Sailor
"This book is as au courant as any crime-fiction novel or neo-noir flick, but its themes (courage, morality, loyalty, grace under pressure) are as old as Hemingway or Lao-tzu….Mr. Epperson delivers his text through third-person points of view, in a manner both cinematic and Chekhovian; it underscores the interconnectedness of these disparate characters and indicates an interplay of good and evil, dark and light….What Sailormight remind one of is the 1950s filmShane,in which a taciturn loner, trying to leave behind a violent history, is pushed into violence again to protect the family of which he has become a surrogate part. ButSailorextends that trope with an emotional ending that ripples through past, present and future, like a pebble tossed in a haiku pond."---The Wall Street Journal"A 21st century noir novel. . . . Deftly captures a fun-house reflection of a brave new world where crime and criminals have gone global, entering partnerships to encourage synergies between the skill sets of each.... The story may be dark, but Gray's road to redemption has flashes of black humor, mostly courtesy of one of the most inspired collections of offbeat to plain psycho characters ever written.--Los Angeles Times“Sailoris a modern-day fable, compelling and heartbreaking. It will grab you from page one and keep you a grateful hostage until its surprising and moving conclusion.” —Robert Crais,New York Timesbestselling author ofThe Sentry“Employing spare, almost hallucinatory prose, and a keen eye for detail, Tom Epperson has created an unforgettable cast of characters set against a sun-bleached noir background. By turns frightening and darkly comic,Sailoris the literary equivalent of a Coen brothers film.”—Eric Van Lustbader,New York Timesbestselling author ofBlood Trust“Simply a great thriller—full of action but about people, tough but not bleak, fast and yet thoughtful. Highly recommended.”—Lee Child"Sailor is a great read! Just as you think you know where you're going, Tom Epperson throws another twist in your path. Style and story, I loved it all."—Michael Connelly, #1New York Timesbestselling author of the Harry Bosch novels