Stranger Will

Darkness on the wings of fate.

Caleb Ross writes lyrical prose that pulls you into the politics and morality of this story, Stranger Will. For most of us, children are the future, they represent hope and dreams. But in this novel they represent the fated, the already lost. Conspiracies only seem paranoid and insane if they have no base in reality. One of the most compelling images that has stuck with me in this novel, for years now, is the carrier pigeon, message tied to its tiny clawed foot, shot from the sky. The note stuck up on a wall, strings stretching from one place to another, one person to another, tying together layers of deceit, love, and failure. This is a novel you won't want to put down, and will compel you to check out more work by Caleb Ross. Keep a candle lit to keep away the stench, a light on to force away the dark forces, and a prayer in your heart that none of this comes anywhere near you. Or your children.

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STRANGER WILL by Caleb J. Ross is art through prose. Every line

STRANGER WILL by Caleb J. Ross is art through prose. Every line is finely crafted. Each sentence suitable for quoting. The story itself is brilliant and unique. I have given high praise to earlier short story collections from Caleb J. Ross and his first full length novel has me absolutely enamored with the writer.

Reading STRANGER WILL could take an iron constitution if your a parent. In typical Ross style he claws with rusty nails at the wonders of parenthood and finds that microscopic shred of nasty little thoughts that get buried deep within your being. That is when he really goes to town and incubates those dirty little ideas and culls a vibrant petri dish of twisted emotions. You don't just read a Caleb J. Ross story, you evolve through it.

STRANGER WILL also serves as a philosophical work. The arguments all revolve around the idea of perfection. Those ideas are argued brilliantly from all sides. It's truly amazing when all those arguments are coming from the one voice of the writer. I often found myself drawing parallels from this book to the classic Philosophical tome, ZEN AND THE ART OF MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE. That sentiment alone could be the biggest compliment I could pay this book.

This is without a doubt a 5 star read. I know I will be left haunted by it for quite some time. This is the type of story that should one day be studied in college literature and/or philosophy classes. It is a marvel to read and I can not place enough emphasis on the need for anyone who breathes to read this.