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True North
Salvatore "Sal" Slocum is a sales representative at True North, LLC, a direct marketing company hawking a self-improvement system based upon the personal experiences and wisdom of the company's founder, the enigmatic Burt Leathers. Thirty years earlier a blinding flash of light erased Leathers' memory, yet also imbued him with strange persuasive powers and a keen intuition. Even more curious - any compass within his vicinity points directly at him. Taken together, Leathers interpreted these signs as proof that he had achieved enlightenment, and promptly set about building a business empire imparting his knowledge to the masses for fifty dollars a pop. One morning, shortly after arriving for work, Sal is summoned to Leathers' office and given the shocking news that he has been chosen to take over the company following his boss's imminent departure. The part Sal wasn't told about - the death threats being sent in by a disgruntled customer named Don Bagley, a Stetson-wearing, gun-toting, wannabe cowboy who has vowed to exact vengeance against the company for ripping him off. As Bagley travels across the country toward True North's headquarters, he has no idea that he himself is being pursued by a woman with whom he had a chance encounter at a roadside bar, one whose identity and relationship to both Salvatore Slocum and Burt Leathers will change everything.
- GenresFiction
228 pages, Paperback
Published August 18, 2023
1 person is currently reading
14 people want to read
About the author
Randall DeVallance
5 books4 followersRandall DeVallance is the author of four books. His most recent novel, True North, is scheduled for publication on August 19, 2023. Other titles include the novella/short story collection The Absent Traveler, published in 2010 by Atticus Books, and the novel Memoir of a Doomsday Prophet and novella/short story collection The Cosmic Embrace and Other Stories, published in 2021 and 2022 respectively by Beacon Publishing Group. His stories have also appeared in more than 30 publications online and in print. Currently, he lives in Vermont with his wife, Petya, and daughter, Laura.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 26, 2024
True North is the second novel by American author, Randall DeVallance. Barely a year after starting at True North, Salvatore Slocomb is surprised, early one Monday morning, to be plucked from the sales floor to step into the role of CEO. Sal is dubious about his ability to fulfil the duties expected of him, but True North’s founder and CEO, Burt Leathers promises that the brief orientation he provides will be all Sal needs. By Wednesday, he’s sitting behind the CEO’s desk, wondering what he actually needs to do.
But Sal doesn’t know the reason Leathers has installed him there: Burt is taking the death threat from a disgruntled customer quite seriously, and figures that he’s safer with some randomly-chosen expendable in his chair. Except that Sal isn’t quite as randomly-chosen as Burt might think. Burt knows less about Sal, and how he might behave, than he realises. In fact, there are some vital facts that neither of them knows…
It all has to do with the time, thirty years earlier, when Burt Leathers had the enlightening experience that eventually led him to create the motivational system, True North (available for $49.99 plus P&P) which includes a quality compass to help you find your true direction in life. And while some customers might swear by True North’s results, Don Bagley isn’t one of them. An officious customer service employee has stuck by company policy and refused him a refund, and he’s very angry.
A string of unlikely but highly amusing coincidences quickly makes it apparent that the best idea is to don your disbelief suspenders and enjoy the ride. Some of DeVallance’s characters are quirky and appealing; others lean more to irritating, silly, or even obnoxious. Colleen Frink’s “would you rather” scenarios are comical and reminiscent of Jeffrey Lu in Jasper Jones.
DeVallance gives the reader some marvellous descriptive prose: “They shuffled through the halls, subdued and disoriented, like bees through a hive that had just been doused with smoke” and “She batted her eyes, her lashes stirring the air around them like a pair of Japanese fans” are examples. The ending isn’t exactly “happy ever after” but is very fitting all the same. Short but very entertaining.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Beacon Publishing Group.
But Sal doesn’t know the reason Leathers has installed him there: Burt is taking the death threat from a disgruntled customer quite seriously, and figures that he’s safer with some randomly-chosen expendable in his chair. Except that Sal isn’t quite as randomly-chosen as Burt might think. Burt knows less about Sal, and how he might behave, than he realises. In fact, there are some vital facts that neither of them knows…
It all has to do with the time, thirty years earlier, when Burt Leathers had the enlightening experience that eventually led him to create the motivational system, True North (available for $49.99 plus P&P) which includes a quality compass to help you find your true direction in life. And while some customers might swear by True North’s results, Don Bagley isn’t one of them. An officious customer service employee has stuck by company policy and refused him a refund, and he’s very angry.
A string of unlikely but highly amusing coincidences quickly makes it apparent that the best idea is to don your disbelief suspenders and enjoy the ride. Some of DeVallance’s characters are quirky and appealing; others lean more to irritating, silly, or even obnoxious. Colleen Frink’s “would you rather” scenarios are comical and reminiscent of Jeffrey Lu in Jasper Jones.
DeVallance gives the reader some marvellous descriptive prose: “They shuffled through the halls, subdued and disoriented, like bees through a hive that had just been doused with smoke” and “She batted her eyes, her lashes stirring the air around them like a pair of Japanese fans” are examples. The ending isn’t exactly “happy ever after” but is very fitting all the same. Short but very entertaining.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Beacon Publishing Group.
August 17, 2023
(My review is a jumbled mess of thoughts, but also.. how does this book only have like 6 reviews?!?)
This was SO GOOD. I originally requested it on NetGalley because the cover gave me Kurt Vonnegut vibes, and the storyline seemed really simple and interesting. The dry humor followed through on the Vonnegut vibes I got, and it reminded me of an Augusten Burroughs novel I once read as well. The writing was so good, and the way the story was organized was perfect. Giving backstory without making it confusing, if that makes sense.
It's been a while since I read a story like this. I've been reading a lot of mystery/thrillers, and this isn't that. I guess it had a twist/reveal at one point, but it never felt like it was a reach. The characters were all fleshed out and interesting (I'm gonna need a book solely about Colleen btw), the storyline was straightforward and interesting (I could see this being a movie actually), and the writing was superb.
I don't think I've ever purchased a physical copy of a book after reading it on my Kindle, but this one I will be preordering (release date in 2 days!). It feels very rereadable, I love the cover, and I enjoyed it that much. Thanks again to the publisher and NetGalley!
This was SO GOOD. I originally requested it on NetGalley because the cover gave me Kurt Vonnegut vibes, and the storyline seemed really simple and interesting. The dry humor followed through on the Vonnegut vibes I got, and it reminded me of an Augusten Burroughs novel I once read as well. The writing was so good, and the way the story was organized was perfect. Giving backstory without making it confusing, if that makes sense.
It's been a while since I read a story like this. I've been reading a lot of mystery/thrillers, and this isn't that. I guess it had a twist/reveal at one point, but it never felt like it was a reach. The characters were all fleshed out and interesting (I'm gonna need a book solely about Colleen btw), the storyline was straightforward and interesting (I could see this being a movie actually), and the writing was superb.
I don't think I've ever purchased a physical copy of a book after reading it on my Kindle, but this one I will be preordering (release date in 2 days!). It feels very rereadable, I love the cover, and I enjoyed it that much. Thanks again to the publisher and NetGalley!
August 30, 2023
I have to say I really loved this book. It feels a lot like a Coen brothers movie or a Twilight Zone episode. The characters are really well written so that even for a short read, I feel like I can picture them all perfectly. Colleen is my favorite. I laughed out loud several times. The dialogue feels real and I love the author’s descriptive style.
One of my favorite lines: “Empty plastic lawn chairs were scattered about the property, some of them clustered together and surrounded by discarded cigarette butts and half-empty beer cans, as if the occupants had been raptured mid-party.”
I like how there’s not a pretty little bow tied up by the end. Life isn’t like that, and I think this story does a fantastic job of showing how everyone is always on their own journey, doing their best from womb to grave.
One of my favorite lines: “Empty plastic lawn chairs were scattered about the property, some of them clustered together and surrounded by discarded cigarette butts and half-empty beer cans, as if the occupants had been raptured mid-party.”
I like how there’s not a pretty little bow tied up by the end. Life isn’t like that, and I think this story does a fantastic job of showing how everyone is always on their own journey, doing their best from womb to grave.
August 17, 2023
I received an advanced reader’s copy of Randall DeVallance’s sophomore novel, True North, from BookSirens and the book’s publisher, Beacon Publishing Group. I was eager to read this very short book after reading and reviewing DeVallance’s first short novel, Memoir of a Doomsday Prophet. The following is my honest and voluntary review.
Unlike Memoir of a Doomsday Prophet, DeVallance’s second novel is extremely easy for me to review. Like Memoir I found True North to be an interesting and compelling read, finishing both quickly. However, I found the new work much less puzzling than the first. It follows a rather straightforward plot, albeit in a meandering sort of way: a man seeking revenge against a company he thinks wronged him and all other purchasers of its nefarious product. Also similar to my reaction of the Memoir story, I found this one to be a bit predictable, even though the ending packed more than one surprise. The language in both books is unique and quirky and wonderfully descriptive. I truly enjoyed reading True North, probably even more than I enjoyed reading Memoir, but I highly recommend both. I can’t wait to see what Mr. DeVallance has up his sleeve for another unusual tale, and I hope he produces it soon.
Unlike Memoir of a Doomsday Prophet, DeVallance’s second novel is extremely easy for me to review. Like Memoir I found True North to be an interesting and compelling read, finishing both quickly. However, I found the new work much less puzzling than the first. It follows a rather straightforward plot, albeit in a meandering sort of way: a man seeking revenge against a company he thinks wronged him and all other purchasers of its nefarious product. Also similar to my reaction of the Memoir story, I found this one to be a bit predictable, even though the ending packed more than one surprise. The language in both books is unique and quirky and wonderfully descriptive. I truly enjoyed reading True North, probably even more than I enjoyed reading Memoir, but I highly recommend both. I can’t wait to see what Mr. DeVallance has up his sleeve for another unusual tale, and I hope he produces it soon.
September 5, 2023
What would it take for you to discover your true potential? Do you have the guts to go for it? Do you need to be thrown into a position of power to show that you’ve got what it takes? Or does lightning have to strike?
You might want to ask Burt Leathers, the oddly magnetic CEO of True North, LLC, or Sal Slocum, his reluctant replacement, what it takes to find your – well, your True North. Both have experienced instant transformation through no will of their own, setting them on journeys that end at their beginning.
Randall DeVallance’s well-crafted story shoots like an arrow – or maybe a boomerang; it’s linear, succinct, and funny. There’s just enough character development in this plot-driven tale to move the action forward, and the plot, while improbable, does not disappoint. The pacing is perfect and the dialogue is lean and funny, as is the rest of this prose.
In any other novel one might want to see at least one woman in something other than a supporting role, but this story feels vintage. If women had agency, the slight sense of unreality would disappear and the story would lose its edge.
Read the book. It’ll be effortless, and you’ll enjoy the ride.
Thank you to the author, who provided the ARC I used to write this honest review.
You might want to ask Burt Leathers, the oddly magnetic CEO of True North, LLC, or Sal Slocum, his reluctant replacement, what it takes to find your – well, your True North. Both have experienced instant transformation through no will of their own, setting them on journeys that end at their beginning.
Randall DeVallance’s well-crafted story shoots like an arrow – or maybe a boomerang; it’s linear, succinct, and funny. There’s just enough character development in this plot-driven tale to move the action forward, and the plot, while improbable, does not disappoint. The pacing is perfect and the dialogue is lean and funny, as is the rest of this prose.
In any other novel one might want to see at least one woman in something other than a supporting role, but this story feels vintage. If women had agency, the slight sense of unreality would disappear and the story would lose its edge.
Read the book. It’ll be effortless, and you’ll enjoy the ride.
Thank you to the author, who provided the ARC I used to write this honest review.
July 25, 2023
Salvatore “Sal” Slocum is a sales representative at True North, LLC, a direct marketing company hawking a self-improvement system based upon the personal experiences and wisdom of the company’s founder, the enigmatic Burt Leathers. Thirty years earlier a blinding flash of light erased Leathers’ memory, yet also imbued him with strange persuasive powers and a keen intuition. Even more curious – any compass within his vicinity points directly at him.
True North really captures good character development, which I personally admired because strong character information builds for a stronger story. I personally really loved the different clues and hints that were indicated to form backstories, as this was my favorite element from this read.
I’d have to give this book 3 stars just because it wasn’t my absolutely favorite, but it was a good read! Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me this early ARC review.
True North really captures good character development, which I personally admired because strong character information builds for a stronger story. I personally really loved the different clues and hints that were indicated to form backstories, as this was my favorite element from this read.
I’d have to give this book 3 stars just because it wasn’t my absolutely favorite, but it was a good read! Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me this early ARC review.
August 26, 2023
This is closer to a novella than a novel with only 223 pages and fairly large font (guesstimating 16 point font size). So while it probably gets over the 50,000 word count to be classified as a novel, it's a short, relatively easy read. (I finished this in a couple of hours.)
This is a character-driven story, and the author does setting up the characters and getting them down the road. As I mentioned, it's fairly predictable (there's a major clue in the back cover summary) but despite the fact it's easy to figure out what's what, it actually had a little bit of a (sad) twist at the end that I hadn't expected.
While I overall enjoyed it, I found that it could have used a better editor. There were a few sentences that got a bit out of hand along with a little too much tell. Some tightening and maybe some fleshing out in other spots might have made this a little stronger. But overall a fun romp.
This is a character-driven story, and the author does setting up the characters and getting them down the road. As I mentioned, it's fairly predictable (there's a major clue in the back cover summary) but despite the fact it's easy to figure out what's what, it actually had a little bit of a (sad) twist at the end that I hadn't expected.
While I overall enjoyed it, I found that it could have used a better editor. There were a few sentences that got a bit out of hand along with a little too much tell. Some tightening and maybe some fleshing out in other spots might have made this a little stronger. But overall a fun romp.
August 22, 2023
What a riot of a book! The story development and plot was well thought out and conceived by the author. It was farcical at best and very entertaining. After Burt Leathers lost his memory from being hit with a flash of light, he eventually built and started True North a company that sells compasses. Consumers that buy this product will have to follow a program to attain enlightenment and access to the "wisdom of the ages" for the compass to directly point at them. This idea is actually dubious and suspicious and one angry customer by the name of Don Bagley wants to get revenge on the corporate owner for being fooled and deceived by its false guarantees. The novel is full of unforgettable characters-Leathers, Elmie Duncan and Salvatore Slocum. Though brief, it was really worthy of my time. I recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys ludicrous stories laced with a hint of hilarity!
August 23, 2023
Absolutely a must read! What a trip this book was. It was a quick read but incredibly intriguing and one heck of a wild ride! For being so short it sure packed a lot of adventure into it. This is a book everyone should read at least once. Maybe twice. I think you’d get even more out of it the second time. One of the most unique and creative stories I’ve ever read.
Stop reading this review, buy the book and thank me for the awesome recommendation after you finish it! Seriously. You won’t regret it.
I received this book from the author through Voracious Readers Only.
Stop reading this review, buy the book and thank me for the awesome recommendation after you finish it! Seriously. You won’t regret it.
I received this book from the author through Voracious Readers Only.
July 27, 2023
A hard book to review as I am not really sure what I just read. The protagonist is imbued with a special quality that results in reactions from those around him willingly or not. Almost any storyline could work with this character, and the author has come up with a good one that keeps the reader engaged. I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and voluntarily provided an honest review.
October 29, 2023
A businessman’s worst nightmare comes true.
Combining elements of comedy and drama, it’s an interesting novel.
It’s an office drama that’s made all the more realistic by the genuine dialogue from staff when dealing with an inexperienced boss.
The author really developed characters and you got clues into their past which immersed you in their backstories.
A very thought provoking book.
Thanks @randalldevallance, @beaconpublishing & @netgalley for the eARC
Combining elements of comedy and drama, it’s an interesting novel.
It’s an office drama that’s made all the more realistic by the genuine dialogue from staff when dealing with an inexperienced boss.
The author really developed characters and you got clues into their past which immersed you in their backstories.
A very thought provoking book.
Thanks @randalldevallance, @beaconpublishing & @netgalley for the eARC
September 9, 2023
Ever feel like you've read a book before but can't place it? This book déjà vu kept me from really enjoying this book. Well to be honest, there were other things as well that kept me from the enjoyment.
While this book is short, it could be even shorter. Many sections could have easily been removed and not altered the intertwining elements of the tale (without spoiling anything, mainly I'm referring to the attorney's lawsuit).
Not without merit, the main story does a nice job weaves a plot together with seemingly random characters but to me, in the end, it falls short.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
While this book is short, it could be even shorter. Many sections could have easily been removed and not altered the intertwining elements of the tale (without spoiling anything, mainly I'm referring to the attorney's lawsuit).
Not without merit, the main story does a nice job weaves a plot together with seemingly random characters but to me, in the end, it falls short.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 9, 2023
Sal is the new boss of True North LLC but has not been warned about the threats his former boss received. The story switches between Sal and Bagley, showing the moments leading up to their first encounter. This quick read is comedic and light-hearted as well as dialogue-driven.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 8, 2025
I didn’t know much going into this book. I like to give smaller authors a good chance. I don’t hate this book by any means, and reading this in one day was nice. But, as far as the story goes, it was okay. Nothing blew me away and honestly I wasn’t super entertained. I was impressed with how much story was able to come from a short 200 pages. Overall I think I would give this maybe a 2.25.
August 1, 2023
sorry what did i just read lol i'm kind of just lost and the writing was really really dry and felt discombobulated at times. hope other people find this entertaining?
thanks to booksirens and the author for providing me this arc in exchange for an honest review
thanks to booksirens and the author for providing me this arc in exchange for an honest review
October 19, 2023
This was a fantastical story. It starts out with a struggling romance then takes a major detour. It has a cast of quirky characters and an interesting story. Everyone is brought together in the end with a crashing conclusion. This was a fun book to read.
October 11, 2023
An odd and quirky story with male main characters, this story was rather interesting. The premise was believable but the actions were a little over the top. Overall, I enjoyed the book
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews