The Gods of Second Chances

by Dan Berne

Family means everything to widowed Alaskan fisherman Ray Bancroft, raising his granddaughter while battling storms, invasive species, and lawsuit happy tourists. To navigate, and to catch enough crab to feed her college fund, Ray seeks help from a multitude of gods and goddesses – not to mention ad-libbed rituals performed at sea by his half-Tlingit best friend. But kitchen counter statues and otter bone ceremonies aren’t enough when his estranged daughter returns from prison, swearing she’s clean and sober. Her search for a safe harbor threatens everything Ray holds sacred. Set against a backdrop of ice and mud and loss, this debut novel explores the unpredictable fissures of memory, and how families can break apart, even in the midst of healing.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Adult

298 pages, Paperback

First published February 11, 2014

Reviews

[Laina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars.

A friend recommended this novel to me, as the friend knows the author and loved the book. I do not rate the book so highly because it was written by a friend of a friend, but because it was an excellent book; the first un-put-down-able book I have read this year.

Set in a small fishing village in Alaska, the main character, Captain Ray, is a hard working crab fisherman - and a modern-day Job. Only Captain Ray seeks protection not from the Hebrew God, but from every god, saint and idol he can find. Still, for the year or so in which this story takes place, hardship rains on him from the heavens in just about every aspect of his life.

Eleven years after the incarceration of his junkie daughter and his wife's tragic death, Captain Ray is raising his granddaughter alone. One bad thing after another begins to happen to Captain Ray, even as said junkie daughter is released from prison and re-enters his life. Even though I found the book so hard to put down, I often had to close it briefly and moan out loud at my heart break for this likeable and sympathetic character. As much as this tale will break your heart, you are compelled to keep reading to find out how bad it can get, and if there is redemption in store. ("Please!", I would plead to the author and his muse, as I referred back to the title of the book, "Give this poor character a break!")

The prose was wonderfully descriptive, the characters were fun and unique, the scenery was unforgettable, and everything unfolded and resolved very succinctly and logically. The resolving elements felt more coincidental than contrived, and without being oversentimental or maudlin.

It was an easy read; read it in about a day. It would make a great made-for-TV movie, not the Hallmark Channel kind, but the HBO kind.

In sum: great debut novel, with awesome illustrations to open each chapter. Love it, recommend it. We need more home-grown authors like this getting their art out to the world. I hope to support this effort as much as I can. Can't say it enough: great job, And I don't say that lightly, as I am quite stingy with my four and five star reviews.

[Melanie Serpa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am lucky to be an advanced reader for The Gods of Second Chances. In his captivating story, Dan Berne transported me to the waters of Alaska and into the life of being a fisherman and a single-grandparent raising a pre-pubescent granddaughter. His characters came to life on the page and as the story tension mounted, I found myself at stoplights reading- just one more paragraph.... I highly recommend this excellent book, both for its fine writing and storytelling.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are so many different subject matters into which this book delves: love, loyalty, death, coping, second chances. Dan Berne deftly weaves all of these themes into an unforgettable tale and THE GODS OF SECONDS CHANCES should make your must read list this year.

Read my full review here: http://thebookbindersdaughter.com/201...

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tlingit fisherman asks us to rub the belly of a god for luck when we climb aboard his boat. The Buddhist spares a bite of food. The newly-reformed Christian sees every alien creed as demonic threat. And the grittily dour grandfather fills his home with statues in hopes that maybe one or another god might save him. Meanwhile an absent drug-addicted daughter, a sue-addicted tourist, and an all-too-present invasive crab are just the very tip of his ice-berg of troubles, while a delightfully, vividly real granddaughter is a wonderful saving grace.

The Gods of Second Chances blends evocative scenery, hauntingly real life and poverty, genuine Alaskan traditions and dreams, and a very modern plot into something truly beautiful. The voice is consistent, simultaneously gritty and smooth. Land, sea and weather are characters in their own right. The details drag the reader in, and second chances crawl like crabs into pots.

There’s a touch of romance, a grounding in misunderstandings, a wealth of age and culture gaps, pleasing humor, and a treasure of gods in this very human, very wonderful tale. It’s all presented with pithily perfect illustrations at the head of each chapter. A gorgeously rendered animal totem, symbolizing those gods perhaps, is crumbling down. But the urge to spare it belongs to the new world, not old. And a final collapse might mark the new beginning needed by all.

By turns sad, sweet, dark, scary, peaceful, frantic and wise, the God’s of Second Chances is a hauntingly beautiful book, just waiting for someone to grant it a first chance at fame. It’s highly recommended.

Disclosure: A friend loaned me this book. She thought I’d enjoy it. She was right!

[Afton Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this book thinking I was getting a story about a grandfather raising his granddaughter while trying to deal with the sudden return of his drug-addict daughter. And while I definitely got the story of inner turmoil and personal growth, there is also a lot of action and physical drama in this story--so much so that at times I couldn't put the book down. I loved the small Alaska island setting. The details about the dangerous profession of crabbing and living in harmony with the Alaskan Extremes were intense without feeling gratuitous. The characters were complicated, layered, endearing and maddening. The plot is tight and no detail is wasted. A fantastic read!

[Kim Hooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not expecting this book to be a page turner, but it really was. The first chapter or so was hard to get into (there is a very quick immersion into the world of commercial fishing), but then it picked right up and I found myself excited to read every night (that is what designates a 5-star book for me). I loved the main character and his fierce devotion to his granddaughter. The stories of his wife's death and his daughter's wayward life are tragic and sad, but I guess I appreciate that as being "real life." The end of the book wrapped up a bit neatly, but I can't think of how I would have written it differently. It was, overall, a very satisfying read.

[Laurel-Rain · Rating 5 out of 5]

The life of Alaskan fisherman Ray Bancroft is centered on raising his young granddaughter Sitka, bringing in enough fish to support them, and adding some to her college fund. He is still grief stricken over the death of his wife Donna years before, and in his heart he blames his drug addicted daughter Jenny and her dangerous lifestyle.

He is blindsided by Jenny's unexpected return, after spending years in and out of prison since Sitka's birth.

Even though neither Sitka nor Ray believe that Jenny will truly stay clean and sober this time, they try to incorporate her into their lives. So what Jenny does next will truly threaten the family they are trying to preserve, finding them on opposite sides, a family torn apart by their passionate struggle.

Jenny was a difficult character to like. In fact, I found myself angered by her behavior, her attitudes, and her sense of entitlement. Her moral high ground in the face of all she had done in the past seemed unforgivable.

Ray had also made mistakes along the way, and his inability to take the necessary actions early on set him up for how things played out.

What a page turner! I could not put "The Gods of Second Chances" down, and could totally relate to the need to fight passionately for family and the life one has chosen. In the end, I came to peace with Jenny, as in one courageous act, she shows that she is truly a mother. Five stars.

[Beverly Warren-leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book operated well on many levels. The writing was crisp, the characters well-developed, the story compelled me to keep turning the pages and I cared about the outcome of the story. It was not predictable either. The author worked his lines so they contained hints but I was never quite sure where they were taking me. I think I would enjoy reading it again someday. I am a slow reader but read this easily in two days. This is a story I will not soon forget. Also enjoyed the authenticity of the situations and description of places. Would make a great movie!

[S.L. Stoner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know the author of this book. I bought it at a book fair. That said, it was a delightful and touching surprise. This is a real gem of a book on a number of different levels. And, it left me with a compassionately revealed lesson about memory and rationalization that will be helpful forever after.

[Cindy Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful book, tender and strong at the same time. Especially loved the portrayal of life in Alaska - there is one scene I will never forget, on a fishing boat in the middle of an ice storm...

[Maria Tzoutzopoulou · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The parts of ourselves we value so much: our minds, our hearts - how often these were discarded in favor of what someone else wanted from us."

[Jule · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is how I want my literature: straight forward and traditional, no modern shenanigans. There are relatable, no-nonsense characters with real-life problems and the stripped-back but beautiful setting of an Alaskan island. I loved the many different aspects of this novel, from fishing to parenthood to friendship and love to legal fights to a bit of action. But the inner workings of the characters were even more important - resentment, forgiveness, growth - all beautifully and believably described. This debut novel is about the rough edges of life, about the wilderness of Alaska, about believe and superstition - and you will find yourself unable to stop reading. It is a wonderful story and a clean-cut example of how to write a book.

[Jacklin Billings · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of those books that is just hard to put down, simply because you want to know what happens next. It is also a book that I had my mouth drop open in shock and I had to put it down to recover. This is the story of a grandfather raising his granddaughter after his wife dies and his drug addicted daughter goes to prison, leaving him to care for an infant while still making a living as a fisherman in Alaska. The story really gets interesting when he gets a letter from his daughter saying she is coming to home, and he has to deal with not only his daughter, but the angry eleven year old she left behind...

[hozymary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raymond, a battered captain who crabs for a living. Jenny, his estranged addict of a daughter. Sitka, his coming-of-age granddaughter. All tried to mend the cracks in their relationship on a tepid reunion.

I know nothing about fishing, nothing about Alaska, and nothing about the gods. Yet, the book enchants me into the rocky world of Yatki Island with meticulous craft and raw poignancy.

The book gets even more harrowing towards the end, but I find the final chapters a bit rushed. If there were one more chapter to space out the final incident, it would have been 5 stars.

[Linda Alice Sarkozi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a whale of a story! With vivid characters, visual scenes, a ton of conflict, surprising plot twists, it's my nominee for 'best book of the year to turn into a movie.'
Alaskan fishing boat captain, Ray Bancroft, is at the center of several storms--and not all of them at sea. His family life is threatened by the return of his ex-con, formerly drug-addicted daughter. Ray is fiercely protective of his granddaughter Sitka and is worried how her mom's return might unsettle their lives. And unsettle, it does. Meanwhile, a tourist whom Ray takes on board his boat loses two fingers in an accident and files a lawsuit. A new woman who moves to the small Alaskan island is a love interest for Ray, but also, in turns, helpful and un-helpful to Ray in his legal situations. Ray stands to lose all he holds dear: his family (his wife already died in a tragic accident he blames on his daughter); and his livelihood, with ownership of the boat in jeopardy.
Ray Bancroft is one of the strongest characters I've come across in many a book. The story is told through his point of view, and the Reader empathizes with this good-hearted family man, struggling to survive in a difficult fishing economy. However, Ray's flaws are also evident, as seen through the reactions of other characters. There is a drunken scene in a bar; he fails to follow legal advice during several court actions, instead following his impulses; he puts off completing necessary chores and repairs which become vital to the outcomes of Ray's multitude of pending disasters.
All of the main characters in this book are strong and memorable: from Ray's Tlingit co-captain and best friend, to the level-headed 11-year old granddaughter, to the story's bad guy--the girl's biological father.
A theme of superstition and religion is an accent to the story. Felix, the Tlingit friend relies on rubbing the Billikin god's belly for good luck at sea. Ray has a display of Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Tlingit, and other gods in his kitchen for good measure. Jenny, the prodigal daughter comes home a born-again Christian and seeks to abolish the 'pagan' influence.
This fast-moving story kept me on edge from one chapter to the next. As Felix said, "Life doesn't give you guarantees no matter how many gods and goddesses you think you've got on your side." So, even until the last chapter, I wasn't sure how this story would play out for Ray, his family, his boat. And though sad, the ending remained true to the tone of this novel.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. The story is set on a remote island in Alaska, where Ray is raising his teenage granddaughter, Sitka, and mourning the loss of his wife. His daughter Jenny (Sitka’s mom) went to jail years ago and he hasn’t seen her since Sitka was young. He blames her for the death of his wife and the abandonment of her daughter.

Ray is thrown when he gets a letter from Jenny, who’s sober and wants to come for a visit. Ray doesn’t want her in Sitka’s life because he doesn’t think she’ll stay clean. Maybe everyone deserves a second chance, but Ray feels his daughter has had more than enough of those.

What I appreciated about this book: when Jenny shows up, it’s clear she has baggage. It also becomes clear that if Ray’s anger towards her is justified, so is her anger towards him. I liked the complex interplay between these two characters. Even though she’s become a religious zealot, Jenny has clearly struggled and faced some difficult times in prison. Her early attempts to integrate into Ray’s household and get to know her daughter are weak but she persists – and she isn’t exactly welcomed.

Ray was harder to sympathize with. With the exception of Sitka, he uses his friends to solve his problems. He puts his crew in jeopardy when he takes his untrained daughter on an important and dangerous fishing trip. He borrows money from a friend he probably won’t be able to pay back. He puts his potential girlfriend in a difficult position because he needs her to solve his family problems more than he cares about her as a person.

The problem with Ray is he never thinks about his actions. He just charges ahead and when things get out of control, he can’t accept blame for anything. I don’t need to like a character to love a book, but I do need to empathize.

Sometimes an ending makes or breaks a book, and this one just didn’t work for me. I did appreciate that Ray comes to a lot of important realizations, as does Jenny. But it was a little too much drama for me, and not enough introspection.

I really liked the setting and the ideas in this book, I just wanted more.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from publisher Forest Avenue Press in exchange for an honest review. My full review is at http://thebookstop.wordpress.com.

[E.P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ray is a struggling crab fisherman in Alaska, trying to keep his business afloat and raise his granddaughter alone. Then his long-estranged daughter comes home after being released from prison, upsetting the fragile balance of his life and forcing him to face his past.

The conflicts in this novel are all small-scale and personal, which in no way diminishes their impact. Every day for Ray is full of drama, doubt, and wild swings of good and bad luck, as he prays for a good catch that will allow him to keep his boat and his business, and deals with accidents, bad weather, and the vagaries of fortune at sea. Soon he's involved in multiple law suits, which are brought against him by other people but that he himself keeps aggravating through poor choices. Ray's character is clearly sketched and shaded, as we see his work ethic, his commitment to his family, and his tendency to let the little things slip, with tragic consequences. The central conflict of the novel, that between Ray and his daughter and their belief in the other's guilt over the death of Ray's wife, is skillfully interwoven throughout the narrative, intertwined with Ray's financial problems, his attraction to a woman he may need to stay away from, and his difficulties as a single grandfather raising an almost-adolescent granddaughter. The day-to-day realities of Ray's job and life in southeastern Alaska are described with natural details that, like the delineation of Ray's character, places the reader right there at his side. The effect is heightened by the beautiful pen-and-ink illustrations of animals, done in a Native American style. Not a romantic read, but a slice of real life that leads to a climactic denouement and the promise of redemption.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Shar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ray is a fisherman, in Alaska. A hard life, never sure of just how successful a trip to the fishing beds will be. He lost his wife, we know tragically, but not exactly how until near the end of the book. He lost his daughter as well to drugs and the prison system. But she left behind a daughter, Ray's granddaughter, Sitka, for whom he lives and for whom he fishes trying to hold together their mutual lives and giving him a chance to redeem the past.

I did not like Ray when I first began the book, but because (confession) this was a First-Reads give-away, I felt obligated to read on. But, I did not like him, I did not like reading the language of the narrative. I found him to be a "male-chauvinist", rough, and maybe even a little crude.

But, in fairness, I began to realize, I wasn't in my own suburban, lower 48 state. I was in Alaska, on an island in a small population with a hard-scrabble life - life like I cannot imagine. And, I read on and found a redeeming story of flawed people living, like all of us in our own way, flawed lives.

These are very believable characters, from Ray, a 12-year widower to Sitka, an 11-year old prepubescent teenager, and a redeemed, born-again, daughter back from the scourge of drugs and prison. What do you believe in, when all around you the world seems to be shrouded in fog, submerged in the murkiness of almost constant rain, and everything you know and hold dear is slipping from your life?

Read The Gods of Second Chances and experience the hard beauty of life on an Alaskan Island as a fisherman, and share in Ray's enduring love for his granddaughter and his second chance. It will be released this month (March 2014).

[Art Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a long time since characters got their teeth into me like the ones in this novel. Ray, who survives on whatever the ocean gods see fit to allow into his crab pots, is always one bad year away from ruin. The catch has been thin recently, so bad in fact Ray and partner Felix are forced to take some "turtles" (slang for tourists, a term I love) out for a day of deep sea fishing, with requisite fat check. Things don't go as planned, and lawyers and insurance people become all too frequent companions in Ray's life. Add to this a grand daughter whom Ray adores and takes care of, and a prodigal daughter who finally claims to be ready to take Ray's charge away after a decade of meth-related mishaps, and the crab pot is boiling. It wouldn't take much to tip Ray's precarious boat. Enter Hurricane Jenny.

Most effective are Berne's depictions of life on the water for these hearty (foolhearty?) folk. I was locked in every time Ray's crab pots came out of the water: full (yay), half-full (ugh), or full of pesky Chinese crabs that foretold a bad season (#&@*&). Berne sets us up so well for the subtle but definite shifts in Ray's fate. Every sentence brings the ebb and flow of prospects, love, money, security. I felt every ache and pain in Ray's neck and back, and was gasping to myself when that damned faulty winch starts smoking.

Riveting, impeccably balanced storytelling. Read it and tell me I'm wrong.

[Dylan Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know this will sound crazy, but no, I don't scour Powell's or Amazon.com for the latest contemporary novel about single men who live in Alaska and take care of a granddaughter but suddenly have to deal with a meth-addict daughter coming home from years away to claim her daughter.

But I read this one. And it's really, really good.

The characters are so believable. And you quickly care about what happens to them. And at the end of every chapter, you want to read the next one—without cheap cliffhangers to bait you.

It reads fast. (Dan Berne doesn't try too hard with his language.) And that's a good thing, because again you really want to know what's coming next.

Berne is a marketing consultant, and he's also coming out with a book on market transformation. I can't wait! I'll bet it also has storms and drug use and teen pregnancy and fights on fishing boats and other cool stuff. Only in the context of markets. And transformation.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book through a give-away on Goodreads and I'm thankful I did. It is terrific! The writing is good, the story is good, and the pace is great--for me. I like a story to move along but not crawl and not race, just right. This book does that. It moves along but doesn't scrimp on description or thought.
I thoroughly enjoyed the back story of Alaska, the heritage and myth aspects of the natives, and the fishing lore. But it was so much more than that. A complete psychological story of "family" and all the ups and downs inherent in that situation. The love was strong and evident right along with the fear and hurt. This makes for a great story.
I highly recommend this book and will definitely be on the lookout for more by this author.

[Sandra Nachlinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy books where the setting is a character, and in THE GODS OF SECOND CHANCES, Alaska plays a huge role. Ray Bancroft lives on remote Yatki Island and earns his living shrimping and crabbing. He's not only battling the harsh conditions of his livelihood, but he is also raising his granddaughter, worrying about his drug-addicted daughter (recently released from jail and heading home), and mourning the death of his wife. I found myself asking what catastrophe would happen next to this caring man!
The characters are often gritty with very real true-to-life problems and worries. I wanted them to succeed. The book enthralled me from the first page, and I truly could not put it down. This 5-star story will stay with me for a long time.

[BabeOBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ray Bancroft is an Alaskan fisherman raising his granddaughter, Sitka when his formally drug-addicted daughter comes home to claim her. Berne captures that voice of Ray beautifully and describes the days spent on the fishing boat with such detail that you feel you are actually there. Berne also does a good job of portraying the fraught relationship between father and daughter and I empathized with both. Ray is bull-headed and impulsive and Jenny wants redemption without earning it. Sitka gets caught in the middle. All of the characters are well-drawn and interesting. Best of all, the ending of the book is not easily deduced so I had to stay up late one night to finish it. I look forward to more of Dan Berne's books.

[Chrissie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book. It dove deeply into the main character's head and heart and positioned the rest of the characters well to support the story. There is a lot of tragedy, and not much that is uplifting, but I'm glad that I read it. It is relatively short, and a quick read, which is good because it was pretty heavy. This author did a great job with his first book. I would read him again if he releases something else.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really 3.5. Characters in an environment that were interesting and that I cared about.
Sitka, Ray's granddaughter, regarding the choice of living with her grandfather or her mother says, "don't expect me to choose between you and my mom, I'm only eleven. I have a new favorite band every week".
I hope the author will write another book.

[Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starts well, becomes the proverbial train wreck and then a sudden death is the transforming moment in the plot simplification ending. However, the writing is awesome and can't be beat with the backdrop of Alaska and a hero/anti-hero who was endearingly trying to slog through life the best he could.

[Cherie Nef · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in Alaska, this is a book with wonderfully complex characters. Once I started it, I couldn't put it down. It's probably the best book I've read in the past year. Plot twists continue throughout the book and the ending surprised me. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes books about gritty people facing real life situations.

[Gwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fisherman Ray Bancroft lives a quiet life raising his 11-year-old granddaughter, Sitka, on Yatki Island, Alaska. But his peaceful world is about to change when his meth addict daughter Jenny is released from prison and returns home intent on mothering the child she barely knows.

[Penny (Literary Hoarders) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very readable, very good book. About a grandfather fighting to keep his granddaughter with him after her mother, his daughter returns after years of being away in prison. Emotional in many parts and an overall very good read.