Normally, I stick to straight fiction, but it's good to break the mold every so often. The story is basically a long poem. A man finds out he is dying and the only way to prolong his life is to kill a child. The gods of fate have given him an impossible choice. Would any of us do that even if it means more time on earth? This man wants to live. He wants to have more time. But being faced with this choice, he spent all his time working. As a result he lost his family. When he had the time he didn't use it wisely, only now faced with death is he concerned with time.
He picks a poor child -- a little girl who he thinks no one will miss. How wrong. A child will always be missed. A child represents innocence, youth, and a world of opportunity at their fingertips. But this man could not be concerned. He killed the child, and now he gets to live. His own mortality is all that counts. Of course he gets caught, but even then he feels somewhat invincible. Fate will get him out of this. Fate made him do this. Fate will get him out of this. Fate didn't make him do this because ultimately he had a choice.
He is eventually convicted and sentenced to death. He tries to make a deal with fate again. Is fate in the mood? What has changed? He got his wish. He is no longer ill. Or perhaps he should have just accepted fate to begin with. Just take the hand that fate has given you. Use the time wisely, and then he can truly enjoy life. With each page, I kept wanting more. Wanting to find out how this man's life will turn out. It won't take you long to read, so pick it up.
Rating: Superb
Note: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
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