In this novel, DeShawn Biggs is as formidable as his name suggests. At 6-feet-5-inches and 300 pounds, DeShawn seems headed for the NFL. Indeed, a football career is regarded as an inevitability for the young man in his native Albany, New York. DeShawn eventually gets his shot at the big leagues, but his trusting nature and penchant for making bad decisions dog him throughout his career. Each time, the stakes get higher. DeShawn has always been a pawn in a game controlled by other people, but how much of his own integrity can he compromise in order to get ahead? This book has been written for every kind of football fan interested in what really takes place in high school, college, and professional sports. This is a must read for aficionados of the game, and this book provides a timely reminder how much has to be compromised in order to play the game of football at the highest levels.
Assessment:
Plot: The plot of this novel is a bit overstuffed and too wide-ranging. Readers follow DeShawn through many settings as he faces many challenges. And while all of them are compelling, taken together they dilute the story.
Prose: The prose is workmanlike; it could be improved with some tightening and a focus on showing rather than telling.
Originality: This is a story worth telling—one that feels fresh and vital and important.
Character Development: Although readers get to know DeShawn, he doesn't change all that much over the course of the novel, and he doesn't seem to learn from his mistakes.
Date Submitted: April 04, 2018
