Cotler channels classic poets to imbue his narrative with fluid sound and rhythm. T. Zachary Cotler illuminates the beautiful, disturbed mind of a fictional poet in his transcendent novel, "Ghost at the Loom". Cotler, known and... Read More

Power’s prose reflects the magic in her narrative. Don’t say that Susan Power uses magical realism. This would suggest that the fictional world she presents is an alternate reality, not a real part of everyday experience. However,... Read More

Ghostly and symbolic, the Scottish island setting gives this supernatural tale authenticity. The Shetland Islands of Scotland are remote and relatively isolated—the perfect setting for Adam Grydehøj’s novel of the supernatural, "I... Read More

Intimate settings and deep character development break down the internal rationalizations that allowed the apartheid to last. A literary study of domestic South Africa, "The Crack" mirrors the wider political situation of the Soweto... Read More

Bleak beginnings drive Richard to foolhardy lengths in an effort to escape his roots, revealing universal insights into family and youth. Relentless roadblocks stall Richard Logan’s journey to manhood in this moody coming-of-age story... Read More

The Adirondack is conveyed in poetic terms, with a tragedy set against several years in the snowy, rugged locale. Mary Sanders Shartle paints a strong portrait of New York’s rugged Adirondack region in her debut novel, "The Truth and... Read More

Skoyles presents a sharp snapshot of an era while employing thoughtful themes of self-doubt and the search for mentorship. Poet John Skoyles’s autobiographical novel, "A Moveable Famine", reveals his coming of age as a writer, from his... Read More

A story told through the eyes of five family members compellingly conveys the splintering effect of tragedy. Ralph Cohen has challenged himself in his first published novel, "After Dad", to address the dark side of a family devastated by... Read More