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The Fix
International Book Award
"Blazes like a 4.2 forty with the intrigue of a Sports Illustrated cover piece." NY Times Bestselling Author, Andrew Gross
Star college quarterback, Colt Walker, has it all... good looks, brains, one of the best arms in the game, not to mention potential for the Heisman and a first round NFL draft pick......until he puts it all on the line as he slides into the ugly world of sports gambling.College football referee, Frank Gastner, is a man stewing in his own misery... consumed by a drinking problem, heavy gambling debt and heading into a nasty divorce...Two emotionally wrought characters, their lives spinning completely out of control...alcohol, lies, bookies and mobsters pushing them deeper into despair......until they are brought together on the football field, each hoping to resolve his own dilemma......but will they succeed?"
Engaging characters, true to life situations, and a story that will make you rethink the headlines regarding college sports." Mike Dishmon
"One thing I love is a good mystery. More than that I love a good sports mystery. And most of all I love a good sports mystery that feels real. 'The Fix,' is all of the above." John Feinstein, Sportswriter, Author, Sports Broadcaster
"As a former college athlete and now a member of the national media I couldn't take my eyes off The Fix. The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat as a sports fan. It's a must read!" Douglas Gottlieb, Host of The Doug Gottlieb Radio Show
"Continuing to write first-rate suspense- exploring the deepest conflicts in human nature. Exquisitely crafted with an utterly surprising climax, this story will satisfy all. Balkind takes you away for a spellbinding, all-consuming afternoon." Tonja Walker, Actress, Producer
"As a former newspaper and mag scribe, I am always looking for the story within the story and The Fix makes you wonder could this really happen today? Like every good book I have ever read the Fix made me think and that is a good thing. A must read!" Damon Hack, Senior Writer - Sports Illustrated, NY Times, Newsday & The Golf Channel
"Sports, suspense and a compelling look at the temptations and tragedies of gambling...'The Fix' is a sure thing!" - Brian A. Crowell, PGA Professional, TV Broadcaster, author of Slice Free Golf
"Being a sports thriller, I'd say "The Fix" is a home-run, a hole in one and a touchdown. Balkind and Burr had me snookered!" - Claude Bouchard, bestselling author of the VIGILANTE series
"Fast, lively, and morally complex, 'The Fix' starts with a bang and hurtles along to a surprising, satisfying conclusion. Balkind has produced another vivid thriller set in the intersection where modern-day sports, big business, and crime collide." - Joe Wallace, author of Diamond Ruby and Invasive Species
"Blazes like a 4.2 forty with the intrigue of a Sports Illustrated cover piece." NY Times Bestselling Author, Andrew Gross
Star college quarterback, Colt Walker, has it all... good looks, brains, one of the best arms in the game, not to mention potential for the Heisman and a first round NFL draft pick......until he puts it all on the line as he slides into the ugly world of sports gambling.College football referee, Frank Gastner, is a man stewing in his own misery... consumed by a drinking problem, heavy gambling debt and heading into a nasty divorce...Two emotionally wrought characters, their lives spinning completely out of control...alcohol, lies, bookies and mobsters pushing them deeper into despair......until they are brought together on the football field, each hoping to resolve his own dilemma......but will they succeed?"
Engaging characters, true to life situations, and a story that will make you rethink the headlines regarding college sports." Mike Dishmon
"One thing I love is a good mystery. More than that I love a good sports mystery. And most of all I love a good sports mystery that feels real. 'The Fix,' is all of the above." John Feinstein, Sportswriter, Author, Sports Broadcaster
"As a former college athlete and now a member of the national media I couldn't take my eyes off The Fix. The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat as a sports fan. It's a must read!" Douglas Gottlieb, Host of The Doug Gottlieb Radio Show
"Continuing to write first-rate suspense- exploring the deepest conflicts in human nature. Exquisitely crafted with an utterly surprising climax, this story will satisfy all. Balkind takes you away for a spellbinding, all-consuming afternoon." Tonja Walker, Actress, Producer
"As a former newspaper and mag scribe, I am always looking for the story within the story and The Fix makes you wonder could this really happen today? Like every good book I have ever read the Fix made me think and that is a good thing. A must read!" Damon Hack, Senior Writer - Sports Illustrated, NY Times, Newsday & The Golf Channel
"Sports, suspense and a compelling look at the temptations and tragedies of gambling...'The Fix' is a sure thing!" - Brian A. Crowell, PGA Professional, TV Broadcaster, author of Slice Free Golf
"Being a sports thriller, I'd say "The Fix" is a home-run, a hole in one and a touchdown. Balkind and Burr had me snookered!" - Claude Bouchard, bestselling author of the VIGILANTE series
"Fast, lively, and morally complex, 'The Fix' starts with a bang and hurtles along to a surprising, satisfying conclusion. Balkind has produced another vivid thriller set in the intersection where modern-day sports, big business, and crime collide." - Joe Wallace, author of Diamond Ruby and Invasive Species
- GenresFiction
296 pages, Paperback
First published January 10, 2014
2 people are currently reading
141 people want to read
About the author
Michael Balkind
7 books78 followersMichael Balkind's novels; Stealing Gold, Sudden Death, Dead Ball, Gold Medal Threat, & The Fix are endorsed by NY Times bestselling authors; James Patterson, Clive Cussler, Wendy Corsi Staub, Andrew Gross, John Feinstein, Tim Green, John Lescroart, & Reed Farrel Coleman.
Sudden Death (November 2007)
Dead Ball (July 2009)
Gold Medal Threat (January 2013)
The Fix (January 2014) Co-Authored with NBC Sports/Golf Channel Host & 2014 Winter Olympics Host, Ryan Burr
Stealing Gold (September 2021)
"Pure fun, pure intrigue. The action never stops till a fascinating climax!" Clive Cussler
Sudden Death (November 2007)
Dead Ball (July 2009)
Gold Medal Threat (January 2013)
The Fix (January 2014) Co-Authored with NBC Sports/Golf Channel Host & 2014 Winter Olympics Host, Ryan Burr
Stealing Gold (September 2021)
"Pure fun, pure intrigue. The action never stops till a fascinating climax!" Clive Cussler
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 20, 2016
Colt has everything a young man can want: a promising football career, a beautiful girlfriend, and every hope for the future.
As many sportsmen these days however he becomes corrupted by greed, a taste for money and luxury and influenced by the wrong kind of people. Falling for their charms and talk of easy money he begins gambling and becomes entangled in a net of traps and pressure that threatens everything in his life.
At the very beginning I found myself a little disappointed because - after having read Balkind’s thrillers - I wanted a murder or another mystery, which Balkind does so well. But just as he did in those thrillers, Balkind is no one-trick pony and seems determined to change direction in each of his books. So it took me a while to see where it was going and just when I thought I knew there was another surprise towards the end.
I am not a huge fan of sports and am a stranger to gambling, however, the passages about this have importance so the reader can see the game’s logic. I am pleased to say that I found the unexpected depth and drama very much to my liking. We get deeper into Colt’s character and see how quickly the traps around him snap him shut in his predicament, which he now needs to solve one way or the other.
Unlike many materialistically spoilt players that we know as a klischee from the newspapers Colt resolves to learn from his mistakes and face the consequences and fight for his life back.
There are some inspirational and warming scenes in the book, the writing is very well done and the pace very apt for the set-up of the entrapment. Very well informed and knowledgeable about football and gambling, Balkind and Burr have written a great book which gives great insight into the psychology of a gambler, the mechanisms of game fixing and underworld operators and a masterful and compelling read.
As many sportsmen these days however he becomes corrupted by greed, a taste for money and luxury and influenced by the wrong kind of people. Falling for their charms and talk of easy money he begins gambling and becomes entangled in a net of traps and pressure that threatens everything in his life.
At the very beginning I found myself a little disappointed because - after having read Balkind’s thrillers - I wanted a murder or another mystery, which Balkind does so well. But just as he did in those thrillers, Balkind is no one-trick pony and seems determined to change direction in each of his books. So it took me a while to see where it was going and just when I thought I knew there was another surprise towards the end.
I am not a huge fan of sports and am a stranger to gambling, however, the passages about this have importance so the reader can see the game’s logic. I am pleased to say that I found the unexpected depth and drama very much to my liking. We get deeper into Colt’s character and see how quickly the traps around him snap him shut in his predicament, which he now needs to solve one way or the other.
Unlike many materialistically spoilt players that we know as a klischee from the newspapers Colt resolves to learn from his mistakes and face the consequences and fight for his life back.
There are some inspirational and warming scenes in the book, the writing is very well done and the pace very apt for the set-up of the entrapment. Very well informed and knowledgeable about football and gambling, Balkind and Burr have written a great book which gives great insight into the psychology of a gambler, the mechanisms of game fixing and underworld operators and a masterful and compelling read.
August 3, 2018
Just as Beartown isnt' really a book about Hockey, The Fix isn't really a book about football! The Fix is more than a great story of a college football quarterback who is a contender for the Heisman. It is about addiction, gambling, and relationships. It is about addiction to drinking and gambling as well as relationships between lovers, friends, teammates, and mentors. From the first page right up until the end I rooted for; yelled at; cursed at and sometimes screamed out loud at the protagonist. I listened to The Fix and the narrator was as good as any I've listened to over the years. Never a dull moment and always full of energy when germane to the dialog.
If you haven't gotten your feet wet with an audio book. This is a good one to start with. Both because the narrator is very good but also because as a first time user with audiobooks you get The Fix for free (if this offer is still available). Looking forward to listening to more books by Michael Balkind and hearing more narrating done by Alex Perlman.
If you haven't gotten your feet wet with an audio book. This is a good one to start with. Both because the narrator is very good but also because as a first time user with audiobooks you get The Fix for free (if this offer is still available). Looking forward to listening to more books by Michael Balkind and hearing more narrating done by Alex Perlman.
January 15, 2014
At first I wanted to contact the author and tell him…slow down. No man will get into this much trouble from being such a dedicated and focused young man. Then I read a bit further
The reader will meet Colt, the boy next door with the patience and dedication to become a sport star.
He has it all, a loving and supporting family. A beautiful girlfriend. The means and the opportunity to make his dreams come true and a strong moral compass.
Then the reader meets Frank Gernsner. The complete opposite of Colt. Or so it would seem.
I never could understand match fixing. In a sport like boxing or such, sure. One man, taking the fall made sense in other sports where you are part of a team it was beyond me.
In this book I learned how gamblers get roped in with falsified odd payouts. That was new to me; I contacted a friend of mine, a consummate gambler and asked him if this made sense…mind you this was at the start of the book. He replied negatively with a ps clarifying only if the Holder is roping in a newbie…well now that made sense. NOT. But as I read more it became apparent.
I found the pace and the extent of Colt's downward spiral fascination and abhorring. And soon my doubts made way with incredulous awe as I came to understand that the author managed to capture the one weakness most of the Western world holds dear. Money and an excess of it. I came to realize that I might have fallen as hard and as fast as colt did in THE FIX.
Colt becomes Frank Gertner and due to his debt he gets pulled into even more rocky ground. Match fixing…
The story is not all doom and gloom though and the ending came as a pleasant surprise that will fill the readers mind with hope. Colt is saved not solely by an outside source although this source is the catalyst but also by making a decision for the greater good. One that can cost him everything.
A five star read for any reader. A sport fan might take more from this than I did but I doubt it. The sport is the mechanism the humanity is the cause and effect.
WaAr
The reader will meet Colt, the boy next door with the patience and dedication to become a sport star.
He has it all, a loving and supporting family. A beautiful girlfriend. The means and the opportunity to make his dreams come true and a strong moral compass.
Then the reader meets Frank Gernsner. The complete opposite of Colt. Or so it would seem.
I never could understand match fixing. In a sport like boxing or such, sure. One man, taking the fall made sense in other sports where you are part of a team it was beyond me.
In this book I learned how gamblers get roped in with falsified odd payouts. That was new to me; I contacted a friend of mine, a consummate gambler and asked him if this made sense…mind you this was at the start of the book. He replied negatively with a ps clarifying only if the Holder is roping in a newbie…well now that made sense. NOT. But as I read more it became apparent.
I found the pace and the extent of Colt's downward spiral fascination and abhorring. And soon my doubts made way with incredulous awe as I came to understand that the author managed to capture the one weakness most of the Western world holds dear. Money and an excess of it. I came to realize that I might have fallen as hard and as fast as colt did in THE FIX.
Colt becomes Frank Gertner and due to his debt he gets pulled into even more rocky ground. Match fixing…
The story is not all doom and gloom though and the ending came as a pleasant surprise that will fill the readers mind with hope. Colt is saved not solely by an outside source although this source is the catalyst but also by making a decision for the greater good. One that can cost him everything.
A five star read for any reader. A sport fan might take more from this than I did but I doubt it. The sport is the mechanism the humanity is the cause and effect.
WaAr
September 8, 2016
Wondering all the time how Michael Balkind does it. For a person that doesn't care about sports, I always end up reading his books and enjoying them.
I'm sure you would get a lot more out of the book if you were a fan of football (where I come from they would call it rugby), but at least I do have some basic knowledge about the game (blame my sport's teacher for that).
But, the story does have a lot of sports in it, the real point is not there. We're taking into the good and bad parts of gambling, and Michael Balkind gives a very good image of what the dangers are that you find there. Reminds me of the good advices my grandfather gave me when he was still around: remember to stop right away when you're on the winning side, never continue after that. For a person that clearly never used his own advice when he was younger, it helped me a lot to avoid problems later on!
So a book that I would warmly advice for anybody interested in college football and in gambling!
ps. I received a free copy from the author in return for an honest review, this has in no way influenced the outcome of this text!
I'm sure you would get a lot more out of the book if you were a fan of football (where I come from they would call it rugby), but at least I do have some basic knowledge about the game (blame my sport's teacher for that).
But, the story does have a lot of sports in it, the real point is not there. We're taking into the good and bad parts of gambling, and Michael Balkind gives a very good image of what the dangers are that you find there. Reminds me of the good advices my grandfather gave me when he was still around: remember to stop right away when you're on the winning side, never continue after that. For a person that clearly never used his own advice when he was younger, it helped me a lot to avoid problems later on!
So a book that I would warmly advice for anybody interested in college football and in gambling!
ps. I received a free copy from the author in return for an honest review, this has in no way influenced the outcome of this text!
May 8, 2014
Let me start off by saying I was scared to read this book, because I hate sports. However the author made me a fan of his work. There was alot of talk about sports, but it also included gambling, addiction and morals. This story follows Colt who is an all star football player in college whose dream is in reach. However he quickly loses himself and goes down a dark path. Then the story flips to Frank, who we don't know alot about, but suffers some of the same problems as Colt. The end ties it all together in a beautiful way. Great read, looking forward to reading more by this author. WaAR
January 14, 2014
I was given a review copy before the novel came out. Now that it is available to purchase, I can finally share my 5 star review.
I never had much interest in sports or gambling stories, yet Michael Balkind and Ryan Burr are very talented authors who managed to keep my full attention with their very nicely written novel. They got me hooked from the very beginning. I absolutely needed to find out the main character's fate and enjoyed reading the book from beginning to end.
I never had much interest in sports or gambling stories, yet Michael Balkind and Ryan Burr are very talented authors who managed to keep my full attention with their very nicely written novel. They got me hooked from the very beginning. I absolutely needed to find out the main character's fate and enjoyed reading the book from beginning to end.
June 28, 2014
Very exciting book. A quarter back and a ref get involved with gambling and their lives take a nosedive. It was a hard book to put down. Once the mob gets involved it is time for both to decide who they are.
September 19, 2015
Great great book. It kept me 'FIXated' from start to finish. I could not put it down. I loved this book!
November 10, 2018
I spent most of this book thinking no no no don't do that. The lead characters seem to make bad choice after bad choice to the point that it was almost painful to listen to. Yet it was very realistic and showed how easy it is to make a mistake and then more mistakes trying to fix the first one.
The character development was spot on, everyone from the lead characters to the ones that really popped up we're realistic and came alive on the page.
Descriptions were attention grabbing and allowed me to picture everything happening in my head.
The dialogue came across as very natural, and the entire story felt like you could be taking place at a college somewhere right now.
The narrator didn't excellent job with the mail character voices, the female character voices were OK but not particularly realistic. The overall tone and Pace of the delivery worked well with the different tensions in different parts of the novel.
I received a free copy of this book from the author and/or narrator and/or publisher and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.
The character development was spot on, everyone from the lead characters to the ones that really popped up we're realistic and came alive on the page.
Descriptions were attention grabbing and allowed me to picture everything happening in my head.
The dialogue came across as very natural, and the entire story felt like you could be taking place at a college somewhere right now.
The narrator didn't excellent job with the mail character voices, the female character voices were OK but not particularly realistic. The overall tone and Pace of the delivery worked well with the different tensions in different parts of the novel.
I received a free copy of this book from the author and/or narrator and/or publisher and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.
October 20, 2018
Often times, I need a easy story with a simple plot to follow for a lazy afternoon. That is why I requested this book from one of the authors for a fair review. "The Fix" is a casual read. Nothing too deep to think about, but also interesting enough to keep my spark lit to finish the story. The story is basic. It's about a college athlete getting in trouble by betting on sports and meeting riff rafts along the way. His gambling debts leads him even deeper in the hole and the ending is not as predictable as you may think. It surprised me with a Hallmark moment with a twist.
February 20, 2018
Fun easy read. Good plot twist to resolve character flaws at the end. It’s obvious that one of the authors spent some time in a college fraternity.
January 28, 2014
This story could easily be a headline in the upcoming sports pages. Fantastic story of good ol' boy working hard to do right, but getting mixed up with the wrong crowd and over his head. A must read for any football fan, or any fan of college sports for that matter. Engaging characters, true to life situations, and a story that will make you rethink the headlines regarding college sports.
If you like sports, and the stories surrounding them, this is one you must read...
If you like sports, and the stories surrounding them, this is one you must read...
January 28, 2014
Touchdown!...Balkind and Burr toss you not only a winning sports novel, but they also have you come face-to-face with the dirty underbelly of the gambling arena. You will be hooked by this addicting page turner with its depth of character, unexpected twists and turns and surprise ending. Karen L. Moore
February 11, 2014
It took about a minute to be instantly drawn into the plot and characters in The Fix. What an amazing story that is simultaneously entertaining, suspenseful and disturbing. Another great book by Michael Balkind.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews