ELOM, a Bookman review.
By The Bookman, 8th Jan 2011 | Follow this author
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First time authors often don't succeed, then there is Bill.
ELOM, a Bookman review.
ELOM, a Bookman review.
In a rather odd life I have met dozens of authors. First attending bookfairs and shows, then selling as a vendor for personal and corporate purposes, later running the blasted things, finally semi-retired and attending sometimes as guest, or guest of guest.
Many of the authors that I have met are deeply insecure people. Writing is a solitary profession, no mandatory meetings till you really 'make' it, no project due dates where you have to hope everyone else does their job, or failing that DO THEIR job for them. New writers in particular can be sensitve.
So to find a new friend and then agree to review, honestly, his book is a daunting situation.
You don't want to take one and 'lose' it to avoid hurt feelings, you don't want to write a dishonest review, so most times you never quite get around to taking the book.
I met William H. Drinkard at the conference in Birmingham early this year and found that we shared a rather skewed sense of humor, I asked him if he'd like me to review his book.
I usually don't volunteer, with three catalogs now coming to the house to choose works out of, adding another is a hard decision, but in this case I am glad that I did.
Elom is William H. Drinkard's first novel, and like many first novelists he writes looong.
At 544 pages this is one of the longest, biggest books I have read for review in quite awhile. At first I caught myself finding fault with the thing, resentful of the investment of time required to finish it, but when it was over, finished and done, I found myself missing the characters.
Any first time author should be delighted about that.
Bill's characters breathe and live, do things that we all do in the course of living, learning, growing.
This is not a usual thing in many sectors of the science fiction genre'.
All I can say is that when I found that the plot was ongoing and a sequel was alluded to at the end to finish this heroic story I found myself looking forward to it!
Below this review I have included some of the publishers information on the book, decide for yourself!
..."Fire from the Goddess and the meat and furs of the mammoth are all that the People need to live. It is a harsh life but a good one and it is one that all cherish.
Young Geerna knows that the time has come for her to become a woman and take up the tasks to keep her people safe. She waits in the Awakening Place, fearful and hopeful as her ordeals come to an end. Then, on the eve of her Womanhood, a shining light descends upon her and her world is torn asunder.
And she embarks on a journey that none of her people could ever envision...
Eons have passed. Cycle upon cycle the Way of the People have remain unchanged: women are artists, men are hunters. Geerna's Law is the covenant by which humans live in harmony and peace.
But all is about to change. A call has come for The People to choose their champions, and a summons to meet the mysterious creatures who selected Geerna so long ago.
All is unknown. As the brave souls who are chosen venture forth, they will come to discover just how much that pact that Geerna made so long ago has cost them.
And they will have to confront the choices that might help them to finally know true freedom."
William H. Drinkard, an Alabama native, is a life long SF addict and now a SF writer.
His main interest is SF novels with realistic alien cultures.
He collects old books and first editions (non-SF, mostly 18th & 19th century works).
He also collects Pre-Colombian Art and Middle-Eastern artifacts.
He is the outgoing Chairman of the Alabama Historical Commission, which has charge of the State Capitol plus many of the state's historical sites. In his multifaceted life, he has been the VP of an advertising agency, a politician, hospital administrator, and real estate developer.
He now operates a consulting business.
Drinkard earned a BS at Auburn University and a MBA at Jacksonville State University.
Elom is his first novel.
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