Alan Pilkington - Four of Diamonds

[Author Alan Pilkington's Novels: Four of Diamonds: An Australian's Journey & American Serengeti]

Kirkus Discoveries Reviews

FOUR OF DIAMONDS
An Australian's Journey

Author: Pilkington, Alan

Review Date: September 26, 2006
Publisher: iUniverse (255 pp.)
Price (hardcover): $26.95
Price (paperback): $16.95
Publication Date: August 10, 2006
ISBN (hardcover): 0-595-67754-1
ISBN (paperback): 0-595-39904-5
Category: AUTHORS
Classification: FICTION

A young man stumbles his way to enlightenment in the wilds of the Australian outback.

Pilkington brings an active imagination and deft storytelling prowess to the story of Rex Rivington, an Australian bloke whose life is forever changed by the titular Four of Diamonds. This captivating epic features adventures both fantastic (the harsh rough-and-tumble existence of a young jackaroo) and mundane (the touching, life-long love affair between Rex and his steadfast wife, Athele). Rex, a young cowpoke from a blue-collar background, struggles to make his way through Australia in the early 1920s. Leaving his family's homestead, the boy travels to New South Wales, where he earns his keep herding sheep in the desolate western range. Rex also gains new skills, among them the manly arts of shooting, bare-knuckle fighting and footballing. But as a result of a pair of savage accidents, he discovers a gift not for destruction but for healing. Rex enrolls in medical school but struggles to find the support necessary to finish his degree. His luck turns when he pulls a four of diamonds to fill a straight flush during a late-night poker game. Rex's escapades parallel those of his brother Bruce, an itinerant journalist who sends home stories of Africa and Asia before being tapped as a war correspondent in the Pacific during World War II, a period that causes Rex the most grief as he loses the family members most dear to him. The author’s immensely likeable protagonist is a beloved and civilized man in a remarkably uncivil world, and this account of Rex's uncommon life is elevated by marvelous yet familiar prose, reminiscent of the dry toughness of Louis L'Amour: "These things come along and test our very souls...And we just have to somewhere find the strength to take them on our chins, and move on."

A refreshingly straightforward, stirring and unusual adventure.

Crystal Valley Echo, Colorado
November 2006

"..In Alan Pilkington's brilliant second novel, the reader is transported to his native Australia in clear and often brilliantly descriptive prose.. Pilkington writes lovingly of his country and his characters. Four of Diamonds is a gentle, wonderful story that takes (its) hero through adventure and misadventure, triumph and tragedy as he follows his dreams through turbulent years down under. An excellent book, highly recommended.."

Radio KSNO Aspen
November 2006

Don Cheney, Morning Anchor/Announcer describes Four of Diamonds as
"..a wonderfully descriptive novel.."

Glenwood Post Independent
December 2006

"..the author uses wit and foreshadowing to keep the reader engaged..each scene is written in astonishing detail to capture the heat of the Outback or the laughing kookaburra
..an easy and engaging read.."

Note from author:

"..I've received well over one hundred letters, emails and phone calls from readers thanking me for writing this novel. Many are from men who relate to the novel's exploration of the relationships between father, son and brothers, and about the outdoors. But at least half are from women. They like the strength in Rex's character and Athele's steadfastness; some idealize Rex and Athele's relationship, which seems to come from another time. Of course, most are fascinated with early 20th Century Australia and the Outback.."