Ride

by Andrew Lafleche

From the award winning poet and author of No Diplomacy comes this unsettling debut novel, Ride, by Andrew Lafleche.

High school is over, an ex-girlfriend is pregnant, and Troy Brinkman is spiralling out of control. On moving out of his parent’s home, Troy enters a landscape of limitless entropy where everybody drinks copious amounts of alcohol, snorts mountains of cocaine, and once Ecstasy is discovered, swallows as many pills as they can get their hands on. When he’s not seething for his next high, Troy cruises parties, strip-clubs, and bars for action in a desperate attempt to avoid coming to terms with his best friend’s attempted suicide. In this binge-life, Troy recognizes his impending doom and tries to renew feelings for his ex-girlfriend, Danielle, his sole through-line that connects Troy to who he was before he became who he is. It’s this struggle which may lead to Troy’s own destruction.

"Andrew Lafleche is an honest and courageouswriter. There is an eyes-wide-open accuracy to his work, no matter thesubject matter. Hemingway once said of writers he admired: 'They're true gen, ' meaning they were the genuine article, writers he consideredincapable of deceit, and incapable of playing dumb. Andrew is a True Gen writer." -Ron Corbett, award-winning journalist, broadcaster and author of the Frank Yakabuski crime novels

"He's like a surgeon with a shotgun." -Akeem Duncan, Quiet Lunch Magazine

"The memories kicked up by this trip lead Troy on a bender of extreme andviolent proportions-he robs drug dealers, ruins friendships, and fillshis system with whatever chemicals he can. As he self-destructs, hetells himself to just "enjoy the ride," but that may be because hedoesn't realize the dark places that the ride will take him. Laflechetells the story in Troy's own voice-a caustic blend of casual slurs,teenage id, and affected nihilism-and the novel as a whole fits verywell within the tradition of transgressive literature." -Kirkus Reviews

"Andrew Lafleche's Ride, like a sharp new switchblade, has a dangerous weight to it. Troyaccidentally stabs his friend, his parents are divorcing, he's high risk with sex, drugs, and crime, and he's giving his life the finger. Ride is highway speed and echoes Irvine Welsh's Trainspotting, only with Canadian accents." -Gerald Arthur Moore, author of Shatter the Glass, Shards of Flame

"I laughed. I cried. I cringed." -Karen Connelly, best-selling author of The Change Room

"Lafleche's Ride is a fast paced binge in a style that resembles early Americandetective fiction like Mickey Spillane's. Dialogue is terse, punch-rough and trade-sex-ready as the action explodes like gas on a fire. The main character, Troy, tries to douse his own burning desires with beer, sexand drugs, only to feel raw regret each morning. The things he does, orfails to do, are like melted beer cans among the ashes of morning-and he hasn't seen his shrink in days. 'I am nobody, who knows nothing, 'Leary's third generation 'turned on, tuned in, and dropping out' asLafleche weaves a counterculture of loathing that mirrors a Hunter S.Thompson circus party. This is a bush party in the heart of the city,and in the heart of Troy. The question is: will he survive? -KeithInman, author of The War Poems and SEAsya

Genres: Fiction

230 pages, ebook

First published September 8, 2020

About the author

ANDREW JOHN LAFLECHE (born Andrew John Bradford: 24 June 1986) is the award-winning poet and novelist from St. Catharines, Ontario. He served under Operation Enduring Freedom during the Afghanistan War. Following his duty as an infantry soldier in the Canadian Armed Forces, Lafleche received an M.A. in Creative and Critical Writing from the University of Gloucestershire. He is inspired by the philosophy that when young men become readers, they become better men.

LinkTree https://linktr.ee/andrewlafleche
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AndrewLafleche/
Facebook Ride https://www.facebook.com/RideNovel
X https://www.x.com/andrewlafleche
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/laflecheand...
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@andrew.lafleche
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@AndrewLafleche
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewlaf...
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/author/andrewl...
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/andrewlafleche
LibraryThing https://www.librarything.com/profile/...
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/andre...
SoundCloud https://www.soundcloud.com/andrewlafl...
NetGalley https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/boo...
SubStack https://www.substack.com/@andrewlafleche

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the heart-wrenching work of Andrew Lafleche's "Ride," we are ushered into a stark and unforgiving reality, where addiction becomes a relentless specter that haunts the afflicted and those who love them. This searing novel, set in the early 2000s in St. Catharines, Ontario, is a raw and unapologetic portrayal of one young man's tumultuous journey through the abyss of addiction.

High school has faded into memory, and Troy Brinkman stands at the precipice of adulthood -- where the choices that are made can define a lifetime. The weight of his past mistakes looms heavily as an ex-girlfriend's pregnancy bears the burden of his own transgressions. It is in this turbulent juncture that we meet Troy, a young man teetering on the edge, desperately grasping for control in a world spiraling out of control.

Moving out of his parent's home becomes a journey into moral entropy, where every pill, every line, and every drink is a fleeting escape from the relentless pull of addiction. Lafleche paints a vivid, at times gut-wrenching, portrait of a generation steeped in self-indulgence, where the quest for the next high becomes an all-consuming pursuit.

Amid the haze of substance abuse, Troy seeks solace in the chaos of parties, strip clubs, and bars. It is a futile attempt to evade the harsh reality of his best friend's suicide attempt, a dark shadow that looms over his life. Yet, in the midst of this binge-fueled existence, there is a fragile thread that ties him to his former self -- the love he holds for his ex-girlfriend, Danielle.

This love is the anchor to Troy's past and the compass to his future, that becomes his salvation and his crucible. The struggle to rekindle his feelings for Danielle becomes a battle for his soul, one that could either lead him to redemption or plunge him further into the abyss.

In "Ride," we find a contemporary echo of the counterculture novels of the 1960s, a visceral and unrelenting odyssey through the lives of those haunted by their own excesses. Lafleche's narrative is an unflinching portrayal of a world saturated with nihilism, loneliness, and the relentless pursuit of self-gratification. As we journey through the darkest recesses of addiction and self-destruction, we are reminded of the echoes of Hunter S. Thompson, Charles Bukowski, and Jack Kerouac in Lafleche's gritty and unapologetic exploration of a world marked by excess, black comedy, and a quest for meaning.

"Ride" is a haunting narrative that explores the human spirit's resilience and capacity for redemption, even in the face of overwhelming despair. It's a story that will resonate with those who have battled addiction, those who love them, and anyone seeking a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness. Andrew Lafleche's novel reminds us that even in the depths of addiction, there is the potential for redemption and the possibility of finding one's way back to the light.

"An unflinching portrait of addiction's gripping abyss -- 'Ride' will haunt your thoughts."

"Andrew Lafleche's 'Ride' -- A heart-wrenching odyssey through the shadows of addiction."

"A raw and unapologetic dive into the depths of a troubled soul."

"Troy Brinkman's journey: A poignant exploration of addiction's harsh realities."

"A tale of despair and hope in the face of addiction's clutches."

"An authentic narrative that echoes the dark realities of addiction."

"A gripping chronicle of one young man's battle with inner demons."

"Andrew Lafleche's 'Rise' -- A gritty and unforgettable exploration of self destruction."

"Witness the resilience of the human spirit amidst addiction's darkness."

"A harrowing memoir that leaves a lasting impression."

[Huguette · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

The author does a good job depicting an unlikable, self-centred character whose only interest is his next high — could be booze, could be drugs, could be sex. I can’t say that I would recommend it but that’s only because I can’t empathize with the main character. I expect things to end up badly for him.

If you’re looking for a quick, gritty, unflinching read, you might enjoy this Ride.

2.5 stars but I couldn’t bring myself to round it up.

[Renee DeMoranville · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book as the title suggests is a ride. I went up and down from feeling bad for Troy, to hating him. It does show the reality of a junkie. There is no sugar coating it most drug addicts don’t have a great life to start from that’s why they turn to drugs. At the end the ride simply is over and now you have to pay.

[Marina Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, wow, that was a lot to ingest. I was confused for a bit of this book but the parts i did understand were just wow. These are some serious topics that definitely need to be talked about. And I’m glad I read this, it gave me a whole new insight on a some very important topics.

[Susanna Froese · Rating 2 out of 5]

The importance of the subject matter was not lost on me but the writing was so repetitive. I got bored and started skimming over the pages to get to the end of the book.

I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.

[Daniella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I imagine the ladies room at the bar is graffitied with "Troy is a f*uckboy".

[Talisa Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting. Not bad but different what I normally read

[Bryanna Minick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book definitely takes you on a ride! A very unique lesson and it reminds me of all the mischief the kids I knew growing up get it! Kept me wanting to know what happens next! Loved this!

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, engaging read. I find feeling like I want to reach into the pages and hug or slap the shit out of the characters a good thing. Thanks for the Ride, which it was indeed.

[Kelsey Rhodes · Rating 1 out of 5]

1/5 stars! It felt like the author was just trying to prove he was smarter than the reader and rub their face in it. The language choices were dismissive and uppity. No thank you.

[Jason C · Rating 3 out of 5]

unfinished ending. what happened?

[Katarina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to Goodreads for choosing me as one of the giveaway winners I really do appreciate it.
I couldn't read or finish this book I tried I really did, but the way this book talked about women and just everything in this book I could't really get into it. I got why this book was important and the subjects in this book was important but I just could not get into it. There were also parts in this book where I was just a little confused. I gave this book to one of the little libraries in my city, I hope someone else loves it and enjoys reading it.

[Connie Gatzke · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5* What a ride! A tale of one long drug induced trip. I found this book to be both engaging and entertaining. Overall it was an interesting read, although at times I was both disturbed and disgusted.
Thank you to Goodreads giveaway for the opportunity to take this Ride.