Book Review: Finish Line by James Ross
Posted on September 5th, 2010
by Simon Barrett in All News, Book Reviews, Reviews
Last year I read Lifetime Loser by James Ross, I liked it a great deal. Although the back drop was Golf, a game that I know nothing about, it did not engulf the story. In some ways it was a little reminiscent of Dick Francis and his love of horses. You do not need to know anything about horses to enjoy a Dick Francis book.
I was not sure where James Ross would head after Lifetime Loser, I knew that there was plenty of steam left both in his characters and the Prairie Winds Golf Course.
Would he do more, or would he head in an entirely different direction?
I sat back and waited for the next book. Roughly translated, that means I did nothing! Projects come and go, and I lost touch with James Ross.
A few weeks ago we reconnected. James has been very industrious and has added another three books to his credit.
Finish line picks up The Prairie Winds Golf Course 10 years after Lifetime Loser, J Dub as he is affectionately known is still the owner. However he is not the main character in Finish Line. Instead we get to meet Curt Schroeder, a part owner of Prairie Winds and a man with a huge heart.
Curt receives a frantic call from a very good friend, her son and his friend have been arrested for vandalizing a neighbors property with a paint ball gun. It is summer vacation, what can she do to keep these kids out of trouble until school starts again?
Curt offers the two kids the opportunity to work at the golf course, the proceeds going toward the cost of repairing the damage they have caused.
I don’t want to spoil the story by sharing much more of the plot. However I do like to tease. In Lifetime Loser we had murder and mayhem, Finish Line is a very different book. There are no villainous villains, rather there are unwitting victims and colorful characters.
The list is endless and they are all delightful. Captain Jer, the beer swilling ex-pilot, Pork Chop, a man that has never met an all you can eat buffet that he didn’t like, and the unassuming Bowtye. All of these characters are so well crafted that by the end of the book they are your best friends!
It is really hard to put a label on Finish Line, some people might view it as a ‘coming of age story’ for Justin and Keith (the two young teens), but I am not sure I would buy into that. Certainly the two youngsters learn many life lessons through their time at Prairie Winds, knowledge that they will retain, however I do not think that James Ross intended this to be a ‘coming of age’ book.
What I see is a very crossover piece of writing. If you like golf you will like the story, if you are looking for a well written novel, you will like it, in fact even if you hate golf you will like it! Maybe the most powerful aspect is the human interrelations between the characters.
Finish Line is everything and more than I expected from this author. The Prairie Winds Golf Course is still the backdrop, ten years has passed, and J Dub has regained ownership. Finish Line does not have J Dub as the main character though. James Ross has found a different set of people. The characters are ones that you just want to reach out and talk to.
Even the front cover gave me pause for thought, I did not understand the meaning of the art work until I was some way into the text . That cover should be turned into a poster. It should also be displayed in every school in the country!
You can order your copy of Lifetime Loser or Finish Line by using the links above.
Simon Barrett
Title of Document: Book Review
Book Title: Finish Line
Author: James Ross
ISBN Number: 978-1-4363-3326-9
Publisher: Xlibris
Genre and Target Market: fiction, human drama, golf
Publication Date: 2008
Book Length in Pages: 289
For those who enjoyed author James Ross’ first novel, Lifetime Loser, you already will be familiar with the Prairie Winds Golf Course that provides the setting for a good part of his new release. You also will know many in the cast of characters who provide the background conversations of the novel during their daily rounds on the greens or while relaxing in the clubhouse. And, you undoubtedly will recognize the attention to detail and strong character development that Ross has used before to craft a rich and engrossing text. However, if you are discovering Ross for the first time through his new book, you will not be lost. Finish Line is a brand-new novel that stands alone with its storyline and style.
Justin Ventimiglia and his best friend, Keith Pucchio, were looking forward to a summer in St. Louis with mornings of mowing lawns and afternoons being rowdy teenage boys. However, a poor decision to vandalize the home of a cranky neighbor leaves them with a lengthy bill of damages that will not be covered by manicuring suburban lawns. Justin’s mom sets the boys up with jobs working at Prairie Winds Golf Course, as her former boyfriend is the manager there. Curt Schroeder promises days of hard work that will not soon be forgotten. However, it is Curt’s strength and incomparable work ethic, even in the face of a life-threatening health concern, that give the best friends the most memorable moments of their summer.
One element that Ross develops more in Finish Line than he did in Lifetime Loser, which was largely a legal and criminal thriller, is the complicated and nature of male relationships. Curt provides a stabilizing force to two teenage boys in desperate need of discipline and a strong role model. Justin has a mother with a history of poor decisions concerning the men she brings into the home, including her current husband. Keith’s dad is never mentioned beyond the easy access that he provides to his cigarettes. In this book, dads have either checked out or decided to release life’s frustrations on their families. In contrast, Curt maintains a strong relationship with Justin long after his relationship with Justin’s mom has ended. He takes the time to talk with the two boys every day about the importance of hard work and an honorable character, and provides the title for the book with his emphasis on the need to stick to a task until you reach the “finish line.” Through his attention to character detail, Ross brings to life the variety of ways in which men can impact the next generation of boys.
An interesting decision by Ross in Finish Line is his determined efforts to present characters that are relatable in their flaws and personal prejudices. He does not sugarcoat the lens through which Americans tend to view one another, particularly when concerning issues of race, social class, and sexuality. Readers should even be prepared to work through their own personal discomforts with some the language used and opinions expressed by the more outspoken personalities who exist within the pages of Finish Line. From the hesitation of Justin’s mother for her son to spend time with a black man who was working at the course to the frustration that Curt expresses when he is rushed to the hospital and faces doctors and nurses of foreign origin to the brashness with which a commercial pilot who frequents the golf course describes his extramarital sexual conquests, Ross shares a portrayal of the more unseemly side of our social interactions. These brutally honest moments are important, however, because they serve as a mirror to the reader. How do we approach those who are different from us? What impact do our words and actions have on our kids and others we may influence?
Musicians, authors, and actors are all familiar with the threat of the sophomore jinx. Will the second effort fall short of the high expectations set by the strength of the first record, book, movie, etc? With his new release Finish Line, author James Ross shows his readers that he has the material and the talent to continue with his writing efforts to great success. This is certainly welcome news, as he leaves us with quite the cliffhanger on the last pages of this new release. If you are a reader who enjoys books which examine the many facets of human nature, then I encourage you to open the pages of the great new book, Finish Line. Then, like me, anxiously wait for the next installment to hit the shelves!
Title: Finish Line
Author: James Ross
ISBN Numbers: Hard Cover 978-1-4363-3327-6/Soft Cover 978-1-4363-3326-9
Publisher: Xlibris
Genre and Target Market: Fiction; male relationships; sports
Publication Date: 2008
Pages: 289
Author James Ross is on his game, weaving his sports theme into a highly entertaining and satisfying second novel called Finish Line. He returns J-Dub Schroeder to his beloved Prairie Winds Golf Course in East St. Louis after a near ten-year absence during which he battled his unscrupulous business partner/chiseler, Lewferd Zerrmann, for what was rightfully his.
Julie and all the old regulars from the first novel, Lifetime Loser, are there to welcome him home. J-Dub’s brother, Curt, has come on board. Because of his chance meeting across a craps table more than a decade ago with the fiery Tina Ventimiglia, he introduces two new characters in the summer of 2007, during which the book takes place except for the author deftly reaching back in time for stories that provide necessary footing for the present.
We meet them in the beginning—two early teens, Justin Ventimiglia and Keith Puccio, fresh out of school and into a bit of mischief. Now they’ve got a debt to repay and lessons to learn. Curt gives them an opportunity at Prairie Winds for just that, but when the workday is over, it’s time for the game of golf; and that, true to the author’s style, has plenty to teach about the game of life.
Ross understands the importance of a villain and tension and delivers it, not in the two-legged form this time, but as an illness—possibly a life-threatening illness; one that has crept in stealthily and has to be dealt with. Its thread and threat winds and twists around the protagonist until the very end, or as James Ross would say, the finish line.
Don’t think for one moment though that you’ll be bogged down or blanketed in depression about the trials of a sick guy—far from it. This book is packed with action, stories, plot, humor, interest, and surprises. Ross clips along at his usual good pace; not one that leaves you frantic and hyperventilating on the edge of your seat, but one that richly entertains and rewards you in its fast current.
The protagonist has his finger on today’s pulse and calls it as he sees it: from how the hospital experience and medical profession has evolved, to less-than-perfect politics, to cheaters at the game, to the gaming industry. Ross provides interesting and unexpected insight into many avenues that have bearing on his story.
I savored how intimately acquainted and comfortable I became with Prairie Winds. I personally like knowing where the cart barn is and a whole lot about what (and who) is in it. I can tell you the distinguishing features of many of the holes, how to cut greens and move pins, where the water hazards are, and what it feels like to walk through the front door of the clubhouse. I can tell you where the shower is, show you the imprint of Fred’s behind on the back booth, pour you a cup of coffee, or stock your cooler for the front nine. While I like all the detailed imagery that crept in when I wasn’t looking, I am crazy about the characters.
Ross is a man’s man. His characters are predominantly male and they have grown in number. They’ve got names like Pork Chop, Lug Nut, Bowtye, Captain Jer, and Paco. They play golf, play cards, gamble, work the night shift, fly planes, treat animals, and they like pretty women. Even though their histories and habits run the gambit with sometimes shocking consequences, they’re there for each other for life. They are friends, brothers, competitors, mentors, and the man next door. His female characters have presence and importance. They are socially conscious, sharp, quirky, and fun.
Ross is a storyteller—a talented one. His characters come from everywhere around the world, and dialogue rolls off his tongue. His stories come full circle—back to heart, happiness, family, and all-out goodness. Enjoy!
Reviewed by Barbara Milbourn, a writer and editor in Nashville, TN
A Reviewer, 7/01/2008
I just finished the book last night and cried for about an hour. You are a wonderful writer and I enjoyed the book so much. I can’t believe how alive all the characters become. I loved it but it made me cry too much. Can’t wait for the next one
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