James Boice

The year is 1984, and Richard "Richie" Cunningham gets bad news from his hometown in Milwaukee. Arthur Fonzarelli, his best friend when he was growing up, the Fonz is dead. Fonzie was driving his motorcycle when he crossed a bridge and lost control and into the guardrail. He went over the handlebar into the water, but no body has been found. Crushed Richard gets back home to the memorial service for Fonzie. In Milwaukee, the memories of his youth come back, but he also realizes the death of the Fonz may be something other than accidental. It may have been murder.

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Usually when someone contacts me via email about reading their book, they give me a description of it and I say sure, send it, or no that’s not for me. And usually, if the description includes a phrase like “gangster noir epic set a thousand years into the future.” I’ll pass because, well, that’s just not for me, in most cases. Usually, the name on the book is not James Boice. I said it once, when I reviewed NoVA, and I’ll repeat it here: I don’t know why this guy doesn’t get more attention.

The Good and the Ghastly is as described in that email. Set in 3348, after the war and the nuclear destruction, after 1000 years of crawling back to a time that reflects our own. Bits of ancient history seep through the years – the great leaders and artists who stand tall throughout the centuries – Alexander the Great, Bob Dylan, Sarah Palin. Thank god Visa is there to hold everything together.

more at Three Guys One Book… (mere)