An interesting book about a young man who loses everything but grows up and finds God when he joins his Uncle a a miner. He brings God back to his Uncle and the other miners. ( )

About a week ago, Carole over at The Power of Words recommended a book by Dale Cramer (Summer of Light). Because she has excellent insight and I trust her recommendations, I immediately downloaded that book. Upon perusal of my bookshelves, I discovered another of Cramer’s earlier books that I had not read. I’m not sure where I picked it up, maybe a Friends of The Library sale, but it was even signed! Having won a Christy Award in 2004, and since the awards for this year will be announced tonight, I decided it would be my next just-for-fun read. Wow! I can’t believe what an excellent read Bad Ground turned out to be. Not currently available directly from Amazon, you can still order it from third parties. It is worth the little bit of work it might to take to find it — it is excellent and very highly recommended.

Jeremy Prine’s mother has died from cancer. The seventeen year old has only a handful of possessions and memories and a letter from his mother telling him to find his Uncle Aiden. Aiden disappeared from his family’s life some ten years previous following the the accident that left Jeremy’s father dead and Aiden horribly scarred. With just a duffel bag and a determination to find out what his mother’s mysterious letter might mean, Jeremy hitchhikes from his home in the Tennessee hills to the south side of Atlanta in search of answers.

Bad Ground is a gritty novel unlike most of the offerings in the Christian market. The characters are not rich or beautiful — these men live hard and work hard, carrying the physical and emotional scars of lives lived on the edge. But although the life of hard-rock mining is far removed from my everyday life, I could identify with these men and their struggles to survive in a dangerous world. Cramer does an excellent job of making the people and locale in the novel come to life. It is amazing that the setting of the novel, a mining site at a waste treatment plant, becomes so real and so right. Cramer has a way of describing things that makes even this bleak setting beautiful. His insights on people and their wounds makes this novel a must read for those looking for a rich reading experience. And I think you are going to love the worship scenes at the very unconventional church that Jeremy attends. God’s grace as expressed through the forgiveness offered by His people is a powerful theme.

If you want a novel that will take you into a very different world and leave you longing for more, then definitely pick up Bad Ground. You won’t be disappointed. Thanks Carole!

Very Highly Recommended. ( )

I didn't realise until I was a fair way into this book that it was 'Christian Fiction'. I don't think I'd have read it, if I'd known that. It's just not a genre that appeals to me.

But, if I had ignored it, I would have missed out. Sure, there was a fair amount of church and bible in it, but I didn't feel as though I was being hit over the head with either of them. Aidan and Jeremy Prine are sympathetically-drawn characters and Cramer's writing is excellent: realistic dialogue and fascinating details on subjects as diverse as deer-hunting and tunnel-drilling.

My favourite line was in reference to the trailer/caravan belonging to Weasel, who spent the afternoon "putting out awnings and lawn chairs - the shallow roots of a nomad."

It got a bit saccharine towards the end, and I was never very convinced by the female characters Kearston and Swan, but overall it was an enjoyable, gripping read and I'm glad to have had my prejudices proved to be wrong. ( )

Plot Summary: What happens, When & Where, Central Characters, Major Conflicts
When Jeremy's mother dies, leaving him an orphan, he is given a letter--her last words to him. She tells him that when the time is right he should go find his uncle Aiden. "You have something I couldn't give him, and he has something I couldn't give you". So a few months later we follow Jeremy as he hitchhikes to Atlanta and arrives at the mining company where his uncle works with nothing but the clothes on his back. He actually gets a job working at the mining operation with his uncle Aiden, or "Snake", much to Aiden's displeasure. As 17 year old Jeremy works at the mine he feels he is becoming more and more a man, but Aiden still sees him as a kid with a lot to learn. But more than that, he sees him as a reminder of his brother Tom (Jeremy's father) and past secrets.






Style Characteristics: Pacing, clarity, structure, narrative devices, etc.
The story's major conflicts deal with Jeremy's coming of age and dealing with the rough hand he's been dealt, and also the need for both him and Aiden to face the tragedies of the past head on and not avoid those secrets. The reader is kept guessing as to what those past secrets are of course, and is also given a fascinating look into the world of the miners. Cramer also does an excellent job of setting the scene, even providing a picture of the mining machine so that the reader can easily visualize the roughness and danger of the environment the miners work in. This environment and the miners that work in it are so vivid that the time spent getting to know them and sharing in their adventures does not feel wasted.






How Good is it?
I'd give it five stars--it combines depth with a compelling plot, a rare combination. ( )