What do you think?
Rate this book
The Year of The Bull
Brian Cooper is having a very bad day. He’s awakened with the worst hangover of his life. He’s lying next to the date from hell who won’t leave. And a vow he made in his childhood has suddenly appeared on his front door to haunt him. To top it all off it’s the Year of the Bull, which, according to the crazy little waiter at a trendy Chinese restaurant may be his lucky year IF he actually lives through it. As the day progresses, however, that seems less and less likely…
Join Brian in the adventure of his life as he rekindles passions he thought were dead, finds the hero inside him and rights the wrongs of this world in this hysterical fairytale for adults.
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Year-Bull-ebook...
Barnes and Noble:
Join Brian in the adventure of his life as he rekindles passions he thought were dead, finds the hero inside him and rights the wrongs of this world in this hysterical fairytale for adults.
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Year-Bull-ebook...
Barnes and Noble:
254 pages, ebook
First published August 15, 2012
5 people want to read
About the author
Hayden Chance
6 books13 followersHayden Chance was born with the insane notion that he came here to bring magic back into the world.
At 30 he discovered, much to his chagrin, that there was not a world of enchantment living behind the dusty shelves of University offices and libraries the way children’s books had sworn there was. What did live there was mold, contact dermatitis, angry women who hated Shakespeare for being a man and pale introverts with non-gender specific names who liked vegetarian Pad Thai.
Unimpressed by these discoveries he decided to leave teaching forever and strike out for a life of adventure!
He believes in showing the numinous behind the mundane. The mystical in the everyday lives of men and women (and animals). And he believes that truth is best received wrapped in a tortilla of laughter. (Did you like that poetic imagery?)
He is a Virgo, is vehemently against political correctness and knows how to kill in three seconds. Seven seconds if he hasn’t had his coffee yet.
At 30 he discovered, much to his chagrin, that there was not a world of enchantment living behind the dusty shelves of University offices and libraries the way children’s books had sworn there was. What did live there was mold, contact dermatitis, angry women who hated Shakespeare for being a man and pale introverts with non-gender specific names who liked vegetarian Pad Thai.
Unimpressed by these discoveries he decided to leave teaching forever and strike out for a life of adventure!
He believes in showing the numinous behind the mundane. The mystical in the everyday lives of men and women (and animals). And he believes that truth is best received wrapped in a tortilla of laughter. (Did you like that poetic imagery?)
He is a Virgo, is vehemently against political correctness and knows how to kill in three seconds. Seven seconds if he hasn’t had his coffee yet.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 7, 2013
This was my first time reading Hayden Chance and it will definitely not be my last. How did this author slip past me? I came upon him by accident surfing GR and hitting links that looked interesting which ultimately brought me to Hayden’s blog where he had some fascinating posts that made me want to read his work.
The Year of the Bull is an adult fairytale that’s fun and funny, quirky and sweet, creepy and scary, it’s full of adventure and fantasy and I couldn’t put it down. Hayden’s story had me rolling on the floor laughing. It has characters from fairytales I read as a child, obviously not written in remotely the same way but I had fun trying to figure out who they were and I loved the fact he had me stumped a couple of times it made it all the more hilarious when it was revealed who these characters represented from the fairytales of my childhood.
Where this story is very similar to the fairytales or fables we have all read is the underlying message it has. The MC Brian starts out as a character that is lost, he’s someone that doesn’t trust in people or more importantly in himself. He’s given up on his dreams and lives his life from day to day thinking this is all his life is going to be. Magical things happen to Brian through the course of the story, things that make him realize it’s important to be yourself and when you do wonderful things can come your way, it’s a lesson everyone should live by.
Whether you read this story for the pure enjoyment of it or you’re a person that likes their stories to have a message you won’t go wrong with this one. Like most fairytales there is an HEA for the MC’s and an HEA for one of the secondary characters that took me by surprise and made me shed a tear or two.
Thank you Hayden for writing this wonderful story and making me laugh, you hit the nail right on the head with this one for me.
I highly recommend this to lovers of fairytales.
The Year of the Bull is an adult fairytale that’s fun and funny, quirky and sweet, creepy and scary, it’s full of adventure and fantasy and I couldn’t put it down. Hayden’s story had me rolling on the floor laughing. It has characters from fairytales I read as a child, obviously not written in remotely the same way but I had fun trying to figure out who they were and I loved the fact he had me stumped a couple of times it made it all the more hilarious when it was revealed who these characters represented from the fairytales of my childhood.
Where this story is very similar to the fairytales or fables we have all read is the underlying message it has. The MC Brian starts out as a character that is lost, he’s someone that doesn’t trust in people or more importantly in himself. He’s given up on his dreams and lives his life from day to day thinking this is all his life is going to be. Magical things happen to Brian through the course of the story, things that make him realize it’s important to be yourself and when you do wonderful things can come your way, it’s a lesson everyone should live by.
Whether you read this story for the pure enjoyment of it or you’re a person that likes their stories to have a message you won’t go wrong with this one. Like most fairytales there is an HEA for the MC’s and an HEA for one of the secondary characters that took me by surprise and made me shed a tear or two.
Thank you Hayden for writing this wonderful story and making me laugh, you hit the nail right on the head with this one for me.
I highly recommend this to lovers of fairytales.
March 12, 2013
This is a real treat! Be sure to pick this up and don't put it down until you're done. A modern fairy tale that will make you laugh, cry, and definitely think. There is magic, here and now, and we do need to embrace it while we can before it's gone.
November 7, 2013
When characters are written in the manner in which Hayden Chance does, they don't simply leap off the page but the take on a life of their own. They have depth and feel as if the breathe the same air that we do. This is a magical thing because not many authors have the ability to captivate the imagination that Hayden does. You know these people, they are a part of your life and they speak to you. You don't simply root for them, you become a one man cheering section because you believe in the same things they do.
Maybe I am biased because he has quickly brought me under his spell but in the same breath, maybe his works are what I've been looking for. Maybe, like one of the characters in this book, I was brought to Hayden Chance's writing at the right time. Maybe his writing is there to ignite the spark of creativity we have been lacking. It's similar to the saying that the teacher will appear when you're ready to learn. I know how grandiose this all sounds but I feel, wholeheartedly - there is truth in what he's written and it will mean something for the long haul.
In "The Year of The Bull", you are faced with questions like, "Why did you stop playing in the rain?" or "When did it become uneccessary to stop running from place to place just because you could?". It makes you want to pull all the blankets and pillows off the beds and create a fort with your best friend because those were times in which you did that because it was important. And as an adult, you've forgotten how important it is to cram all the marshmallows in your mouth all at once or have milk come flying out of your nose because you laughed so hard.
Much like most great parables, this book helps you to remember that above all else, the small stuff is what's going to bog you down and in the end...it's all small stuff. So spend some time with Brian and his motley band of misfits and see if he is able to survive "The Year of The Bull".
Maybe I am biased because he has quickly brought me under his spell but in the same breath, maybe his works are what I've been looking for. Maybe, like one of the characters in this book, I was brought to Hayden Chance's writing at the right time. Maybe his writing is there to ignite the spark of creativity we have been lacking. It's similar to the saying that the teacher will appear when you're ready to learn. I know how grandiose this all sounds but I feel, wholeheartedly - there is truth in what he's written and it will mean something for the long haul.
In "The Year of The Bull", you are faced with questions like, "Why did you stop playing in the rain?" or "When did it become uneccessary to stop running from place to place just because you could?". It makes you want to pull all the blankets and pillows off the beds and create a fort with your best friend because those were times in which you did that because it was important. And as an adult, you've forgotten how important it is to cram all the marshmallows in your mouth all at once or have milk come flying out of your nose because you laughed so hard.
Much like most great parables, this book helps you to remember that above all else, the small stuff is what's going to bog you down and in the end...it's all small stuff. So spend some time with Brian and his motley band of misfits and see if he is able to survive "The Year of The Bull".
March 12, 2013
I really loved this book. Loved it enough that I read it again, and every now and then, I want to read certain scenes just for the incredible way they unfold.
I wasn't sure about it at first. Sounded a little like "Harvey." But boy, was I happy to be wrong. Each character added more and more to the ensemble and the flight of fancy took on an almost plausible "plucked from the headlines" feel to it. If I was skeptical about the appeal of fairy tales for adults... I'm skeptical no more.
I found Hayden Chance's handling of gay subject matter refreshingly forthright, almost off-hand. Believe me, after all the maudlin heavy-handed, apologetic and drama laden gay lit I've read, I certainly didn't want any more. Chance's guys are guys. They think like guys and they act like guys. In this gay lit world where women authors too often tend to portray gay men as victims of outside forces, Chance -- as a guy himself -- knows that too often, we're our own worst enemies.
Not to sideline Chance's other work in any way, Year of the Bull is simply the best fiction book I've read in a long, long time.
I wasn't sure about it at first. Sounded a little like "Harvey." But boy, was I happy to be wrong. Each character added more and more to the ensemble and the flight of fancy took on an almost plausible "plucked from the headlines" feel to it. If I was skeptical about the appeal of fairy tales for adults... I'm skeptical no more.
I found Hayden Chance's handling of gay subject matter refreshingly forthright, almost off-hand. Believe me, after all the maudlin heavy-handed, apologetic and drama laden gay lit I've read, I certainly didn't want any more. Chance's guys are guys. They think like guys and they act like guys. In this gay lit world where women authors too often tend to portray gay men as victims of outside forces, Chance -- as a guy himself -- knows that too often, we're our own worst enemies.
Not to sideline Chance's other work in any way, Year of the Bull is simply the best fiction book I've read in a long, long time.
November 9, 2013
Hayden Chance, a Chicago native, is a veteran of the written word. An author and former college professor, this is Chance’s third novel released on Dorje, Inc. and in his true style, is filled to the brim with magic prose to awe and inspire. I was unfamiliar with this author until a week ago, and now for me, there is no going back. Turns out the thing I was missing in the genre was a bit of magic, and Chance delivers that, gift wrapped in the form of this wonderful adult fairy tale.
See the entire 4.5 star review at The Novel Approach: http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/20...
See the entire 4.5 star review at The Novel Approach: http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/20...
August 11, 2020
What an absolutely KICKASS book. This is the first novel I have read by Hayden Chance and I assure you it will not be my last. Our protagonist is a man in his 30's who has long since abandoned his hopes and dreams. A talented artist who makes a living by painting houses and views himself as a failure in life. Due to an incredible set of circumstances he is given the opportunity to rekindle his belief not only in his dreams but also in himself.
The story kept my attention throughout. Even though you can possibly figure out where the story is going, the journey was spot on exhilarating. The author has a wicked sense of humor which regularly led to me involuntarily laughing so hard my dog would leave the room.
This book has a potentially life-changing message we should all hold on to, particularly in this period of time. (The story is a delight even without looking for a message). I can't wait to read more of the author's work. Kudos to Mr. Chance for such a heartwarming and well-written story.
The story kept my attention throughout. Even though you can possibly figure out where the story is going, the journey was spot on exhilarating. The author has a wicked sense of humor which regularly led to me involuntarily laughing so hard my dog would leave the room.
This book has a potentially life-changing message we should all hold on to, particularly in this period of time. (The story is a delight even without looking for a message). I can't wait to read more of the author's work. Kudos to Mr. Chance for such a heartwarming and well-written story.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews