Five Star Science Fiction/Fantasy The Tolltaker,Used

Product DescriptionJames Sneddon has mixed a comingofage story with the dark fantastic in his first novel, The Tolltaker, in which a young boy comes to terms with death, grief, and the unknown.Eightyearold Bobby Burke doesn't want to move out of his grandparents' house into an apartment downstairs from Nick Madonna, his mother's new "friend." Bobby just wants his father to return from Vietnam where he's been missinginaction for the past three years. Despite everyone around him wanting him to believe his father isn't coming home, Bobby knows they don't understand the magic of his SafeKeeper, a talisman that keeps his father alive as long as it remains on Bobby's wrist. At school Bobby struggles against the tolltaker of the playground, Rudy, who expects Bobby to pay a toll for passing through. But Bobby finds that his greatest battle will take place in the storm drain behind his apartment, where he meets the real Tolltaker. A figure that enshrouds itself with a black cloud visits Bobby in his dreams, and demands the ultimate price of passage from Bobby: his father's life! And this Tolltaker is inescapable . . .James Sneddon grew up in northeast Philadelphia. He currently lives in southcentral Pennsylvania where he is working on his next novel.Review"From a darkly humorous tale of the power of words (Death and the Librarian) to a neverbeforepublished response to events of September 11 (Ilion), Friesner's 12 stories illustrate the author's acutely sensitive vision of wonder in the everyday world... Known primarily for his 'Star Wars' novels... Zahn's short stories also deliver strong plots and memorable characters... Zebrowski's many novels (e.g. Macrolife) mark him as a visionary as well as a master of hard sf. The ten short stories collected in In the Distance provide a benchmark of his creativity... the author expands his concept of the human condition to embrace the stars. Part of Five Star's continuing commitment to showcasing the short fiction of the genre's most prominent author's, these three volumes belong in most libraries where short sf is popular." Library Journal (December 2002) (Library Journal 20021201)"...Part of Five Star's continuing commitment to showcasing the short fiction of the genre's most prominent authors, these three volumes (Death and the Librarian and Other Stories/ Star Song and Other Stories/ In the Distance, and Ahead in Time) belong in most libraries where short sf is popular." Library Journal (December 2002) (Library Journal 20021201)"Four more titles in Five Star's new series (God Is an Iron and Other Stories/ Generation Gap and Other Stories/ The Lady Vanishes and Other Oddities of Nature/ Suppose They Gave a Peace and Other Stories) of short fiction by noteworthy sf authors offer a variety of tales that illustrate the depth and staying power of the genre...Most of the stories in these volumes have only appeared in periodicals. Libraries wishing to augment their sf or short fiction collections should consider any of them." Library Journal (June 2002) (Library Journal 20020615)"...a cleverly constructed story, leading readers to the edge of fear and beyond...a suspenseful and emotional story...a very good book...emotional element was skillfully portrayed,.."Love Romances (November 2004) (LoveRomances.Com 20041101)From the PublisherJames Sneddon has mixed a comingofage story with the dark fantastic in his first novel, The Tolltaker, in which a young boy comes to terms with death, grief, and the unknown.About the AuthorJames Sneddon grew up in northeast Philadelphia. He currently lives in southcentral Pennsylvania where he is working on his next novel.