Fan Fiction Books

I've read other books by this author and liked them, especially "The Bear Went Over the Mountain." Perhaps I didn't read the emailed Amazon promo carefully enough because I had no idea that this book was written 35 years ago. It is a story of a druggie living in NYC in the '60s. Although I was part of that culture, I really didn't know anyone as deeply into weed as this character so it was hard to relate. Was the story supposed to be happy, funny, or just sad? It was hard to tell. And how DID the chorus get all those fans?

There has been a lot of counterculture literature since the rise of the Beat Generation in the 50s. Much of it fails to measure up to the standard of Kerouac, Ginsberg or Burroughs. There are some writers who have managed to rise up to the occasion with classic or near classic works. Terry Southern would be one that comes to mind. Another writer who has produced some fine works is William Kotzwinkle. Before, "E.T. The Extra-terrestial", Kotzwinkle was noted for producing counterculture literature. One of his most famous works is the 1974 novel "The Fan Man".

This novel chronicles the sleazy misadventures of the self absorbed hippie Horse Badorties. He is typical low life East Village for that time period, man. He knows the score and will always find the door for a quick out. He avoids things like rent and pays for commodities with rubber checks. Surely this is a time piece cause many of his ideals wouldn't fly in today's climate.

The title is derived from his continued attempts to be a salesman of small battery powered fans. He consistently uses them and tries to sell them in any store or business he enters into. It is all part of his grand scheme. He even envisions utilizing the fans in his Love Concert that will be presented at St Nancy's Church. (I am wondering if this is meant to be the famous St. Mark's Church in the East Village which conducted poetry readings for decades.)

Kotzwinkle endeavors to capture the thought process and speech pattern of an East Village post hippie lowbrow. In this, he is very successful. The narrative moves along in a hazy stream of consciousness. Horse Badorties is a slob who is no stranger to the herbal pleasures of Mother Nature. The novel begins with Horse waking up in his filthy pad. Kotzwinkle is very descriptive in detailing the encrusted, greasy condition of this pad. It would probably not be too appealing to squeamish stomachs. I found myself thinking, "Man, and I thought I was a slob." Horse Badorties is not only from another era, he seems to be from another universe.

Badorties is full of big ideas and cons. He doesn't pay the rent and destroys the pad with his junk and filth. He is trying to conduct a love concert which will feature a chorus of 15 year old girls, most of whom, he tries to bed down. He has music sheets which he claims is church music from hundreds of years ago. Suspension of disbelief is required to take seriously anything Horse Badorties says.

The narrative is written in the first person, and we get a lot of "mans" sprinkled throughout the text, man. Like, man, after awhile, it can get pretty unnerving, man. In this respect, it is similar to a novel like Huck Finn where Twain attempts to capture the slang and accents of 19th Century Missouri. Kotzwinkle is very successful in this endeavor. He manages to tap into that vein of consciousness from Badorties viewpoint. This can be frustrating to the reader. If you consider how annoying it can be to listen to a person who overuses the word man in their speech, man, well, it can be just as annoying reading this text. Some readers would probably get lost in trying to follow the narrative. You almost have to try to put yourself in Badorties shoes. That is not a pleasant proposition. Kotzwinkle is very successful in capturing this stream of consciousness.

My impression is that this book is meant more as an adieu to the hippie era and the summer of love mentality that the 60s rock exuded. This is really about the crash, man. This is when people began to drop out without tuning in or turning on. In reading the book, I get the sense that I am listening to the voice of a man whose time has passed. He is left to wallow, in his own words, in putrified wretchedness. There must have been quite a few real life people like Badorties populating the East Village during those years. Perhaps there still are a few dinosaurs and relics there today. All in all, this is a very amusing, entertaining and irreverent book, one that will certainly make you laugh. Yes, it's a fun book. Pick up a copy! Along with this novel I'd also like to recommend another East Village novel called The Losers' Club (Complete Restored Edition) by Richard Perez.

This classic captures both the sense of the drugged-out sixties--when the prevalent youth drugs were less dangerous and addictive--and the quirky character who is the narrator. It's kind of a literary Cheech and Ching, being off the wall in the same pothead way. But funnier, I think. Though I should say that his too light treatment of rape at one point brought me up short. At any rate, except for that rather awful glitch, this is one of the funniest books you'll ever read, if you like pothead humor. Sadly, Kotzwinkle never reached the same level of hilarity again.
I Think, Therefore Who Am I?

I read this book at the age of 12! It somehow made it onto a shelf of the St Rose of Lima school library in suburban Toronto. I read it cover to cover and for a short time it was cooler than porn for a few boys on the school hockey team. I returned it without mentioning it's subject matter to anyone in a authority. It could still be there. Maybe somebody was pulling pranks, or maybe Miss Heitzner, the soon to retire librarian was more progressive than she was ever given credit for! It's been a long time, 28 years or so, but I always remembered Horse and his anticts. In particular his getting laid and the school bus scam. Let's say it made an impression.

I read this book in my youth, and try and read it every couple of years. I rank it right up there with a confederacy of dunces, another classic. horse and ignatius are two of my favorite characters to come from the world of fiction. I came of age in the late 60's and early 70's, being a former hippie [ now my politics are just to the right of atilla the hun ] this book captures that era perfectly.

Many of those men and women who are gifted comedians--I mean the really good ones--have ironically led lives filled with hardships and tragedies; personal histories so dark and bleak we have to wonder how they ever managed to transcend them, much less find anything to laugh about. It makes me wonder if perhaps their gift of wit was actually a direct result of the pain they must have felt--a way to remove themselves from it. Or better yet, a way to reshape, under the guise of hilarity, the absurdity and unreasonableness of their world. Gaining a kind of control. Making it bearable.

That having been said, I feel as though I, in reading F.W. Bosworth's "Never Play Leapfrog With a Unicorn!" became a front row spectator of just that--the difficult life of a little boy surrounded by his dysfunctional family, the bleakness of his plight, and his own sometimes skewed but always honest insights into the human psyche with which he pulled himself up and rode his tidal wave of despair, somehow finding a way to survive it all.

Don't get me wrong. It was funny. From the first few pages, Bosworth pulled me into his plight, showed me around, and God help me, I laughed, and laughed hard. And at the same time I felt for the little boy who was just trying to find his place among all the craziness. I felt badly for him, but--then he made me laugh again. Which should now explain my guilty little stab at amateur psychology.

Through it all, I loved F.W. Bosworth's charming and multi-faceted humor, his strangely-timed bouts of sensitivity, his appreciation for and his obvious love for his "'Lil Black Dad."
I'm glad this gifted comedian transcended.

Lovingly included in a personal collection of my favorite good reading, "Never Play Leapfrog With a Unicorn!" is a keeper, for sure.

Frank Bosworth's "Unicorn" is a one-of-a-kind, self-portrait of a child's coming grimly of age. Herein we encounter a comical parade of too many dysfunctional lives etched upon an appropriate canvas of weeping willow.

Sad, unrelentingly cruel, often artificially poignant, and carefully laced with an occasional heartfelt guffaw, "Unicorn" is not funny. There is nothing funny here. Rather, we are left with the poor visual of a small boy in an even smaller dinghy on a lonely beach with the sound of a single oar . . . rowing.

Happily, Bosworth survives all never whining with a loving twinkle in his one good eye. A worthy read, from the pen of a gifted writer. *****__J. M. Humperjohn

Awhile in the coming, but at long last, an appropriate (albeit 'quirky') cover for a funny, touching (albeit 'quirky') book.

Before going the POD route, when the individual chapters were first being posted on Net sites, I got caught up in the moment. Moment? Actually, a year of 10,000+++ warm, encouraging reviews/comments & Author/Title of the Year from FanStory.com.

So eager to get the book 'out there', I convinced myself the original 'blah' grey cover would be okay. 'You can't tell a book by its cover, the public will embrace the content,' I thought. Well, I was not entirely wrong, but in truth, I was far from right. Kudos to winning illustrator Kacey Rayder, for capturing the (quirky) cover I could only imagine.

I am having a fit of a time finding proper shelf placement at Indie bookstores. When asked what read(s) '..Unicorn' most compares to, my response, "It fills the gap between 'A Child Called It' & 'Confederacy of Dunces'," is usually followed by a pause & long sigh. To further frustrate the Indie owner, his simple question, "Book's genre?" is met w/the answer, "Creative non-fiction." As if shelf space isn't scarce enough, I have to write in a totally new listed genre!

Though the road to getting ready for market has not been entirely smooth & far from quick, I have to tell myself, '...unlike perishables, '..Unicorn' will not spoil w/age.' Then, in memory of my li'l black dad, I grin...then smile, huck a louie, fart & walk away.

Best of reading,
Frank W. Bosworth

Never Play Leapfrog with a Unicorn is a heart wrenching glimpse into a young boy's life growing up in an abusive and dysfunctional family in the 50's and 60's. An incredible humor and resilience carried this author through the turmoil he was forced to endure. Although I felt a tremendous sadness for him and his plight I laughed out loud many times. I read this book in one sitting, could not and would not put it down, and look forward to a sequel. This author is smart, witty and has a real gift to tell a story. I was captured from the start. Read this book and give it to a friend.

Book Review - Never Play Leapfrog With A Unicorn

© - 5-09-08 - Tom Hyland


The author of this terrific little book is Frank W. Bosworth. He originally commented on something I wrote. To reciprocate, I visited his site at Authors Den, and scanned through his list of Titles. One excerpt caught my eye - "My Lil Black Dad." This was hilarious, and I was nibbling the hook. Then, out of curiosity, I clicked on the book, to read more detail. When I saw the creative sub-title - which combines the words, Drama and Comedy into DRAMEDY - the hook was set!

While this book is well worth the small cost, I was CHEAP, and ordered a used book from Amazon, at about half price. When the book arrived, about a week later, I immediately read just the first chapter, then put it aside. Was just a busy time for me, when I returned to it, a week later, I could not put it down! Thus finishing it in about 7-8 hours!

From cover to cover LEAPFROG is cram-packed with the trials and tribulations of a young, poor lad, told in the person of a naïve youth - with both grammar and spelling presented in the vernacular! One of my all-time favorite authors is Samuel Clemens - Mark Twain, who practically established this technique of writing - the way local people spoke the language.

The characters - Father, Mother, Family members, Friends, Neighbors - are ALL down-to-earth and bigger-than-life! The tongue-in-cheek Humor, Wit, and Satire creates out-loud BELLY LAUGHS! The day-to-day shenanigans, misnomers, and dismal local intrigues are HEART-FELT! This lil book of about 200 pages is an absolute GEM!

Compassion, growth and education of a young man/boy, as he tries to unravel the confusions of life, are all presented herein. And the final Beauty of this novel is that he survives victorious, perhaps a tad scathed, but NOT BITTER!

On a scale of 1 to 10 - it is an ELEVEN! Treat yourself, employ all the senses of: Empathy, Sympathy, and even Apathy (WOW - Glad it was Not ME!).

CONGRATULATIONS! FRANK - This is a WINNER! Tom Hyland. AD Author.

Historical Romance with a touch of the Gothic.
The India Fan is an heirloom. Framling family legend considers it cursed, capable of visiting tragedy to it's possessor.
Vicar's daughter, Drusilla, is befriended by wealthy siblings, Fabian and Lavinia Framling.
Lavinia and Drusilla are sent to a French boarding school to complete their education. Lavinia succeeds at a certain type of education, and is soon pregnant by a deceitful seducer. This results in a secret confinement at a discrete "clinic". The child is born and quickly adopted.
Shallow Lavinia focuses on her upcoming Season and suitors, heedless of the entire incident.
The Framlings have close trading ties with the East India trading company. Sir Fabian, Lavinia and her husband, Dougal are living in India.
Drusilla, after her father's death, is invited out to Bombay. Lavinia needs a Companion and her children need a Governess.
All is not well. Selfish Lavinia is bored. Dougal is disillusioned by his wife and marriage. The family is relocating to the Company's headquarters in Delhi. Where they will be reunited with Sir Fabian.
The situation goes from bad to worse. There is increased unrest amongst the native Indian population. It erupts into open revolt. Drusilla and her young charges, with the help of Sir Fabian, must survive the violent taking of Delhi.
This fast-paced romance includes blackmail, arson, murder, and the horrific Sepoy Rebellion.
Recommended.

My friend gave this book to me because the book was "thicker" than what she used to reading, and till this day I still thank her for giving me this book for it is a GEM!!!! I tried reading it on a whim and was hooked by midway through the 2nd chapter. The story was soooo addictive that I neglected my school works to read it; I read it in class while my teachers (I was in high school) lectured. I think what made this story different and why it has made a lasting impression on me was the way Holt expland the time the plot takes place. Other stories have their main characters married or fell in love by 6-8 months (some sooner and some later) but Holt takes you through a journey that took years to happen, and she gave all her secondary characters dimension and depth. I may or may not be making sense in my fascination w/ Ms. Holt's work, but other Holt fans would understand me (i hope :D). I also loved how Ms. Holt created the air of romance without (too much of, if at all) pre-marital sex. Call me crazy but i was sooo into her characters that long after finishing the book, i sometimes wondered how "Fabian and Drusilla are doing now, or how many children did they end up having...etc"

Slightly gothic, historical romance.
The India Fan is a Framling family heirloom. Legend states that it is cursed and can bring only unhappiness to it's possessor.
Vicar's daughter, Drusilla, is befriended by wealthy siblings, Fabian and Lavinia Framling.
The Framlings have close trading ties with the East India Company. Sir Fabian travels frequently to India on trading business.
Lavinia and Drusilla are sent to a French boarding school to complete their education. Flirtatious Lavinia succeeds at a certain type of education and becomes pregnant by a deceitful seducer. This results in a secret confinement at a discreet "clinic". The child is born, and quickly adopted.
Shallow Lavinia focuses on her upcoming Season and suitors, heedless of the entire incident. But someone remembers and Lavinia will be made to pay.
Drusilla's father dies after a long illness. Sir Fabian, Lavinia and her husband, Dougal, are living in India. Drusilla is invited out to Bombay, to serve as Lavinia's companion and teacher to her children.
All is not well. Selfish Lavinia is bored. Dougal is disillusioned by his wife and marriage. The Company's headquarters are in Delhi. Soon the family is relocating to Delhi and reunited with Sir Fabian.
There is increased unrest amongst the native Indian population. Finally it erupts into open revolt. Drusilla and her charges must survive the violent taking of Delhi.
This romance includes blackmail, arson, murder and (to top it all off) the horrific Sepoy Rebellion.
Recommended.

I rank The India Fan as one of Victoria Holt's best. Drusilla is an excellent narrator and as in Holt's best, the romance doesn't blindside you out of nowhere, nor does the "hea" seem incongruous because we're shown Fabian's growth and love for her through their interactions. And as is apparent in most of Holt's novels, The India Fan doesn't stint on the lush, vivid descriptions of Indian life and the massacre at Lucknow.

This is my second Victoria Holt book and it is so beautiful. Although I don't get why saves Lavinia so many times , although she does get rewarded. It's a good thing that Lavinia dies anyway.She defineitly deservered that.But this is a pretty story but not as 'The Silk Vendetta', which is a 10 times better than this . But still it is addicting. I recommend this to anybody who likes romance and mystery . But this one has more mystery and doesn't really tell about the Indian culture that well.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Elvis comes off as a real live breathing human being, and Daniel Klein did a great job with the various characters. I especially liked the relationship of Elvis and Selma - very sweet and tender. Elvis in the book did a lot of the things that the Elvis in real life would love to have done. The mystery itself was intriguing - strange lethal drug killing fan club presidents - various characters appearing to be the likely suspect. I liked Selma so much that I was sad at the end - and the final phone call from overseas was a great ending. My only complaint was the overuse at times of crude language which did not always seem necessary. However, I enjoyed the book enough that I would definitely buy the next in the series. Jean Donovan

A fun read for most Elvis fans. The story is delightful
and fast paced with alot of twists to keep a mystery
reader happy. As a fan, I found myself wishing for a
few more details to be like the personal Elvis.
eg: language used was ok, but certain phrases
could have just as easy been used that Elvis was
known to say often. Ok..Ok... I'm picking but
all in all it was a fun book and worth a read and
a must for E collectors.

I'm not a big Elvis fan and when my husband brought this book home, I was reluctant to read it. Alas, with nothing left in the house to read, I had no choice (I am a serious book junkie!). I thought the book would be silly and rather tongue-in-cheek, but boy, was I wrong. This book is magnificent. It is a real page turner! I could hardly put the book down. Elvis plays a detective trying to figure out who is killing the young, female presidents of his fan clubs. He turns out to be an upstanding citizen and his character is portrayed as being very un-Hollywood. Elvis fights both crime and moral issues is this novel. The book is quite witty and, although I would like to say I did not know who the killer was until the end, it managed to keep my attention with the interplay between the characters. For those who like a suspense-ful novel with light-hearted brevity and a good, twisty plot, this book is a must read!

What a great mystery. I loved having Elvis Presley sleuthing to unravel the mysterious deaths of the fan club presidents. He was very likeable but he also resembled the real King.

Elvis is made aware of two young girls who have apparently died in their sleep. They were both presidents of his fan club in different Tennessee cities. No one believes them to be anything but sad. No foul play is suspected. Elvis feels differently and enlists the aid of Billy Jackson, a self-taught doctor to a small black community. His nurse Selma also assists and Elvis is smitten with her.

He also has to deal with a Elvis impersonator that thinks he really is Elvis. Elvis consults with a forensic psychiatrist to try to understand the killer's mind.

Then there is another death of a fan club president. Still no one will listen to him and look into these deaths as murders. Plus Elvis keeps receiving recordings of his songs but with twisted lyrics. Who can be sending these? Could they be related to the deaths?

In the meantime, Elvis goes to his class reunion and runs into Penny Woodruff, a classmate and former girlfriend.

Things are getting complicated and Elvis is constantly missing recording sessions in his quest to find a killer no one else is even looking for. His is constantly have to deal with his manager and childhood pals at Graceland. His interest in Selma is constantly growing, but what about Priscilla.

Elvis ends up putting himself and others in danger to discover the identity of the killer before there are any more deaths.

I found this to be a delightful mystery. The Elvis character was so well constructed, I often found myself wondering if these things really happened!

This is a terrific new series and I can't wait to read them all. You will not be disappointed! You won't want to put it down until the last page! I highly recommend it!

Kill Me Tender by Daniel Klein

"Kill Me Tender" is a pure fiction "murder mystery" featuring Elvis Presley. Well, why not? There are many "fact"-books written about Elvis that are playing more or less fast and loose with those facts. At least the cover of this book states that this time it is fiction.

Elvis playing detective is not a strange idea at all, because it is a well-known fact Elvis had the hang of the police enforcement. Overall it is clear that the writer studied his main character pretty well. He does not only recommend Peter Guralnick's works, but it looks like he actually read them.

Daniel Klein took some liberties with stipulations as to time that catch the eye of the reader immediately, at least when the reader is an Elvis-fan. To the less fanatics those stipulations are just "Elvis-facts" that may seem in place. We can safely place the story in 1960, because most "facts" point to that. Elvis is home for just a couple of months after returning from Germany and "Elvis Is Back" is his latest album. Being a couple of weeks from the filming of "Take Me to The Fair" is in contradiction with this, because this movie (which became "It Happened At The World's Fair") was not filmed before the last quarter of 1962. Also a statue of Elvis in a jumpsuit and a TCB-belt do not really fit in the 1960-picture, because it took another decade before those things showed up. On first sight it looks strange that some of the Elvis-related people are mentioned by name, like Priscilla, Vernon, The Colonel and The Jordanaires, while Elvis' close friends are fictional.

Here we'll stop the hair-splitting. Assuming you like murder-mysteries at all this book is a nice read. It is fast, but demanding: it forces you to read on, even when you know you should go to sleep, because you have to go to work again the next day. The mystery starts when two young girls, both presidents of local fanclubs find an untimely death. Elvis gets involved and before you know it you are reading about P.I. Presley instead of G.I. Presley. There are some tender, touching moments, of course there is tension too and even humour can be spotted on several pages. In other words we enjoyed the book very much and therefore we won't say anything more about it, especially not regarding the story line. Not to give away the clue and to be sure we won't spoil your pleasure reading it!

I love this book; the unusual way the author created fan shaped pages is delightful.

I used this book in a demonstration in my children's literature class. It was great, the illustrations & pop out pages are great & definately keep the readers/class entertained.

I'm a firm believer in the power of The Magic Fan. I'm sure you will also be after only one reading. This book holds a powerful lesson behind it's beautiful art -- that of self-discovery, independence, and character. I highly recommend this book to parents, adults, and kids of any age!

Currently I am a student teacher, and I used the Magic Fan as one of my selections to discuss multi-culturalism in my class. The Magic Fan is a wonderful example of how different people within a village can help each other while still continue to follow their dreams. Yoshi's discovery that the magic for his great works came from within and children should look and trust what they see within themselves. My class was rivited to the reading and had some very interesting discussions about other projects Yoshi might have attempted. This is a wonderful book for any child's home library!

This beautifully illustrated Japanese fable by Keith Baker has long been one of my favorite children's books. I am a music teacher of young children and at the end of their first grade classes with me, we turn "The Magic Fan" into a musical movie, complete with costumes, children playing instruments copying Japanese instruments, dancing girls, script, Yoshi, singing of "Sakura" (a Japanese folksong) and even the great tsunami. I have written to Keith Baker many times telling him how great this book is and how much not only my students love it, but how much they learn from it. I believe they could help Mr. Baker write a sequel to this.
Lynne Cox

You stand in a primeval forest of millions of acres. It is dark. All about you, unseen, stand trees which have stretched themselves heavenward for 50, 100, or more years, their younger offspring, and all the complex understory of a virgin forest.You shine your flashlight directly ahead, illuminating the base of a sequoia 100 feet in diameter. "This," you declare, "is reality." Only when the moon rises do you see that reality is more than what the flashlight's beam exposes.Those who delve into The Fan-Shaped Destiny of William Seabrook may find themselves lying awake in the dark forest of galaxies, pondering that vastness. That which is momentarily illuminated by the flickering light of consciousness is also not all of creation.Imagine the universe at the moment just before the Big Bang. NOW, it begins. Yet in an equal and opposite universe, it does not. As the first Big Bang moves into the second moment of cosmic time, another Big Bang occurs in that alternate universe. In a third, it does not; in a fourth, the first Big Bang collapses. At this very moment, NOW, somewhere, the Big Bang begins. In another, it does not, but will in the moment to come. The expanding universe implodes in another. And every variant conceivable by the cosmic consciousness that powers it all even now unfolds.What we choose to illumine with our consciousness is our reality, for good or ill. Knowing that there are timelines in which one is blind, or blonde, or amphibian, or in which one took a risk untaken in present reality, is primarily useful in developing empathy.And yet, if everything which can happen has, or will, or won't, then in some world one might remember an earlier life; might make choices based on remnant memory; might open a door and find one's first love waiting, unspoiled, unaware of one's shortcomings. FSD is fundamentally an exploration of consciousness and reality, cloaked in a time-spanning love story and a quest to expiate the guilt of insufficient love.In some "alternate histories," the South wins the U.S. Civil War, Nazi Germany triumphs in World War II, the Age of Dinosaurs continues, or aliens rule the worlds. Paul Pipkin shines his light closer to home, into the dark woods of the human heart and the universal desire to "do it over and get it right."FSD has no aliens, no men in black, and its voodoo priestesses appear only in past tense. Its significant action is in the minds of its characters; in FSD's reality, reaching a higher level of understanding is a climactic act which, in other books, would require an epic space battle. It is long, quirky, personal, has a big cast of characters, uses big words and is very complicated ‹ like life, like quantum mechanics, like love, like sci fi at its best.

Have you ever thought that you remembered something clearly, and then been confronted by facts which proved events could not possibly have happened exactly the way you remembered? Could things have happened differently in an alternate world? As incredible as the idea of parallel universes may seem, it is taken quite seriously by some physicists - could it be that events such as those described in this book might really happen?

If you like science fiction (or even if you don't), or mysteries, or love stories, you'll like this. The author's unique writing style perfectly sets the mood for this memorable and haunting book. Two warnings are in order: 1)this is aimed at an adult audience, and 2) this is not your typical "light" read - this book demands your attention, but the effort will be well rewarded. In fact, it's worth reading a second time just to make sure you didn't miss anything.
It's a wild ride that will leave you wondering about the nature of reality, but not wondering at all about the talent of this promising new author. Highly recommended.

Ever made a life-changing decision, then wondered down the road how things would have turned out had you chosen differently? Of course, we all have. William Seabrook was a American author of some renown the 1920s and '30s who wrote as if he got another chance - and maybe he did. This fabulous novel is a story within a story, the tale of a present-day Seabrook fan and scholar sleuthing the truth about Seabrook's complex, multi-layered life.

Through vivid, unconventional sex - this is definitely adult reading - Seabrook and his muse explored alternate states and multiple-universe destinies. Fact and reality slip and slide. Truth and fiction mesh. The ever-present now melds with past and future.

*The Fan-Shaped Destiny of William Seabrook* is a book about a journey, where paths fork and fork again, as well as cross one another and loop back. It's a thrilling read for non-linear thinkers.

I view *The Fan-Shaped Destiny of William Seabrook* as a wake-up call. There's magic afoot on this planet, deep in the quantum physics of the it. Through our own senses and stories such as this, we can heighten our experiences and appreciation of it.

I'm going to re-read this book, which is a rare statement for me. Most fiction loses me at some point, I skip to the ending, and that's the end of it. This fiction-nonfiction story is rich, haunting, and teasing in itself, and it's enriched my thinking about my own life and the choices I've made, the people I've met, and what may happen yet.

*The Fan-Shaped Destiny of William Seabrook* is an affirmation of life and possibilities. It set off firecrackers in my head, and for those who want more than a beach read, it's likely to do the same.

This unique work pushes the limits, systematically violating the "principle of bivalence" and tempting us across the vanishing line between fact and "fantasy." It calls the shape of the past into question, along with its effects on the present. It moves a reader to take a momentary second look at one's own treasured memories - and at those synchronistic moments when the quantum fabric separating metaphor and reality unravels.

The Fan-Shaped Destiny of William Seabrook revolves around a vision dreamed by shamen, grounded in physics, explored through science fiction, and illustrated in the course of a passionate and erotic love story. Paul Pipkin has successfully executed this difficult blend. Amongst odysseys spanning the twentieth century, improbable lovers discover the stunning truth that preceded science's affirmation of the wealth of worlds - a truth supported by the historical record.

Did you ever have an epiphany? One of those episodes sort of like dumping out an unfamiliar jigsaw puzzle, looking at it, and suddenly knowing what the picture was without putting it together? Reading this book is like one of those moments. Superbly written, exotic, erotic, and speculative, it shines a (black) light in a few corners of Quantum physics and Behold! a glowing Elvis appears to explain a few things about life and love you never dreamed were possible. This is a book to be savoured, treasured, and re-read.

You stand in a primeval forest of millions of acres. It is dark. All about you, unseen, stand trees which have stretched themselves heavenward for 50, 100, or more years, their younger offspring, and all the complex understory of a virgin forest.You shine your flashlight directly ahead, illuminating the base of a sequoia 100 feet in diameter. "This," you declare, "is reality." Only when the moon rises do you see that reality is more than what the flashlight's beam exposes.Those who delve into The Fan-Shaped Destiny of William Seabrook may find themselves lying awake in the dark forest of galaxies, pondering that vastness. That which is momentarily illuminated by the flickering light of consciousness is also not all of creation.Imagine the universe at the moment just before the Big Bang. NOW, it begins. Yet in an equal and opposite universe, it does not. As the first Big Bang moves into the second moment of cosmic time, another Big Bang occurs in that alternate universe. In a third, it does not; in a fourth, the first Big Bang collapses. At this very moment, NOW, somewhere, the Big Bang begins. In another, it does not, but will in the moment to come. The expanding universe implodes in another. And every variant conceivable by the cosmic consciousness that powers it all even now unfolds.What we choose to illumine with our consciousness is our reality, for good or ill. Knowing that there are timelines in which one is blind, or blonde, or amphibian, or in which one took a risk untaken in present reality, is primarily useful in developing empathy.And yet, if everything which can happen has, or will, or won't, then in some world one might remember an earlier life; might make choices based on remnant memory; might open a door and find one's first love waiting, unspoiled, unaware of one's shortcomings. FSD is fundamentally an exploration of consciousness and reality, cloaked in a time-spanning love story and a quest to expiate the guilt of insufficient love.In some "alternate histories," the South wins the U.S. Civil War, Nazi Germany triumphs in World War II, the Age of Dinosaurs continues, or aliens rule the worlds. Paul Pipkin shines his light closer to home, into the dark woods of the human heart and the universal desire to "do it over and get it right."FSD has no aliens, no men in black, and its voodoo priestesses appear only in past tense. Its significant action is in the minds of its characters; in FSD's reality, reaching a higher level of understanding is a climactic act which, in other books, would require an epic space battle. It is long, quirky, personal, has a big cast of characters, uses big words and is very complicated ‹ like life, like quantum mechanics, like love, like sci fi at its best.

Have you ever thought that you remembered something clearly, and then been confronted by facts which proved events could not possibly have happened exactly the way you remembered? Could things have happened differently in an alternate world? As incredible as the idea of parallel universes may seem, it is taken quite seriously by some physicists - could it be that events such as those described in this book might really happen?

If you like science fiction (or even if you don't), or mysteries, or love stories, you'll like this. The author's unique writing style perfectly sets the mood for this memorable and haunting book. Two warnings are in order: 1)this is aimed at an adult audience, and 2) this is not your typical "light" read - this book demands your attention, but the effort will be well rewarded. In fact, it's worth reading a second time just to make sure you didn't miss anything.
It's a wild ride that will leave you wondering about the nature of reality, but not wondering at all about the talent of this promising new author. Highly recommended.

Keep a dictionary handy while reading this book, because you're likely to need it. Paul Pipkin is a word-person to the max, using words to create unforgettable images, and the words are the right words, even if not the most familiar words.

If the reader was familiar with the energies abounding in the '60s in general and the '60s in Austin, TX in particular, this book will not seem too strange. Other readers will, for sure, glom onto the Sci-Fi aspects, probably to the exclusion of other possibilities, and that's OK. FSD can be read on more than one level. Which means it's the kind of book that needs to be read more than once. Which is the kind of book I like.

This is visual writing, where the words create images. It's the images that are important, along with the intriguing exploration of time/space/place. In the right hands, FSD would make an unforgettable film.

What this book needs most is: Readers. If you read FSD and like it and want to read more, say so. Write a review, persuade a friend to get his/her own copy, get the word out. Because this book is worthy of being read. It's so much more than it seems to be.

Ever made a life-changing decision, then wondered down the road how things would have turned out had you chosen differently? Of course, we all have. William Seabrook was a American author of some renown in the 1920s and '30s who wrote as if he got another chance - and maybe he did. This fabulous novel is a story within a story, the tale of a present-day Seabrook fan and scholar sleuthing the truth about Seabrook's complex, multi-layered life.

Through vivid, unconventional sex - this is definitely adult reading - Seabrook and his muse explored alternate states and multiple-universe destinies. Fact and reality slip and slide. Truth and fiction mesh. The ever-present now melds with past and future.

*The Fan-Shaped Destiny of William Seabrook* is a book about a journey, where paths fork and fork again, as well as cross one another and loop back. It's a thrilling read for non-linear thinkers.

I view *The Fan-Shaped Destiny of William Seabrook* as a wake-up call. There's magic afoot on this planet, deep in the quantum physics of it. Through our own senses and stories such as this, we can heighten our experiences and appreciation of it.

I'm going to re-read this book, which is a rare statement for me. Most fiction loses me at some point, I skip to the ending, and that's the end of it. This fiction-nonfiction story is rich, haunting, and teasing in itself, and it's enriched my thinking about my own life and the choices I've made, the people I've met, and what may happen yet.

*The Fan-Shaped Destiny of William Seabrook* is an affirmation of life and possibilities. It set off firecrackers in my head, and for those who want more than a beach read, it's likely to do the same.

This is yet another twist on the Dr. Faust legend, and it follows other similar stories such as "The Devil and Tom Walker" and "The Devil and Daniel Webster." Having not read the Faust legend in its entirety, but having read the other two, I note that whereas Tom Walker failed, both Daniel Webster and Joe Hardy, the hero of this book, overcame Satan. There is a difference, however, in the reasons. Daniel Webster overcame the devli through his goodness, whereas Joe Hardy overcame Satan through his determination. There is a similarity here, because Joe Hardy remained true to his wife's love in overcoming the wiles of the beautiful Lola. Having watched "Damn Yankee," the movie taken from this book, just after reading the book, I saw two different twists to the same story, both applicable to the genre in which they were produced. Overall, a recommended reading either for the sports buff or the casual reader.

man it would take the devil for the yankees to loose the series. This is a great book that isn't to long to read and it is a very good story

This is a wonderful story, and one that I enjoyed for personal reasons - the main character Joe Hardy was inspired by my grandfather Joe Judge, who played first base for the Washington Senators from 1915 to 1932. The story is told in my book Damn Senators.

The novel tells the story of Joe Boyd, a long-time fan of the Washington Senators who have the worst record in baseball. One night after an incredibly bad loss, Joe decides to take a walk around the neighborhood and runs into the mysterious Mr. Applegate. It turns out that Applegate has been keeping tabs on Joe and his Washington Senators and wants to offer Joe a proposition. How would he like to watch his beloved Senators to win the 1958 pennant? Not only watch, but even help the team by becoming their newest star player? Reluctantly, Joe agrees but has Applegate write an escape clause into the contract. Within a few days the old Joe Boyd is transfromed into the 21-year-old Joe Hardy and sets off on a whirlwind ride that moves the Senators up from 7th place to just within reach of the Yankees.

Along the way, Joe begins to realize just what he's given up and what the ramifications are of his joining the team. It's a heart-warming trip, both funny and sad, and delves into a passionate fan's view of the world of baseball. So many temptations to stick with the game, and even stronger feelings tying him to his old life. Until the gorgeous Lola steps into the picture to keep his mind off the old Joe. Author Douglass Wallop's story keeps you enrapt and rooting for Joe and the Senators until the very end, never quite sure just what the outcome is going to be. It's a unique, light-hearted twist on the tale of Faust with many great and wonderful characters.

I first read this as a kid, and loved it then. It's a happy thought that, 50 years ago, the greatest desire a man could aspire to was to have his underdog baseball team beat the undeafeated Yankees, and was willing to sell his sould to the Devil for it. Today he'd probably want at least one oil-producing country.

Well written, entertaining and with some great twists, it still remains one of my favourites for moralistic humour, right up there with the various Don Camillo books. Really gives the flavour of baseball in the 1950's when there were fewer teams, stronger loyalties and better sportsmen.

When is a fan not really a fan but a way of speaking? Enola Holmes does not get herself involved in the ways of Victorian ladies, but she does know a few things about the language of fans. This comes in very handy for her one day when she encounters her old acquaintance, the Honorable Cecily Alistair, under most unusual circumstances. While resting in a ladies' lavatory (actually hiding from her pesky brothers, Sherlock and Mycroft), she sees Lady Cecily come in with two overpowering escorts. It doesn't take her long to figure out that something is terribly amiss. Sitting quietly, disguised as a lady scholar, she observes that Cecily seems to be under stress as the two matrons with her boss her around. When Cecily's eyes, peeking over her pink fan, meet Enola's, they begin an interesting communication.

Cecily opened the pink fan and began to ply it as if to cool her face. I noticed that she used her left hand --- significant: she chose to be her true self rather than obeying the demands of propriety. I noticed also that she positioned the fan as a frail sort of barrier between herself and her guardian. Behind its brief concealment her gaze caught mine, and in that moment the fan almost as if by accident tapped her on the forehead.

I understood her signal at once: Caution. We are being watched.

Before they part, Cecily manages to cleverly drop her fan near Enola. Her friend definitely seems to be in need of rescuing (yet again, because in another adventure she actually saved Cecily). Enola no sooner leaves the lavatory attempting to follow the trio than she literally bumps into Mycroft. While she manages to run from him, it has set her next adventure off rather badly. Those brothers of hers are always trying to reign her in and make her into a respectable "lady." Though she does adore them (especially Sherlock), she cannot risk getting under their powers and losing her freedom. Despite the fact that Sherlock has proven himself to be a magnificent detective, Enola continues to flee and do her own detective work in various clever disguises. It is just her way of being herself, which, if she lived with them, could never happen. But more pressing to her than anything at the moment is to figure out if there might be more information coming from the little pink fan.

Before this wonderful adventure is over, 14-year-old Enola will have encountered any number of odd, eccentric and colorful characters, such as her elderly landlady, Mrs. Tupper, "deaf as a cast-iron gatepost"; the fierce mastiff who protects a baron's wealthy estate; and Dawson, the overprotective maid who talks too much. Her propensity to find trouble, and her ability to know how to handle it, places her in one dangerous situation after another. This time she ends up at an orphanage --- up to her old tricks, outwitting the wealthy but sleazy baron of Merganser and his son, who are plotting to acquire Cecily's fortune. Even Sherlock gets involved in the mayhem.

Through all of this, Enola continues to search for the meaning behind her missing Suffragist mother's messages and, through veiled messages in the daily Pall Mall Gazette, tries to distantly stay in touch with her brothers. From one disguise after another, she dashes through a whirlwind of adventure.

THE CASE OF THE PECULIAR PINK FAN is Nancy Springer's fourth Enola Holmes mystery. These books, which can be read as stand-alones, are delightful studies in Victorian times and a clever girl who marches to her own beat.

--- Reviewed by Sally M. Tibbetts

Okay, this series has really grown on me. I liked the first book, but each book has appealed to me more and more, until now I've reached the point where I definitely look forward to the next installment.

Nancy Springer's Enola Holmes is, of course, Sherlock's much younger sister. After her mother left town, her older brothers wanted to give Enola a horribly proper education and eventually marry her off. Having a fine mind and a willful streak, to boot, Enola instead ran away to London and has been making her own way ever since. Of course, one of her greatest challenges is evading the clutches of Sherlock and the even more uptight Mycroft, her other older brother.

It would be easier if Enola weren't so inclined to follow in the family business of investigation. She is especially drawn to finding missing persons, a career she calls being a Perditorian. In this book, however, she turns her attention to helping a lost girl she found in her last adventure: now Lady Cecily is being married against her will. To Enola's surprise, she discovers that her brother Sherlock has been hired by the girl's mother to help stop the marriage, too.

Yet budding suffragette Enola isn't willing to leave Cecily's fate in a man's hands, however capable they might be. She continues to work to solve the mystery of Cecily's current whereabouts and effect a daring rescue--rescuing Sherlock himself along the way. (Unlike Mycroft, Sherlock is slowly becoming impressed by Enola and her exploits.)

Enola also continues to search for her own missing mother by exchanging coded messages in the newspaper, only to find out that her code has been compromised.

There aren't very many good mystery series for 3rd-8th graders out there, but the Enola Holmes books are staking a very good claim for dominating the genre. Springer's portrayal of London in the late 1800s is simply an extra treat--it doesn't draw attention to itself, yet it handily supports the plot. I recommend every book in the series!

Nancy Springer has written yet another wonderful entry in the Enola Holmes series. Although Springer has been noted for her Rowen Hood series, among others, the Enola Holmes series is for a slightly more sophisticated reader who delights in solving puzzles and developing portrayals of interesting characters. Enola Holmes is Sherlock Holme's younger sister. Many of the Sherlock Holmes spin offs are tired and unimaginative but this is not true for this series. Enola is the younger sister of Sherlock who has been left to fend for herself by her mysterious mother. Her brothers want to send her off to finishing school to make her into a lady but she has other plans. Instead Enola takes the money and clues left for her from her mother (of course, Sherlock and Enola inherited their intelligence and imaginative gifts from somehwere) and has started her own investigative agency under an assumed name and disguise. The Case of the Pecular Pink Fan brings back a character from a previous novel (The Case of the Left Handed Woman) and brings her into new territory. Enola meets the "Left Handed Woman" in a woman's rest room and during this encounter the woman leaves a pink fan with a message of distress. Enola sets out to find and rescue the woman through creative and smart detective work that is mostly appropriate for a girl her age and position. In addition, she continues to develop her relationship with her brother Sherlock and earns his respect for her insightful ideas on how to find the missing woman. This is a terrific novel. My only regret is that it was not longer and that the plot and characters were not developed even more.

"The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan" continues Nancy Springer's mystery series featuring Enola Holmes, fourteen-year-old sister of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes. Enola is still working as a scientific perditorian in London, and still on the run from her older brothers, who want to raise her as a "proper" lady. This time around, Enola runs into an old acquaintance - Lady Cecily, from "The Case of the Left-Handed Lady." Cecily is being held against her will, and Enola soon discovers that Cecily will be forced into an arranged marriage. Enola's attempts to save Cecily grow more complicated when she discovers that there's another detective already on the case - her brother Sherlock, who was hired by Cecily's mother.

Fans of this series won't be disappointed by this installment. Springer includes plenty of interesting historical details; the description of the "pink teas" is particularly fascinating (and garish). Enola is a relatively somber but engaging narrator, a smart girl who relies on hard work and perseverance to solve her cases. Still, the real heart of this series has always been the relationship between Enola and her family - her disapproving brothers and her absent mother. "The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan" is particularly gratifying because Enola actually spends some time with Sherlock. I really enjoyed seeing Sherlock's growing respect for his sister, and how much it means to her. Of course, the gaping plot hole in this book is why Sherlock would have ever agreed to work for Cecily's mother in the first place, since Cecily's father had every legal right to arrange the marriage...and isn't this what the Holmes brothers want to do to Enola? I imagine that Sherlock's decision was based on his recent experiences with Enola, but Springer should have clarified that so that he didn't come off as a bit of a hypocrite, really. Overall, though, this is a fun book and a worthy continuation of the series.

Three novels, three visions of feminine lesbian or prostituted libertinism. 1- EVEN AN ANGEL CAN SIN. The interest of this novel is in the extreme cruelty of the author who literally crucifies his heroine, his Juliette and her so rich and famous name. She killed and destroyed everything. She could not touch anything but destroy it, him or her. Parentless and a whore since the age of fourteen, she destroyed her friend who had raised her after the death of her own parents, her mother in law, her father in law, her own husband and herself. The author stops short when her daughter has to be saved from this debacle, though her lot is not better by becoming an orphan, even an adopted orphan, because orphans are not exactly happy people in these novels and with this author. In other words the author reconstructs the cruelty of the melodrama of the 19th century that was also systematically showing how women were doomed to their own destruction by their womanly nature in a world they could not - as women - cope with. 2- FROM THE PEASANT LIFE TO PARIS. This second novel is a lot more convincing in style because it seems to be able to describe the psychology of his female characters a lot better, with more sympathy. The first part of the novel is in many ways in the line of grotesque and tall tale literature, in the line of Winesburg Ohio and the Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County., Sherwood Anderson and Mark Twain. The first part is definitely funny and the author manages to turn the naturalistic model and style into a humorous treatment of excessive events and descriptions. Then the two heroines move to Paris and they live in the trendy women's society, liberated women who are in many ways nothing but libertines and easy women who refuse any dependence, particularly towards a man. But the author likes some patterns, shapes or motifs. The triad or trio of characters united or brought together by their initials builds a devilish nine motif in this book. The central group is composed of two brothers and one sister: Jeanne, Jules and Joseph, to which we can attach Jeanne's parents and best friend with letters under J in ascending order: Georges, Henrietta and Isabelle, and a mirror group of three men who are lovers to the two central heroines in ascending order: Kevin, Leon and Maurice. We see at once that we get to a "nine" pattern, three times three, the diabolical figure. This is in phase with the constant and heavily regular religious theme that is mostly seen as negative because the Christian principles have been betrayed by the catholic church. Note finally that the man who will kill the Jewish Sarah Harowitz is called Paul Delorme, PD in short, which is an insult in French (read pédé short for "pédéraste" and close in pronunciation to pede[rast]) and means "fag". 3- SISTERS IN LOVE. The third novel is the one that has the most dynamic tone and style. It is as for the style nearly believable. But it is also kind of fuzzy. It starts with Clotilde d'Arleux and Jacques Savant. Think of that JC that evokes a crucifixion and you can be rest assured the crucifixion will come, I would nearly say over and over again. The girl elopes with her lover who is a commoner and was some kind of hunting warden for her father. A rewriting of D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover. This Clotilde will die in childbirth, giving birth to two twin girls, Gabrielle and Marie. This is a rewriting of the famous novel Les Deux Orphelines, 1877, (the two twins are Henriette and blind Louise) by Adolphe d'Ennery and Eugène Cormon The twins are entrusted to nuns in a convent that will be revealed to be Saint Jude's at the end of the book, a house of perdition. Gabrielle will be initiated to Lesbianism by a sister, Martha. But that J initial is made even more dreadful with the couple, Josephine the daughter and Gerard the father, who are hosted by the nuns for a short while. Josephine, an incestuous girl and her father Gerard, a murderer. Note the pronunciation of Gerard puts this G on the side of J. J becomes thus the symbol of perversion, maybe even evil. Saint Jude's, a direct allusion to Judas, a convent of sin, and a rewriting of Matthew Gregory Lewis's novel the Monk (note he lends his Christian initials to the two twin girls) and Diderot's novel La Religieuse (The Nun), both infamous and famous novels about life in female convents in the 18th century. On the other side you have Gabrielle, the center of lesbianism and all kinds of unhealthy attitudes like prostitution, stealing, polygamy, false impersonation, etc. Finally the last cluster comes with Marie, the moralist. She will get in connection with two other women who save her from the cold: Evelyne, a poor working mother, and Christine, her daughter. We can see the allusion to Marie, the Mother of Christ, Eve, the "mother" of sin and yet the mother of Christine, and Christ in this very Christine, a common association since Mary the mother of Jesus redeemed Eve and her sin by accepting her mission. I will let you discover the very dark ending and all the dues ex machine and anachronic elements. More on my Myspace blog.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines

I instantly became a David Rehak fan after reading his first book. He is a very versatile/eclectic writer. This book is pure erotica - not to be confused with pornography. Erotica describes the portrayal of the human anatomy and sexuality with high-art aspirations, differentiating itself from pornography.

All three of the short stories in this book are erotica at its best with a little perversity thrown in. The stories are a little edgy, and while some may find the content shocking, David stays well within the "erotica" parameters.

The characters David chose for each story all have their own inner struggles. It is a hard choice, but I believe I like the first story, "Even an Angel Can Sin," the best because I think of all the characters in the stories, Theo struggled more and changed the most.

I won't go into detail about the three stories because the other reviewers have already done that. I just want to say this book (and any of David's other books) is definitely worth reading. It doesn't matter if you are a fan of erotica - the stories David weaves and the characters he has invented will mesmerize you.

There is a lot of emotion and passion in this book but it is also very sad. I think negative emotion also counts as emotion. I don't think humor was intended except for the sick-funny kind. The second novel especially has some downright scatological scenes which left me reeling. Most of the erotic scenes were very hot, for me. Some were too explicit. Well, or should I say, they certainly opened my eyes. Probably every sexual proclivity is included in this book somewhere. I read out of curiosity as much as anything else. But the sex is secondary because it's much more about plot and what happens next in these characters' relationships and lives. I felt a level of sympathy for most of the characters even with all their flaws. I especially liked Theo in the first novel. I felt really sorry for him. This was a really memorable one for me. Almost as memorable as the sadness I felt after reading Wuthering Heights. The ending in the third novel was too neat. There could be a sequel here. All in all, this trilogy of novels is loosely held together by common themes and subject-matter. It's written in an amazingly brisk and easy readable style. Almost too fast-paced if you can imagine that. Unusual gripping plots. Give it a go if you're a fan of the tragic decadent love story that grabs you by the heart and balls, or should I say your you-know-what. Other books I've read in this genre are more or less similar to each other but this one is quite unique. Not recommended as a light romantic read though.

As a reader who has closely followed this author's writing progress with interest over the last 2 years, I'm delighted to have read four of his five previously published novellas and witnessed his literary growth. I wish him great success and hope the information below proves beneficial to the reading public.

David Rehak has always been adept at choosing catchy titles and covers, so this one will most likely work for this book. I, personally, feel that it's perfect for the subject matter. This title intrigued me, and I don't intrigue too easily. The question posed about the first novella grabbed me, making me wonder if the couple will stay together. The description of the second story "hooked" me, too... to the point that I just "had" to know who the little peasant girl really loves. The same with the third story; I was eager to know what happens to these fascinating characters. In nine tight, well-written lines of copy (by the width of my page), it managed to arouse my curiosity about all three stories, and as a huge fan of this writer already, it made this a must read for me.

I think this book would appeal to anyone who likes erotica or just a good story about love and lust, and reading about forbidden topics, but to the general modern reader as well. Since it speaks of lesbianism and other arguably "socially taboo" subjects, there's a vast audience who thrive on the so-called "dark" material. From previous books, David Rehak already has a following of readers who admire his "daring" for writing about "forbidden" subjects. And since his main characters generally battle the forces of good and evil with "good" winning, making for satisfying endings, both sides of his readership are mollified. As for the length of the novellas, they are a little short, but acceptable for the genre. I, personally, as well as many readers, favor books of about 300 pages, but the three novellas together are approximately that length in book form, so don't worry about that.

One of this author's strong points is that he dares to go where other writers fear to go, and that he creates exciting, original plots. These three stories are no exception. In this collection of three novellas, the opening story begins at the turn of the previous century with Theo, a promising poet who is part of a writer`s circle of friends. Theo is a wholesome, conservative and idealistic type who has little in common with his wild, crude, bohemian friends. But one of the members of the group, Marcel, is his best friend. Through Marcel he meets the girl of his dreams, Juliette. She's a very free-spirited and exciting girl who captivates him. He falls in love with her and at first their relationship is wonderful, but in time, Theo learns that Juliette is secretly a prostitute. This revelation devastates Theo, and tests his love for her to the max. He leaves her. But this way things become even worse. Through much soul-searching and a despair that almost leads to death, he eventually realizes that he cannot overcome his love for her and is desperate to forgive her. But will she give up her disreputable profession and be his wife?
The second novella is the story of Isabelle and Jeanne, two schoolgirl best-friends. Isabelle is shy and inhibited while Jeanne is outgoing and audacious... but opposites attract. Jeanne begins to fall in love with her best friend Isabelle, but Isabelle has a boyfriend named Leon, so Jeanne spreads false rumors of his unfaithfulness with prostitutes, hoping to break up the relationship between himself and Isabelle. It works. The two girls find village life tedious and dull, so when Isabelle's parents die, leaving behind an inheritance, Jeanne and Isabelle decide to pack up and head for the exciting "big city" life in Paris. Eventually, and almost by chance, they find themselves among the elites, the creme de la creme, of society. Jeanne is "kept" by a famous authoress, Colette. When Isabelle learns of the sexual nature of this "scandalous" relationship, she becomes upset and leaves her best-friend, trying to find solace in the arms of a lover, a rich gentleman named Maurice. But neither girl can stop thinking about the other, and a longing to be together builds the longer they are apart. On the night that Isabelle is to leave forever with Maurice, she runs to Jeanne in desperation, and the two girls are reunited at last, their time apart making clear the realization of their mutual love.
The third and last novella is the story of two twin sisters, who look the same on the outside, but are of different minds, and one (Marie) grows up to be chaste while the other (Gabrielle) licentious. Their mother dies in childbirth, so their father, unable to bring them up alone, gives them up to a convent. They come of age and escape the strict harsh rigors of the convent, both choosing a completely different path in life. Marie chooses a modest road and decides she'll become a domestic, while Gabrielle has high ambitions and snatches an aristocrat, only to later get bored, rob him, and leave. Marie starts working for a wealthy diplomat and has a wonderful relationship with him. Meanwhile, Gabrielle is herself, in turn, robbed and left penniless. She locates her sister and finds a working position in the household where her sister works. But it isn't long before Gabrielle's aristocrat finds her and she is tried and sentenced to death for the grand theft. The climax of the story comes when it is revealed that the diplomat is the sisters' long-lost father! A race against time insues as he and Isabelle secure a pardon from the King and must reach the gallows before the sentence is carried out, before it's too late.
I think the plot of the first novella is the strongest and most enjoyable of the three.

Compared with most other contemporary historical novels, I find most of the dialogue in Rehak's various novels to be realistic enough for the time period, but I also feel that he often relies on dialogue too much and that in times of heavy action, he shouldn't have his characters talk too much and use sentences too long. Generally, in action scenes, a writer is supposed to use shorter, more clipped sentences to show the characters' emotions and their breathlessness.

The writing exhibits strong grammar, and a nice writing style, with crisp, clear, descriptive phrases and a reasonable vocabulary to keep the reader's interest. However, sometimes Rehak doesn't go enough into detail and description. It feels like an impressionistic painting, a little vague in style and not exactly finished. There are places where Rehak needs to improve. For example, some of the paragraphs are too long, and that's hard on the eyes. But except for so many unnaturally long paragraphs, it was a pleasure reading this book.

Overall, I find that all three stories are intriguing and shocking, but will appeal to the open-minded mainstream reader who seems to be the targeted audience. They are powerful stories, intelligently written, and the resulting book is excellent. However, I like the first and last stories much better than the second one. The author seems to crowd every decadent act conceivable to mankind into the second story, making it appear he is doing it to deliberately shock his readers. I felt he went too far with the "turd" scenario and it degraded the character of Isabelle. She is the one "shining star" in the book; the one his readers need to empathize with, so I wish that had been left out by the editor. The plot is good, but I feel the girls have far too many raucous adventures, thus slowing it down, although it's never boring. But I preferred when it got back to the "love" the girls have for each other. I found I cared what happened to both Isabelle and Jeanne; despite Jeanne having lower morals, she had so many other redeeming qualities I grew to care for her by the end of the book.
I also feel that the first novella is the strongest of the three and would equate it's quality with Rehak's first book, A Young Girl's Crimes. Overall, this is perhaps his best, and certainly his most mature work.


Amanda Drummond
d.amy69@yahoo.com