What do you think?
Rate this book
Saved
Veteran Boston goaltender Jean Pierre Savard sees stardom and the money it brings as fate’s make-up call for a life in which he lost his father, his wife, and most of his self confidence for anything not involving saves or sex. Now late in his career, Savard and his teammate and best friend, Cam Carter, are trying to fulfill their boyhood dreams of winning a Stanley Cup before they retire. A surprise late-season trade pits the friends against each other in a playoff series both could lose but only one can win. Saved takes the reader into the rinks, dressing rooms, planes, buses, and hotels that are the backdrop to the long grind of an NHL season. That grind is made bearable by the likes of players such as Bruno Govoni, whose cell phone ring tone is the orgasmic moaning of a porn star Loretta (Lash) LaRue; of Phil “Flipside” Palmer, the only person besides the Kingsmen who knows all the words to “Louie Louie” or that “Child of the Moon” was the flipside of the Rolling Stones’ “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”; and team enforcer Kevin Quigley, who claims all his fights are retaliations, “but sometimes I retaliate first.” Most sports novels bring the game to the reader. Saved brings the reader to the game. Praise for Jack Falla “Falla’s graphic portrayal of a violent sport (and its colorful players) and his insider’s view of how hockey is played, coached, and officiated is exciting, surefire entertainment.” -- Publishers Weekly on Saved “Literary hot chocolate that will warm your heart.” ---Robert Lipsyte, The New York Times, on Home Ice “The best hockey book ever.” ---John Buccigross, ESPN sportscaster, on Home Ice “Possibly the best hockey book since Ken Dryden’s The Game .” --- Toronto Globe and Mail, on Home Ice
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 8, 2008
4 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
June 24, 2008
this is by no means a literary masterpiece, but it's a nice little hockey read to get us through these painful hockey-less summer months. i imagine it's like a romance novel for dudes. a bromance, if you will?? yeah, i am just writing this review so i could write that.
April 26, 2020
Love Home Ice. Super meh about this effort
It's a super easy read but it takes a long time to get going and it doesn’t really give you much reason to keep reading. For a good half of the book, there’s barely a whiff of tension or conflict. And I say this as someone who loves character-driven fiction. I'll slug through 400 pages of nothing just to watch an interesting character brush their teeth. But interesting characters were not in abundance in this one. I was bored, honestly. JP is not a particularly compelling protagonist. It was a good read for before bed because it was so easy to put down.
I can't see a non hockey fan reading this, which is why it's so bewildering Falla explains every hockey term in excruciating detail. Dude, do you really think someone who doesn't know what an enforcer is would read this book?
He provides an interesting glimpse into the life of an athlete, but he’s also restrained in a way that prevents total immersion. Like - he’ll mention sex and puckbunnies, but never in a way that’s lewd or profane, and the swearing is minimal. And I appreciate that! But I also felt like he was keeping me at an arm's length to be polite.
Jack Falla is an excellent sportswriter, which is why I hate to be so unenthusiastic about this, but I’m less sold on him as a novelist. Unless you’re, you know, in the middle of a global pandemic and decide to finally dust off all the abandoned books on your shelf, you’re probably better off just rereading Home Ice.
It's a super easy read but it takes a long time to get going and it doesn’t really give you much reason to keep reading. For a good half of the book, there’s barely a whiff of tension or conflict. And I say this as someone who loves character-driven fiction. I'll slug through 400 pages of nothing just to watch an interesting character brush their teeth. But interesting characters were not in abundance in this one. I was bored, honestly. JP is not a particularly compelling protagonist. It was a good read for before bed because it was so easy to put down.
I can't see a non hockey fan reading this, which is why it's so bewildering Falla explains every hockey term in excruciating detail. Dude, do you really think someone who doesn't know what an enforcer is would read this book?
He provides an interesting glimpse into the life of an athlete, but he’s also restrained in a way that prevents total immersion. Like - he’ll mention sex and puckbunnies, but never in a way that’s lewd or profane, and the swearing is minimal. And I appreciate that! But I also felt like he was keeping me at an arm's length to be polite.
Jack Falla is an excellent sportswriter, which is why I hate to be so unenthusiastic about this, but I’m less sold on him as a novelist. Unless you’re, you know, in the middle of a global pandemic and decide to finally dust off all the abandoned books on your shelf, you’re probably better off just rereading Home Ice.
November 7, 2023
A fictional account about a goalie of French Canadian ancestry and who plays in the NHL, Saved borders on non-fiction.
It's no serendipitous coincidence that Jean Pierre Savard plays goalie for Jack's favorite team, the Bruins. It's no surprise then, that Jack was also a netminder, and that like his protagonist, Falla's family tree is partly rooted in French-speaking territory.
Falla's description of the on-ice action and insights into how players deal with the media, and what happens in a player's private life--as well as what he's thinking--all read true.
The novel also contains characters, names that Bruins and/or AMHL fans will recognize: Cam, Rancourt...even a cameo by a Dwyer. Other characters' names sound more cartoon-like--"Flipside, "the Mad Hatter," and "Rinky"--but add color to Falla's commentary.
And like any good book, conflict, sadness, doubt, compassion, faith, and redemption make this a keeper.
It's no serendipitous coincidence that Jean Pierre Savard plays goalie for Jack's favorite team, the Bruins. It's no surprise then, that Jack was also a netminder, and that like his protagonist, Falla's family tree is partly rooted in French-speaking territory.
Falla's description of the on-ice action and insights into how players deal with the media, and what happens in a player's private life--as well as what he's thinking--all read true.
The novel also contains characters, names that Bruins and/or AMHL fans will recognize: Cam, Rancourt...even a cameo by a Dwyer. Other characters' names sound more cartoon-like--"Flipside, "the Mad Hatter," and "Rinky"--but add color to Falla's commentary.
And like any good book, conflict, sadness, doubt, compassion, faith, and redemption make this a keeper.
Read
August 11, 2020So good, I need my own copy
January 26, 2012
I can't imagine that anyone who's not already a hockey fan--and a pretty dedicated one at that--would get much enjoyment out of Falla's only novel. I thought it was hilarious and moving, but it definitely depended on some existing knowledge of, at least, professional athletes and/or the NHL franchise.
That being said, being a person with that knowledge and passion, I did enjoy the hell out of this. It took me most of the book to fully realize that JP was a character to whom things happened, rather than a character working actively in his own narrative. And there's not a real fever pitch of action, here, either--it mostly resembles an insider view of a standard hockey season, which makes sense given Falla's career and the subject matter he wrote on.
Great book for fans. Middling to meaningless book for non-fans.
That being said, being a person with that knowledge and passion, I did enjoy the hell out of this. It took me most of the book to fully realize that JP was a character to whom things happened, rather than a character working actively in his own narrative. And there's not a real fever pitch of action, here, either--it mostly resembles an insider view of a standard hockey season, which makes sense given Falla's career and the subject matter he wrote on.
Great book for fans. Middling to meaningless book for non-fans.
July 15, 2008
I took a two-month reading break this spring because I was busy watching the NHL playoffs. So what was the first book I read post-Stanley Cup finals? This novel about a professional hockey player.
Anyway, Falla's novel is diverting enough. There are too many cliches, and I couldn't quite tell if he was aiming the book at sports fans or neophytes ... one annoying element is that the narrator (a goalie for the Boston Bruins) feels the need to explain almost every sports reference he makes. So when he tells you he's been nominated for the Vezina Trophy, he painstakingly tells us that this is awarded to the best goalie and provides a history lesson on the life of Georges Vezina, whom it was named for. Dude, I know.
Anyway, Falla's novel is diverting enough. There are too many cliches, and I couldn't quite tell if he was aiming the book at sports fans or neophytes ... one annoying element is that the narrator (a goalie for the Boston Bruins) feels the need to explain almost every sports reference he makes. So when he tells you he's been nominated for the Vezina Trophy, he painstakingly tells us that this is awarded to the best goalie and provides a history lesson on the life of Georges Vezina, whom it was named for. Dude, I know.
August 3, 2015
A funny and enjoyable read. I was surprised to see it was published in 2008, since the book has a very retro feel. The good women are feisty dames, the favourite drink is bourbon, and the witty dialogue would be at home in a Katherine Hepburn/Spencer Tracy movie. The plot is a little meandering, there's not much tension, and these athletes are far more witty than the real ones, but it's an easy read with some laugh out loud moments. I'd recommend it for any sports fan, since baseball, basketball, and hockey are all referenced.
August 15, 2008
It's cute. I'll give it that. But it was a struggle for me to finish because of the constant barrage of sports cliches. There are two characters who, I swear, speak in nothing but cliches. Even as JP's wife lay dying and watching a football game, she said something to the effect of, "life is a busted play." *Seriously.*
But if you're looking for a cute, happy book with a smattering of hockey history and a decent amount of in-game action, this'll work.
But if you're looking for a cute, happy book with a smattering of hockey history and a decent amount of in-game action, this'll work.
June 4, 2009
Jack Falla was an amazing sports writer. I believe this was his last work before his passing. Saved was a fast read for a die hard hockey fan. The story moves along, and even if the story is a bit predictable, I found I did not care because I was really cheering for things to work out.
February 11, 2013
Awesome book. I don't know why I didn't read this sooner! If you are looking for a good read, one that won't tax your brain, or make you think to hard this is worth a read even if you are not a hockey fan.
March 11, 2008
Read this! Good little hockey story; has something for everyone.
May 15, 2008
This is a great hockey story and includes a lot of insight into the game. Also, the main character and his friends and teammates capture the essence of a team.
Want to read
June 12, 2008Such a sucker for sports fiction. One of my favorite subgenres.
June 24, 2008
A fictional tale about the Boston Bruins winning the Stanley Cup. Of course I liked it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2009
It's a novel about professional hockey. Is there such a genre for men like "chick-lit" is for women? Testosterature? Guy-lit? Nevertheless, if there is such a genre, this book fits the bill.
February 10, 2010
This is a nice, easy read for any hockey fans.
October 9, 2011
great hockey book, pure hockey, no romance, good look inside the game
April 29, 2015
If you love hockey (like me) then this is the book for you. Great read.
August 26, 2012
The author is a sports writer. Really good. Jean Pierre Savard is a goalie for the Bruins. His best friend is Cam. JP dates Faith, Cam gets traded to Montreal.
May 17, 2013
Amazingly Awesome
July 19, 2008
Could it get any better than hockey fiction? Perfect summer hockey fix!
January 12, 2010
Probably my favorite book of all time - just enough hockey, just enough love story.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews