GHPGary Phillips, who made his debut as a reviewer in the Issue #8 of TIGW continues this issue with Mark Roeder's best-selling novel. A Better Place has been chosen as an "editor's choice" novel for special marketing by iUniverse. It is therefore timely that this book should be reviewed now.

Gary Phillips is a theatre organ expert and restores them painstakingly with his partner Tim. Perhaps it is that requisite sensitivity to restoration of something valuable that has led him to review A Better Place with a similar sensitivity...
BetterPlaceA Better Place
by
Mark A. Roeder
ISBN: 0-595-17176-1
IUniverse Star Book

Everyone, whether straight or gay, remembers their first love.  Some are good memories, some are not, but one thing is for sure, we all remember them.  This story is about a "first love", a first love between two young and very different guys, Brendan and Casper. This is not unlike a Romeo and Juliet story, Brendan the big, handsome, popular football Quarterback and Captain, and Casper the poor, thin cute little blond boy who would be just as happy to fade into the woodwork.  This is just not to be as Brendan simply melts over him. 

Casper's actual name is Clint, but he's been given this nickname in the past and it seemed to have stuck.  Both of these boys have secrets to hide, Brendan, the fact that he likes other boys, and Casper, his rotten and degrading home life.  Brendan is terrified that his class and teammates might find out about his feelings for boys.  A "chance" meeting in the lunchroom started the ball rolling for both of them. 

Brendan comes from a rather rich family and seems to want for nothing, except love, both at home and in his personal life.  He has seen Casper around the school, and has a crush on him and does what he has to do to get to know him.  Brendan has many friends, friends that both respect and like him.  Brad, is his best and closest friend

Casper comes from a very poor family from the wrong side of the tracks.  His mother was a very loving person, and she kept life and limb together around the house.  However, she died when he was a fair amount younger and after she died, his life at home became unbearable.  His father was an alcoholic and his brother, Jason, abuses him, both physically and sexually.  Casper seems to hide this very well.  All the abuse started after his mother died.

The book is written in a journal or diary style, with entries from both Brendan and Casper, and then later on, some of the other boys in the story.  This I found to be a very refreshing way of writing a story.  There are views of what happened coming from both boys, and the views aren't always the same...

Casper does eventually come to realize that he loves Brendan, and loves him very much.  They become very close and then it takes a turn for the worst; Brendan ends up being arrested, by his father, no less!  He then falls into the sometimes-dark abyss of the mental health field, being committed to the Cloverdale Center, but through the help of a few people, he manages to escape and begins the run of his life.

They're on the road for some time and they have their ups and downs but end up staying in one town for a while.  When a woman threatened him (Brendan) by outing him as a "missing person" they flee again.  They end up in a town and on a farm, which they stay on for along time.

Things do end up working out, which, when you consider the hardships they went through, good for them! 

*    *    *

I really loved this story.  There are parts in it that had me watery eyed and parts, which had me very angry and of course, some that made me laugh.  I think Mark has done a wonderful job with it although there could have been a bit more development in some areas.  Brendan's home life, for example: the only time his father is in the story is the night he is confronted by his him, and he has him arrested. 

As far as Brendan's "stay" at the Cloverdale Center, I have to say that growing up in the 1960's and 70's, I was quite aware of these places.  People really thought they could cure Homosexuality like it was some kind of mental problem.  Knowing how independent I am now and was then, I would have nothing of that.  Would my parents have sent me there then?  Perhaps if they thought they could cure me...  Did stories did get around in school?  You bet they did, and they weren't pretty.  I read this section just before turning the light out and going to sleep, and the memories came back to me; I didn't sleep well at all that night.

If I might criticize a bit though: I know this has been mentioned before, and I'll mention it again, PLEASE PROOF READ!  This is one thing that really bugs me about writing.  A book is around for what, forever?  It needs to be as perfect as possible.  Perhaps I get that way of thinking from working in my business. 

When we restore an organ, it has to work flawlessly for many, many years.  Usually, we cannot go back and "fix" something that was missed, as it would be prohibitively expensive to do so, the same should be in writing.  It's kind of a frozen point in time like a picture, once printed, it's frozen...that is till the next printing.  Make your writing the best you can.  Enough of my ranting and raving...

All of this aside, Mark has done a wonderful job of writing this; the way it's written in a daily journal or diary style is refreshing.  There are times when Brendan and Casper are saying two different things about the same event.  When they finally do come to terms and actually touch each other, it's done in a way that is, well...oh so sweet.  I remember having intense feelings for one of the major players on the football team in our high school.  I would have done anything for him to notice me...it never happened...what if it did?  The reading of this book made me remember that tiny, distant part of my life and it also makes us remember that we were once that age too, and our first time was just as innocent as theirs.

Great job, Mark, is there going to be a sequel?

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