Literary Titan
All Roads Lead To Lawrence, by Craig Leener, is a lively science fiction story that follows the life of a young man named Zeke, his friend and their lives; which revolve around the game of basketball. Everything starts to go terribly wrong as they approach their summer break. Someone dies, his girlfriend Rebecca makes a decision that will change the course of their relationship, and one of his friends is in a terrible accident. Zeke is forced to grow up and take responsibility for his life and how he affects those around him. Then things begin to get really strange when an unusual character starts to cross his path. Being no stranger to weird happenings, Zeke knows he needs the help of his friends, especially his autistic friend Lawrence, to try and figure out what is going on.
From one of the very first lines, ââ?¬Å"My name is Zeke Archer, and thatââ?¬â?¢s where this strange tale begins.ââ?¬Â? the author establishes the point of view, sets the level of intrigue, and prepares readers for the extraordinary things that are about to occur. I enjoyed this opening from a technical perspective, but this also shows the sharp writing of author Craig Leener. From here readers will be engaged with the first person narrative, and feel more involved in the story. This is important since this is the second book in the series. You donââ?¬â?¢t necessarily have to have read book one to pick this book up, you can enjoy it on itââ?¬â?¢s own, but you may way to read book one just to get a full appreciation for the character and story arc over the series.
Many themes are touched upon throughout the story which offer advice for young readers, especially teenage readers who may find themselves in a similar situation (minus the science fiction parts). For example the subject of the death of a loved one or having a sibling in the U.S. Marine Corps is explored in the story in a delicate and respectful way. Telling this story from the first person perspective allows the reader to get an insight into how someone in this situation may feel. Furthermore, by following the characters facing pivotal life lessons such as getting their first job, it makes the tale more relatable and provides useful tips that the reader can apply in their own lives.
I was amazed by the level of imagination that is infused throughout this story and the clever way in which young adult science fiction and basketball is woven together throughout the book. Having read other stories in this series, it is nice to gain further details about the characters and I am sure they have so much more to give. I would definitely recommend this read to others as the short chapters make it easily digestible and the fun plot make this an entertaining story from start to finish.
