Redemption

by C. David Milles

After tragically losing his father, Ben Harrison just wants to move on. But just as his sophomore year of high school starts, he meets Ethan White. Though Ethan is new to the school, he appears to know a lot about Ben, including things that only Ben would know about his dad. Even stranger, Ethan reveals to Ben that he not only knows about Ben’s past, but also hints at knowing his future. And unfortunately, it’s not good. Unless Ben listens to Ethan, he won’t make it through the school year alive. Before he decides whether or not to trust Ethan, he must find answers to his questions. Who is Ethan White? Where did he come from? And how could he possibly know all that he does?

217 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 24, 2014

About the author

Although not a superhero, C. David Milles does have a dual identity. He is a middle school teacher by day and a writer by night. He enjoys exploring the building blocks of stories, especially through the lens of the Hero’s Journey.

He loves all things geeky: superheroes, video games, reading, and writing. His favorites include television shows like Lost, Fringe, and Doctor Who, and movies like Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, Lord of the Rings, and Back to the Future.

He is married and has two children.

Reviews

[Max Fischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ben Harrison has recently lost his father who was murdered. He gets caught in the dynamic of his high school's in crowd bullying the "goths", "freaks" and other socially undesirables. A strange new student, Ethan, befriends Ben and knows way too much personal information about Ben and other students at his school. Ethan's dire prediction spurs Ben to seek not only resolution to the ongoing conflict at school but also within his tormented familial life.

Milles writes a thought provoking novel that juxtaposes how bullying can manifest itself into school shootings. From the introduction of Ethan's character early in the novel, the reader knows where the author is taking him/her. I guess that's the only reason I didn't give the book a five star rating because there weren't enough twists to suit me.

That being said I heartily recommend this book to teens and any adult associated with teens. Milles fictionalizes what has already occurred all to often in our nation----anguished students taking down innocent lives in mass shootings. Forget the canned assemblies about bullying; this book may lead to legitimate action taken to prevent one.