The Unlikely World of Faraway Frankie by Keith Brooke

[Anthony G Williams]

This recently published book, which has an introduction by Adam Roberts, is the tale of an overweight teenager, the butt of cruel humour at school, who escapes into vivid daydreams of the way he would like his world to be. He is shaken when he discovers that the real world is gradually changing to match his dreams - his broken family is reunited and even his twin sister, killed in an accident two years before, reappears as if nothing had happened. He finds that he is able, with an effort of will, to change events to suit himself. But no sooner does he master this than he realises that his control is being challenged and is beginning to slip; for there is a rival power in the town, the mysterious, never-seen Owner, who seems to know exactly what Frankie is up to.

The Unlikely World of Faraway Frankie has a clearly-written style which will appeal to young and old alike, with an engaging combination of closely observed reality against a surreal, dream-like background. The story of Frankie's forced growth to maturity holds the attention to the unexpected but satisfying conclusion. I suspect that this is one which will stay in my mind for a long time, and will remain on my shelf for a future re-read.
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A rare sighting recently - a new review of my novel Scales. It has appeared in this blog: One Geek's Mind: Thoughts on "Scales" . An extract from the introduction to the review:

Most likely you haven’t read this book because you didn’t know it existed. The novel was published through Authors Online LTD a British company formed in 1997 which publishes novels online and can also now print novels on demand.

Before I say anymore, I have to be honest here, I know the author of this novel through cyberspace. Tony and I have both been active posters at Yahoo’s Classic Science Fiction Message Board for many years. So, I will admit that I might have some bias. But those who know me and/or those who have read some of my reviews, know that I’m not one that minces words or lets authors off easy.

So you know I am being completely honest when I say that “Scales” is such a great Science Fiction novel it deserved a Hugo Award nomination.

I’m sure those who haven’t read the book are sort of checking out mentally or thinking to themselves, “this guy is a really good friend.” But those who have read the novel understand why it is worthy of such high praise.

A reminder: you can read my thoughts on writing the novel, plus all published reviews, on my website HERE: The future of humanity rests in his hands , where you can also download the entire novel as an e-book free of charge - and you're not likely to get a better offer than that all week!

(An extract from my SFF blog)

 

[Stephen Palmer]

In his four excellent novels as Nick Gifford, Keith Brooke explored worlds of the young adult where things go wrong - often seriously wrong. Filled with images of macabre seasides, factory farming, terrible schools, haunted houses and much, much more, the books were marvellous entertainment, often moving and sometimes hard hitting. In this new book, which in many respects follows on from the Nick Gifford books, Keith Brooke again portrays a world as seen by a boy. But, as ever, there is something wrong...

The Frankie of the title is a podgy, ill-at-ease schoolboy whose sister was killed in an accident and whose family is dysfunctional and terribly British. He suffers school by playing along with the bullies and trying to be funny - as do so many. But Frankie knows a secret world of the imagination where he can retreat when things get too much to cope with. One day he begins to realise that the seaside town in which he lives resembles Faraway (the name he has given his imaginary world) in certain respects, and as he explores he notices more and more similarities. His confidence increases as things begin to go his way, until he becomes almost happy in this peculiar, other world.

Of course, it can't last. Faraway has its own rules and a mysterious Owner, and Frankie begins to learn the unavoidable law of the adult world, which is that all actions have consequences. Slowly, Faraway begins to unravel, and the people he has brought with him begin to suffer. If I explained how this happens and how Frankie copes I would spoil this involving, readable, superbly judged and perfectly paced novel... so I won't. Suffice to say it is a marvellous tale of childhood gone wrong and an entry into the sad and sometimes inexplicable world of the adult. Highly recommended - as are all four Nick Gifford novels.