Review of "When She's Gone"
Initially, when Great Plains Publications contacted me and told me about a book written by a former Jets season ticket holder which would cover some of the author's thoughts about the demise of the Jets, I was quite anxious to check it out. The publisher was even kind enough to deliver a promotional copy to my front door. After reading the first fifty pages, it is with substantial regret that I must put a "Buyer Beware" stamp on this work. Instead of getting a book about a fan's experience with the Jets, I instead got a story about the author's X-rated fantasies about a woman he was eyeing from up in the cheap seats. Sure, there's some talk about Winnipeg and the Jets mixed in there, but this book is clearly misrepresented. I don't want to sound like I'm making moral judgments on the author, but there's nothing in the descriptions on the publisher's Web site that even remotely suggests the sexually explicit nature of what's inside. If this is the kind of book the author wishes to write, more power to him. However, there is absolutely no way I would have even touched this book had I known of the true subject matter. I suspect many potential buyers may also be similarly misled.
In addition, in the passages I read, I don't much care for the author's style, but your mileage may vary. I found the work I read to be more a loosely assembled, randomly-ordered collection of memoirs rather than following any loose storyline. I find such a style to be annoying and hard to really follow and doesn't make for much enjoyment of a book, regardless of the material contained therein.
I refuse to spend any more of my time with this book. I felt somewhat obliged to continue reading up to that point, hoping to find something relevant to the subject I was hoping for. I found very little of what I expected.
This review and link stands here not as an endorsement of the book, but rather a pre-emptively stated opinion that I would probably be asked for anyways from visitors to this site as news of this book spreads.
The publisher informs me that by mentioning this site in "Comments" section, there will be a 25% discount on the order. My advice, if you are looking for a book about hockey and/or the Jets is to save 100% and spend your money elsewhere. If you're looking for some X-rated fantasy novel, you may wish to take advantage of the discount. I am personally quite relieved that I spent none of my own money to check this book out.
I wish the publisher and author well in their venture, but I further wish that the work in question be fairly represented as something that one might read in the pages of Playboy or Penthouse, complete with all the graphic details, instead of a hockey book that a parent might be inclined to give to a child as a Christmas gift. Let the buyer beware.
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