Skip to main content

Blue Ice and Other Stories From The Rink by Frank Ewert

Hockey books tend to be correctly stereotyped as formulaic pieces of non-fiction. There is a dearth of creative, fun, hockey literature.

Here to help fill that void is new author Frank Ewert. He's compiled a collection of entertaining short stories in his first book Blue Ice: And Other Stories from the Rink.

The book is pretty thin. It is just 82 small pages, with just six simple stories. But also contained in this small volume is promise. Promise of a good young writer who I am confident we will hear from again. I suspect he will likely branch out from hockey, though he has found some high praise already from the hockey world.

"Frank Ewert not only has a fine feel for the game and it's wacky characters, he has a nice, laid-back storytelling style with a sense of humour," Roy MacGregor is quoted saying on the back of the book. MacGregor of course is one of hockey's most prolific writers, finding great success in the juvenile fiction genre with The Screech Owls series and The Last Season.

The book opens with my favorite story, The Protector. It is a first person account of a junior player who's job is to fight so that team's star/jerk does not have to. It is an interesting exploration of the complex relationships every team must handle.

Then we move on to the fun story of The Canadian. The Canadian's main character is a child who is actually a dual Canada/American citizen. But the kid grows up in Canada and loves hockey, so he identifies himself as blindly Canadian, even in his cherished with his grandfather back in New York.

Taking The Man is a hilarious chapter about a physical in a no contact league that has a serious enemy - the referee. Completely helpless to the referee's calls, the tough guy takes back control in a most unusual way.

Blue Ice is a story more about a girl with red hair. Hockey teaches our love-struck hero a little bit about life, love and girls.

A Breakaway is quick chapter, as quick as, well, a breakaway. I'm not sure if that was what the author was attempting to do, either way great job.

The last story is The Cup, the Stanley Cup of course. Three Calgary Flames fans are determined to steal the Stanley Cup from the victorious Tampa Bay Lightning and bring it home to Canada. They get so close they can touch it, but somehow the Cup contently calms them.

The book is beautifully published by Canon Press. Yet it is a curious design in that it the text seems so geared towards juvenile readers. A quick glace at the book does not really suggest that.

The book is thin and simplistic, but more importantly it is fun. It is definitely worth a flip through.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Free Patrick Roy Books

Wiley is giving away two copies of Patrick Roy: Winning, Nothing Else . This offer is exclusive to readers of HockeyBookReviews.com ! All you have to do is email me the names of three other 2008 Wiley hockey book releases. Here's a helping hint - there are currently 5 2008 Wiley titles reviewed at HockeyBookReviews.com . It's just that easy! Then email your answers to hockeybookcontest@hotmail.com . As always, those with the correct answers are put into a draw, with two lucky winners being selected randomly. One entry per person. Contest is open to North American mailing addresses only. Winners will be announced on October 15th .

Interview With The Author: Kirstie McLellan Day

A couple of weeks ago I named Theo Fleury's book Playing With Fire as the Hockey Book Reviews.com 2009 Book Of The Year . It was a pretty easy choice this year, due to Theo's tragic story, the book's impact and bestselling status. But I was also full of praise for the book's authorship. It is Theo's story, but Kirstie McLellan Day is the book's unsung hero. She understood her subject probably more than she wanted to. By doing so, she kept the emotion and the anger in the text brilliantly. I recently had the chance to chat with Kirstie McLellan Day, seen below with Theo Fleury at a recent book signing. Here's the interview: From one author to another, what is it like to wake up in the morning, look at the bestselling books list in a variety of newspapers/media sources and see your book at the very top?! As you know Joe when you are a storyteller, your main goal is to have people listen to your stories. So it is really gratifying to hear that someone is tou...

Over The Boards by Hayley Wickenheiser

Hayley Wickenheiser, one of the most celebrated figures in hockey, has graced the world with her insightful memoir "Over The Boards: Lessons From The Ice". In this eloquent and deeply personal account, Wickenheiser takes readers on a remarkable journey through her storied career while imparting invaluable lessons learned both on and off the ice. From the outset, Wickenheiser's narrative captivates with its candidness and authenticity. She invites readers into her world, sharing the triumphs and tribulations that have shaped her into the iconic figure she is today. From her humble beginnings in small-town Canada to achieving Olympic glory on multiple occasions, Wickenheiser's story is one of perseverance, passion, and unwavering dedication to the sport she loves. One of the book's greatest strengths lies in Wickenheiser's ability to seamlessly blend personal anecdotes with profound insights into the game of hockey. Through her experiences, readers gain a deepe...