Description
Author Sean Chercover Reviews The Fort by Aric Davis The Fort is that rare and welcome find—a book so great you want to recommend it to strangers on the subway. From page one, you know you're in good hands. Aric Davis writes with a voice so singular, so authentic, his story becomes a separate reality—not just read, but experienced. The endless summer of 1987 stretches out before Tim, Scott, and Luke—best friends and blood-brothers who spend their days... Read the rest of this review at www.kindlepost.com . From Booklist Davis’ growing rep as a brawny, flinty mystery writer won’t be dampened by this straightforward but impressively dogged tale of abduction and lies. Three 12-year-old boys—Tim, Scott, and Luke—are watching the summer of 1987 die from their treehouse fort when they see something incredible: a missing teen girl being pushed through the forest at gunpoint. Grabbing the rifle that Scott lifted from his stepdad, Luke shoots the gunman in the leg. They run for the cops but are discounted as liars. Davis spreads the point of view across the boys, the detective on the case, and the kidnapper himself—a rattled Vietnam vet killing girls in search of a replacement for his long-lost sister. To clear their names, the boys determine to solve the mystery for themselves, and their brave investigation plugs into dark Bradburian nostalgia, complete with sneaking out of bedroom windows, secret codes, and the kind of blood-brother friendship that only exists before the capricious twists of manhood. Few surprises await here, but that’s okay—Davis makes the hard, fast journey a destination in itself. From Kirkus Reviews Like Megan Abbott’s The End of Everything , The Fort is about youth cheated of its innocence. It’s the summer of 1987, and from the ostensible safety of their tree house in Grand Rapids, Michigan, three boys see what they’re sure is a man pressing a gun to the back of 16-year-old Molly Peterson. The problem is, no one—including the police—believes their story, even though Molly has indeed vanished. So, against all good sense, those boys decide they must find and rescue Molly—a decision that puts them in the treacherous path of a Vietnam vet who’ll kill to locate his own lost sister. “With a sure hand and a compassionate eye, Aric Davis in The Fort chillingly portrays the intrusion of casual evil into the normal suburban life of kids, parents and cops.” ―Max Allan Collins, New York Times Bestselling author of Road to Perdition , and What Doesn’t Kill Her “His natural storytelling style reminded me of a young Stephen King and the pacing was much like that of a James Patterson thriller. I feel like he has taken a turn with this book, from being a good writer to a great one.” ― Author Exposure “A beautiful story of intrigue and suspense…Aric has written a lot more than a coming of age story, as it is much deeper emotionally and paced perfectly. The Fort is the perfect summer read, and should be on your reading list.” ― Suspense Magazine "With a sure hand and a compassionate eye, Aric Davis in The Fort chillingly portrays the intrusion of casual evil into the normal suburban life of kids, parents and cops." -Max Allan Collins, NYT Bestselling author of Road to Perdition , and What Doesnt Kill Her "His natural storytelling style reminded me of a young Stephen King and the pacing was much like that of a James Patterson thriller. I feel like he has taken a turn with this book, from being a good writer to a great one." - Author Exposure "a beautiful story of intrigue and suspense . . . Aric has written a lot more than a coming of age story, as it is much deeper emotionally and paced perfectly. The Fort is the perfect summer read, and should be on your reading list.”- Suspense Magazine Born in Ithaca, New York, Aric Davis has lived most his life in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is the author of A Good and Useful Hurt and the acclaimed YA novel Nickel Plated , called by Gillian Flynn a “dark but humane, chilling and sometimes heart-breaking work of noir” and given a “Top 10” Booklist designation in 2011. A punk-music and tattoo aficionado, Davis has been a professional body piercer for sixteen years. He and his wife and daughter live in the chilly Midwest, where they can enjoy roller coasters, hockey, and cold weather. Read more
Features & Highlights
- During the waning summer days of 1987, a deranged Vietnam vet stalks Grand Rapids, Michigan, abducting and murdering nameless victims from the streets, leaving no leads for police. That is, until he picks up sixteen-year-old Molly. From their treehouse fort in the woods, three neighborhood boys spy the killer holding a gun to Molly’s back. They go to the police―only to have their story disregarded. But the boys know evil lives in their midst. A growing sense of honor and urgency forces the boys to take action―to find Molly, to protect themselves, to stand guard for the last long days of summer.
- At turns heartbreaking and breathtakingly thrilling,
- The Fort
- perfectly renders a coming-of-age story in the 1980s, in those final days of childhood independence, discovery, and paradise lost.
