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Squared Circle Blues: A Novel of Professional Wrestling
1984: the dirty days of American territorial wrestling. Baltimore's top wrestling star, King Snake MacEvoy, leaves his abusive and foul-mouthed promoter, Matt Gash, for more money and a starring role in New York. A big soon, both Snake's career and Gash's business are on the road to ruin. Snake faces a gang of sociopathic locker room bullies and sabotage by his ruthless new boss. The half-mad Gash scrambles to find new stars among the unskilled or even unhinged wrestlers within his reach. For men like these, in times like these, the only ending will be an ending in blood. This novel tells the stories of men and women in a hard, dangerous, outlaw business, fighting for their lives, careers, and hearts. This book is recommended for mature readers only. " The dialogue crackles, the settings are gritty and malodorous, the bones crunch as they are broken and real blood flows. This is the true noir, the underside of American sportainment." -- Andre Jute, author of more than 60 books, including novels like IDITAROD, the greatest race on earth, and non-fiction like WRITING A THRILLER. "The characters are all different shades of desperado… I felt like I was living, training and fighting with these guys. Totally believable. Really enjoyed it."-- R.A. Barnes, author of Peril, Dodge, and the Zombies vs. Ninjas series "A fast paced, gripping insight into the seedy world of wrestling, where characters are brought to life, compelling you to fight their corner or hate their guts. Loved the way you got to know their traits & personalities together with the history that shaped them. Found myself enjoying a love/hate relationship with Gash, wanting to understand the reticence of Peter, and hoping for the redemption of Snake. Also admired the strength and guts of Becky & Dora. Great read." "--Mollie Blake, author of The Secret At Arnford Hall - a Cheshire Love Story (Feb 2017) “Matt Posner's tight, effective prose and strong narrative weave together scenes that are powerful with raw realism." -- Jess C Scott. multi-genre author
334 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 29, 2016
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7 people want to read
About the author
Matt Posner
21 books51 followersI am a former novelist, no longer active in publishing. I continue to write when I can, but trying to sell writing is a tough gig -- maybe too tough for me.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 23, 2017
Back in the eighties, I knew only two names in the wrestling world - Andre the Giant of France (who also made movie and TV cameos) and Antonio Inoki of Japan (he fought Muhammad Ali during a celebrity match).
The point is, that’s as far as my knowledge of wrestling goes. So, I didn't think I could relate to this novel by Matt Posner. I have no interest in this sport.
But Squared Circle Blues is more than a story about men thrashing each other on the ring’s floorboard. It's a story of seediness, corruption and politics commingling with greed and betrayals as seen through the different characters. Put it simply, you don’t get thrashed only in the ring, you get thrashed outside too.
The dialogue is peppered with profanity, which the author cautions us. Then again, I don’t think the story would’ve work if the characters emitted finesse. It would deprive the story of gritty authenticity. Honestly, it's not the kind of book I usually read, but the dialogue sticks in your head and surprisingly, it's unforgettable.
However, the author doesn’t just sprinkle bad words for the sake of it. It's the way he weaves the sentences that brings out the personality of each character. The language between characters is what makes the story flavorsome It also brings out the atmosphere of the environment. It's very clear that the author has done deep research into the making of this novel. He understands the craft as he does the characters who make up professional wrestling.
I found the novel a bit heavy reading at times before the pages pick up again. At times, I also feel as if I am sitting at the theater watching a stage play during certain scenes. So I would boldly admit there’s something Shakespearean about Squared Circle Blues. Not that it’s written in classical English, but the thematic message that lies underneath the story’s epidermis is reminiscent of our own lives, if not a lesson. Of our everyday struggles to keep afloat.
The point is, that’s as far as my knowledge of wrestling goes. So, I didn't think I could relate to this novel by Matt Posner. I have no interest in this sport.
But Squared Circle Blues is more than a story about men thrashing each other on the ring’s floorboard. It's a story of seediness, corruption and politics commingling with greed and betrayals as seen through the different characters. Put it simply, you don’t get thrashed only in the ring, you get thrashed outside too.
The dialogue is peppered with profanity, which the author cautions us. Then again, I don’t think the story would’ve work if the characters emitted finesse. It would deprive the story of gritty authenticity. Honestly, it's not the kind of book I usually read, but the dialogue sticks in your head and surprisingly, it's unforgettable.
However, the author doesn’t just sprinkle bad words for the sake of it. It's the way he weaves the sentences that brings out the personality of each character. The language between characters is what makes the story flavorsome It also brings out the atmosphere of the environment. It's very clear that the author has done deep research into the making of this novel. He understands the craft as he does the characters who make up professional wrestling.
I found the novel a bit heavy reading at times before the pages pick up again. At times, I also feel as if I am sitting at the theater watching a stage play during certain scenes. So I would boldly admit there’s something Shakespearean about Squared Circle Blues. Not that it’s written in classical English, but the thematic message that lies underneath the story’s epidermis is reminiscent of our own lives, if not a lesson. Of our everyday struggles to keep afloat.
March 24, 2017
For a kid who grew up in the 80's watching wrestling greats such as Andre the Giant, Jerry Lee Lawyer and Tojo Yamamoto, this book brought back a lot of memories. Back then, I believed the acting was real, that there were "good" and "bad" characters, but Squared Circle Blues takes you beyond the ring and delivers a much harsher background to the staged reality. Though the characters are fictional, they are based on the author's extensive research into the wrestling industry of the 80's, which is evident from all the industry-specific terminology used throughout the book.
The stars in the wrestling organizations of Squared Circle Blues are good at portraying their given personas. Whether he's a good guy (a babyface) or a bad guy (a heel), each wrestler's true identity is often the polar opposite. For instance, one of the main characters, "King Snake MacEvoy" is usually a heel in the ring, but is actually a family guy with a wife and three kids that he doesn't get to come home to often enough. There are some deliciously sleazy characters, like Gash, the wrestling promoter who's main goal is looking out for #1 no matter which wrestler's life he has to ruin to get there. The supporting characters are just as complex as the main gang and add a well-rounded feel to the whole story.
This, for me, was not a bedtime book. There is a huge cast of characters and changing scenes/settings/time periods with each new chapter, so it definitely required mental alertness in order to keep up with the plot. There's also a great deal of profanity, sexual situations, and gore so if you're squeamish about any of those, be warned. Otherwise, if you once sat glued to the TV watching those 80's greats doing their thing in spandex, mullets, and funky makeup, you need to read this book!
The stars in the wrestling organizations of Squared Circle Blues are good at portraying their given personas. Whether he's a good guy (a babyface) or a bad guy (a heel), each wrestler's true identity is often the polar opposite. For instance, one of the main characters, "King Snake MacEvoy" is usually a heel in the ring, but is actually a family guy with a wife and three kids that he doesn't get to come home to often enough. There are some deliciously sleazy characters, like Gash, the wrestling promoter who's main goal is looking out for #1 no matter which wrestler's life he has to ruin to get there. The supporting characters are just as complex as the main gang and add a well-rounded feel to the whole story.
This, for me, was not a bedtime book. There is a huge cast of characters and changing scenes/settings/time periods with each new chapter, so it definitely required mental alertness in order to keep up with the plot. There's also a great deal of profanity, sexual situations, and gore so if you're squeamish about any of those, be warned. Otherwise, if you once sat glued to the TV watching those 80's greats doing their thing in spandex, mullets, and funky makeup, you need to read this book!
November 6, 2016
SQUARED CIRCLE BLUES: A Novel of Professional Wrestling is exactly what it says on the tin, a novel of pro wrestling. Author Matt Posner pulls no punches, paints no glosses, makes no excuses for the milieu, the characters, or their actions. Pro wrestling turns out exactly as expected, only more violent, more dangerous, more crooked and more ruinous of the lives of innocent bystanders.
SQUARED CIRCLE BLUES rings true because it is true to the spirit and the detail of pro wrestling, which isn’t a sport but a business which consumes its children.
The organizers of pro wrestling are, of course, unsympathetic characters. But the surprising thing is how many of the wrestlers, and their families, are simpatico. It helps enormously to build our identification with the good characters that Mr Posner gives us their viewpoint largely in dialogue, in their own words. He has a fine ear for the vernacular, and it turns these fantastic characters from the bizarre end of the spectrum of human experience into people like our neighbours, at least if our neighbours were colourful.
By adding a large appendix of sources in which his facts can be checked, Mr Posner reinforces the impression that SQUARED CIRCLE BLUES, if it weren’t such good storytelling, could be a documentary, straightforward journalism told mainly in dialogue.
For me, the main takeaway from this surprising, fascinating novel is how smoothly Mr Posner has managed to undermine our prejudicial certainties about people outside our own circle of trust and knowledge.
SQUARED CIRCLE BLUES rings true because it is true to the spirit and the detail of pro wrestling, which isn’t a sport but a business which consumes its children.
The organizers of pro wrestling are, of course, unsympathetic characters. But the surprising thing is how many of the wrestlers, and their families, are simpatico. It helps enormously to build our identification with the good characters that Mr Posner gives us their viewpoint largely in dialogue, in their own words. He has a fine ear for the vernacular, and it turns these fantastic characters from the bizarre end of the spectrum of human experience into people like our neighbours, at least if our neighbours were colourful.
By adding a large appendix of sources in which his facts can be checked, Mr Posner reinforces the impression that SQUARED CIRCLE BLUES, if it weren’t such good storytelling, could be a documentary, straightforward journalism told mainly in dialogue.
For me, the main takeaway from this surprising, fascinating novel is how smoothly Mr Posner has managed to undermine our prejudicial certainties about people outside our own circle of trust and knowledge.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews