We Burn Daylight

A Novel

By: Bret Anthony Johnston

Narrated by: Christian Baskous, Xe Sands, full cast

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • An epic novel of star-crossed lovers set in a doomsday cult on the Texas prairie that asks: What would you sacrifice for the person you love?

“Symphonic and suspenseful . . . In an epic act of empathy, Bret Anthony Johnston inhabits every point of view, from doomed devotees to perplexed law enforcement.”—Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of March

New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice

Waco, Texas, 1993. People from all walks of life have arrived to follow the Lamb’s gospel—signing over savings and pensions, selling their homes and shedding marriages. They’ve come here to worship at the feet of a former landscaper turned prophet who is preparing for the End Times with a staggering cache of weapons. Jaye’s mother is one of his newest and most devout followers, though Jaye herself has suspicions about the Lamb’s methods—and his motives.

Roy is the youngest son of the local sheriff, a fourteen-year-old boy with a heart of gold and a nose for trouble who falls for Jaye without knowing of her mother’s attachment to the man who is currently making his father’s life hell. The two teenagers are drawn to each other immediately and completely, but their love may have dire consequences for their families. The Lamb has plans for them all—especially Jaye—and as his preaching and scheming move them closer and closer to unthinkable violence, Roy risks everything to save Jaye.

Based on the true events that unfolded thirty years ago during the siege of the Branch Davidian compound, Bret Anthony Johnston’s We Burn Daylight is an unforgettable love story, a heart-pounding literary thriller, and a profound exploration of faith, family, and what it means to truly be saved.

©2024 Bret Anthony Johnston (P)2024 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Literature of the highest order . . . Even the most flashy stylistic flourishes [are grounded] in convincing, unexpected detail. . . . Ultimately, what keeps us reading a novel is the promise of revelation, and it’s in the smallest and most seemingly off-handed of its surprises that We Burn Daylight is most alluring.”—The New York Times

“A heartfelt yet unsparing read, one that manages to return to the victims of the Branch Davidian cult their humanity, making us see more of them than their misdeeds.”—The Boston Globe

“Great care is used to humanize every character, from the teenagers the novel revolves around to the adults who clumsily decide their fates. . . . The high stakes of federal agents confronting a cult are thrilling, but it’s the quiet spark of connection, understanding, and recognition between his star-crossed lovers that will touch readers long after the novel ends.”—Texas Monthly

Exceptional book!

While broken chronologies generally fall flat, this one was outstanding. The story was powerful, and it was beautifully written. What’s more, the characters were so well done, I scarcely see how any reader/listener won’t find them compelling. Most significantly, I forgave the author’s apparent dislike of a few things I passionately support. That takes some great writing!

Poetic exposition of the beautifully mundane

The story certainly kept my interest. But what I loved were the perfectly phrased observations of everyday experience. Like Romeo and Juliet, for me it wasn’t about the plot. It was about all the moments of beauty and wisdom along the way.

Flat

This novel had so much going for it. It is based on the fascinating showdown in Waco, Texas: the Feds vs. Lamb and his religious cult. It is told mostly through the eyes of two young teens - Roy, the son of the local sheriff, and Jaye, the daughter of a new member of the cult. These two characters are believable and interesting. Their relationship is the best part of this book. Life in the cult was less believable and interesting. The pieces of this novel never came together to me, and the story just did not draw me in. This novel was well written, and I cannot say exactly why this book fell flat to me. It just did.

my pilgrim

my pulgrim, my pilgrim, if I have to hear my pilgrim one more time I'm going to lose my mind. started out good but got ridiculous. jumped the shark.