King Dork

[Exile]

Tom Henderson, the titular KING DORK and pseudo-slacker, has a single friend in the world (comparable pseudo-slacker Sam Hellerman). Together, they love rock and roll and create the autobiographies of rock bands they'll bring to life one day (just as soon as they learn how to play instruments worthy of a rock band, not their current combination of acoustic guitar and clarinet). They endure the ridicule and calumny of classmates and faculty alike. And like many close friends, they have developed their own unique method of communication. When Tom finds a stash of his dead father's high school books, he becomes somewhat obsessed with deciphering mysterious messages left behind in a copy of CATCHER IN THE RYE. (Note: While reading CATCHER is not required to understand this book, you'll enjoy the parallels more if you use CATCHER as a springboard.)

The book offers several fun mysteries that are bundled with a dead-on study of character and, together, they make for a great read to the last page.

The plot surrounding the mystery of his father's books is a little slow in coming, but Portman does such a terrific job of making the reader invest in the characters that it's worth the wait. In KING DORK, Portman doesn't attempt to define a high school experience that everyone can relate to; rather he marshals a cavalcade of characters that are instantly recognizable.

This is not to say that KING DORK relies on stereotypes and archetypes. Quite the opposite. Whereas stereotypes thrive on broad generalizations, Portman employs the best strategies of pointillism to create vivid, original characters. It is these small details --- their quirks, their nuances, their idiosyncrasies --- where you'll find uncanny resemblances to people with whom you've shared class. (Tom and Sam create MANY rock bands throughout the course of the book; few survive a chapter. And with each creation we learn the name of the band, their stage names, what instruments they play, and what the title of the band's first album will be.)

KING DORK is a powerful debut from a weapons-grade voice in fiction. Let's hear more from Frank Portman again soon.

This is one of my favorite books that I have read in a very very long while.

[Rae]

This sounds so good. I have to get around to reading it