Reckoning

By Arvin Short

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0981744206
• ISBN13: 9780981744209
• Release Date: January 2009
• Publisher: Rogers Pub & Consulting Inc
• Length: 200 Pages
• Weight: 0.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 5.9" x 0.4" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Reckoning - Excellent

Excellent and entertaining read. The story carries you along and you feel part of everything happening. Very unexpected and brilliant ending.

A riveting mystery

Author Arvin Short grew up in Oklahoma. He lives in Texas now, but obviously his Oklahoma roots still draw him back to his boyhood years. "Reckoning" is set in an imaginary Oklahoma town, with Albie Stone, age 14, the storyteller. His tale begins on a June morning in 1954. Albie fishes, swims, rides bikes and hangs out with friends before deciding to explore some caves outside of town to add some excitement to the summer. A chance encounter with an elderly, silver-haired Indian gentleman adds a magical quality to the weekend campout at the caves. Hoping to meet the Indian again, Albie and his friends return to the caves several weeks later. But instead of finding the Indian, they discover an escaped murderer is hiding in the caves and the boys find themselves fighting to survive. It's a riveting mystery. The writing is crisp and the teenage boys are believable in their actions and conversations.

A great read!

Arvin Short is a M.D. in general surgery. He graduated with Southwestern Oklahoma State University and earned his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma. He has lived and practiced medicine in Texas for more than thirty years. Set in 1954 in small-town Oklahoma, RECKONING is both a tale of coming of age for teenage boys amidst a backdrop of adventure exploring caves during summer vacation. Albie Stone is the unlikely hero of the story, as he is also exploring the depths of his own personality. For a fourteen year old, fitting in and being liked is of paramount importance. Albie has found two best friends, and their attempts to behave like boys are threatened by a murderer on the loose and a ring of hooligan bullies who dog their every step: "'Hear that, Jason?' Tucker shouted to his friend, who remained on the side of the pool. 'He wants me to leave him alone. Well, I think I'll dunk him good this time!' Down went Norbert again. I stood by foolishly, not making any attempt to aid my friend. I felt self-contempt and shame as I realized I was afraid to interfere, because to do so would give Tucker an excuse to turn on me. I watched stupidly as Butch continued to hold the now struggling Norbert under water. As the struggle became more intense and frantic, it dawned on me that the little guy was getting short of air. Tucker made no move to let him up, and soon Norbert was flailing desperately, trying to free himself from the bigger and stronger boy's grasp." RECKONING is a little like a modern day Huck Finn story with a menacing murderer and lots of adolescent boy activities. Arvin Short has written an entertaining read with an exciting plot line; believable characters; a ghost story that is both tragic and compelling; bullies the reader loves to hate; and, finally, two sorts of reckonings for Albie Stone. One involves his own value system, and one involves the fight of his life. A great read! Shelley Glodowski Senior Reviewer