Slinger Sanchez Running Gun
By
Woody Green
of
RUNNERS NICHE
Bruce Glickin, a runner and writer from Houston, Texas, has created a
running novel that is both spellbinding and intriguing. The characters,
which include a tremendously talented 800 meter runner named Jesse
Sanchez and his coach Kevin McClanahan, are well developed. It was this
very character development and the involvement I felt with the book's
protagonists that made me forget some relatively minor annoyances in
the story line.
The plot centers on a young man, Jesse Sanchez, who is training to be
the best 800 meter runner in the world. His heritage is half-Mexican
and half-Irish. As such he has some battles with racism. Additionally
he has issues with his missing father, who was physically abusive to
his family. The discourse on various societal problems is repeated
frequently in the story, and is large part of the book's strength.
Adding to the difficulties Sanchez encounters is the fact that his
coach is not well liked by many in the running community, especially
those in the fictional "NATF", the National Association of Track and
Field. Dirty politics and behind the scene happenings force Jesse into
some non-athletic battles throughout the book. A wild, fantasy styled
romance is included for good measure.
Along the way there are a couple of pretty far-fetched athletic
performances and plot lines, but it is all in the name of telling an
entertaining tale. The book does have some weak spots and there were
some tactless passages. As an example, the author's repeated
description of a slimy athletic agent picking his nose became quite
tiresome. Some of the details were so far off as to be annoying to a
true track and field buff, too. For instance it is stated in the book
that sprinters use much longer spikes than distance runners use. This
is, of course, not the case. All track runners are generally limited to
spikes of 1/4 inch or less.
Annoying details aside, I found it impossible to put the book down
while reading the final few chapters. Interesting side plots and
unusual or unexpected story twists made for enjoyable reading, and my
heart rate soared as I read the final running scene in the book. All in
all this is a must read for anyone interested in running fiction.
Runner's Niche Book Rating: 4 out of 5 possible winged feet.
(Available from Amber Fields Publishing Company, ISBN number: 0-
9663458-0-0.)
