Aftershock

by Tom Bentley

Three Disaster Survivors Must Survive Each OtherWisecracking, ineptly lustful Hayden is the disgruntled proofreading coordinator at a large San Francisco leasing company. His big secret is that he's writing a novel that he hopes will change his fortunes. Megan, his prim, overachiever boss, a former editor at a publishing house, has a secret she's a closet alcoholic. Jacob, the homeless vet who begs outside their office, once a hopeless drunk himself, wouldn't know and wouldn't care about any office intrigues.That is, until the 1989 earthquake throws all their fates together--in life-altering ways. The interplay of the irreverent schemer, the guarded alcoholic and the stoic veteran makes for an at times rollicking, at times sad collision of lives, where romances backfire and family secrets are revealed. Sometimes hilarious, sometimes harrowing, the book's themes touch on the AIDS crisis, corporate vacuity, family dramas, awkward sex--and even the Bronte sisters. Through the fragile fault lines of these rocky relationships runs loss, humor, and the longing for connection.

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 10, 2018

About the author

Hello. I hope this doesn't sound like a laundry list (and a soiled one at that) of me, me, me, but: I’ve run a writing and editing business out of my house for many years.

I've published hundreds of freelance pieces—ranging from first-person essays to travel pieces to more journalistic subjects—in newspapers, magazines, and online. (Venues include The Washington Post, Forbes, Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Writer’s Digest, Sailing Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, Wired, the San Francisco Chronicle, Writer's Market and many others.)

I have written several novels and nonfiction books, and I was the 1999 winner of the National Steinbeck Center’s short story contest, as well as a 2007 winner of the Lunch Hour Stories short story contest; I’ve also won three Traveler's Tales Solas awards and a few other nonfiction writing contests.

Sign up for my newsletter on my site—I'll discuss writing issues and craft, the freelancing life, provide links and resources, and talk about my latest projects and wiseguy ideas. Right now it's a monthly, though that might change.

I like to mix my literature with the occasional cigar and shot of whiskey. Come by and say hello!

Reviews

[Diane Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley, the publishers and the author for a copy of this book. From the 1989 San Francisco earthquake an unlikely trio of characters are drawn together in a strange friendship. Megan a high flying career girl with a troubled childhood , Hayden her subordinate at work, an unpublished writer, searching for the right relationship, troubled by his friends illness and Jacob, a Vet and recovering alcoholic living on the streets outside their office building. This was an emotional and sensitive read and I would highly recommend it.

[Rahul Deodhar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aftershock is a story of a few people who evaluate their lives after living through an earthquake. The book is well-written as it eases you in and then sucks you into the conflicts. Many a times, I found myself drawn to next chapter. I like Tom Bentley's use of the language. The lyrical prose sometimes heightens, and other times eases an undercurrent of deeper meaning that always seems to lurk in the story. It is a sort of story that has layers not all of them seen. It is quite an easy read but its leaves us with that lingering hint of deeper meaning. It surely to be re-read and reflected on deeply. Rarely do we come across such works these days. Great book. Must read.

[Emi Yoshida · Rating 3 out of 5]

Colorful mix of unrelated characters interact in ways that entertain and intrigue. A San Francisco earthquake (I'm guessing 1989's) somehow unites two random co-workers at Consolidated: uptight British manager with daddy issues and a drinking problem Megan, teaming up with her wisecracking underling Hayden, in a madcap but well-intentioned series of misadventures involving a homeless veteran, family members, roommates, neighbors, and an ex, among others. San Francisco plays a part in the drama as well, colorfully characterized, front and center. I like the way author Tom Bentley enhances these characters with so much of their better selves, even when dealing with dark topics, there is a California lightness to the pace and patter that makes it all manageable.

[Jake Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novel is a page-turner, no doubt. It's about a young(ish) man (I believe he is 33) whose life is turned upside down by a major earthquake. The quake impacts the lives of certain people in his proximity (his boss, a legless homless man, his ex-girlfriend) and brings him into a new kind of relationship with them. This is the heart of the story, how these new relationships elicit a fundamental change in the character.

The problem with the novel is the protagonist isn't very likeable. He's self absorbed and has a cliched way of expressing himself. The novel often reads like a pastiche of Catcher in the Rye, except, the narrator in Aftershock is meant to be in his 30s.

The redeeming feature of this novel are the chapters focussing on Jacob (the homeless man) and Megan (his boss). They are written in third person and they are subtler, less self-conscious. Though Megan is hardly much more empathetic than the narrator, there are moments when the stylistic veneer is stripped by honest emotion, which makes me think the author could have done better.

Overall, this was a disappointing read. The novel kept me reading, but without any real substance. Read a sample first if you're thinking about buying this.