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One Fall
With one kick, Joey Hamilton has sent the world of professional wrestling into chaos. In his first World Title match, on national television, Joey botched a simple maneuver, turning a scripted wrestling match into a nightmarish reality.
Now the World Champion is injured and the locker room is in tatters. With the top spot open, veteran wrestlers are jockeying for position, hoping to become the next megastar, and Joey is their target.
With a unique look behind the scenes at America's most violent dramatic art, One Fall shows the world of professional wrestling in its rawest form. It is a world of violence, drug abuse, backstabbing, and desperation. But it is also a world of pride, honor, guts, and most of all, passion.
Now the World Champion is injured and the locker room is in tatters. With the top spot open, veteran wrestlers are jockeying for position, hoping to become the next megastar, and Joey is their target.
With a unique look behind the scenes at America's most violent dramatic art, One Fall shows the world of professional wrestling in its rawest form. It is a world of violence, drug abuse, backstabbing, and desperation. But it is also a world of pride, honor, guts, and most of all, passion.
300 pages, Paperback
First published September 6, 2004
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116 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 23, 2024
For those jabroni marks that don't know, it's a work when you work a work and work yourself into a shoot, marks. (credit: Hulk Hogan) Pro Wrestling: The Novel.
In professional wrestling, the "mark" is the fan. The one who the wrestlers/promoters are trying to "work" out of their hard-earned money to see the latest match/feud/card. Also, a "work" is something planned/scripted/predetermined, while a "shoot" is the opposite: unplanned/unscripted. With the rise of internet culture, especially in the late 90s and the WWE/WCW "Monday Night Wars" where wrestling "dirt sheets" would report on a variety of founded and unfounded backstage rumors/gossip - there arose a class of "smart marks" or "smarks" -- essentially fans with just a little more knowledge than the pure casual fan.
The vast majority of wrestling documentaries cater to the smark fanbase -- purporting to peel the curtain back just a little so they feel they have an inside track on what's REALLY going on behind the scenes -- trying to read "shoot" elements into otherwise "worked" programs. Examples are wrestlers making comments in promos that reference real-life incidents (like calling a wrestler by their real name).
Spencer Baum's 2004 "One Fall" is the novelization of that approach. It tells the tale of newcomer Joey Mayhem, who is suddenly thrust into the world title picture and quickly finds himself dealing with backstage politics, odd booking decisions, and internet rumormongers. As a premise, this is all fine and good, but "One Fall" fails to inject actual drama or tension into a story that's all about fictional drama and tension. Any fan of pro wrestling will find lots of familiar little set pieces here: botched moves, angry bookers, and contract shenanigans -- but unfortunately, nothing in the narrative brings those elements to the next level. Even the "climax" where Joey posts to an internet message board a message saying in his world title match that he's going to go "off-script" feels false.
This is the type of novel and premise that would have been far better served with a murder mystery or some kind of higher stakes -- think of the boxer that must throw the contest to save his wife from gangsters or something. Instead, we get 300 pages of....wrestling dirt sheet gossip. It works - mostly because it never stops being a work. Well, shoot.
In professional wrestling, the "mark" is the fan. The one who the wrestlers/promoters are trying to "work" out of their hard-earned money to see the latest match/feud/card. Also, a "work" is something planned/scripted/predetermined, while a "shoot" is the opposite: unplanned/unscripted. With the rise of internet culture, especially in the late 90s and the WWE/WCW "Monday Night Wars" where wrestling "dirt sheets" would report on a variety of founded and unfounded backstage rumors/gossip - there arose a class of "smart marks" or "smarks" -- essentially fans with just a little more knowledge than the pure casual fan.
The vast majority of wrestling documentaries cater to the smark fanbase -- purporting to peel the curtain back just a little so they feel they have an inside track on what's REALLY going on behind the scenes -- trying to read "shoot" elements into otherwise "worked" programs. Examples are wrestlers making comments in promos that reference real-life incidents (like calling a wrestler by their real name).
Spencer Baum's 2004 "One Fall" is the novelization of that approach. It tells the tale of newcomer Joey Mayhem, who is suddenly thrust into the world title picture and quickly finds himself dealing with backstage politics, odd booking decisions, and internet rumormongers. As a premise, this is all fine and good, but "One Fall" fails to inject actual drama or tension into a story that's all about fictional drama and tension. Any fan of pro wrestling will find lots of familiar little set pieces here: botched moves, angry bookers, and contract shenanigans -- but unfortunately, nothing in the narrative brings those elements to the next level. Even the "climax" where Joey posts to an internet message board a message saying in his world title match that he's going to go "off-script" feels false.
This is the type of novel and premise that would have been far better served with a murder mystery or some kind of higher stakes -- think of the boxer that must throw the contest to save his wife from gangsters or something. Instead, we get 300 pages of....wrestling dirt sheet gossip. It works - mostly because it never stops being a work. Well, shoot.
September 29, 2013
That I read this book is a testament to sometimes being cheap - this was a free book on Kindle and for some reason I was bound and determined to read it. I say that because I have always hated professional wrestling.
That being said, this was a decent book. The characters are mostly cartoons, but then so is professional wrestling. I was about 25% of the way through the book and realized I had no clue what the story was going to be. It started to become more apparent about half way through and by the end it turned into a decent read.
It would have been helpful if the author better explained what the various terms meant. A wrestling fan probably knew them but I had no clue and had to figure them out by context.
That being said, this was a decent book. The characters are mostly cartoons, but then so is professional wrestling. I was about 25% of the way through the book and realized I had no clue what the story was going to be. It started to become more apparent about half way through and by the end it turned into a decent read.
It would have been helpful if the author better explained what the various terms meant. A wrestling fan probably knew them but I had no clue and had to figure them out by context.
August 7, 2020
this is a fantasy version of the monday nights falls set in slightly more contemporary times and with fantasy versions of the wwf and wcw with a very smarky bent. If none of that made sense to you this book probably isnt for you. The book makes a decent effort to explain terms and concepts and I cant tell how much itd help a complete stranger to wrestling but even if - it is so stock full of allusions to real world wrestling stuff and things you just wont get if you werent at some point at least a little bit invested in the world of pro wrestling. If you are – read on
this was very readable and hard to put down. I constantly was wondering what happened next. I think this book captured what makes pro wrestling so exciting to follow both in kayfabe and out perfectly. The onstage performances to the backstage politics to the fans. Sadly it also captures the worst of wrestling and not in a good way. Yeah sure it portrays the shit female wrestlers had/have to face and I have no problems with it its accurate after all. However at times it seems the book falls into the same pitfalls.
There is a lengthy tirade near the end of a book about the omther of some minor character who is apparently an evil activist feminist who decides his son will grow up to be evil because he has a penis (not an exact quote but very close to it). This isnt relavant to anythign the character in question is very minor and the backstory doesnt come up again. It sticks out like a sore thumb and just made me weary of the book.
Another example is a minor character who is a writer and she is seemingly just be there to be humiliated about how bad her writing ideas are in her own pov scenes. In other scenes she barely shows up except at some point when the main character notes that she probably sucks at writing based on the fact that she has great legs. This felt so out of place considering he at that point is dating an internation sex symbol who he admits is also a great wrestler.
Those two are ultimately small examples in a big novel but the undercurrent of it is always there and leaves a bad taste in the mouth. It didn’t keep me from my enjoyment overall. Funnily enough it reminded me of actually watching wrestling. Wrestling fans especially those of us that arent male or straight or whatever are experts at compertimentalizing shit after all. And this wasn’t nearly as bad as the sort of stuff I generally have to put up with in wrestling.
My other big criticism is the amount of simply uneccessary scenes. One character, lucifer it seemed at first was being set up as important. We got his backstory (including his aforementioned mother) how he got into the business etc…. And then nothing until the very end. Did I miss a few scenes? If this was a series id understand maybe it’s setting up for something in the next book but I dont get the impression this was ever meant to be one.
I focused more on the negative because as a wrestling fan thats what comes easier to me (just kidding..or am I). but this was extremely enjoyable despite anything else. I think wrestling in fiction has a lot of untapped potential and I hope I see more of it in the future.
this was very readable and hard to put down. I constantly was wondering what happened next. I think this book captured what makes pro wrestling so exciting to follow both in kayfabe and out perfectly. The onstage performances to the backstage politics to the fans. Sadly it also captures the worst of wrestling and not in a good way. Yeah sure it portrays the shit female wrestlers had/have to face and I have no problems with it its accurate after all. However at times it seems the book falls into the same pitfalls.
There is a lengthy tirade near the end of a book about the omther of some minor character who is apparently an evil activist feminist who decides his son will grow up to be evil because he has a penis (not an exact quote but very close to it). This isnt relavant to anythign the character in question is very minor and the backstory doesnt come up again. It sticks out like a sore thumb and just made me weary of the book.
Another example is a minor character who is a writer and she is seemingly just be there to be humiliated about how bad her writing ideas are in her own pov scenes. In other scenes she barely shows up except at some point when the main character notes that she probably sucks at writing based on the fact that she has great legs. This felt so out of place considering he at that point is dating an internation sex symbol who he admits is also a great wrestler.
Those two are ultimately small examples in a big novel but the undercurrent of it is always there and leaves a bad taste in the mouth. It didn’t keep me from my enjoyment overall. Funnily enough it reminded me of actually watching wrestling. Wrestling fans especially those of us that arent male or straight or whatever are experts at compertimentalizing shit after all. And this wasn’t nearly as bad as the sort of stuff I generally have to put up with in wrestling.
My other big criticism is the amount of simply uneccessary scenes. One character, lucifer it seemed at first was being set up as important. We got his backstory (including his aforementioned mother) how he got into the business etc…. And then nothing until the very end. Did I miss a few scenes? If this was a series id understand maybe it’s setting up for something in the next book but I dont get the impression this was ever meant to be one.
I focused more on the negative because as a wrestling fan thats what comes easier to me (just kidding..or am I). but this was extremely enjoyable despite anything else. I think wrestling in fiction has a lot of untapped potential and I hope I see more of it in the future.
July 12, 2019
Third book by this author with a different subject. Again well written and a great plot. I used to watch boxing when Cassius Clay was new before his name change. I did find it relatively brutal but very exciting and I couldn’t really fathom why 2 fellas would want to beat the stuffing out of each other but then I’m not a guy. Now I find the blood sports are too violent and I have no interest in it at all these days but I did enjoy reading this story.
January 12, 2015
One Fall, A Near Fall...
At times this book captivated me, made me feel, made me scratch my head as to what the author was trying to convey or made me think: "This isn't realistic at all." But all in all I enjoyed this book. There are times when the book is seemingly headed in a really good direction as if it is building to a big payoff and then... nothing. Either nothing, no answer or an answer that makes no logical sense even inside the fictional world of wrestling. Constant great build up and hook followed by air letting out of the arena. Fortunately, the build up always comes back and by the middle of this book, the pacing starts to feel more natural ad less forced.
As for characters, I'm not sure that our protagonist is always completely likeable as he has questionable decision-making, but this also made me more emotionally invested as a reader. Like that idiot friend we all have and we love but he or she just makes dumb choices. Joey is that guy often in this book. I did also really enjoy Jade. She really came to life in this book and I found myself totally more invested in her than any other character. In actuality, the protagonist was probably third on this list, possibly by design.
Don't let any of the above discourage you though. Just like every match can't be 5 stars, every book can't be either but that doesn't mean it's not entertaining and enjoyable. I'd definitely give this author another read and see how he progresses in his skill. If there was a sequel, I'd be waiting for the entrance music to hit and the pyro to go off as I would surely become a serial reader. *wink*
At times this book captivated me, made me feel, made me scratch my head as to what the author was trying to convey or made me think: "This isn't realistic at all." But all in all I enjoyed this book. There are times when the book is seemingly headed in a really good direction as if it is building to a big payoff and then... nothing. Either nothing, no answer or an answer that makes no logical sense even inside the fictional world of wrestling. Constant great build up and hook followed by air letting out of the arena. Fortunately, the build up always comes back and by the middle of this book, the pacing starts to feel more natural ad less forced.
As for characters, I'm not sure that our protagonist is always completely likeable as he has questionable decision-making, but this also made me more emotionally invested as a reader. Like that idiot friend we all have and we love but he or she just makes dumb choices. Joey is that guy often in this book. I did also really enjoy Jade. She really came to life in this book and I found myself totally more invested in her than any other character. In actuality, the protagonist was probably third on this list, possibly by design.
Don't let any of the above discourage you though. Just like every match can't be 5 stars, every book can't be either but that doesn't mean it's not entertaining and enjoyable. I'd definitely give this author another read and see how he progresses in his skill. If there was a sequel, I'd be waiting for the entrance music to hit and the pyro to go off as I would surely become a serial reader. *wink*
August 17, 2010
Professional wrestling is a form of entertainment as fascinating as it is misunderstood. Baum understands it, though - it interests people as much for what goes on outside the ring as inside, and for the stories being told as for the action and athleticism. It's a timeless, unique form of drama, and at its best its damned entertaining.
One Fall takes place during one of the most interesting times in pro wrestling - the "Monday Night Wars" of the early 2000s, with the Global Wrestling Alliance and Revolution Wrestling taking the place of WCW and the WWF. It's not a straight analogue, though - Baum is a better storyteller than that, so he takes the elements of reality that make for a great story, twists them together, and adds fiction where appropriate. The result is a story that's a must-read for fans of pro wrestling, although I'm not sure how appealing it would be to others.
One Fall takes place during one of the most interesting times in pro wrestling - the "Monday Night Wars" of the early 2000s, with the Global Wrestling Alliance and Revolution Wrestling taking the place of WCW and the WWF. It's not a straight analogue, though - Baum is a better storyteller than that, so he takes the elements of reality that make for a great story, twists them together, and adds fiction where appropriate. The result is a story that's a must-read for fans of pro wrestling, although I'm not sure how appealing it would be to others.
September 23, 2011
For a guy who has been a wrestling fan for almost 40 years and considers the Monday Night wars era to be one of the high points in wrestling's history, this book was a great read. Spencer creates very likable characters from the bigger then life world of professional wrestling, but keeps the heroes human enough for you to relate to. I used to write wrestling columns during that time period for a small time review web site, and I can totally relate to the 'journalist' that breaks the story. Well written. I would love to see a sequel someday.
July 13, 2011
This was a surprising good book, in spite of being about pro wrestling, a subject I knew nothing about. The characters are believable and sympathetic. The story is not a tremendously original one -- young rookie has to figure out who to trust as he works his way to the top -- but setting it in the world of pro wrestling certainly added a novel element. I'm sure real fans would recognize even more of the supporting characters.
July 8, 2012
Good book for any wrestling nerd such as myself. The love story was a bit cheesy and underwhelming, but overall a very good read. The "big reveal" was also pretty predictable, but it was still fun and kept me turning pages like a machine.
January 21, 2013
Needed something lighter, and this fit the bill. Great nods to the Monday Night Wars from the bygone wrestling days of my youth. Some character inconsistencies and threads not developed or carried through, but I was surprised at a number of scenes. Recommend for past or present wrestling fans.
May 1, 2014
This is the best book i ever read! I loved every minute of it! half the people that wrote a review, I can tell did not even read the book! Im so sad the book is over! I would love if they made a movie to this book!
Read
May 8, 2010I've read this a few times.
July 15, 2010
This was a great summer read. I can honestly say that I never thought I would enjoy a book about professional wrestling, but Spencer made it fun!
September 7, 2012
Pretty good overall. A re-imagining of the Monday Night Wars from the late 90s.
September 8, 2016
Not very good. I did read it to the end so, to be fair, it's inoffensive. None of the characters are particularly likable, and the plot is fairly predictable.
Fan fiction level quality.
Fan fiction level quality.
July 27, 2015
A great, quick read. Dare I say it, I enjoyed this more than Blood Red turns Dollar Green. An interesting insight, with veiled parallels to the Monday Night Wars between WCW and WWF.
December 28, 2016
Great knowledge of the business turned into an intriguing and highly enjoyable fiction!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews