Small Moving Parts

by D.B. Jackson

"The world is a complicated place with lots of small moving parts. When someone moves one part just a little, it causes all the other parts to move in ways we can’t see coming."

Two men. One young, one old. Complete strangers who have made the same ultimate decision―that their lives are not worth living and it is time to take fate into their own hands. When their stories intersect on a single fateful night in West Texas, the ensuing friendship takes them down a perilous road neither imagined possible. As they contend with the police, horse thieves, and murderers, the two men forge an unbreakable bond, and together they discover that they each might have something to live for after all. Full of cowboy common sense that spans generations, SMALL MOVING PARTS explores the simplicities and complexities of love in its many forms and how a rare and remarkable friendship can change everything.

Nothing much grew in Bufort, Texas, but a few things did.

Genres: Fiction, Audiobook, Historical Fiction, Westerns, Book Club, Drama, Adult

384 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 2018

About the author

Dale B. Jackson is a Novelist, Screenwriter, Cattle Rancher.

Literary Works
- Wind River Incident, a novel
- A Band of Unbroke Horses, a novel
- Small Moving Parts, a novel
- Half Past Nine, a short story
- A Blood Red Moon, a short story
- The Collector, a short story
- The Oxbow Wolves, a short story
- The Buffalo Runners, a short story
- The Outrider, a short story

Reviews

[Wayne Edgin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Makes you feel like you were there watching Harley, Dodger, and B-Bob in West Texas.
Recommended to me by a friend, Jodi Lea Stewart, and I must agree, a great read.
Great characters, story line, action and the ability to make you see the land, people and times, D.B. Jackson paints a great story of the life and times of small, country, life and love.
You will not be disappointed.

[Walter Danley · Rating 5 out of 5]

SMALL MOVING PARTS by DB Jackson

If you read only one book this year, make it Small Moving Parts

Small Moving Parts is a story wide and deep with human emotions. One of the memorable aphorisms, among the many provided by the author, is representative of the of the life philosophy at the center of this wonderfully written tale. Sharing this quote out of context is a disservice to the book, but it conveys the sentiment of this novel. The old man says to the boy, "Ain't nothing better than cowboying."
Also, you don't need to be a fan of the "western genre" to fully enjoy this story, or to identify with the fully developed characters that seem to be live humans as you savor the prose from a master storyteller. Set in far West Texas in the late ‘50's (the 1950's, not 1850's) the story is rich with Texas culture, platitudes, and attitude. More than just a page-turner, Mr. Jackson skillfully guides us through elements of mystery, suspense, romance and action that will tantalize the reader's emotions. You will want to melt into the story's richness and become a part of it. You won't want it to end.
The night fate puts two strangers together changes both their lives forever. They had each concluded their life was no longer worth the effort and each had a plan to take matters into his own hands. Small Moving Parts is a story of the growth of a bond between the old man and the boy that develops into a valuable friendship as one grows old the other grows up. It is that friend’s relationship that allows each man to deal with the pain that drove him to the edge of suicide.
Author DB Jackson has been honored with many prestigious awards and referenced as an excellent storyteller. This novel will bring Jackson more prizes and the recognition that he is a great teller of tales, that he is one of today’s genuinely outstanding artists. However, instead of oils on canvas, Dale Jackson's art puts poetry on paper. He writes in a sensitive smooth-textured, transparent manner that engulfs the reader in the moment of the narration. This master craftsman has infused his powerful poetic prose with the sharp edge of Texas lore making Small Moving Parts DB Jackson's best work yet.
Those who appreciate finely crafted art will want to read this novel and reread it and read it again to enjoy the artistry of the writing. This novel is an all-consuming, inspiring story told by one of our very best writers. The story will resonate with reader emotions at every page turning. Fans of mysteries, suspense, thrillers, action, and romance will find plenty to enjoy in this novel. Small Moving Parts is highly recommended to readers of every genre.
The night fate put two strangers together changed both their lives forever. Each had concluded is life was no longer worth the effort and both had a plan to take matters into his own hands. Small Moving Parts is a story of the growth of a bond between the old man and the boy that develops into a valuable friendship as one grows old the other grows up. It is that friend’s relationship that allows each man to deal with the pain driving him to the edge of suicide.
Dale Jackson has been honored with many past prestigious awards and labeled an excellent storyteller. This novel will bring Jackson more prizes and the recognition that he is a great teller of tales and an outstanding artist. But instead of oils on canvas, Dale Jackson’s art puts poetry on paper. He writes in a sensitive, smooth-textured, transparent manner that engulfs the reader in the narration moment This master craftsman has infused his powerful poetic prose with the sharp edge of Texas lore making Small Moving Parts DB Jackson’s best work yet.
Those who appreciate finely crafted art will want to read this novel and reread it and read it again to recognize all the artistry of the story. Small Moving Parts is an all-consuming inspired story told by one of our very best writers. His writing will resonate with the emotion of the reader at every turning of a page. Fans of mysteries, suspense, thrillers, action, and romance will find plenty to enjoy in this novel. I highly recommend Small Moving Parts to readers of every genre.
This novel is a five-star journey that will stay in your mind and heart for a very long time.

[Sonny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Events happen that are often out of our control and sometimes they change the direction of our lives in unexpected ways. D.B. Jackson’s novel, Small Moving Parts, is about those events in life over which we have no control. We dread not having control, and the lack of control leads some people to decide to disconnect themselves from life. Others learn that the situations that they can’t control often become the ones that teach them the most. I’ve found that events beyond my control have redirected me down paths I would never have explored if I had control over them. A lack of control forces us to make decisions that we would otherwise have found too difficult to make. But the events that we lacked control over usually have significant benefits to the decisions we made after them.

“The world is a complicated place with lots of small moving parts. When someone moves one part just a little, it causes all the other parts to move in ways we can’t see coming.” – Harley Cain, Small Moving Parts

On a summer’s night in Bufort, Texas in 1958, the destinies of two strangers collide. Harland “Harley” Cain, a WWII veteran and rancher, and Bodean “Dodger” Cooper, a neglected and abused teenager, have decided that their circumstances are too much to bear. Distressed by their circumstances, the two men—one young, one old—decide to end their lives. Cain is sick. Cooper feels that no one cares. His mother is a drunk and her boyfriend abuses him both physically and verbally. One night, Cooper gets drunk and drives his mother’s boyfriend’s truck into a bridge abutment, intending to kill himself. Cain, in the process of shooting himself, hears the crash and rushes to Cooper’s aid. Their chance encounter changes their plans and sends them on a journey neither could have anticipated. Cain invites Dodger to work for him, fixing up his farm.

When the Delgado brothers steal Harley’s two horses, the situation quickly becomes dangerous after Harley and Dodger decide to recover the horses. When Jorge Delgado is killed during the recovery attempt, the police chief begins an investigation. When Harley and Dodger become the two main suspects, the Delgado family plots revenge in the belief that the two men have brought shame and dishonor upon the family. As they contend with the police and the Delgados, Harley and Cain forge a strong bond and together discover that life is worth the risks after all. There are many unexpected surprises along the way, and the ending is tense.

While Small Moving Parts is part redemption tale, author D.B. Jackson explores a number of important themes: isolation, death and dying, life and living, love and hate, prejudice and discrimination, friendship and loyalty, abandonment, and hope. He explores the nature of love in its many forms and how a deep friendship can change everything. But, most of all, he writes of making the most of broken parts.

Jackson is an excellent storyteller who builds unique, three-dimensional characters with depth, personality, and clear motivations. Harley and Dodger are appealing, and the novel’s supporting characters are equally well drawn. His novel is an emotional, heartwarming, heart wrenching and sometimes humorous tale that will give readers a heartwarming and heartfelt feeling long after it is finished.

[The Girl with the Sagittarius Tattoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Southern Texas mid-century drama.

Harland Cain lives alone on his ranch bordering Mexico, coming to terms with lung cancer. At the moment he's about to leave this world on his own terms, he hears a tremendous crash from the road and finds 14yo Dodger barely alive in the driver's seat of his stepfather's truck.

Harley and Dodger meet in their most desperate hour and form an unbreakable bond of friendship. One provides guidance and wisdom; the other has an open heart and youthful optimism. They're going to need each other as they face horse thieves and murderers in this virtually lawless land.

The friendship and characters were well done - Bobby, Dodger's friend, is another sweetheart I came to love in this story. Unfortunately the plot was uneven, and I think the author chickened out and went with the wrong ending. Still an enjoyable read overall.

[Sharon Huether · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story of a man and a boy brought together by fate
A lasting friendship occures, they live through some perilous events of horse thieves, murders and robbers . They both have a lot to live for. Understanding and common sense are everything that the young boy needs in his life .
This book is deserving of more than 5 stars.
I want to thank Turner Publishing for sending me this book.

[Scott Mcleod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story of the coming together of two souls, an older man and a teenage boy that truly need each other. Just when you think there is no hope, something comes a long to prove you wrong. Great characters and a nail biting finish. The words leap off the page and keeps you turning the pages wishing it was a longer book. One I'll read again.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friendship Overcomes Despair

Harley Cain strokes his .45 automatic. He’s decided life isn’t worth living. The gun will make a quick end to it. He raises the gun testing the feel against his temple. Before he can pull the trigger, he hears screaming tires and a crash. He races across his front yard and finds a destroyed pickup truck. A fifteen-year-old boy is slumped against the wheel. He’s drunk, but not badly hurt. When Harley gets him into the house and cleaned up, the boy admits he too wanted to commit suicide.

This encounter changes their lives. The boy stays with Harley and an enduring friendship is born. The background is West Texas, an area where cowboys ride horses, thieves steal horses, and riding through the landscape encourages thoughts about how life works. Harley is a fount of homely wisdom. As the pair ride and encounter danger, they realize how sensible his aphorisms are.

The characters, Harley, and the boy, Dodger, are very alive. They feel like real people. It’s a coming of age story, and a story of an old man helping a boy find a place in life. The descriptions of West Texas form a background that is atmospheric and gives substance to the story.

I enjoyed the book and recommend it if you enjoy character driven novels with a plot that pulls you into the action.

I received this book from Turner Publishing for this review.

[Cindy Q · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The saddles hung suspended from a beam in the tack room by old catch ropes looped through the gullet and over the saddle horns" an excerpt from D.B. Jackson's Small Moving Parts. The minute I read this line I was instantly in the milk house/saddle shed back home. This is the way Dad hung all his saddles. Dale Jackson certainly has a way of bringing you into the story.

[Teardra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel felt reminiscent of East of Eden by Steinbeck. The characters are multi-faceted and are described in a way that makes me feel like I would recognize them walking down the street.

This is a book written more for the characters than for the story. Perhaps the story was just a vehicle to introduce the characters. Regardless, I highly recommend this book.

[Eblison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Small Moving Parts is an early 20th century buddy story, where two strangers become uncommon friends due to circumstances created by a common desire to end their own lives. It's a coming of age story that comes across as real and as natural as if it were a part of Jackson's real life story. The book's cinematic setting and dialogue are written so flawlessly, that readers create the images in their heads with great ease. Small Moving Parts is written as only a true cowboy could write it. Brilliantly.

[Laur · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing story! Despair and hopelessness intersects two very different individuals who are about to end their own lives, on the same night at the same time. What unfolds is a multi-layered powerful drama that is dangerous, life threatening and soul changing.

Vivid characters that are completely believable, heart-felt scenes that are often raw and will touch one’s emotional core, with a touch of humor, in just the right spots! The audible narrative by Mark Bramhall, adds a wonderful realistic dimension that enhances the story.

5 Stars.

[Vannetta Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't read many westerns, but this was free with my Audible membership so I gave it a try. I'm so glad I did! Jackson has written a lovely story with compelling main characters. The west Texas setting is vividly drawn, and the minor characters all earn excellent supporting cast badges. Yup. I really liked this one.

Note: Some language, though it's kept to a few intense scenes.

[Steven Newsome · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved this western fiction. I was drawn in close to the beginning of the book and impressed with the character development. Very well written and full of life lessons.

[Mike Prewitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book it had a western, crime thriller feel. I especially liked the relationship between the old man and the boy. Very well written story.

[Jodi Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a long-time fan of D.B. Jackson's novels. They are thoughtful and researched stories with characters that become real after the first few lines. Just like his other works, SMALL MOVING PARTS is a saga that one can easily see as a movie or a series. Lots of writers come up with stories, but few know how to color them with descriptions that entice me to read them again, even closing the book to think about them. Here's an example:

"It (a hawk) made no sound as it studied the earth below with ancient eyes that measured everything that moved except time itself.”

I love how Mr. Jackson weaves the threads of his tales together in a quiet, almost seamless manner, yet eventually unrolls a finished tapestry that satisfies every question and sense of justice for the reader. D.B. Jackson novels are historically correct, unique, and won’t compromise authenticity.

In SMALL MOVING PARTS, the two main characters, Harland Cain and Dodger, emerge as real-life people as they go from hopelessness to hope, from ruination to reclamation. You’ll be with them as they journey through the shadows of time and age and life, leaving drops of their humanity in one another’s world. If you miss SMALL MOVING PARTS, you’ve missed a great read!

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Small Moving Parts” is one of the best novels of this century. It’s realist literature of the highest order, written by a prose artist who has LIVED, and who KNOWS. I was astounded by it. This, from chapter five.

She smiled and the smile made her words a lie, and the boy dropped his hands from her shoulders as he smiled a lie back at her.

As a reader, this tells you everything you need to know and does so in a transcendent way (we’ve all been there). As a writer, it makes you green with envy for not having written it. The prose is beautiful without being precious; spare, but without pretense. I’d find myself shaking my head. “Man. That couldn’t have been done better.”

The story is propulsive. Harland, Dodger, Luanne, all the rest—they’ll haunt you long after the book is done. It’s a book to reread and a book to recommend.

There are shades of McCarthy here, but given the setting and subject matter, I think that’s too on the nose. I was put in mind of Malcolm Lowry’s “Under the Volcano”; of Leonard Gardner’s “Fat City.” Both were adapted into wonderful films, and both films, directed by the great John Huston. Will “Small Moving Parts” have a similar cinematic future? We hope and pray.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened on Audible (Included).

This book is a departure from my usual genre, but WOW, what a book. I loved the setting, the characters, the writing. Even in an intense scene there was realistic humor. Great modern western!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! I loved this story of the friendship between a 16-year-old throw away boy and an 80-something old cowboy. Just the right amount of tenderness, humor, and suspense.
I listened to this novel, and the narrator's gravelly voice was perfect.

[Walter Danley · Rating 5 out of 5]

See my review of this most enjoyable and inspired novel by Dale B. Jackson. His writing is amazing!
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

[Bret Wonnacott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved everything about this book!

[Shannon Mitrovich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic.

[Hannah Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

The reader was really good and the story was pretty good too. A real western with memorable characters.

[T · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good book and definitely worth the read. A few chapters towards the end could have been cut out but they didn’t completely spoil the overall story.

[Sam Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really well written!

[Rebecca Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lonely old man and a teenager in crisis. Loved this book.

[Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took a chance on this book, and I’m so glad that I did. I found this book on audible and it sounded interesting. I’d never heard of this author the book, and the narrator was someone who I had never listened to before. While that made me a little nervous, it was free, so I decided “why not?” I downloaded it, listened, And I LOVED it.

I love gritty, emotional stories and this one definitely starts out pretty dark. But one of my favorite tropes is when two characters meet in unlikely circumstances and they have adventures together, they grow a close bond, and the story has a beautiful ending. This book definitely has that! Harland and Dodger are now one of my favorite character duos! I’m also a sucker for westerns/western-like stories. It’s something about the desert and cowboy hats and horses and farm life that really draws me in!

I really liked the title, and I think that quote I put above perfectly captures the story and life itself. It reminds me of the butterfly effect, and the fact that we all really are connected in one way or another.

This book is a mid-century southern drama that is so well written and has such well rounded, endearing characters. The narrator, Mark Bramhall, was also AMAZING. I couldn’t listen to this book fast enough, honestly. I would HIGHLY recommend it!

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the Audible version. Narrator Mark Bramhall dumped me right into the Texas borderlands setting with old man Cain and a mismatched pair of teenage boys, Dodger and Bobbie. It blows my mind when one narrator pulls off such a seamless personification of all the characters who populate a book like this--including accents and speech cadences.

The book seems to to have three distinct parts. The first third builds character and paints the setting while building a crescendo of tension. The middle part rambles along showing how the calm logic of a seasoned cowboy can corral the impatience of a young man prone toward impulse. And how the act of caring for someone else, believing in them and wanting the best for them can restore an old man's will to live. The descriptive passages are a delight, but a rather slow delight. It's easy to forget that troubles related to the first part of the book still lurk. The last third of the book resolves the lingering problems in a tension-filled finale.

This would be a fabulous book for a road trip, not so great for nighttime listening--unless you can spare a lot of sleep. D.B. Jackson is a master of character development and scene setting. Listening to this book felt like being absorbed into a Panavision film. The characters felt like people I've known somewhere, sometime.

[Jay Ward A.K.A. Chris Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just noticed I never wrote a review of this book and I am devastated! This is one of about 3 books since I’ve been an audiobook member that was so good that I actually went out and bought a hard copy of to lend out to ppl. Quite possibly my favorite book of all time. I don’t say this lightly. It’s in that conversation. The characters are so vivid, so human, and feel so close that this adventure defines what it means to lose yourself in a story. I really wish I’d given it a proper review upon setting it down but I think I immediately picked up my phone and began Goggling how much it would cost to retire in the southwest on a few hundred acres of my own! Lol. If you’re already “thinking” about reading this book, the choice is made. And if you’ve never heard of it and are looking to to a break from life for a little while…dive in. You appreciate learning things from a book too as you grow older. This book made me a little bit better of a human as well. You’ll see. It’s all in the pages. Just trust me.

And if you’re going Audible-style. This narrator(forget his name…I suck) is so perfect, does such a great job, that it makes the list of books I have for “glad I listened because the narrator made it even better” books. I have lists for everything. Don’t we all?

[Gogo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book! The prose moves gorgeously, simply in small moving parts that all fit together breaking your heart then lifting it again and again. Harley and Dodger find themselves at the end of their proverbial dirt roads (like most of us out West). They decide to end it all before finding each other, but no more plot spoilers: you'll have to read it yourself! There is nothing "small" about this beautiful story: finely crafted, memorable characters, lots of live action! Truth is, this is late July and I've been savoring this treasure all summer long. "Small Moving Parts" is the kind of book you can't put down---but must, or it will all end too soon. I'm holding tight awhile on Chapter 42 - scared shitless - because Rolando and Eugene are back. "An old man and a young boy with nothing left to lose meet in a twist of fate that changes their lives forever". . .and mine. Stunning

[JenBsBooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmm, well I seem to be in the minority here - so many people LOVED this, but it just dragged on and on for me. I debated DNF but pushed through. I went with the audio edition (included in Audible Plus, free with membership) and the narrator was good. Very gravely voice, good accents for the characters.

I guess I went in expecting more. Both main characters attempt suicide right at the start, don't finish and come together to form a long-lasting friendship. I did like that premise. But their adventures just seemed too over-the-top for a "realistic" book. Some SPOILERS .... Crossing in and out of Mexico, murder, horse thieves, kidnapping. For an old man and a 15-year old boy to get away with what they did...umm, okay. To have said 15-year old boy meeting/falling for the daughter of the man he killed (that she would get over it as she did), it just didn't work for me.