A Journey, a Reckoning, and a Miracle-K.J. Fraser

A Journey, a Reckoning, and a Miracle
K.J. Fraser
O Books, May 2009, $29.95
ISBN 9781846942068

“Spring”. Seventeen years old Lucy believes the rapture will be soon forthcoming. She is on a pilgrimage to sites of mass violence to bring solace to those who died for no reason.

“Summer”. Judith believed in Bush’s war and enlisted. In Iraq she survived but lost all four of her limbs and is blind from a nasty incident. She is bitter as she sees vivacious Condi in her mind selling unnecessary deaths to the public like selling a brush to a bald person. However, her family and Joseph makes Judith feels she is still special as one of God’s children and her own whimsical comedic attitude begins to pull her through.

“Autumn”. As Bill proposes to Lucy and she accepts, they kayak down the Mississippi near St. Louis when her vessel tips. Mark and his wife using modified swift boats rescue them. If the saved duo were Bushies Mark might have tossed them back into the river. As he, his wife, Lucy, Bill , Judith, Joseph, and others pray for George’s soul hoping he will apologize for the war dead though they assume he is more likely to co-star with Dick as stand up comedians doing a neo-con revival show changing the facts.

These three interrelated contemporary tales are fascinating though can turn heavy in their condemnation of the righteous right especially condemning the Iraq War sold by chicken hawks at an exorbitant price to Americans. The book is timely with references to violence in the 1990s as another Democratic president is in the White House enabling the extreme right to justify their right to kill. Fans will be stunned by amount of poignancy and emotion as the cast is solid even that of a caricature of a humbled George seeking redemption. Overkill yes, but well written and intensely interesting as the audience joins K.J. Frasier on A JOURNEY, A RECKONING, AND A MIRACLE.

Harriet Klausner