The big boys don’t like being beaten, of course, and with smart foreshadowing and a pervasive sense of suspense, Denton sets up the many twists and turns to come throughout this fast-paced and emotionally charged narrative that takes seriously its themes of undiagnosed autism, a family that will do anything to survive and succeed, and the interests of “the world’s largest oil and gas company,” here called Mesaco. Denton juxtaposes heartfelt moments of familial bonds—including with Dottie and Souter, the adults who took in Rand upon his abandonment, plus passages touching on the hazards of new fortunes—with the dark, cutthroat nature of the oil world, including Mesaco spending “years and billions of dollars trying to deny climate change.”
With persuasive oil industry detail, Fracked balances tension with life as it’s lived, letting the characters push the narrative forward. Readers will find themselves rooting for Rand and family as they face adversity and money-hungry men seeking to capitalize off of his perceived shortcomings, right up until the satisfying conclusion.
Takeaway: Innovative wildcatter faces the big boys in this oil drama with jolting twists.
Comparable Titles: Reavis Z. Wortham; Richard T. Kelly’s The Black Eden.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
If you’ve driven down a lonely highway and somewhere off across the distance of a serene, yet foreboding landscape, seen a sprinkling of homes or a working ranch, and imagined stories of love and revenge, of longing and solitude, of patience and reward, then reading Morris Denton’s beautifully written novel, Fracked, will be time well-spent. The first novel by Mr. Denton, Fracked, is written from a place of such deep understanding of the landscape and its’ people that the work of fiction seems as real and haunting as the landscape itself. Rich in character and theme, the novel’s compelling plot offers the perfect vehicle upon which to understand the hard choices that one must make to survive in a world all too often dominated by greed and power. The novel’s main character, Rand Holub, is a man whose life is riddled with challenge upon challenge; a man without a background who longs to be a part of life…life as he dreams it to be. Though Rand’s journey is full of painful truths and lessons hard-learned, Mr. Denton’s craftsmanship makes each new discovery a pleasure to read. Mr. Denton has proven himself as an authoritative voice whose prose is haunting, honest and insightful.
Reviewed by Alma Boucher for Readers' Favorite
Fracked is an outstanding novel by Morris Denton. Rand Holub was left at the front gate of The Ranch, a school for troubled boys. Rand was autistic, and his parents no longer wanted to look after him. Souter exposed Rand to as many different mechanical things as he could and bought him a tablet to draw his designs. Souter’s wife, Dottie, knew Rand’s ability to make a reasonable life for himself would depend on his ability to communicate, and she was determined in her teaching and therapy. Rand left The Ranch at eighteen, and it was not long before he met Shelby. When Shelby saw Rand’s designs, she realized he was a genius. Rand just needed someone in a position of authority who saw the potential in his designs and was willing to give him a change.
Fracked was intriguing and exciting. Morris Denton took me on a roller coaster ride of love, trust, and loyalty. It was an engaging and emotional story, and I was hooked from the start. I could not put it down, and I just kept turning the pages. It was an easy read, and the chapters flowed into each other. I immersed myself in Rand's life so much. I could not wait to see what the future held for him. The characters were well-developed and relatable. Rand was an outsider who yearned to be part of life. He was different, and not everybody understood that. Life was difficult for Rand, but he was a hard worker and overcame his struggles. The story is beautifully written and exceeded my expectations by far.
