Sheldon Lee Compton

A beautiful little mystifier, also known as Alice and the Wendigo in other parts of the internet. A man finds himself in deathspace, a kind of purgatorial new land. His wife Alice is there too, and shows herself in different guises, many times confused with his own. Sometimes she reveals most in absence.

The fluidity of the voice is ensnaring, and I would love to hear this read aloud. There is a transfixing quality to the rhythm of the prose and as a result the imagined sound of these words spoken was very strong in my mind’s ear (there is such a thing, I swear) as I was reading.

The tone is a melancholic one, busting with regrets, remembrances and weariness. This is tempered with highly poetic descriptions of the characters who move through this death world, their shifting natures and definitions apt for a state so loaded with heightened emotion. Dominating these shapeshifters is the ominous wendigo, a supernatural creature of myth, which manifests in a very personal invocation. Characters glide - all is in the dreamy space of simultaneous flux and stasis.

Within the preternatural habitat and near mystical sojourns of the narrative, there is a quiet reflectiveness that really aches. And it is the strength of this voice which anchors, especially as this novella seems to have lostness at its core. It is open to interpretation, very purposefully so. As an exploration of a man adrift it is very affecting. I like this author’s style very much and want to read more from him.… (mehr)

From the back cover - Wade “Brown Bottle” Taylor is an alcoholic uncle trying to protect his nephew Nick from the hardness of their region, Eastern Kentucky, and the world in general. To end Nick’s involvement with drugs and drug dealers, Brown must first save himself, overcoming a lifetime spent convinced he is unworthy. Brown Bottle’ journey is one of selflessness and love, redemption and sacrifice, if only for a time.

My reactions
I received this book from the publisher with a commitment to read, comment and participate in an on-line book chat with the author.

Compton writes a gritty, no-holds-barred tale of a man struggling to do what is right. Brown’s sister has abandoned her son, Nick, and Brown tries his best to raise the boy, but Nick is in the grips of drugs and drug dealers. Brown recognizes the signs of despair and hopelessness in his nephew – he should, he lives in despair himself.

Compton is best known for his short stories; this is his first full-length novel. His ability with the short-story format shows in his writing. There are several vignettes that would make great short stories all by themselves – Brown’s “relationship” with Blair for example, or how Mrs Bell gets addicted to painkillers. If there is a failing in this novel it’s that sometimes Compton fails to adequately weave the vignettes together. The novel is only 164 pages long, and could have used more connective tissue.… (mehr)

This is a gritty novel revolving chiefly around Wade "Brown Bottle" Taylor and his nephew Nick. Wade earned his nickname as a long time alcoholic, and now he's trying to save teenage Nick from going further and further downhill with drinking and other substance abuse. There is nothing glorified or pretty about the depiction of these issues, but rather a more honest, blunt approach.

It's a book that started rather slowly for me and was hard for me to get into at first, as neither of these people was easy for me to learn to like and/or root for in any way, but it's one of those books that gets better as it goes on. The last third of the book was where I had a hard time putting it down to finish the next day. I have to admit that if I hadn't won this book with the agreement to participate in an author discussion, I probably wouldn't have read very far, and that would have been a shame because Compton can write, and write well. And I do not always give a positive rating to books I win for reviews, because that's not honest.

This is a book by an Indie press, so there are some typos that in no way ruined the story and it's always great to support Indie publishing companies, recording labels, etc.… (mehr)