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Precarious: Stories of Love, Sex, and Misunderstanding
The stories in PRECARIOUS are about doing the right thing and regretting it. About men who are still boys. About making bets and dancing naked.
They play out in rain-soaked Seattle and drought-stricken California. In the front seat of Mom's Malibu and a vacation cabin on Cape Cod. On a tiny island and in a desert filled with light and heat and sand that slips through your fingers like friendships you once had.
In these fifteen stories you will meet a boy trying to make it through that summer between the end of high school and the start of something else. A girl so alive you can feel her heartbeat from half a mile away. A woman attracted to a man with muscles, because it makes her feel safe ... until it doesn't. A man who can only imagine what it's like to sleep with many different women, but that's OK -- he has a good imagination.
In prose that is by turns spare and lyrical, the stories of Precarious capture the feeling of late summer. A never-ending game of Kick the Can. All sense of time lost among the stars.
They play out in rain-soaked Seattle and drought-stricken California. In the front seat of Mom's Malibu and a vacation cabin on Cape Cod. On a tiny island and in a desert filled with light and heat and sand that slips through your fingers like friendships you once had.
In these fifteen stories you will meet a boy trying to make it through that summer between the end of high school and the start of something else. A girl so alive you can feel her heartbeat from half a mile away. A woman attracted to a man with muscles, because it makes her feel safe ... until it doesn't. A man who can only imagine what it's like to sleep with many different women, but that's OK -- he has a good imagination.
In prose that is by turns spare and lyrical, the stories of Precarious capture the feeling of late summer. A never-ending game of Kick the Can. All sense of time lost among the stars.
242 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
1 person is currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Al Riske
7 books108 followers“Al Riske … understands how to walk the tightrope of subtle emotional resonance.”
— Catherine Ryan Hyde, author of Pay It Forward, Love in the Present Tense, and Chasing Windmills, among many others.
“Riske’s characters brim with the fears, desires, and idiosyncrasies of real, complex human beings.”
— Laura Matter, Blue Mesa Review
“A hugely talented writer, Al Riske beautifully captures the nuanced behavior of relationships and the universal struggle to understand why we do what we do.”
— Rachel Canon, author of The Anniversary
— Catherine Ryan Hyde, author of Pay It Forward, Love in the Present Tense, and Chasing Windmills, among many others.
“Riske’s characters brim with the fears, desires, and idiosyncrasies of real, complex human beings.”
— Laura Matter, Blue Mesa Review
“A hugely talented writer, Al Riske beautifully captures the nuanced behavior of relationships and the universal struggle to understand why we do what we do.”
— Rachel Canon, author of The Anniversary
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 25, 2010
This book is filled with stories about choices, some made in a heartbeat while some span over a lifetime. With each choice made there is a path left discarded and as intelligent, living beings we are left to carry the regret and what-ifs that follow. That is the theme of Precarious.
With fifteen tales casting a multitude of characters, it’s not difficult for anyone to find something to relate to. That is the beauty of Precarious.
They are not stories meant to make you feel good. Many left me depressed. Infidelity was a strong, recurring theme throughout the collection. Religion and sexuality were others. And then there are some that are just odd and can only blow your mind.
I most enjoyed: ‘Sleeping With Smiley’, where we find a young man’s memory of the chance he had to be with his best friend’s girl; ‘Dance Naked’, for its suspense and thrill of hope; and ‘Taken’, for its unpredictable, twisted ending.
I won this in a goodreads giveaway.
With fifteen tales casting a multitude of characters, it’s not difficult for anyone to find something to relate to. That is the beauty of Precarious.
They are not stories meant to make you feel good. Many left me depressed. Infidelity was a strong, recurring theme throughout the collection. Religion and sexuality were others. And then there are some that are just odd and can only blow your mind.
I most enjoyed: ‘Sleeping With Smiley’, where we find a young man’s memory of the chance he had to be with his best friend’s girl; ‘Dance Naked’, for its suspense and thrill of hope; and ‘Taken’, for its unpredictable, twisted ending.
I won this in a goodreads giveaway.
March 4, 2011
A collection of fifteen modern short stories with various themes, including regret, loyalty, guilt, relationships, betrayal, love. Al Riske’s talent lies in understanding human nature and creating very real and believable characters and dialogue within his entertaining stories. I enjoyed all of the stories, although some were definitely more polished than others.
The first story 'Sleeping With Smiley' is ,in my opinion, probably the best in the collection. A very well written story about misplaced loyalty and regret. Some other stand-out stories were Your Eyes Only and Hold On.
All of the stories are fun and interesting to read, the only issue I had was that many of the endings seemed too abrupt or just not satisfying. This is a pity because with a bit of work on the endings this would have been an outstanding collection. The writer is obviously talented because he knows how to hold a readers attention, and the prose flows well. An example of a great ending is the end of 'Sleeping With Smiley', where the reader is left with a thought-provoking sentence which brings to mind the events of the story in a poignant manner.
As a short story writer myself, I believe that the hardest part of writing a short story is writing a good ending. Because there are a limited amount of words in short fiction, it’s more important that an effort should be made to write an ending that will satisfy the reader and tie up any loose ends. A bad ending can make or break a short story, in the same way that a good ending can turn a mediocre story into a great one. Indeed, it’s much harder to write a good short story than a good novel.
In conclusion, I would say that Al Riske has done a brilliant job writing these stories, all of them containing insightful prose and true to life characters. Most of the endings didn’t work for me, but other readers may have a different opinion.
Reviewed by Maria Savva as a reviewer for Bookpleasures.com
The first story 'Sleeping With Smiley' is ,in my opinion, probably the best in the collection. A very well written story about misplaced loyalty and regret. Some other stand-out stories were Your Eyes Only and Hold On.
All of the stories are fun and interesting to read, the only issue I had was that many of the endings seemed too abrupt or just not satisfying. This is a pity because with a bit of work on the endings this would have been an outstanding collection. The writer is obviously talented because he knows how to hold a readers attention, and the prose flows well. An example of a great ending is the end of 'Sleeping With Smiley', where the reader is left with a thought-provoking sentence which brings to mind the events of the story in a poignant manner.
As a short story writer myself, I believe that the hardest part of writing a short story is writing a good ending. Because there are a limited amount of words in short fiction, it’s more important that an effort should be made to write an ending that will satisfy the reader and tie up any loose ends. A bad ending can make or break a short story, in the same way that a good ending can turn a mediocre story into a great one. Indeed, it’s much harder to write a good short story than a good novel.
In conclusion, I would say that Al Riske has done a brilliant job writing these stories, all of them containing insightful prose and true to life characters. Most of the endings didn’t work for me, but other readers may have a different opinion.
Reviewed by Maria Savva as a reviewer for Bookpleasures.com
June 6, 2010
I was surprised to find that I won a copy of this book through Goodreads First Read but very eager to read it. In my opinion it is much more difficult to master the art of the short story, than it is to write a great novel. It is for that reason that I rarely read short story collections, I'm often left disappointed.
"Precarious" did not let me down. Many of the characters I felt I knew after only a few pages and found myself reading back to catch every little detail. The stories drew me in and kept me there.
Im looking forward to reading more from Al Riske.
"Precarious" did not let me down. Many of the characters I felt I knew after only a few pages and found myself reading back to catch every little detail. The stories drew me in and kept me there.
Im looking forward to reading more from Al Riske.
June 1, 2010
This was an easy to read book with its short story format. Though it was a series of short stories I felt I got to know the characters well in their brevity. Each story presented a situation that could happen to any of us. Based on human nature and instinct I found myself trying to guess the ending of each vignette, but true to the books title, the human experience is truly precarious and each situation could end in a number of ways. I liked the fact that the author brought forth decisions and situations we may all face but might not be likely to talk about openly.
August 5, 2010
This is a book of short stories so it was a fast read. I liked most of the stories. Most I wanted expaneded so that says alot for them. I guess it's like that with short stories you want more from the characters and then it's done. But overall I really enjoyed this book.
April 2, 2011
Love Precarious. My review is here: http://zebrasounds.net/2010/03/06/boo...
My interview with Al Riske is here: http://zebrasounds.net/2010/03/07/tal...
My interview with Al Riske is here: http://zebrasounds.net/2010/03/07/tal...
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May 18, 2010Looks like a great read!!!
February 28, 2021
Here's what people are saying about Precarious ...
“Charming.”
— Publishers Weekly
“Enthusiastically recommended.”
— Midwest Book Review
“From the first paragraph of the first story … you know you’re in the capable hands of a literary musician.”
— Feathered Quill Book Reviews
“You will enjoy each page of this book and hope that there is just one more when you are finished reading.”
— Victoria Gonzalez, Reader Views
“The writing is Hemingway lean and it’s clear that one of Riske’s strongest gifts as a storyteller is his witty dialogue.”
— Gretchen Clark, author of “This Is a Woman” and other essays
“A hugely talented writer, Al Riske beautifully captures the nuanced behavior of relationships and the universal struggle to understand why we do what we do.”
— Rachel Canon, author of The Anniversary
“His prose is so sharp and the characters sketched so vividly that I was transported right into the world he created.”
- Mark Richardson, author of “Tattoo Woman” and other stories
“I love when a story’s ending surprises me, even as it leaves me absolutely certain it couldn’t have resolved itself any other way. The stories in Precarious are like that.”
— Judy Clement Wall, Zebra Sounds
“These stories are beautiful — elegant without trying, revealing without really showing why, brief in a satisfying way, scandalous with a light touch — and they stick with you, key images and dialogue etching themselves into your subconscious.”
— Greg Bardsley, author of “Some Kind of Rugged Genius” and the award-winning “Headquarters Likes Your Style,” among other stories
“These are stories that you find yourself in – the highest compliment I can pay an author. You see your own foibles and, if you’re lucky, an occasional glance at your own grace.”
— Terry McKenzie, TMACWORDS
“Riske’s spare and thoughtful style remind me of Raymond Carver—but without the pervasive sense of despair. In these stories, love is still possible.”
— Joy Rothke, freelance writer/editor/teacher
“Each story carries weight of its own, leading to the common denominator that we are all flawed.”
— Sky Sanchez, Sacramento Book Review
“Riske has peopled his stories with some vivid characters and provocative scenarios.”
— Bookviews by Alan Caruba
“Riske’s eye for detail is sharp, but his hand gentle as he unravels the complexities and quirks of his characters.”
— Bookblah
“Precarious is a book for the reader who enjoys honest writing at its finest.”
— Tina Evans, Review the Book
“This book will stay with you long after you close it and put it away. You’ll no doubt pick it up again for a second read, maybe even a third.”
— Reading at the Beach
“Charming.”
— Publishers Weekly
“Enthusiastically recommended.”
— Midwest Book Review
“From the first paragraph of the first story … you know you’re in the capable hands of a literary musician.”
— Feathered Quill Book Reviews
“You will enjoy each page of this book and hope that there is just one more when you are finished reading.”
— Victoria Gonzalez, Reader Views
“The writing is Hemingway lean and it’s clear that one of Riske’s strongest gifts as a storyteller is his witty dialogue.”
— Gretchen Clark, author of “This Is a Woman” and other essays
“A hugely talented writer, Al Riske beautifully captures the nuanced behavior of relationships and the universal struggle to understand why we do what we do.”
— Rachel Canon, author of The Anniversary
“His prose is so sharp and the characters sketched so vividly that I was transported right into the world he created.”
- Mark Richardson, author of “Tattoo Woman” and other stories
“I love when a story’s ending surprises me, even as it leaves me absolutely certain it couldn’t have resolved itself any other way. The stories in Precarious are like that.”
— Judy Clement Wall, Zebra Sounds
“These stories are beautiful — elegant without trying, revealing without really showing why, brief in a satisfying way, scandalous with a light touch — and they stick with you, key images and dialogue etching themselves into your subconscious.”
— Greg Bardsley, author of “Some Kind of Rugged Genius” and the award-winning “Headquarters Likes Your Style,” among other stories
“These are stories that you find yourself in – the highest compliment I can pay an author. You see your own foibles and, if you’re lucky, an occasional glance at your own grace.”
— Terry McKenzie, TMACWORDS
“Riske’s spare and thoughtful style remind me of Raymond Carver—but without the pervasive sense of despair. In these stories, love is still possible.”
— Joy Rothke, freelance writer/editor/teacher
“Each story carries weight of its own, leading to the common denominator that we are all flawed.”
— Sky Sanchez, Sacramento Book Review
“Riske has peopled his stories with some vivid characters and provocative scenarios.”
— Bookviews by Alan Caruba
“Riske’s eye for detail is sharp, but his hand gentle as he unravels the complexities and quirks of his characters.”
— Bookblah
“Precarious is a book for the reader who enjoys honest writing at its finest.”
— Tina Evans, Review the Book
“This book will stay with you long after you close it and put it away. You’ll no doubt pick it up again for a second read, maybe even a third.”
— Reading at the Beach
May 4, 2011
This is a collection of short stories, I don't often read these types of books. But i really enjoyed it. The stories are all about choices people have made some in a heart beat' others over a lifetime. With each choice made there is a path disgarded. As living human beings we are left to carry the what ifs and regret. There is a total of fifteen tales' each casting a multitude of characters' its not difficult to find something to relate to in this book.
June 1, 2010
Just won this book off of Goodreads Free Giveaways. Cannot wait for it to come in!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews