The Pass

Rating:
Summary: timely, rich and relevant
Review: Don Stancavish's "The Pass" paints in vivid detail the complex relationship between man's capacity for humane and inhumane treatment of fellow man. This relationship has a timliness and relevance which allows the reader a creeping sense of perspective in today's world of escalating religious bigotry and heinous acts of terrorism. The plush, rich prose places me so close to rural New Jersey in the fall I can smell the leaves as they decay under a steel gray sky. Apart from a few minor technical details of anatomy and pathology, the book is flawlessly written and describes well the current state of life, and football fanaticism, in small-town America. I anticipate the next offering from Mr. Stancavish.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant debut!
Review: Only once in a very long while does an author come along that can find a common thread amongst the population and use it to stir and inspire. The story about how a popular football hero in a small town takes a much less gifted teammate and helps polish him for the mere second in his life that becomes the beacon of his memory is astoundingly moving. Indeed I could feel the tears well up in my eyes as my fingers compelled me to keep page turning until the climax was reached. But what was most impressive was the fact the author worked under the presumption that the reader is an intelligent purveyor of writing. Unlike some novels where the writer must beat the reader over the head with the paintbrush used for creating the artform until all things subtle are ruined in an overt lecture, this talented young author paints his pictures knowing that the informed interpreter can gather the messages on their own. This piece should be considered by many high school teachers to be required reading, not only for the inspirational content of the story, but for an instructional example of stylistic writing. Those less inclined to read might find the parallel to a story like "Rudy" enough to get them to breeze right through this brief work by an author destined for many more successes.

Rating:
Summary: An Excellent First Novel
Review: This is a very well written and enjoyable book. Like other great novels, the characters and places in this book are very accessible and real, which gives the story the feeling that it could have taken place in your own town. I was so absorbed in the story that I literally could not put the book down until I had finished it. This book definitely falls into the category of real literature, rather than pulp fiction, and reading it I was reminded of some of the greats in this genre, like Richard Ford. It is hard to believe that this is the first novel by Mr. Stancavish. I certainly hope that we see another book from him soon.