I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A broken and used man must contemplate the truth behind his own existence in author Steve Schlam’s “The Harvesting of Haystacks Kane.”
The Synopsis
Haystacks Kane is a professional wrestler. A 607-pound professional wrestler. He has been preyed upon, handled, his innate kindness and gentle good nature harvested by unscrupulous promoters and his conniving manager, an ex-wife and fellow denizens of the seamy netherworld he inhabits, the ravenous crowds with a thirst for violent cheap thrills-and sometimes for blood.
Now, gravely injured and unable to speak, he lies motionless in his hospital bed, immobilized, his body broken. Visitors from his past and present enter and leave the room-or perhaps only his disordered inner world. They offer up counterpoint to his own silent ruminations as he drifts in and out of consciousness seeking to uncover the deeper truth of his existence, rummaging through the trunk of his memories to discover exactly what ‘it’ is-the ‘it’ that has deprived him of his wife, taken every member of his family from him, laid him low, and the ‘it’ that will release him from the bonds of his history and transport him to Greece, the Eden he dreams of, his true self set free at last.
The novel’s final moments prompt the reader to decide for him- or herself what Haystacks’ ultimate fate will be-a decision that will reveal in turn the reader’s own worldview, where he or she can be found on the continuum of hope vs. fear.
The Review
What instantly stood out in this story was the unique writing style the author deployed here, giving readers a stream of consciousness style of writing that really did a fantastic job of invoking that sense of an out-of-body experience that someone in the hospital, either in a coma or on death’s door can experience as they dip in and out of memories and the present day. The narrative’s reflective nature was a direct result of this writing style, and the reader was left reeling with emotion and curiosity about Haystack’s journey that brought him to this pivotal moment.
The concepts of legacy and dreams are well-woven into this narrative. Haystacks and his ambitions, and how others manipulate those ambitions and good intentions to use him, are pivotal to the story. The introspective nature of his time reflecting on those choices and the purpose of his life overall is a stark reminder for everyone to live life with intention and no regrets, and to consider the path we tread every day carefully.
The Verdict
Heartfelt, thought-provoking, and engaging, author Steve Schlam’s “The Harvesting of Haystacks Kane” is a must-read literary fiction novel. The profound emotional depth and compelling character study this narrative offers, and the skillful, almost haunting writing style and detailed imagery the author pours into it, will keep readers invested until the book’s contemplative, open-ended finale. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
STEVE SCHLAM first gained entry to the City of Words through the doors of the public library in Brooklyn, New York, where he was born and spent a good part of his childhood; and has maintained his residency ever since while living in cities and towns across the United States and in Mexico. An actor as well as an author, he has performed on stages in all the places he has called home, and earned a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing and English under the tutelage of Joseph Heller, renowned author of “Catch-22.” He lives currently in Southern California in a pretty little Craftsman bungalow with orange and lemon trees growing in the backyard, in the company of his wife, Liora. “The Harvesting of Haystacks Kane” is his first published novel.
