Shrader Marks: Keelhouse by Rob Smith

by Rob Smith

-Beneath the guise of imaginative fiction, Shrader Keelhouse explores the interrelationships of technology and culture, authority and rule, storytelling and survival. Shrader Keelhouse contains the complete two-volume saga which began with Rob Smith's debut novel, Night Voices. After its release in 2006, readers who had followed Cathy Pearson, Shrader Marks, and the flotilla of Great Lakes refugees wanted more. Here is the continuation of that story, an adventure which follows the exiles in their new life along the North Atlantic coast. Keelhouse picks up the narrative five years later as a broken world begins to reshape itself. In the emerging reality of a world stripped of much of its technology, the voices which haunted Shrader on the first voyage seem benign compared with rivaling human incursions. This double volume contains both an updated Night Voices and the much anticipated first release of Keelhouse. Readers will not miss any part of the compelling action.

Paperback

First published April 2, 2012

About the author

Rob Smith lives and writes on Ohio's north coast. He enjoys sailing, and when not working on his novels, he is refurbishing an 1850’s house which was built by a ship’s carpenter turned lighthouse keeper. In addition to his prose, he is also known for his poetry. In 2006 he won the Robert Frost Poetry Award from the Frost Foundation in Lawrence, MA. He holds an undergraduate degree from Westminster College in Pennsylvania and master and doctoral degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary.

To learn more about the author, visit his website at: SmithWrite.net

Reviews

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

FAST, FURIOUS AND FASCINATING.

“There’s a time when you just have to let go and deal with life as it comes.”

Laced with hints of geology, mythology and anthropology, Rob Smith's exciting double-novel, 'Shrader Marks: Keelhouse,' rifles the reader with compelling characters and a riveting, page-turning, storyline, filigreed with fantasy. More stories about the early peoples of Eastern Canada (my favorite parts), or even about the Quebecois for that matter, might have hijacked my fifth star.

Recommendation: A whale of an adventure tale. An excellent read for fans of adventure, dystopia and/or fantasy—as well as fans of just plain, old-fashioned, good storytelling.

“ ‘I know some stories,’ he said, and her choice was sealed.”

Kindle digital edition, on iPad

[Rob Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Novelists can invest a lot of their inner-self in a book. While more removed from my actual life than the McGowan books, Shrader Marks: Keelhouse reflects so many of my values which get wrapped in its imaginative fiction.

The original readers of Night Voices immediately wanted to know what happened to the people who sailed out the St. Lawrence six years ago. My only excuse for not being more prompt with the sequel is that I took my characters out of the world of my familiarity. In the first story they were on sailboats. That is a world I know. In the second, however, they were on the North Atlantic coast. In 2010, I broke my writer's block by going to the Canadian Maritimes. Once I felt comfortable with the coastline and the vegetation, the plot moved quickly ahead.

I know that "parents" are not supposed to have favorites, but this one is mine!

[Nancy Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two books in one...this one combines both an updated version of "Night Voices" with its sequel, "Keelhouse". Shrader Marks figures prominently in both novels. He and Cathy Pearson lead a flotilla of sailors out the St. Lawrence Seaway when he begins having dreams about an unfolding global disaster, and with his anthropological knowledge of the lives of Neolithic people, he leads their flotilla north. In book two, Keelhouse, their story continues five years later, but they are not the only ones who survived the asteroid strike, the rising waters of the oceans, and global winter. A highly recommended read by this reader; it's a pageturner.

[Billy Buttons · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:

Star Rating 4 stars
Number of Readers 16

Readers’ Comments
‘I enjoyed this book very much; the first part more than the second. It is well written and there is PLENTY happening. Terrible cover, mind. I thought it was a book on fishing or the arctic circle. I think, of the books I have read for The Wishing Shelf Award, this book has the most inappropriate cover. Still, a good read.’ Man, aged 45

‘So, what did I like. Well, I liked the adventure and I liked the sprinkling of facts. I also liked Shrader; he was interesting to follow and a good hero for this type of story. And, finally, I liked the nautical angle of the book. What did I not like. I thought the pacing, particularly in the second part, was a bit slow and I HATED the cover. It’s awful!’ Woman, aged 34

‘An interesting plot. Could it happen? Probably. They say it happened to the dinosaurs. A solid page turner. Enjoyable with a message hidden in there.’ Man, aged 57

Stats
Of the 16 readers:
14 would read another book by this author
12 thought the best part was the plot.
5 thought the central message was the most interesting part of the book.
16 suggested changing the cover so it looks less like a BBC nature film.

‘A very enjoyable, exciting adventure and an interesting insight into the world’s possible future.’ The Wishing Shelf Awards

[Edwina Book Anaconda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think that I would have really enjoyed this book when I was in my twenties and my memory was much better. I had a horrible time trying to keep track of who was who and the alternating back and forth between using first and last names had me flipping backwards in the book way too often.
My advice to new readers: Make yourself a who's who cheat sheet.

[Chris Underwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very imaginative story. The psychological aspects of this book were interesting and deeper than I normally go for, but were alright for this story. This is an earth-altering story, so having something mystical happen actually kind of works. The nautical prepping aspects of this book was very educational and the part that I liked the best. Such a cool story.

[Csimplot Simplot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book!!!

[Khristi Dewberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book a real page turner. Thanks for the free copy. Enjoyed it.

[Darlene Franklin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The combination of culture, history, science, and sailing.....this book could have something for everyone!