End It by the Gun - Book Review

End It By The Gun by Kenechukwu Obi is a fascinating tale about a novelist named Beck Blades.  The story opens with Beck lamenting the fact that he has written his eleventh novel and how it has ruined his life. 

Obi quickly takes the reader into Beck’s struggle with the will to write and the interpersonal and external factors that make writing so difficult.

With a goal of selling his story to a major motion picture company, the reader learns of Beck’s loving but turbulent relationship with his wife, Julie.  As the sole provider for the household, Julie is frustrated and angry with Beck due to his lack of contribution. The ensuing stress and differences result in their separation and Beck’s foray into an extramarital affair with his agent.

We also learn of Beck’s past and his relationship with his born-again parents.  With a former gangster as a father and a former stripper for a mother, Beck grows up with the fact that they have no use for his desire to write and punish him severely for his attempts to make his dream a reality.

End It By The Gun, is probably the kind of story many a writer can relate to and appreciate. It illustrates with great clarity the despair a writer feels as he receives rejection letter after rejection letter. Obi has the protagonist constantly going from being exhilarated over some slight chance of success and approval and them plunging into despair and guilt as reality returns with another rejection of his work.  Picking yourself up and marching on to try again is Beck’s life. Much of the time Beck only has his loyal dog Scrappy to be there by his side to comfort him.  Beck is in constant struggle with himself over whether he has the required talent, resources and skills to achieve his literary goals. He has spunk, a lot of it, and a lot of perseverance, but will that be enough for him to really succeed? Beck knows, deep inside, that success is within his grasp; it will just require the right attitude, a lot of determination and resilience.

Obi takes the reader through the life of the main character with amazing ease by utilizing flashbacks to emphasize his state of mind and internal struggles.

Mystery, strife, struggle, love, deceit, and intrigue make this novel a must read. 

Published by Black Rose Writing