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Aquarius Falling
It’s the summer of 1964 in Ocean City and the region seethes in racial unrest. The Vietnam War escalates. The Beatles lead the British Invasion in the takeover of rock-and-roll. It is the Age of Aquarius, and against this backdrop, Tom Delaney loses his college scholarship just a year before graduation. With no money or family to fall back on, he hopes to find work at a thriving beachfront to avoid the draft and salvage his dreams.
Delaney soon encounters new friends who vie for his talents and will dramatically alter his future. Wendy Morrison, a beautiful surfer girl, wants his heart, the volatile criminal John E. Walker needs an accomplice, an exotic astrologer Misty Vail desires control of his destiny, and mob boss Louis “Spam” Spamanado wants his mind. Swirling in a maelstrom of bigotry, petty crime, prostitution, and cocaine, Delaney struggles against waves of unbidden change to avoid arrest and the loss of what’s left of his soul.
Aquarius Falling is a fateful story of opportunity, love, and decision.
"A fascinating read" - The San Francisco Book Review - 5 Stars
"Tucker's dialogue flows easily throughout the novel" - ForeWord Clarion Review - 5 Stars
"Tucker's melodramatic plot does pull the reader in." - Kirkus Reviews
"...evocative of "Catcher in the Rye in tone." - AllBooks Review
Delaney soon encounters new friends who vie for his talents and will dramatically alter his future. Wendy Morrison, a beautiful surfer girl, wants his heart, the volatile criminal John E. Walker needs an accomplice, an exotic astrologer Misty Vail desires control of his destiny, and mob boss Louis “Spam” Spamanado wants his mind. Swirling in a maelstrom of bigotry, petty crime, prostitution, and cocaine, Delaney struggles against waves of unbidden change to avoid arrest and the loss of what’s left of his soul.
Aquarius Falling is a fateful story of opportunity, love, and decision.
"A fascinating read" - The San Francisco Book Review - 5 Stars
"Tucker's dialogue flows easily throughout the novel" - ForeWord Clarion Review - 5 Stars
"Tucker's melodramatic plot does pull the reader in." - Kirkus Reviews
"...evocative of "Catcher in the Rye in tone." - AllBooks Review
277 pages, Paperback
First published June 3, 2012
4 people are currently reading
544 people want to read
About the author
Michael J. Tucker
17 books12 followersMichael J. Tucker grew up in the cold northern climate of Pittsburgh, PA, and an only child, he was often trapped indoors and left to his own devices, where he would create space ships out of cardboard boxes, convert his mother’s ironing board into a horse and put on his Sunday suit and tie and his father’s fedora and become a newspaper reporter or police detective. This experience left him with an unlimited imagination and the ability to write electrifying short stories and novels.
Mike is the author of two critically acclaimed novels, Aquarius Falling and Capricorn’s Collapse. His published short stories available on Amazon are: Girl You’ll Be a Woman Soon, The New Neighbor, The Hemingway Notes, The King’s Man, and the Amazon best selling short story series, Katie Savage, and The Gardner Painting: A Katie Savage Story. In addition to his poetry collection, Your Voice Spoke To My Ear, his work also appears in the Civil War Anthology, Filtered Through Time, and By Blood or By Marriage, a Harpeth River Writers Anthology.
Reviewers of Mike’s novels have compared his writing to: Thomas Wolfe’s I Am Charlotte Simmons, and J. D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye.
Albert Beckus, Professor Emeritus of Literature at Austin Peay University recently wrote of his novels: “They move naturalistically in the American literary tradition of Theodore Dreiser’s An American Tragedy, but with a twist…as found in The Great Gatsby.”
Mike is the author of two critically acclaimed novels, Aquarius Falling and Capricorn’s Collapse. His published short stories available on Amazon are: Girl You’ll Be a Woman Soon, The New Neighbor, The Hemingway Notes, The King’s Man, and the Amazon best selling short story series, Katie Savage, and The Gardner Painting: A Katie Savage Story. In addition to his poetry collection, Your Voice Spoke To My Ear, his work also appears in the Civil War Anthology, Filtered Through Time, and By Blood or By Marriage, a Harpeth River Writers Anthology.
Reviewers of Mike’s novels have compared his writing to: Thomas Wolfe’s I Am Charlotte Simmons, and J. D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye.
Albert Beckus, Professor Emeritus of Literature at Austin Peay University recently wrote of his novels: “They move naturalistically in the American literary tradition of Theodore Dreiser’s An American Tragedy, but with a twist…as found in The Great Gatsby.”
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 13, 2014
Mr. Tucker's novel was a trip back in time that clearly evoked memories of that era. Tom Delaney chooses to add to his life's initial errors rather than run a straight course from then on, involving himself in still more misdeeds. How he navigates himself through the subsequent "difficulties" makes for an excellent read that I would recommend to anyone.
August 26, 2013
I wasn't even born until 1980 and yet the descriptions of the coast, the boardwalk and the beach town made me feel like I remembered it! Plus, I feel competent in my ability to surf even though I have never even held "a stick": that's how good the descriptions were!
It was hard, at first, to really connect with Delaney because, by his own admission, he was "like a leaf floating along the water," just waiting to see what would happen in his life. The question for discussion in the back about what role his upbringing in the orphanage home might have played in his ambivalent nature is interesting, as is the one about what makes a crime, a crime. What was most intriguing, though, was how he stayed connected to a man who had serious flaws and how, over time, his staunch refusal to be a part of theft or other illegal activities mellowed until he gave his loyalty to the same person about whose morals he himself originally questioned. These are not "flat" characters---they are flawed and perhaps that is what makes them so realistic. The racial tension of the era was done with tact and while I could not relate at all to the drugs or sex, I found myself commiserating with the maid and the black family who was denied a room at a hotel only to turn and leave "with more dignity and grace" than the prejudiced manager and employee could ever understand.
To be honest with you, this book is not in my particular realm. I can't say that I have read many books that involve a bunch of guys chasing the almighty dollar, regardless of the cost, before. I can't say with certainty that I would have chosen it in a bookstore. But I am glad I read it. It took me less than 48 hours to read it and, as I read the last word, I was conscious of how every decision we make---even the decision to NOT act---has consequences and how we mature from party kids to grown-ups comes as a result of those consequences. It wasn't until the end of the book that I realized the book has more depth than I suspected during the reading itself.
Ultimately, this is a book about the sixties: the people, the culture, the politics and how all of those things converge to create complex, entertaining and substantial characters also called human beings.
Bravo to the author!
It was hard, at first, to really connect with Delaney because, by his own admission, he was "like a leaf floating along the water," just waiting to see what would happen in his life. The question for discussion in the back about what role his upbringing in the orphanage home might have played in his ambivalent nature is interesting, as is the one about what makes a crime, a crime. What was most intriguing, though, was how he stayed connected to a man who had serious flaws and how, over time, his staunch refusal to be a part of theft or other illegal activities mellowed until he gave his loyalty to the same person about whose morals he himself originally questioned. These are not "flat" characters---they are flawed and perhaps that is what makes them so realistic. The racial tension of the era was done with tact and while I could not relate at all to the drugs or sex, I found myself commiserating with the maid and the black family who was denied a room at a hotel only to turn and leave "with more dignity and grace" than the prejudiced manager and employee could ever understand.
To be honest with you, this book is not in my particular realm. I can't say that I have read many books that involve a bunch of guys chasing the almighty dollar, regardless of the cost, before. I can't say with certainty that I would have chosen it in a bookstore. But I am glad I read it. It took me less than 48 hours to read it and, as I read the last word, I was conscious of how every decision we make---even the decision to NOT act---has consequences and how we mature from party kids to grown-ups comes as a result of those consequences. It wasn't until the end of the book that I realized the book has more depth than I suspected during the reading itself.
Ultimately, this is a book about the sixties: the people, the culture, the politics and how all of those things converge to create complex, entertaining and substantial characters also called human beings.
Bravo to the author!
March 16, 2017
Michael J. Tucker is the author of Aquarius Falling. It is his first novel and he is currently working on the sequel.
Aquarius Falling takes place during the spring and summer of 1964. It follows a young lad named Tom Delaney who has recently lost his scholarship to college and has no money or family to go back to. Hoping to earn enough money to pay for tuition in the fall he heads to Ocean City. Tom quickly finds a job and then just as quickly loses it. He realizes that making money won’t be that easy and it may take a lot longer to save tuition money than he had planned. Unless, of course, Tom will team up with his new “friends” and make a living doing things that will change his life forever.
I really enjoyed this book. I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect and I was pleasantly surprised to be pulled into the story right away. Tom is a great character and I found myself really hoping that he and the lovely Wendy would make it through to the end. This is a book about making decisions and dealing with the consequences of those decisions no matter if they are good or bad. I will say that the ending took me by surprise and I did not see it coming. This alone makes me love the author and the book even more. Mr. Tucker has made me a fan and I look forward to reading the sequel when it is available.
I received the book , Aquarius Falling, for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Aquarius Falling takes place during the spring and summer of 1964. It follows a young lad named Tom Delaney who has recently lost his scholarship to college and has no money or family to go back to. Hoping to earn enough money to pay for tuition in the fall he heads to Ocean City. Tom quickly finds a job and then just as quickly loses it. He realizes that making money won’t be that easy and it may take a lot longer to save tuition money than he had planned. Unless, of course, Tom will team up with his new “friends” and make a living doing things that will change his life forever.
I really enjoyed this book. I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect and I was pleasantly surprised to be pulled into the story right away. Tom is a great character and I found myself really hoping that he and the lovely Wendy would make it through to the end. This is a book about making decisions and dealing with the consequences of those decisions no matter if they are good or bad. I will say that the ending took me by surprise and I did not see it coming. This alone makes me love the author and the book even more. Mr. Tucker has made me a fan and I look forward to reading the sequel when it is available.
I received the book , Aquarius Falling, for free through Goodreads First Reads.
June 22, 2015
This character-driven book takes the reader into the mind of Tom Delaney, a young man who finds himself in Ocean City for the summer after landing in some serious trouble at his college. Delaney's choices lead him deeper and deeper into a world of drugs, prostitution, and thieves. Michael Tucker's descriptions are especially outstanding. There is an incredibly strong sense of time and place. This combined with the first-person perspective employed in the narration makes Delaney's story feel both real and personal, almost like a memory from a past life (for those of us not around in the 1960's).
The first half of the book primarily functions to build the characters and setting, but both are fascinating enough to hold the reader's attention. Once you hit the halfway point, things start moving very quickly. You won't want to put it down. I have already started on the sequel.
The first half of the book primarily functions to build the characters and setting, but both are fascinating enough to hold the reader's attention. Once you hit the halfway point, things start moving very quickly. You won't want to put it down. I have already started on the sequel.
February 12, 2014
Tom Delaney spent the spring and summer of 1964 in Ocean City, trying to earn money to go back to college. The people he falls in with and the choices he makes evnetually lead to drugs, prostitution and death. He gets involved with the currant explosive events. This is a very interesting look at these troubled times. The writing brings this seaside town and people to life. A very good story of decisions and their consequences. I found it very interesting and descriptive.
Thank you Goodreads and Mr. Tucker for the chance to read this wonderful book.
Thank you Goodreads and Mr. Tucker for the chance to read this wonderful book.
January 12, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. I was hooked from the start. I thought it was well constructed and had a good ending. I like how it showed how Jack kept getting further and further into myra's drama. His actions had consequences. Even though I had my suspicions of how it would end, I had no idea it would of ended quite that.
I liked that it is set in Maryland [My mom grew up there]
I liked that it is set in Maryland [My mom grew up there]
February 8, 2014
I received this book through First Reads Giveaways.
I really liked it. Although it takes place in the mid-60's, it reminds me a bit of ... well... I just relate to it on a personal level. It is a tale of poverty, bitterness, and choices -- and living with the consequences of those choices. A very open and honest look at life for the less-than-wealthy youth of the 60's. A beautiful story.
I really liked it. Although it takes place in the mid-60's, it reminds me a bit of ... well... I just relate to it on a personal level. It is a tale of poverty, bitterness, and choices -- and living with the consequences of those choices. A very open and honest look at life for the less-than-wealthy youth of the 60's. A beautiful story.
September 17, 2013
This was a fun, easy read. I really enjoyed the characters & story. I would really like to read a second book to find out what happened next.
I find I am still thinking about the characters & parts of the book days after I finished it.
I find I am still thinking about the characters & parts of the book days after I finished it.
September 24, 2012
This is a quick fun read. Perfect for the beach. I'm already looking forward to what shenanigans Delany will get into in the sequel.
October 10, 2017
It was a nice reading. No thrill but still a very good story. For this story it didn't matter the timeline. The characters are well portrayed and connected, goes well along with the story line. At some places too many words used for description of clothing and food etc. The main point was that the end comes out with unexpected events and is very well written.
December 12, 2015
After getting past all the song titles and artists this author included I grew to want to know what happens to these characters. The book goes along at a nice pace and then drops off the cliff pretty quickly. I might read another of this authors work, but I have not decided yet.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews