Eden Fading

by Michael Barnett

This story opens in 1961, and right away the reader discovers that peace and violence, beauty and evil, can co-exist in the same place, casting a contradiction into every story. Mike appears to be a sweet and innocent three year old boy, but is actually an enigma no-one can decipher. At the core of his soul lurks an evil, bent on the destruction of his brother Jerry. As the book begins, the family is beset with one catastrophe after another, which threatens to destroy them from within.

Mike is at the center of all of this chaos, and as we follow him through the years, his inner battle between good and evil, is played out in unimaginable ways. Follow the family through those years of tribulation, as their steadfast belief in God, and hope for a better future keeps them going, and makes them a pillar of strength. . . But is there hope for Mike?

188 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2014

About the author

I was born Michael Barnett in San Bernardino, California, in August of 1958. I was the first son of Gil and Glenda Barnett, in a family that would include three additional boys over the next five years.
We led a mostly uneventful life, interrupted by the occasional trip or vacation, or emergency. Our dad was working towards his degree at the college literally across the street. We had a dog named Inga, a tree fort in a large walnut tree in our back yard, and a fully functional playhouse.
My best memories from those early years began when I was three in 1961. My first book, Eden Fading, chronicles those early memories of tragic events, and wonderful redemption from 1961 through 1966. <spoiler>Basically, for still unknown reasons, I tried to kill my younger brother Gerald, again and again. </spoiler>
In 1972, after my maternal grandfather died, we moved to Lafayette Indiana; Dad's boyhood home. The culture shock was extreme and immediate. In California, we had a very eclectic mix of every race you can imagine. At that time, I didn't yet realize how unique this was. In Indiana, my high school had a population of 800, which were all white, with the exception of a single Latino-American boy who became one of my best friends.
During seventh grade, I first read Tom Sawyer, then Huckleberry Finn. From my young perspective, we could go out into the woods, and do whatever we wanted; like Tom and Huck. We could make an adventure out of whatever came to mind; building tree houses, claiming an island on the Wabash river as ours, and sailing a raft we made by hand down the Wabash river; with no plan of where we would end up or how we would get home. By the way, the raft sunk.
During my 8th grade year, I broke my hip while pole vaulting in a track meet, which effectively ruined my sports career for the next few years. I had continued in Boy Scouts, and received Eagle Scout. I won the Science Fair with a demonstration of a Tesla Coil,
As a senior, I competed in pole vaulting, all the way up to state, where I got 8th place, with a vault of 14’ 6”. I was inducted into the National Honor Society, made Hoosier Scholar, and received the M.E Becket award for the school’s best scholar and athlete. The best thing I earned was a full academic scholarship to Purdue University.
After Purdue, I went into the Air Force, and spent the next year in San Antonio; both in basic and technical school. I met my wife of 32 years, Michelle, while there. After a three year assignment in upstate New York—where we were married, and our single daughter was born—I took an assignment back in San Antonio so Michelle could be near family…and get out of the cold!
Because I no longer traveled extensively, I was able to earn my BS in Computer Science at St. Mary’s University. I had great English teachers, and this is where I learned to love reading, and have done so ever since.
After eight years in San Antonio, I took a position in Dallas, and we have been here ever since.
What made me start writing, so late in my life? There are many reasons, but the main one is my brother, Gerald. After my dad died two years ago, Gerald convinced me that since I was the storyteller of the family, I should put our story into words. I am now working on my second book, which falls squarely into that Star Wars/Star Trek/X-Files/Fringe genre. I am hoping to release this book by Christmas.
And as always, life marches on.

Reviews

[Kenneth Kerr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read with a twist at the end
Fascinating story about a family of four boys growing up in Southern California in the early sixties. The oldest boy, Mike, is the main character, and the story follows his life from 1961, when he is just over three to 1965, when he is seven. Mike has an evil personality, and is repeatedly getting into trouble, poison is younger brother, Jerry, and continually doing evil, hurtful things to his younger brother, showing little or no remorse.
The author uses an unusual writing style where the story is narrated in the first person by people who initially refer to themselves as "we" and later as "the watchers". They seem to be just observers, however, the final chapter brings light to the relationship between 'the watchers" and the family.
Michael Barnett has written an interesting story about a family of boys growing up in California in the sixties. He develops the scenes in the book with incredible detail, using all the senses to describe all the characters and the settings.
Although this is not a genre I would normally read, I have no problem recommending this book to others.