Author Gene Frechin, “The Event”, gives a fresh treatment to the epic struggle between good and evil in the wake of a world-shattering “event”. The main character, Jack Macklin, reluctantly leads an assortment of characters including; Bud, his canine benefactor; little Billy, orphaned by the “event”; Anna, who falls for Jack in a big way; and Matt, the disenchanted legless Vietnam veteran who becomes Jack’s strong right arm; to the New West Ranch. Here, they prepare for what certainly will be an onslaught from the dark, evil force that has entered their world.
The book shifts from first-person to omniscient perspective frequently, but this lent a ‘journal-like’ quality to Jack’s narration of events as he saw them, and provided the other characters a chance to tell their stories under believable circumstances. The characters are defined clearly. For instance, Matt the Vietnam vet, seems only to express himself through profanity until Jack appoints him head of the New West Ranch militia. He then becomes all business.
The character of Matt was the most sympathetic character to this reader. Not because of his war-related infirmities, but because of deeper scars left by war. This character could only have been crafted by someone with a heart-felt affinity for Vietnam War veterans and their struggles.
The surprise ending is interesting and creative and gives this book much of its appeal. I found myself anxious to reach the end and discover the mysteries of “The Event”.
Dallas Wilkinson, author of 'Sidekick Harry and the Remarkable Three'
A Review: The Event
Author: Gene Frechin
ISBN: 1-4137-8011-3
Occasionally one comes across a book that truly engages the mind of a reader. At times a book will engage one to the extent that not only do you not want to put it down, but the content causes physical things to happen inside of you while you’re reading. The Event was like that for me—it was an experience. It was not merely reading a novel.
Mr. Frechin writes in a style that to me is clearly a man’s style—no getting around that, but one that anyone would enjoy. I prefer his style and have seen it rarely. The first person account is maintained throughout the upwards of what must be a 150,000 word novel (I mention that here because there is another pertinent reason that appears in this review) and keeps it on course. Third person is used for other characters that are added as time and developments take you on a post apocalyptic journey into some very heady human behavior and motivation issues before the final battle between good and evil.
The author takes you on an adventure—and fantasy of a kind—of what it could be like if the world suddenly changed and relatively few people were left to carry on life. What he writes, he writes credibly, sometimes he’s tough, but he’s real in this scenario all the time. The intrigue, tension, and excitement does not falter or slow down. His use of the language does not even come close to seeming redundant. It is crisp, clear, and realistic—somehow he manages to make every dialog, thought, interaction and every chapter fresh and new. These traits hold up through the entire text, an epic dreamscape of biblical proportions.
Mr. Frechin builds the story and brings the reader into the world one can only imagine and as forces from the spiritual realm—perhaps from inside each of us—a complex allegory of haunting human inner conflicts emerge—as major conflicts and challenges are faced to survive. He has sufficiently and expertly simplified a number of human elements to tell a great story.
To sum my impressions of this work: When the aging veteran battles the “Father,” I felt nerves in my spine running up and down. That doesn’t happen for me very often.
I recommend the book. It’s not merely interesting; it’s a gutsy adventure.
Andrew Huddleston, author of 'Heart & Iron'
