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The Advantaged
Is there any such thing as a harmless white lie?
Silas thinks so when he lets the kids he meets on the Furman University campus think he is a fellow student. He figures he'll never see them again, and it feels good to be thought of as an "equal" to such intelligent and passionate young people. What could be the harm?
Only Silas learns that even the smallest fib has a way of snowballing until it is an avalanche roaring down the mountain at you. He becomes entangled with the group, and things become even more complicated as he starts to fall in love with Kris, a relationship at once true but built on the kernel of a lie.
Silas doesn't want to hurt anyone in the group, especially Kris, but he also doesn't want to lose the first friends he has ever really had in his life. He has put himself in an impossible situation and will have to find a way out while minimizing the emotional damage, even though someone is bound to be hurt.
In the end, Silas is left with a question whose answer is not as easy as he used to think: is there any such thing as a harmless white lie?
Silas thinks so when he lets the kids he meets on the Furman University campus think he is a fellow student. He figures he'll never see them again, and it feels good to be thought of as an "equal" to such intelligent and passionate young people. What could be the harm?
Only Silas learns that even the smallest fib has a way of snowballing until it is an avalanche roaring down the mountain at you. He becomes entangled with the group, and things become even more complicated as he starts to fall in love with Kris, a relationship at once true but built on the kernel of a lie.
Silas doesn't want to hurt anyone in the group, especially Kris, but he also doesn't want to lose the first friends he has ever really had in his life. He has put himself in an impossible situation and will have to find a way out while minimizing the emotional damage, even though someone is bound to be hurt.
In the end, Silas is left with a question whose answer is not as easy as he used to think: is there any such thing as a harmless white lie?
- GenresAdult
252 pages, Paperback
Published September 6, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 31, 2023
Unlike the author's usual horror offerings, The Advantaged is a queer drama and a damn good one at that they will leave your heart aching.
September 17, 2022
From Stephen Dedalus in Ulysses to Salinger's Holden Caulfield to the fantastical coming-of-age adventures of a certain Hogwarts wizard, the trials and tribulations of youth are a cornerstone of literary endeavors both fictional and autobiographical. Those awkward, exhilarating, often painful days where one learns who they are and seeks to blaze their own trail through life's uncertain jungle can yield the most compelling of dramas and retains a timeless allure for both authors and audiences alike. And why not? Who among us hasn't experienced the teenage travails of academia, that heady rush of first romance, the pleasure and pitfalls of newfound independence?
Better known for works of horror such as Dark Treats, The Cult of Ocasta, 324 Abercorn, 2B, and the forthcoming Lucid, Greenville, South Carolina-based writer Mark Allan Gunnells shifts genre gears to explore the perils of that youthful no-man's-land in his latest novel, Crossroad Press's The Advantaged. Subtitled as 'A Queer Drama of Love, Lies & Loss', the slice-of-life narrative revolves around Silas Granger, an aspiring writer and openly gay teen from Greenville's lower-income side who lives in a trailer park with his hardworking single father and attends Greenville Tech, the city's community college. Smart but painfully shy, socially anxious and bereft of friendship due to his tumultuous high school years, Silas dreams of attending Furman University, Greenville's more upscale center of higher learning, and passes his lonely spare hours walking the scenic campus. When he overhears a group of Furman students--boorish politico-in-training Gus, angry poet Paige, wannabe stand-up comedian Franco, scatterbrain Shelia, standoffish Philip and affable nice-guy Kris--discussing one of his favorite subjects, the works of Ray Bradbury, Silas unwittingly joins the conversation and allows their assumption that he's a fellow Furman undergraduate to go uncorrected.
It's this fallacy that serves as the axis upon which The Advantaged spins. Unaccustomed to equal acceptance by his peers, Silas continues his association with the group, never telling them of his non-Furman collegiate status for fear of rejection. As the weeks pass and he becomes not only a full-fledged member of the informal circle, but romantically entwined with Kris, Silas relies upon ever-more elaborate fibs to retain the appearance he's a Furman attendee. He memorizes the campus layout, researches the teaching staff, creates a fake schedule, yet the web of unintended deceit soon begins to take its emotional toll: Silas's juggling act corrodes his already fragile constitution, and the dry rot spreads as he lies to both his Greenville Tech classmate and unlikely new confidant, charming comic artist Finn, and, eventually, to his own father. Desperate to turn his self-inflicted real-life fiction into truth, Silas plans on switching his course load to Furman for the next school year, but can he keep the charade going that long, or will the house of cards he's constructed collapse on top of him?
The strengths in The Advantaged are endless; the prose is smooth and fast-moving, the dialogue zippy with 21st century Whedon-esque aplomb and a bevy of wink-and-nod pop culture references to not only Bradbury, but Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Twilight Zone, Cthulu, Dave McKean, Neil Gaiman's The Sandman, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and many more. Scenes crackle with wry, knowing wit (Silas' father, while talking about Beckett's classic Waiting For Godot: "A play about nothing. Was Kramer in it?"), yet the bountiful humor never distracts from the book's overriding serious tone, and Gunnells' impeccable wordcraft throughout is buttressed by an indisputably earnest and often moving poetic sensibility (Silas at one point ruminates about '...his fears that he would never achieve the dreams he harbored like wanted fugitives.'). But the main asset of this novel is its deeply realistic characterization. Despite the author's horror background, The Advantaged is a breath of fresh air precisely because it need not rely on the paranormal tropes so often utilized in modern-day Young- and New Adult fiction to support flagging reader interest. Every character is unveiled as a fully-realized, thoroughly human, three-dimensional figure, with their own distinctly individual flairs and faults. Hostile Philip, for example, seen early in the story as a possible rival for Kris's affection, is shown later to be understanding and surprisingly accepting, just as easy-going Kris, in a dark, potent scene of inner catharsis, reveals he wasn't always either of those things. Even Silas himself, in spite of a sweet and genuinely likable nature (the bond he shares with his father offers a much-appreciated antidote to the clichéd familial angst all too common in coming-of-age tales), isn't depicted in a strictly sympathetic light--at times he's calculated, manipulative and downright explosive when his double life nears exposure, and his more questionable qualities are something Gunnells never dodges or minimizes. Instead, the author exhibits deliberate skill to show Silas's evolution, from unconfident introverted loner to a group member and burgeoning boyfriend to show exactly how much he has to lose, and we in turn sympathize with his plight if not his methods. That emphasis on character extends also to the budding courtship between Silas and Kris; it's so believably drawn, their passions and feelings so profoundly universal they become unbound by mere labels and are relatable to anyone, regardless of sexual orientation.
Once untangled, the web of inadvertent lies Silas spins come attached to the notion that there are no bad people, only bad decisions, and how our individual reaction to any of life's myriad adversities rests in our outlook, our attitude and our willingness to embrace others for who they truly are. Overall, The Advantaged is masterfully rendered, funny, heart-wrenching and, most importantly, honest, and for those reasons I feel compelled to bestow it the maximum 5 stars. I tore through this book faster than any thus far in 2022. Take a bow, Mr. Gunnells. You've earned the accolades.
Better known for works of horror such as Dark Treats, The Cult of Ocasta, 324 Abercorn, 2B, and the forthcoming Lucid, Greenville, South Carolina-based writer Mark Allan Gunnells shifts genre gears to explore the perils of that youthful no-man's-land in his latest novel, Crossroad Press's The Advantaged. Subtitled as 'A Queer Drama of Love, Lies & Loss', the slice-of-life narrative revolves around Silas Granger, an aspiring writer and openly gay teen from Greenville's lower-income side who lives in a trailer park with his hardworking single father and attends Greenville Tech, the city's community college. Smart but painfully shy, socially anxious and bereft of friendship due to his tumultuous high school years, Silas dreams of attending Furman University, Greenville's more upscale center of higher learning, and passes his lonely spare hours walking the scenic campus. When he overhears a group of Furman students--boorish politico-in-training Gus, angry poet Paige, wannabe stand-up comedian Franco, scatterbrain Shelia, standoffish Philip and affable nice-guy Kris--discussing one of his favorite subjects, the works of Ray Bradbury, Silas unwittingly joins the conversation and allows their assumption that he's a fellow Furman undergraduate to go uncorrected.
It's this fallacy that serves as the axis upon which The Advantaged spins. Unaccustomed to equal acceptance by his peers, Silas continues his association with the group, never telling them of his non-Furman collegiate status for fear of rejection. As the weeks pass and he becomes not only a full-fledged member of the informal circle, but romantically entwined with Kris, Silas relies upon ever-more elaborate fibs to retain the appearance he's a Furman attendee. He memorizes the campus layout, researches the teaching staff, creates a fake schedule, yet the web of unintended deceit soon begins to take its emotional toll: Silas's juggling act corrodes his already fragile constitution, and the dry rot spreads as he lies to both his Greenville Tech classmate and unlikely new confidant, charming comic artist Finn, and, eventually, to his own father. Desperate to turn his self-inflicted real-life fiction into truth, Silas plans on switching his course load to Furman for the next school year, but can he keep the charade going that long, or will the house of cards he's constructed collapse on top of him?
The strengths in The Advantaged are endless; the prose is smooth and fast-moving, the dialogue zippy with 21st century Whedon-esque aplomb and a bevy of wink-and-nod pop culture references to not only Bradbury, but Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Twilight Zone, Cthulu, Dave McKean, Neil Gaiman's The Sandman, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and many more. Scenes crackle with wry, knowing wit (Silas' father, while talking about Beckett's classic Waiting For Godot: "A play about nothing. Was Kramer in it?"), yet the bountiful humor never distracts from the book's overriding serious tone, and Gunnells' impeccable wordcraft throughout is buttressed by an indisputably earnest and often moving poetic sensibility (Silas at one point ruminates about '...his fears that he would never achieve the dreams he harbored like wanted fugitives.'). But the main asset of this novel is its deeply realistic characterization. Despite the author's horror background, The Advantaged is a breath of fresh air precisely because it need not rely on the paranormal tropes so often utilized in modern-day Young- and New Adult fiction to support flagging reader interest. Every character is unveiled as a fully-realized, thoroughly human, three-dimensional figure, with their own distinctly individual flairs and faults. Hostile Philip, for example, seen early in the story as a possible rival for Kris's affection, is shown later to be understanding and surprisingly accepting, just as easy-going Kris, in a dark, potent scene of inner catharsis, reveals he wasn't always either of those things. Even Silas himself, in spite of a sweet and genuinely likable nature (the bond he shares with his father offers a much-appreciated antidote to the clichéd familial angst all too common in coming-of-age tales), isn't depicted in a strictly sympathetic light--at times he's calculated, manipulative and downright explosive when his double life nears exposure, and his more questionable qualities are something Gunnells never dodges or minimizes. Instead, the author exhibits deliberate skill to show Silas's evolution, from unconfident introverted loner to a group member and burgeoning boyfriend to show exactly how much he has to lose, and we in turn sympathize with his plight if not his methods. That emphasis on character extends also to the budding courtship between Silas and Kris; it's so believably drawn, their passions and feelings so profoundly universal they become unbound by mere labels and are relatable to anyone, regardless of sexual orientation.
Once untangled, the web of inadvertent lies Silas spins come attached to the notion that there are no bad people, only bad decisions, and how our individual reaction to any of life's myriad adversities rests in our outlook, our attitude and our willingness to embrace others for who they truly are. Overall, The Advantaged is masterfully rendered, funny, heart-wrenching and, most importantly, honest, and for those reasons I feel compelled to bestow it the maximum 5 stars. I tore through this book faster than any thus far in 2022. Take a bow, Mr. Gunnells. You've earned the accolades.
October 10, 2022
I’m a big fan of Mark Allan Gunnells and I’ve been following his career over the years with great pleasure. He is well-known for his horror fiction, including Twilight at the Gates, a fine story collection, and a recent horror novel, 2B, a tale of a haunted apartment and obsessed ghost, and a much longer list of fine stories and novels. He is a master storyteller and he has turned his talents in The Advantaged from horror to more mainstream queer fiction in this “queer drama of love, lies, and loss” (front cover).
The Advantaged is a well-told story that is very carefully plotted and constructed. Silas Granger is a compelling and sympathetic protagonist. He is a student at Greenville Tech, in Greenville, South Carolina, and the son of a single working-class father. He lives in Greer, a nearby small town. Silas is gay and he has been an outsider for most of his life. High school was lonely. He had no real friends. The beautiful Furman campus draws him in, as does a gang of Furman students talking about Ray Bradbury. He “feels good to be thought of as an ‘equal’ to such intelligent and passionate young people” (back cover). They take him in and at last he belongs; he’s not an outsider.
Silas lets these students think he is a Furman student as well, a lie of omission. “He figures he’ll never see them again … What could be the harm?” What could go wrong? A lot is the answer both questions. Gus, who is clearly the “epicenter [of the group], the planet around which the other five orbited like moons” (Gunnells 3) and the rest, take him in. Silas falls in love with Kris, who, somewhat to his surprise, reciprocates his feelings. The lie seems worth it. “Silas doesn’t want to hurry anyone in the group, especially Kris, but he also doesn’t want to lose the first friends he has ever really had in his life” (back cover).
So it begins, lie after lie after lie, all to maintain his mythic status as a Furman student, his place in this group, including manufacturing a Furman schedule, and “losing” his university ID. The list goes on. Inevitably he is caught and his house of cards Furman identity crashes around him. It seems Silas has lost everything, including love, including Kris. The Advantaged is a novel rich in details and in character. Readers will find themselves becoming familiar with both the Furman University campus and Greenville, and a trailer in nearby Greer. They will come to know Silas and to like him, and worry about what will happen when he is caught, and yet, keep wishing he would tell the truth. I found myself identifying with Silas, and no, not because I manufactured a fictional life to be accepted, but because I know what it’s like to be an outsider and wishing to be inside. These feelings are not uncommon for gay adolescents. Here, they are compounded by not being one of the “advantaged.” For many working class students, immersion in the culture of college can often feel like being a fish out of water—not matter how much they have wanted it, as Silas does.
I highly recommend this “queer drama of love, lies, and loss”—and of redemption and truth.
The Advantaged is a well-told story that is very carefully plotted and constructed. Silas Granger is a compelling and sympathetic protagonist. He is a student at Greenville Tech, in Greenville, South Carolina, and the son of a single working-class father. He lives in Greer, a nearby small town. Silas is gay and he has been an outsider for most of his life. High school was lonely. He had no real friends. The beautiful Furman campus draws him in, as does a gang of Furman students talking about Ray Bradbury. He “feels good to be thought of as an ‘equal’ to such intelligent and passionate young people” (back cover). They take him in and at last he belongs; he’s not an outsider.
Silas lets these students think he is a Furman student as well, a lie of omission. “He figures he’ll never see them again … What could be the harm?” What could go wrong? A lot is the answer both questions. Gus, who is clearly the “epicenter [of the group], the planet around which the other five orbited like moons” (Gunnells 3) and the rest, take him in. Silas falls in love with Kris, who, somewhat to his surprise, reciprocates his feelings. The lie seems worth it. “Silas doesn’t want to hurry anyone in the group, especially Kris, but he also doesn’t want to lose the first friends he has ever really had in his life” (back cover).
So it begins, lie after lie after lie, all to maintain his mythic status as a Furman student, his place in this group, including manufacturing a Furman schedule, and “losing” his university ID. The list goes on. Inevitably he is caught and his house of cards Furman identity crashes around him. It seems Silas has lost everything, including love, including Kris. The Advantaged is a novel rich in details and in character. Readers will find themselves becoming familiar with both the Furman University campus and Greenville, and a trailer in nearby Greer. They will come to know Silas and to like him, and worry about what will happen when he is caught, and yet, keep wishing he would tell the truth. I found myself identifying with Silas, and no, not because I manufactured a fictional life to be accepted, but because I know what it’s like to be an outsider and wishing to be inside. These feelings are not uncommon for gay adolescents. Here, they are compounded by not being one of the “advantaged.” For many working class students, immersion in the culture of college can often feel like being a fish out of water—not matter how much they have wanted it, as Silas does.
I highly recommend this “queer drama of love, lies, and loss”—and of redemption and truth.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews