Martyrs' Tomb

Rating:
Summary: Martyrs' Tomb-- Fresh New Fiction with a Message
Review: Five Stars

This new author is well worth some attention.

In Martyrs' Tomb Hicks brings a refreshingly honest voice to fiction. His tale of intrigue at a South Florida drug rehabilitation program is first rate, page turning, detective mystery. But there is something deeper going on in this message rich novel. Hicks articulates with fierce clarity the real frustrations felt by those who struggle in the school choice movement. Hicks brings a dynamic realism to his characters. Surely this is born of the author's many years of experience as a psychologist. No cardboard stereotypes here, rather complex human beings struggling with a complex issue.

Hicks' parable helps one grasp the substance of the school choice debate that is bubbling up from the grass roots in so many places today. Hicks makes it clear that school choice cannot be understood by listening to the sound bites of the spin doctors. In his powerful story he reveals the real school choice movement, a human drama about real people with real problems seeking real solutions. His book takes you inside the deep aspirations of parents facing the heroic task of raising and educating children in today's world. Reading this story I found myself caught up in the who-dun-it plot of the story. Yet there were times when I also found myself pausing and looking at the world through the eyes of the story's protagonist Peter Shepherd. Peter is an intelligent, compassionate, helping professional who fights with himself and others to understand why a better solution cannot be found for so urgent a human dilemma as faces our children today.

I know that not every reader will agree with Hicks perspective on school choice, but I think most will appreciate and be refreshed by how his story telling ability has raised the level of the conversation about school choice. The poignancy of Hicks tale leads one to believe that it is still possible to have a productive and human discourse about issues that really matter.

A good book,with a good message. An added benifit to St. Pete natives, it is nice to read a novel set in the familiar Tampa Bay Area.

Rating:
Summary: Martyrs' Tomb-- Fresh New Fiction with a Message
Review: Five Stars

This new author is well worth some attention.

In Martyrs' Tomb Hicks brings a refreshingly honest voice to fiction. His tale of intrigue at a South Florida drug rehabilitation program is first rate, page turning, detective mystery. But there is something deeper going on in this message rich novel. Hicks articulates with fierce clarity the real frustrations felt by those who struggle in the school choice movement. Hicks brings a dynamic realism to his characters. Surely this is born of the author's many years of experience as a psychologist. No cardboard stereotypes here, rather complex human beings struggling with a complex issue.

Hicks' parable helps one can grasp the substance of the school choice debate that is bubbling up from the grass roots in so many places today. Hicks makes it clear that school choice cannot be understood by listening to the sound bites of the spin doctors. By his powerful story he reveals the real school choice movement, a human drama about real people with real problems seeking real solutions. His book takes you inside the deep aspirations of parents facing the heroic task of raising and educating children in today's world. Reading this story I found myself caught up in the who-dun-it plot of the story. Yet there were times when I also found myself pausing and looking at the world through the eyes of the story's protagonist Peter Sheppard. Peter is an intelligent, compassionate, helping professional who fights with himself and others to understand why a better solution cannot be found for so urgent a human dilemma as faces our children today.

I know that not every reader will agree with Hicks' perspective on school choice, but I think most will appreciate and be refreshed by how his story telling ability has raised the level of the conversation about school choice. The poignancy of Hicks' tale leads one to believe that it is still possible to have a productive and human discourse about issues that really matter.

A good book,with a good message. An added benifit to St. Pete natives, it is nice to read a novel set in the familiar Tampa Bay Area.

Rating:
Summary: A dark and compelling novel
Review: Mack Hicks' Martyrs' Tomb is a dark and compelling novel about psychologist Peter Sheppherd who is ordered by the court to counsel a rebellious teen, only to find himself becoming involved in a deceitful and deadly conspiracy to foster violence in America's public schools. Shocking, riveting, and as mesmerizing as it is plausible, Martyrs' Tomb is a contemporary mainstream novel that leaves an imprint on the reader's mind and imagination long after the last page is turned.