Another Five-Star Review Out of Nowhere

[Mark Stevens]

I am beginning to realize that your book has a life of its own. You never know where it will wind up or who will be reading it -- or exactly what prompted them to read it. I had never heard of armchairinterviews.com but of course, now I love the site. This review was posted on Amazon this week (below). In a word, thanks!

What a WOW of a first novel!, July 24, 2007

By	armchairinterviews.com (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

The best writing is writing which is invisible to the reader. It lets you sink right into the story and become part of the action. That's the way first-time author Mark Stevens has written this novel, Antler Dust. There is nothing to clog our thoughts or make us second-guess what the author means. We can just plunge into the story and read it through to the end.





Antler Dust takes place in the Colorado Rockies during elk-hunting season. Plenty of action is going on already, when an animal rights group shows up to protest the hunt. But out there in the drifting snow and cold, two people will die-one of them an animal rights protestor who dresses up like a deer and goes up the mountain hoping to make an example of himself. His hope is realized.





Meanwhile, another hunting guide simply disappears. The readers will see what happens to him right away, but that doesn't detract from the story, since there is more going on here than hunting and killing. Lead character Allison Coil hears a shot that is muffled by the snow and distance, and later sees the snow-dashed shape of a figure lugging something downhill. When she starts to investigate what she has seen, it leads her to rival outfitter George Grumley, who "always gets his elk"--using technology which is forbidden on the hunt. From there, Allison unwinds a crooked trail which will lead her to suspect everyone she trusts and holds dear.





This very readable and enjoyable novel is a fine first effort by a new author. Mark Stevens lives in Colorado and worked as a newspaper reporter and television producer before he began his current career in school public relations.





Armchair Interviews says: Excellent first novel. Hope many more books are in his (and our future).