Sky Blue: A Novel

by Travis Thrasher

Colin Scott is a top literary agent at a firm representing some of the biggest names in publishing. He's worked hard to reach this place, yet now it seems routine and aggravating. On top of the creeping cynicism in his professional life, Colin and his wife are desperate to have a baby. As the pressure mounts, he finds himself questioning almost every decision he's ever made. And he seems to be having a nervous breakdown.

Then disaster strikes. On a much-needed vacation in Mexico, his wife's parasail malfunctions and she plunges to her death. From that point on, Colin's life goes from bad to worse as he loses his job and, apparently, his mind.

Genres: Fiction, Christian Fiction, Christian, Drama, Contemporary

383 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2006

About the author

New York Times bestselling author Travis Thrasher has written over 75 books, from fiction in a variety of genres to memoirs and children’s books. He has collaborated with filmmakers, musicians, athletes, comedians and pastors. Travis lives with his wife and three daughters in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Reviews

[Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books is weird but great. The beginning was shocking because it tells you the bad and the ugly side of the publishing world. I always wanted to read -or listen- the truth about the book industry, and reading this from a fiction book, was like getting a slap in the face because it's true. It couldn't be otherwise coming from an author that writes from the heart.


The middle of the book focused more on the romance and Colin was really depressed. At that point, I felt sad and pessimist. Yeah, blame Travis Thrasher for that.

However there was a twist in the story that left me amazed. I had to re read a lot of chapters because I still couldn't believed it.
The ending was glorious. Like Colin, I think I've found myself too.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing book. Not what I expected. I'm still puzzled by it and I don't think this story will leave me for a long time. I plowed through it over the last 2 nights after seeing it on my friend Kim's goodreads profile. I had it here at home on my bookshelf for the last two years. I bought it on a whim after meeting the author briefly at my local Barnes & Noble. This may be my next bookclub choice. Sad, serious, hard to handle at certain times but definitely recommended.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is VERY different. The author's style is strange...random thoughts and conversations that come together to make a story. I almost stopped reading it 3 or 4 times, but I stuck with it, and toward the middle I was caught up in the story...but confused! It all comes together at the end, though.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrasher is a contemporary christian writer, and like many others,somewhat undiscovered. Sky blue is my favorite so far -- very good characters and another interesting look at relationships. You should check him out. Same with Ted Dekker and Frank Perretti.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story, but not the best writing style.

[Chiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a fan of Travis Thrasher novels. He is a talented story-teller. I enjoyed Sky Blue. It provided an "insider" look into publishing houses and the art of agenting. But, it also weaved a tale of human loss, love, and faith. The story was real and it took on a supernatural feel when the traumatic event occured. You'll have to read it to find out what that is. The story moved. One of things that jarred me was the abrupt jumps to different scenes. Other than that, it's worth a read.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has to be one of the most thought provoking books I have read in some time. It has a surprise ending and the storyline is sometimes mysterious, but I found myself not being able to stop reading. I cared about the main character and could see a bit of myself in him. Hope this review will encourage readers. Just know it is a deep and thoughtful read. So glad I read it!

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

So many things about this book are odd and don’t make sense, yet I kept reading. I had to know how it would wrap up. This is definitely a unique Christian book that presents a blurry picture of the gospel that might intrigue skeptics.

[Vicky Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eugh, I really don’t know if I liked this book or not. It was so boring for so long, and I wanted to shake the main character. There’s no doubt the ending took me by surprise but again, I don’t know if I liked it. I appreciate the author’s effort to share the gospel but I’m not sure it works.

[Teri Kopil · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good book. I found it a little hard to get into, but once I did, I enjoyed it. I had a hard time following the plot at points, and I found the characters a little flat. I just didn't seem to really be invested in them for anything more than following the story.

[Kaitlynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it. I was so invested in the characters and needed to know more every time I set the book down! I’ll definitely be looking up the author’s other books, the way he writes is captivating.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

The twist in this story really made me mad! I actually got into an argument with the book....

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really didn’t like this book till about halfway through. The ending was a bit preachy but unexpected which is why it got 3 stars instead of 2.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely unexpected. A lot of twists. Was skeptical at first as other reviews showed but once I dove in I couldn’t stop reading.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good it became my favorite book of all time, at least temporarily.

[Sydney Pouliot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not quite sure how I feel. I did not expect the ending at all. I enjoyed the writing style, I felt it added more depth to the story.

[Codi Lessner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting book. Makes you laugh cry sit on the edge of your seat & think. Definitely recommend reading.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

story lost to me but interesting look into how books and authors and agents meld together

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Colin Scott is at the top of his game. Representing the biggest names in the publishing world, he works with authors in securing their loyalty - and their
manuscripts. But despite his success, he can't help but feel that life has fallen short of his expectations. His wife Jen, wants to have a baby, and no matter how much they try, their hopes die with the negative results every month. In time she drifts away from him, frustrated by the demands of their jobs, and their lack of emotional connection.

Finally, in a desperate attempt to re-connect with Jen and remember all the good things in life, he takes her on a romantic vacation in Cancun. What should have been a time to save their marriage ends up taking a disastrous turn. Obsessed with a manuscript he wants to make better, and distracted by the things he wants and has; the line between reality and fantasy becomes blurred. Will he ever be able to pull himself out of the miry pit that has been dug, or is it too late to save himself?

There are so many emotions I felt after reading this book, I don't even really know where to start. Being inside someone's mind for a big part of the novel was challenging. Not able to see things for myself, but relying on Colin's fragmented memories was hard. But even though I was warned he was headed for a nervous breakdown, I never saw it coming. I was so shocked to read the final pages, I felt as if I should just start over, see the evidence for myself. I was utterly transfixed by this book; completely confused, awed, surprised, and grieved all at once. A splendid book that will make you re-evaluate what is most important to you in this life, and a reminder not to take those we love for granted. Because once they're gone it is too late.

[Lori Twichell · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Colin and his wife finally get away to take a much needed break, he’s certain that it will be the fix for everything that’s been going on in his life. He’s just been handed a huge project potentially worth millions of dollars and this is a chance for him to re-connect with his wife in a way that they haven’t in a long time. With glorious beaches, lots of chances to talk and hope for a fresh start, Colin is ready for everything to change; just not the way that it does. A tragic parasailing accident leaves Colin alone, grieving and even deeper in chaos. Everything snowballs into bad decisions, lost jobs and literally nothing left of what was once his solid and respectable life.

Travis Thrasher writes from the heart. Sometimes it’s from the gut. With piercing truth that slices through rhetoric, he goes for the jugular without remorse and with what seems like very little effort. One of the things I love about his writing is that he makes the real surreal and the most ordinary things absolutely extraordinary.

It’s hard to share more without spoiling this book, but let me say that this book is a gift of a beautiful few hours. It will give you fresh perspective along with fascinating entertainment and adventure. If you haven’t read Thrasher before, give Sky Blue a try. If you’ve read some of his newer releases, go back and give this one a try.

Book provided by the author. Thank you Travis!

[Brian Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Travis Thrasher's most compelling work. Tragedy, love, loss, desperation and hopelessness are primary themes in this riveting novel about a literary agent named Colin Scott who has become so jaded about his industry, his life and the authors he works with that he wants to give up on it all. When his wife dies unexpectedly, this augments all of his woes exponentially and he spirals into depression, loneliness and a borderline destructive bout of self-evaluation as he looks back at all things he could have and should have done while his wife was still alive.

I appreciated Thrasher's willingness to dive into some really difficult characters and situations in ways that weren't melodramatic or hackneyed. Sometimes people go through really rough patches where platitudes do you no good, and sometimes you just need people to be there for you; both of these elements show up in the novel, but are done well. Colin grieves, tries to destroy himself, tries to rebuild himself and though he is not an unlikable character by any means when the novel starts, by the end of the novel he has become a vastly different person, which is very satisfying to see.

I highly recommend this one.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in the first person, this book delves into the life of a book author agent who reviews author's book drafts and facilitates revisions, and then represents them in negotiating contracts with publishers. Colin, the agent, has become burnt out from the business and his marriage that see-saws on their frequent time away from both having careers that involve traveling.

The story starts rather slowly, wondering where the author is taking it. However, it picks up and is difficult to put down. Then a humdinger of a twist toward the end that left me shouting "What!!" I was pleasantly surprised and I loved the ingenuity of how Thrasher crafted such a surprise in this well-written drama/love-story. One of my favorite books to read in a long time!!

[Mata · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is quite unpredictable. It was hard to put down and engaging, I never quite knew where it was going. Generally liked the author's style, and I enjoyed reading it. It's a book about a man who is a literary agent, and you get a great insight into how the business works. The story is about finding yourself by losing what you love. I can't say too much more without giving away the storyline.

The only reason it didn't get more stars was attempt to tie up all the lose ends in the story with one ribbon did quite do it for me. Almost too nicely packaged. But maybe I just didn't get it?

[Tiff Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

Felt very convoluted and melodramatic. I think it could have been written in half the pages, with less dreariness.

The plot twist came VERY unexpectedly, and I did NOT guess that it was coming. However, it added nothing to the story. It was still pretty weird and wordy and depressing.

One bright spot - if his insight into being a literary agent is accurate at all, I am intrigued by the publishing industry now. The parts of the story dealing with his career held far more interest for me than his moody, angst-driven personal ramblings. Then again, I'm not really into angst-driven plot lines.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a book I casually glanced at in the Library, read the back and stashed in my stack, this book was really quite good. I'll probably read more from this author. Clever chapter headings are all titles of various well known novels.

A story about love and loss and picking up the pieces to find oneself. A tired editor Colin, must grieve and find life and his true self after his beloved wife's death.

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although this story had some interesting turns, I found it difficult to follow. The protaganist never seemed to have a close relationship with his wife, yet seemed completely devastated when she "died". I never figured out who the guy that kept stalking him was. I wondered if he was having a breakdown which also never seemed to be answered.

[Kelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with some of the other Travis Thrasher books that I've read, I wonder how much of the author is in the main character. I feel like it might be quite a lot - whether or not that is really true, it makes the story real and thoroughly draws me in. The ending took me by surprise! I loved it!

"Sky Blue" will most certainly be one that I purchase (rather then just borrow from the library).

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Travis Thrasher is great. His style at times drives me mad, but I have to keep reading. Sky Blue is never what you think it is. Like other reviewers, I almost gave up on it in the first half, but am so glad I didn't. The twists and turns can be baffling, yet the twists and turns of reality can be baffling. I've read Home Run, Sky Blue and am about to dive into another Thrasher book, Admission!

[Meagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this. Totally unexpected read. A friend gave me her free copy of this book from a book conference and I read it on a trip. I couldn't stop. The story is enthralling and unexpected. So challenging and comforting knowing the struggles inside the minds of others. I should circle back and re-read it.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I took a two-week course about "writing the great American novel" taught by Mr. Thrasher. The class proved interesting and I was interested in his work. The book is good, but slow at times. Great for people interested in the writing/publishing industry.