Review: Thank God for the war
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 19, 2011
The Thousand Hour Club is a roman a clef starring Tommy Betz, a New Jersey kid who skates on the edge of trouble. When his friend Albert gets stabbed to death, Tommy and a few bums are the only witnesses. Sooner or later, he fears, someone is going to get him. He dabbles in drugs, but mainly he seems like a decent kid who's trapped by his circumstances. "Nature is a hanging judge," Gramps warns, referring to Tommy's obvious drug use. But thank God for the Vietnam War, because Tommy gets his draft notice--"The war was on, they were trolling for bodies, I fit the bill." So he gets to leave the neighborhood, and his life takes a series of turns he never expects. This character-driven tale makes the reader root for Tommy despite his flaws--there may yet be hope for him. The novel flows smoothly and well, with graceful language like "I saw more stars than I believed in." Read The Thousand Hour Club, and you will believe in author George O'Har's talents.