Many times, when reading small press and self-published books, the reasons the book was published by a small press are obvious. It could be an obscure topic, an eccentric writing style, a local or regional audience, or even though I hate to say it and these are the minority, sometimes a book needs a little work and is just not ready for prime time.

However, The Pale Surface of Things is none of these things. It's a rip-roaring tale filled with action-packed scenes, sun-drenched, romantic locales, mysterious figures, generational secrets, religious men with unresolved romantic issues, gunshots, art restoration, etc. and so on, and so forth, in fact:

ATTENTION HOLLYWOOD! THIS NOVEL NEEDS TO BE A BIG SCREEN MOVIE! MAYBE WITH A FEW SEQUELS EVEN! STARRING SEVERAL MAJOR STARS AND A FEW MINOR STARS ALSO! PLEASE CAST REAL ACTORS AND NOT THOSE WHO BECAME FAMOUS FOR STARRING ON REALITY SHOWS!

ahem. Hollywood, if you're reading this, I have a few other things to talk to you about. Call me.

So basically, this book is accessible, entertaining, and better written than about 90% of the mainstream stuff out there, at least the mainstream stuff that comes across my desk for book reviews. I couldn't put it down, and it was one of those books that when it was over, I kept wondering what the characters were up to for a few more days. Any complaints I have about it are minor: some plot twists are a little too perfect, and perhaps there are a few too many plot twists? But what the hell, it was a great story. And great stories are sadly few and far between, small press or big box publishing house.

To add to the great story, there is a lot to chew on here. Morality, faith, culture, money, politics and academic struggles, successful and failed relationships all play a role in this novel. It's one of those books that if I re-read it, now that I know all the plot twists, I could go back and get a lot of nuance that I didn't previously notice. Apparently it's popular with book clubs, and I can see why; I also think Janey (and whichever lucky Hollywood producer gets her hands on this) has at least five more novels in here somewhere if she would write a sequel, explore the back stories of some of the characters, and go in more depth on a couple of the minor plotlines.

This book grew on me, and I continue to have a sense of well-being after finishing it. I'm not sure how to characterize this book except to say that each time it seems to be fairly predictable it steps aside from the path, just enough to satisfy without being hokey.
It's set on Crete in current times and follows several characters who, of course, eventually intertwine and affect each other. The pace is good and the tale isn't maudlin or sappy. Mostly it's about values, the choices we make, and the consequences (no it doesn't preach at all) set in a pretty good story. Probably a good book group book. ( )