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Young Men Shall See
Sometimes peace means silence, and justice means murder. Life for Gus Ambrose in the small community of River Falls, Georgia, is a constant struggle to seek wild adventure, understand the mystery of love and escape the pervasive boredom of high school. On the surface, River Falls is a peaceful and perfect world - a mix of quaint southern charm, happiness and safety. But the scars of the past have a way of working their way to the surface and slamming headlong into the present, shattering innocence and revealing the worst humanity has to offer. Set in the 1980s, segregation in America had been legally abolished for a generation, but many still struggled with how black and white fit together and existed - integrated in word, but still segregated by old habits and underlying emotion. Young Men Shall See follows Gus and his friends as they navigate this new world, and learn the hard way that actions have consequences, and real justice can mean going against everything you once believed to be true. As the friends grapple with the ideas of love and prejudice, they each cling to their sense of right and wrong. But when one of the friends is unexpectedly killed, anger and frustration swell and push the group to take action. In the face of unimaginable corruption by the local authorities, the friends are galvanized into a force capable of rescue, grief, and even murder. This Southern Gothic coming of age story shows the ugly underbelly of evil that exists even in the most tranquil of towns and how events and raw emotion can push each of us past the point of no return.
- GenresFiction
216 pages, Paperback
First published May 3, 2012
3 people are currently reading
564 people want to read
About the author
Scott Thompson
8 books276 followersLost in '96 is now available.
Georgia Author of the Year nominee, for first novel, Scott Thompson was born and raised in the American South where his stories take place. His debut novel, Young Men Shall See, is a coming of age story set in the 1980s in a time of quiet social change and examines the generation in the South after the Civil Rights Era. Eight Days, released 2016 takes place in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, and involves a man who has died, but first must face his regrets and mistakes before finding eternity.
Thompson lives in the Carolina Low Country with his family. He is the winner of the Great American Novel contest in literature for 2010.
"Scott Thompson’s Eight Days earns and deserves a place on everyone’s bookshelf. Rich in character and subject matter, it is a must read, quite possibly a game changer."
— Teri Pietila, Book Reviewer
Review of Young Men Shall See
“This book is a vivid slice of growing up Southern in a time of racial truce if not yet true peace with honor. It's a fresh, honest look at that life in the 80s.”
— Richard Monaco, Two Time Pulitzer nominated author of the Parsival books
Georgia Author of the Year nominee, for first novel, Scott Thompson was born and raised in the American South where his stories take place. His debut novel, Young Men Shall See, is a coming of age story set in the 1980s in a time of quiet social change and examines the generation in the South after the Civil Rights Era. Eight Days, released 2016 takes place in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, and involves a man who has died, but first must face his regrets and mistakes before finding eternity.
Thompson lives in the Carolina Low Country with his family. He is the winner of the Great American Novel contest in literature for 2010.
"Scott Thompson’s Eight Days earns and deserves a place on everyone’s bookshelf. Rich in character and subject matter, it is a must read, quite possibly a game changer."
— Teri Pietila, Book Reviewer
Review of Young Men Shall See
“This book is a vivid slice of growing up Southern in a time of racial truce if not yet true peace with honor. It's a fresh, honest look at that life in the 80s.”
— Richard Monaco, Two Time Pulitzer nominated author of the Parsival books
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 8, 2013
For a debut author, I thought Thompson did a great job and I found this story quite entertaining. One issue I had at first was the choppiness towards the middle of the story. I felt the characters and events jumped from one dramatic scene to the next without any calm between the storms. As I thought back, I realized this may have been the author's intentions. When you're young and deviant you are constantly looking for the next challenge/adventure to set out on. That's what these kids did. As for the writing, it was good in most places but in others, it was excellent!
"You would think that I would have wanted to climb mountains, see Europe, or see something spectacular now that I'm dying, but I don't. I just want to be with the people I love. That's it... So if you're looking for some reason in life in my end of life rant here it is: to love. That's it, Gus. My college degrees, my career - none of it matters. None of it. The only thing that is worth it is my little girl." A quote that really stuck with me!
It is set in River Falls, Georgia in the 1980's and is about a group of Seniors in high school going through incredibly dramatic situations. I found myself pondering my adolescents and realized the dialogue and certain events to be spot on with average teenagers approaching adulthood. This tight knit group of friends experienced parties, sex, relationships, racism, corruption, death, and murder, with a touch of hoodoo. Not your average high school experience.
We all have our peaks and valleys on the seemingly, never ending journey to adulthood. When we get there, I believe the majority of us wish we had our youth back. The author did a great job of telling the story of why these teenagers would not wish for their senior year in high school back. I recommend this book!
"You would think that I would have wanted to climb mountains, see Europe, or see something spectacular now that I'm dying, but I don't. I just want to be with the people I love. That's it... So if you're looking for some reason in life in my end of life rant here it is: to love. That's it, Gus. My college degrees, my career - none of it matters. None of it. The only thing that is worth it is my little girl." A quote that really stuck with me!
It is set in River Falls, Georgia in the 1980's and is about a group of Seniors in high school going through incredibly dramatic situations. I found myself pondering my adolescents and realized the dialogue and certain events to be spot on with average teenagers approaching adulthood. This tight knit group of friends experienced parties, sex, relationships, racism, corruption, death, and murder, with a touch of hoodoo. Not your average high school experience.
We all have our peaks and valleys on the seemingly, never ending journey to adulthood. When we get there, I believe the majority of us wish we had our youth back. The author did a great job of telling the story of why these teenagers would not wish for their senior year in high school back. I recommend this book!
September 20, 2013
This is a fantastic book. (Full disclosure: I know the author. I went to school with the author. For the sake of professionalism I will not refer to him as "Scott". I actually finished the book over a week ago but waited to write this review to give myself a little distance.) This is Thompson's first novel and it is a damn fine one.
There is a bit of unevenness to some of the storytelling. (This is the only reason for the 4 star rating.) But that rockiness is overwhelmed by very good moments in the book and a few really astounding ones. Not necessarily "happy" though...but by god, they'll knock you on your ass. You can feel the author wrangling in the emotions and the textures not just of the characters but of the time period. I have several authors that I have read religiously for years and their first books weren't nearly so good as this one.
If you want to read a great book by someone who is ready to explode onto the scene of great contemporary Southern writers, grab a copy. You won't be sorry.
There is a bit of unevenness to some of the storytelling. (This is the only reason for the 4 star rating.) But that rockiness is overwhelmed by very good moments in the book and a few really astounding ones. Not necessarily "happy" though...but by god, they'll knock you on your ass. You can feel the author wrangling in the emotions and the textures not just of the characters but of the time period. I have several authors that I have read religiously for years and their first books weren't nearly so good as this one.
If you want to read a great book by someone who is ready to explode onto the scene of great contemporary Southern writers, grab a copy. You won't be sorry.
July 21, 2017
An author of supreme talent, producing work that draws a reader in until you see and feel the world as inhabited by the characters.
May 13, 2012
Scott Thompson’s debut novel ‘Young Men Shall See’ is beautifully written. With degrees in computer information systems, business administration, and history it’s hard to imagine Thompson has time to write, but he does and masterfully weaves a riveting story following the lives of four friends as they grow from teenagers to young men.
Life in a small town like River Falls, Georgia can be a boring place for boys like Gus and his friends. Always seeking fun and adventure they are part of a secret society called ‘The Society of Social Deviants’ SSD for short, who pledge to protect Gethsemane Gardens from vandalism which pretty much gives them carte blanche to bend the rules to suit their moods.
Living in the shadow of the past segregation of blacks and whites the boys shuck off the beliefs of the old guard and befriend a beautiful black girl which results in their learning maybe things haven’t changed so much over the years. When one of the boys begins dating the girl inevitably falling in love they both have to face the consequences.
With the death of a one of the group and the abuse of another the gang finds themselves in the midst of corruption amongst the lawmakers making them dig in their heels for justice.
I found myself falling in love with the characters in the story. Thompson writes them in such a way that the reader feels like a part of their lives. Gus’s narrative gives a glimpse into his thoughts that captivates and draws the reader in. The tale is written with a love of the south and is an absolute must read feel good book. Thompson is destined for the accolades of the writing community and we will all be looking forward to his next endeavor.
Life in a small town like River Falls, Georgia can be a boring place for boys like Gus and his friends. Always seeking fun and adventure they are part of a secret society called ‘The Society of Social Deviants’ SSD for short, who pledge to protect Gethsemane Gardens from vandalism which pretty much gives them carte blanche to bend the rules to suit their moods.
Living in the shadow of the past segregation of blacks and whites the boys shuck off the beliefs of the old guard and befriend a beautiful black girl which results in their learning maybe things haven’t changed so much over the years. When one of the boys begins dating the girl inevitably falling in love they both have to face the consequences.
With the death of a one of the group and the abuse of another the gang finds themselves in the midst of corruption amongst the lawmakers making them dig in their heels for justice.
I found myself falling in love with the characters in the story. Thompson writes them in such a way that the reader feels like a part of their lives. Gus’s narrative gives a glimpse into his thoughts that captivates and draws the reader in. The tale is written with a love of the south and is an absolute must read feel good book. Thompson is destined for the accolades of the writing community and we will all be looking forward to his next endeavor.
May 12, 2013
This is a coming to age story told through the eyes of Gus Ambrose, a teenager in River Falls, a small community in Georgia. A tale of love and heartache, excitement and horror, a group of teenagers struggle to make sense of a world where old fashioned attitudes and myths collide with teenage boredom and a desire to have fun.
I liked everything about this book. I don't think there's anything I didn't like. I really loved the main characters and the world in which the story is told, I loved the short chapters and I loved the way the story was told slowly and effortlessly without feeling forced in any way. But most of all ( and this is difficult to explain) I liked the whole atmosphere of the book, because some books do have an atmosphere. Some books get to you in all the right places, sometimes you really connect with the characters and it's almost as if you are there in the pages of the book yourself. I suppose that is what I am trying to say. I certainly had that connection with 'Young Men Shall See'.
As far as debut novels are concerned this is incredibly well written and Scott Thompson certainly knows how to write. And the great thing is that given the opportunity his writing will hopefully continue to grow and blossom and even greater things will come in the future. A part of me thinks that maybe the story could have ended with Chapter 30 without the addition of the final chapter but maybe I'm just nick picking because I really liked this book. You know when you've really enjoyed a book because you just want to read it again and you don't want the story to end.
A Superb Debut 5/5
I liked everything about this book. I don't think there's anything I didn't like. I really loved the main characters and the world in which the story is told, I loved the short chapters and I loved the way the story was told slowly and effortlessly without feeling forced in any way. But most of all ( and this is difficult to explain) I liked the whole atmosphere of the book, because some books do have an atmosphere. Some books get to you in all the right places, sometimes you really connect with the characters and it's almost as if you are there in the pages of the book yourself. I suppose that is what I am trying to say. I certainly had that connection with 'Young Men Shall See'.
As far as debut novels are concerned this is incredibly well written and Scott Thompson certainly knows how to write. And the great thing is that given the opportunity his writing will hopefully continue to grow and blossom and even greater things will come in the future. A part of me thinks that maybe the story could have ended with Chapter 30 without the addition of the final chapter but maybe I'm just nick picking because I really liked this book. You know when you've really enjoyed a book because you just want to read it again and you don't want the story to end.
A Superb Debut 5/5
October 1, 2016
A "guy's coming of age" book that is easy to read.
Set in rural Georgia in the 1980's, the book follows Gus and his buddies through their senior year of high school. Gus, who is surprisingly mature for his years, faces almost all of this year alone, as his parents are "on the road" with his younger brother, a music prodigy.
At times, I was unsure where the plot was going, but I think this was an intentional effort to draw the reader into the ups and downs of a high school senior's last year. The ending is not typical, and is somewhat sobering. If you enjoy coming of age stories, you will enjoy this one very much.
Disclosure: I was randomly selected from among numerous GoodReads readers to receive an advance copy of this book; I have read it and this is my honest evaluation. I have no connection with this author or publisher and have received nothing from anyone in consideration for publishing this review.
Set in rural Georgia in the 1980's, the book follows Gus and his buddies through their senior year of high school. Gus, who is surprisingly mature for his years, faces almost all of this year alone, as his parents are "on the road" with his younger brother, a music prodigy.
At times, I was unsure where the plot was going, but I think this was an intentional effort to draw the reader into the ups and downs of a high school senior's last year. The ending is not typical, and is somewhat sobering. If you enjoy coming of age stories, you will enjoy this one very much.
Disclosure: I was randomly selected from among numerous GoodReads readers to receive an advance copy of this book; I have read it and this is my honest evaluation. I have no connection with this author or publisher and have received nothing from anyone in consideration for publishing this review.
May 30, 2012
Scott has a beautiful way of telling the story of 4 teens during their senior year of high school in 1980's Georgia.
Gus, Cassady, Ogie and Darwin, best friends since way back when,
are now brothers in the S.S.D.
[Society of Social Deviants, Protectors of the Gethsemane Gardens]
While reading about them dealing with absent parents,
a forbidden relationship,
a rape of one friend and the death of another,
a sleezy lawyer and a dying mother,
I felt myself growing so attached to Gus and the gang.
I started reading Young Men Shall See at 9am
and finished it the same day at 4pm.
I could not put it down!
I don't give these off often, but this book gets
5 star epic review status!
Gus, Cassady, Ogie and Darwin, best friends since way back when,
are now brothers in the S.S.D.
[Society of Social Deviants, Protectors of the Gethsemane Gardens]
While reading about them dealing with absent parents,
a forbidden relationship,
a rape of one friend and the death of another,
a sleezy lawyer and a dying mother,
I felt myself growing so attached to Gus and the gang.
I started reading Young Men Shall See at 9am
and finished it the same day at 4pm.
I could not put it down!
I don't give these off often, but this book gets
5 star epic review status!
May 12, 2012
Young Men Shall See is a nice coming of age story, following 4 teenagers in their senior year. As they grow and learn what it really means to grow up. Nice story.
June 25, 2012
Excellent coming of age story with a surprisingly dark, happy ending. Definitely recommend this to everyone.
December 16, 2012
I won this book on Goodreads FirstReads and very much enjoyed reading it. The vignettes from the lives of these four boys growing up together in River Falls, Georgia were charming and realistic. The female characters and their situations were also appealing and had the ring of truth. My only criticism is that the writing seemed uneven to me in terms of quality. I would rate some passages and chapters as truly outstanding writing; others were choppy and needed to be re-worked. I fault the editor for this flaw far more than I fault the author. It's obvious that the author has the ability to write extremely well. He just needed someone to point out the passages that were awkward, the paragraphs in which he used the same word too many times. On the whole, though, a very enjoyable story.
April 10, 2015
Surprising twist!
I chose to read this book because my husband went to college with the author. It was, at first, a fun, nostalgic, "coming of age" kind of story...and then, well, I don't want to spoil it! Let's just suffice it to say that it went places I wasn't at all expecting...and it stirred my emotions. You tell a good tale, Scott...I'm looking forward to reading your other books!
I chose to read this book because my husband went to college with the author. It was, at first, a fun, nostalgic, "coming of age" kind of story...and then, well, I don't want to spoil it! Let's just suffice it to say that it went places I wasn't at all expecting...and it stirred my emotions. You tell a good tale, Scott...I'm looking forward to reading your other books!
August 20, 2016
I heard good things about this book, but was disappointed. My interest waned several times and I found it difficult to finish The writing was poor, the characters uninteresting. Can't give it a higher rating. :(
wish-list
July 24, 2012Read Suko's Notebook review and thought it sounded interesting. Putting it on my must read list!
June 26, 2017
The story had no structure and was, quite frankly, all over the place. Not enjoyable at all.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews