Title: New to the Game
Author: Mark Schoedl
Publisher: Best Books Media
ISBN: 978-1956095203
Pages: 239
Genre: Short Story Collection
Reviewed by: Michaela Gordoni
Hollywood Book Reviews
In author Mark Schoedl’s novel, New to the Game, each chapter presents dialogue between two or more people, taking the reader through a day in their lives and showing their interests and habits. Each chapter features new characters and their wide range of emotions, as well as explorations of feelings and ideas. Occasionally a chapter will reveal characters’ faults or trouble with their ignorant thinking, while others aren’t so clear, leaving room for study and interpretation.
Each of New to the Game’s chapters contains something different from one another. They often weave in bits of history, a unique living situation, or insight into culture. Each chapter usually contains points of view from at least one male, if not solely males, as opposed to any chapters with all female voices. Regardless, there is a mosaic of viewpoints on display. Each chapter is a puzzle for the reader to put together, intended for them to contemplate and work out. It is somewhat philosophical as it explores situations and different people’s perspectives, but at times the chapters also just seem like a peek into a certain set of people’s lives.
Some may find the book challenging to keep up with, as it is 99% dialogue, and the reader must always pay sharp attention to who is speaking. There is little or no introduction to the characters. They are only known by what they say. So, the reader must assume that what they say to one another is what they think and feel, and what they are saying is true. This adds some complexity to the novel. The fictional work is completely unique in this way, as few other books are composed like this.
Author Mark Schoedl has clearly put a lot of work into crafting his character scenarios. In his writing, his characters vary and speak of biases, unfair politics, and events, and each one always gives perspective into how they view life, particularly their own. Some of the stories have glimpses of hope, while others are more dismal. Either way, it’s evident that Schoedl has invested considerable effort in crafting his character scenarios, resulting in a thought-provoking and compelling exploration of the human experience.
Overall, anyone who enjoys unconventional, dialogue-style storytelling on topics related to the human experience will surely find New to the Game an interesting read.