Sundial in the Shade

by Steve Boilard

Rael Hart's carefree life of tagging, theft, and mild substance abuse is interrupted by a four-year stretch in the Los Angeles state prison. But he experiences an infinitely greater disruption upon his release, when he comes into possession of a cryptic journal containing an 18th-century recipe for personal redemption. His grudging effort to follow its prescription launches a transformative odyssey that involves, among other things, cigars, Milk Duds, and an ancient skeleton key.

On this journey Rael encounters several fellow-travelers with ambiguous motives, including an eccentric prison librarian, a disgraced LA Times reporter, a homicidal preacher, and an ex-girlfriend with more issues than Poor Richard’s Almanack. As Rael wrestles with the aggravating tradeoffs between a good life and a good time, he stumbles upon a destiny that's been centuries in the making.

304 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 15, 2025

About the author

Steve Boilard is a longtime writer and a reformed miscreant. He earned his PhD in Soviet foreign policy in 1992, just as the Soviet Union’s collapse rendered the field obsolete and irrelevant. He nevertheless managed to forge a surprisingly successful career in academia and government. He wrote one of the first college textbooks on post-Soviet Russia (Russia at the Twenty-First 21st Century, Harcourt Brace & Company, 1998), as well as book chapters, magazine articles, and periodic columns on a variety of topics. He has been a frequent commentator on California government and politics.

More recently Steve has written a genre-defying novel (Sundial in the Shade, Fulcort Press, 2025). He has also recently written his memoir (Midcentury Miscreant, Fulcort Press, 2021) and two short stories related to Edgar Allan Poe ("A Dying Wish," 2023 and "Poe's Last Lament," 2024, both by Fulcort Press).

Steve regularly writes an engagingly discursive blog ("Chasing Phantoms") that some have compared to the work of the late, beloved Huell Howser. The blog details Steve’s extensive road trips, with words and pictures, to small towns throughout California and across the United States.

Steve currently resides in northern California with his wife, Karen, a barn full of horses, and two enormous cats named Vincent and Mr. Bad.

Reviews

[N. Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sundial in the Shade will be a modern classic, with elements of Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye" and Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath." The perfect book for people looking to be reminded of what's truly important in life. It's written so beautifully and eloquently, integrating aspects of philosophy and morality, but also very accessible. The themes in this book could have been heavy and preachy, but, instead the voice was positive, hopeful, and optimistic, which is the perfect tone for our current time. I read this in two sittings. As a reader, I found myself annoyed to have my attention pulled away from Boilard's work. I really couldn't put it down, and would highly recommend it!

[Christopher J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Boilard is a natural born story teller; I feel shades and shadows of Edgar Allan Poe in his prose. When I turned to the last page, I felt that I had somehow improved as a person. Part of the story is rooted in the distant past, while the bulk of the work takes place in the present. 'Sundial in the Shade' is an enjoyable, easy and instructive read. I will anxiously await Boilard's next work.

[Karen Nocket · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put the book down.  I needed to know the ending!  Rael struggled through his teens and early 20's to finally find the purpose of his life and fill his Heart.  This was a very clever story that intertwined the difficult years of growing up and the teachings of Benjamin Franklin with the value of mentors.  I was rooting for Rael the whole way through the story.  

[Holly Knightley · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Sundial in the Shade’ is a great modern day coming-of-age story told with insight only the past could provide! Steve Boilard perfectly captures the youth of today! I was invested in Rael and his journey from the beginning as he tries to mitigate the actions that landed him in jail. There is a hard way to do things and there is an easy way, and Rael has to do everything the hard way. The practical application of Benjamin Franklin’s thirteen tenets on a Gen X kid is a brilliant idea and Boilard executed it as such!

‘Sundial in the Shade’ is an optimistic approach to bettering ourselves through principles set in place by one of America’s founding fathers. I highly recommend this book to any readers who like clever stories of self-discovery and growth.

[Peter Detwiler · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Sundial in the Shade" is full of shady characters, most especially Rael Hart as the novel's picaresque protagonist. He's a street tagger, petty thief, and chronic liar. Rael is also a semi-literate matricide whom author Steve Boilard rescues by apprenticing him to Benjamin Franklin's own adolescent struggles searching for meaning. Other shady characters include Nebuchadnezzar ("Neb") and John Elder ("Esau") but the scriptural references don't hold up. Boilard clearly know Los Angeles because his detailed locations rival Philip Kerr's Berlin, Donna Leon's Venice, and Nicolas Freeling's Strasbourg. And yet, the detailed location of the mysterious compass tattoo decorating both Penny and Mollie turns out to be less important than I hoped. Boilard did meet my hopes for Rael's eventual moral redemption as his main character grows into grudging but honest self-awareness. Some clunky language ("lug") and cul-de-sac characters (Rames Mamoud) kept me from a full five-star review. Nevertheless, "Sundial" is an intensely moral book that pushed me to think about the role of free will in an immoral world that rarely rewards personal virtue. Ben Franklin would've liked this book!

[Robert Ingenito · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who typically gravitates toward nonfiction, diving into fiction often feels like uncharted territory. However, Sundial in the Shade by Steve Boilard proved to be an unexpected and delightful journey beyond my usual preferences. What stood out immediately was Boilard’s adept storytelling, which felt grounded and authentic—qualities I usually associate with nonfiction. The narrative wove together richly drawn characters and a compelling plot. The pace of Rael Hart’s journey was reminiscent of a well-researched documentary. Instead of the often abstract or overly imaginative worlds I have sometimes found off-putting in fiction, this story felt tangible and real, making it easy to connect with emotionally. I especially appreciated the author’s generous use of references to various parts of Southern California and to pop culture. Additionally, Boilard is clearly a logophile, and employs a generous dollop of high vocabulary words, adding depth and nuance to the narrative, making it a rewarding read for language enthusiasts. For nonfiction lovers hesitant about fiction, Sundial in the Shade is a perfect bridge.

[Bob N · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are times when unusual effort is required to not overly gush about an especially good book. This brilliant, well-told story is such a book. Yes, Sundial in the Shade is cleaver, entertaining, engaging, illuminating story-telling. But, page by page, throughout, it is also poignant, honest, empathic.

Flawed protagonist, Rael, can be exasperating and leave you scratching your head; but you never stop caring about him. And the fascinating supporting cast brings the perfect blend for edge-of-your-seat moments, conflict, frustration, satisfaction, laughter and tears. Author, Steve Boilard, breaths life, humanity, giftedness and dignity into these – these who are most often look past and/or given no attention at all. This, even by itself, puts the writer in the good company of those remembered for compelling works about poverty and the poor.

It's quite a ride – with more twists and turns than Lombard Street, but way more surprising (even startling) and a lot more fun! Well, there I did it. I gushed. Couldn’t stop myself.

I’m over the moon for this book. It’s my top choice for next book at my book club. Can’t wait to see it when it comes out on MASTERPIECE.

[Sherrill Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steve Boilard’s latest book, Sundial in the Shade, brilliantly shines a klieg light of 21st-century relevance on Benjamin Franklin’s 13 Tenets for moral perfection. “The System,” as the tenets come to be called by three characters, most notably, Rael Hart, might be the answer. Providentially, Rael meets two mysterious men, Saunders and Neb, at separate junctures. Can they guide restless Rael through the tenets’ inherent challenges so he can emerge from the shade and let his talents blossom to benefit himself and others? But to the troubled young man, burdened by life’s harsh realities and his likely doom, such goals seem unattainable. A sundial in the shade, like one’s life kept in darkness where purpose and potential go unfulfilled, is an important analogy to propel us to manifest our talents for the betterment of all. No matter what life hands us. No matter what the century. Bravo, Steve Boilard, for this well-written story and "handbook"!

[Susan Bachelor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed following Rael's journey from troublesome youth to (almost) responsible adult in Steve Boilard's Sundial in the Shade. From the first page, Boilard's excellent use of verbal imagery had me seeing Rael's world vividly in my mind. The use of language to paint a clear picture is a gift, and it drew me thoroughly into the story. Intentional vocabulary use throughout the book showed Rael's intelligence and potential, as well as forcing me to occasionally look up words!

Protagonist, Rael, was dealt a much less than ideal set of circumstances growing up, and his choices were understandable and believable, if not always commendable. I felt much like an elder relative, shaking my head, while also rooting him on. This is a a story worth hearing. I can definitely recommend it!

[Eric Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author puts a nice spin on the death-and-rebirth plot. There are vivid descriptions of post-prison life on the streets of the underworld of Los Angeles, and the main character's slow transformation and step-by-step acquisition of wisdom is deftly handled. The characters, some of them crazy, most of them society's losers, are quirky and fun to spend time with. Wry observations, a wicked sense of humor, a lot of unsolicited, cryptic observations -- the narrator is a central character in his own right.

[Shari · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting premise for a modern day story. Enjoyed the writing, plot and pacing. I strongly disliked the main character, Rael, because of his reckless selfishness and his indifference to the many kindnesses he received from others. I liked the warmth of the characters Saunders, Neb and Nell. Rael slowly working his way through Benjamin Franklin's list of virtues, by his terms, was a thought-provoking journey. My strong dislike for Rael made the story ending even more satisfying.

A big thank you to the author and Goodreads! I was so excited to win this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

[Sue Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this novel is a bit like being in a motorcycle sidecar with a driver who is at times reckless and dangerously self absorbed. You keep hoping the ride will smooth out but one crisis after another makes for a white knuckled experience. This is definitely worth the bumpy road.

[Pamela N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an enjoyable read! You may want to have some kind of definition mechanism handy. Steve has an extensive vocabulary! 😏