Review of Brother’s Keeper, A Short Story, by Jan Sikes

Rain! We finally have rain up here in the Great Dry North. It’s been awhile and I’m getting a bit tired of watering the plants. I do, however, like the fact that I’ve hadn’t had to mow the lawn in a few weeks.

Anyways, I’m not here to bore you with our weather issues, nope, today is another book review. A short thirty-four pager, written by Jan Sikes.

What Amazon Says:

Quentin Marks’ mother can only love one son, and from the day Rowdy was born, she makes Quentin, his little brother’s keeper. She demands that Quentin fix every problem for Rowdy and that he also protect him. The truth is, after a deadly snakebite, Quentin owes his very life to his little brother, a debt that will never be paid in full. Only now a man is dead, and once again, their mother calls on Quentin to make the problem go away and save Rowdy from prison. When is enough enough, and how much of his own life will Quentin Marks have to sacrifice?

My Turn

A poignant tale of favoritism that left me feeling frustrated with, yet sympathetic for, the MC, Quentin Marks. The poor fellow is called upon to make unfathomable sacrifices for his delinquent brother and unloving mother.

There was a sense of Quentin being served up as the Biblical, ‘sacrificial lamb.’ I was incapable of avoiding emotional investment in the story.

More than once, I found myself asking, “Why Quentin?”

He could have simply walked away, but Quentin is a true man of his word and possesses an inner strength that most will never attain.

In my opinion, any story that conjures up such strong emotions, and a cheering on of the limping protagonist, is a tale worth reading. Brother’s Keeper, certainly fits the bill.

A compact story with a great punch!

FOUR STARS!

Meet Jan Sikes:

Jan Sikes is an award-winning Texas author who has been called a wordsmith by her peers. She openly admits that she never set out in life to be an author. But she had a story to tell. Not just any story, but a true story that rivals any fiction creation. You simply can’t make this stuff up. It all happened. She chose to create fictitious characters to tell the story through, and they bring the intricately woven tale to life in an entertaining way. She released a series of music CDs to accompany the four biographical fiction books and then published a book of poetry and art to complete the story circle.

And now that the story is told, this author can’t find a way to put down the pen. She continues to write fiction and has published many short stories with a series of novels waiting in the wings. She is a member of the Authors Marketing Guild, The Writer’s League of Texas, Romance Writers of America, and the Paranormal Romance Guild.

Connect with Jan, and purchase your copy

Website Twitter Facebook Blog

Amazon.com

 

 

 

In my opinion, any story that can conjure strong emotions and a cheering for the limping protagonist, is one that’s worth reading. Brother’s Keeper, certainly fits the bill.

 As I’ve mentioned, it’s a quick read with a great punch.

Four Stars!

Published by

markbierman

Born and raised on a farm near Brockville, Ontario, Mark Bierman's childhood consisted of chores, riding horses, snowmobile races across open fields, fishing trips to a local lake, and many other outdoor adventures. He was also an avid reader of both fiction and non. Transitioning towards adulthood also meant moving from the farm and into large urban areas that introduced this country boy to life in the big cities. After a short stint as a private investigator, he moved into the role of Correctional Officer, working at both Millhaven Institution and Kingston Penitentiary, until it closed.

50 thoughts on “Review of Brother’s Keeper, A Short Story, by Jan Sikes”

  1. Great review, Mark, and Jan’s book sounds interesting, definitely a unique story and one to conjure up emotions. I’ll add it to my list. Thanks for sharing!

    Liked by 1 person

  2. I enjoyed this book too, Mark. It was like a character study of a flawed family and how that impacts even those family members who are “functional.” I too felt sympathy toward Quentin, but also frustration that he couldn’t break free. Great review.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. I remembered how angry I was atQuentin’s mother for showing her favoritism to her younger son over the older, and how disappointed I was at Quentin for falling for that. But then, iy is a story, and these things happen. Thank you, Mark for supporting Jan. That was a god read.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Great review, Mark! It’s hard not to feel for Quentin. Jan has a way of making you care.
    Glad you got some rain. I’m still holding out hope for a good June storm here.

    Liked by 2 people

  5. Thank you, Mark, for sharing your wonderful review. Congratulations, Jan. I’m looking forward to the read. 😊

    Liked by 2 people

  6. Oh my goodness, Mark! I woke up to find this review and it has made my day! I won’t stop smiling! I am so glad I was able to get the emotion I wanted into the story. Thank you SO much for the awesome review!

    Liked by 1 person

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