Max Burns has released his most recent novel, Unresolved Connections. Max has a dedicated following and is well known in the Canadian motorcycle literary scene as an author of motorcycle travel books as well his regular column in Cycle Canada until his recent retirement from the magazine. He has also written for Cottage Life magazine and has penned articles that explain septic systems to tractors and most everything in between.
Max lets his mind wander in this newest edition that is quite different than any of his other books. It’s a collection of six fictional works that have been lurking in Max’s mind over the past number of years.
The longest of the six short stories, ‘Life Doesn’t Have to Rhyme’, actually takes up three quarters of the book and takes the reader on a journey of sorts. I was soon looking forward to the next twist in the story and trying to figure out the riddles using the clues that lead ‘Sam Newton’ on a wild goose chase through rural British Columbia in a quest to find the missing poetry of ‘Eh Carrera’, a legendary revolutionary from the 1970’s.
Because this journey can be followed on a map of the province, one has to wonder how much is imagin-ation or the far stretched truth based loosely on real travel, making it all seem a little more believable around every corner.
Just when you anticipate the next twist in the Eh Carrera story, it ends which leaves some important characters, and the plot, in limbo. It leads me to believe, and hoping, there will be a sequel.
The rest of the fictional short stories in the book aren’t remotely believable, just entertaining. It makes you think, how does he come up with this stuff?
The book is 192 pages and sells for $28.30 in hardcover form, it is a pretty short read and will keep you entertained for a few evenings. For more of Max Burns, check out www.worddust.ca.
