = a.adid) = 0
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_VARCHAR) = showcase_track
Parameter #2(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 1112

get_type (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=5ms, Records=1) in /root/website/adsystem/adsystem_mod.cfm @ 21:40:57.057
SELECT	a.start_date, a.adid, a.end_date, a.camp_views, a.image_name, a.alt_text, a.views, a.code, a.adsize
        FROM	adsystem a
        WHERE	a.adid = ?
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 594


Scope Variables

CGI Variables:
AUTH_PASSWORD=
AUTH_TYPE=
AUTH_USER=
CERT_COOKIE=
CERT_FLAGS=
CERT_ISSUER=
CERT_KEYSIZE=
CERT_SECRETKEYSIZE=
CERT_SERIALNUMBER=
CERT_SERVER_ISSUER=
CERT_SERVER_SUBJECT=
CERT_SUBJECT=
CF_TEMPLATE_PATH=/root/website/arc/arc_reviews/detail/index.cfm
CONTENT_LENGTH=
CONTENT_TYPE=
CONTEXT_PATH=
GATEWAY_INTERFACE=
HTTPS=
HTTPS_KEYSIZE=
HTTPS_SECRETKEYSIZE=
HTTPS_SERVER_ISSUER=
HTTPS_SERVER_SUBJECT=
HTTP_ACCEPT=*/*
HTTP_ACCEPT_ENCODING=gzip, br, zstd, deflate
HTTP_ACCEPT_LANGUAGE=
HTTP_CONNECTION=upgrade
HTTP_COOKIE=CFGLOBALS=urltoken%3DCFID%23%3D4074871%26CFTOKEN%23%3D20c0d492980076c0%2DFFD3F729%2D9039%2DA99F%2D86989D0793748CFA%23lastvisit%3D%7Bts%20%272026%2D05%2D31%2021%3A40%3A57%27%7D%23hitcount%3D3%23timecreated%3D%7Bts%20%272026%2D05%2D31%2021%3A40%3A55%27%7D%23cftoken%3D20c0d492980076c0%2DFFD3F729%2D9039%2DA99F%2D86989D0793748CFA%23cfid%3D4074871%23; FREEACCESSCOUNT=1; CFCLIENT_BOOKBROWSE=order%3Dp%23member%5Fnumber%3D0%23member%5Factive%5Fflag%3D0%23member%5Flogged%5Fin%5Fflag%3D0%23library%5Fuser%5Fflag%3D0%23view%3Dbooks%23; CFID=4074871; CFTOKEN=20c0d492980076c0-FFD3F729-9039-A99F-86989D0793748CFA
HTTP_HOST=dev.bookbrowse.com
HTTP_REFERER=
HTTP_URL=
HTTP_USER_AGENT=Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)
LOCAL_ADDR=127.0.0.1
PATH_INFO=/arc_number/1032/page/2/last-house-before-the-mountain
PATH_TRANSLATED=/root/website/arc/arc_reviews/detail/index.cfm
QUERY_STRING=
REMOTE_ADDR=127.0.0.1
REMOTE_HOST=127.0.0.1
REMOTE_USER=
REQUEST_METHOD=GET
SCRIPT_NAME=/arc/arc_reviews/detail/index.cfm
SERVER_NAME=dev.bookbrowse.com
SERVER_PORT=8500
SERVER_PORT_SECURE=0
SERVER_PROTOCOL=HTTP/1.1
SERVER_SOFTWARE=
WEB_SERVER_API=
Client Variables:
cfid=4074871
cftoken=20c0d492980076c0-FFD3F729-9039-A99F-86989D0793748CFA
hitcount=4
lastvisit={ts '2026-05-31 21:40:57'}
library_user_flag=0
member_active_flag=0
member_logged_in_flag=0
member_number=0
order=p
timecreated={ts '2026-05-31 21:40:55'}
urltoken=CFID=4074871&CFTOKEN=20c0d492980076c0-FFD3F729-9039-A99F-86989D0793748CFA
view=books
Cookie Variables:
CFCLIENT_BOOKBROWSE=order=p#member_number=0#member_active_flag=0#member_logged_in_flag=0#library_user_flag=0#view=books#
CFGLOBALS=urltoken=CFID#=4074871&CFTOKEN#=20c0d492980076c0-FFD3F729-9039-A99F-86989D0793748CFA#lastvisit={ts '2026-05-31 21:40:57'}#hitcount=3#timecreated={ts '2026-05-31 21:40:55'}#cftoken=20c0d492980076c0-FFD3F729-9039-A99F-86989D0793748CFA#cfid=4074871#
CFID=4074871
CFTOKEN=20c0d492980076c0-FFD3F729-9039-A99F-86989D0793748CFA
FREEACCESSCOUNT=1
Session Variables:
cfid=4074871
cftoken=20c0d492980076c0-FFD3F729-9039-A99F-86989D0793748CFA
sessionid=BOOKBROWSE_4074871_20c0d492980076c0-FFD3F729-9039-A99F-86989D0793748CFA
urltoken=CFID=4074871&CFTOKEN=20c0d492980076c0-FFD3F729-9039-A99F-86989D0793748CFA
URL Parameters:
arc_number=1032
last-house-before-the-mountain=
page=2
Debug Rendering Time: 10 ms