The Gods of Second Chances

The Gods of Second Chances is emotionally charged family drama, but it's never sappy or sentimental--it's Alaska, where Hilda's Pharmacy has a selection of birthday and sympathy cards but nothing of the Hallmark variety. You could try faith and forgiveness in a few lines of canned poetry, but it won't hit anywhere close to home. The Gods of Second Chances is another story. - Brian Juenemann, Register-Guard His debut novel, The Gods of Second Chances, is the story of a man overwhelmed by the things beyond his control: a granddaughter on the verge of adolescence, a daughter returning from prison rehab, a frivolous lawsuit, and falling for the one woman he can't have, all while trying to fish his living out of a fickle ocean in the mercurial weather of southeast Alaska. It's no wonder that one god isn't enough for him. - Leigh Anne Kranz, KBOO's Between the Covers I love this story of a grandfather seeking help from any god or goddess who will step in, as he raises his granddaughter. When the child's mother returns from prison, the fragile family ecosystem Ray has established is shaken to its bedrock. - Nena Rawdah, bookseller, St. Johns Booksellers Second chances abound throughout the story, from Ray raising his granddaughter in a second crack at parenthood to Jenny's attempts to get clean and Ray's multiple attempts to date a local therapist. Faith plays a strong thematic role as well, with Ray's sailor superstitions (the Buddha statue he rubs every time he takes the boat out, and the collection of deity statues he keeps around his home) and the conflict all this creates when his daughter returns as a born-again Christian. - Jeff Fleisher, Foreword Reviews What a page turner! I could not put The Gods of Second Chances down, and could totally relate to the need to fight passionately for family and the life one has chosen. - Laurel Rain-Snow Sandone, Rainy Days and Mondays The book moves at a beautiful clip, depicting how we can get hurt in family, using this hurt to defend ourselves against the world. - Christi Krug, author of Burn Wild Dan Berne's The Gods of Second Chances could be a long-form entry in the FisherPoets fest; the book's protagonist, Ray, is an Alaskan fisherman struggling to make a living and care for his granddaughter, Sitka, who's been his ward since his meth-addicted daughter disappeared years before. - Alison Hallett, Portland Mercury Can I just say. . . I loved this book. Rarely have I come across a novel that blends story-telling, drama, and great writing quite as well as The Gods of Second Chances. I confess--I bought this book for my husband, but when he fell asleep, I snagged it, and couldn't put it down. There are moments of sadness, well-paced reveals, lush landscape description, fantastic and honest character sketches--all the things I look for in a stay-up-all-night read. Also, the book itself is beautiful. You want this one on your shelves. - Suzy Vitello, author of The Moment Before The Gods of Second Chances is a poignant and sad first novel, and we can look forward to more from the compelling Dan Berne. - Norman West, The Portland Book Review It's the kind of book that pulls you through to the end with that feeling of 'I've just got to know what happens next.' The Alaska setting is vividly depicted in Dan's lucid prose, and his understanding of the family dynamics involved in the return of an errant daughter from prison to a family that is suspicious of her every move makes for a compelling read. - Stevan Allred, author of A Simplified Map of the Real World Rituals, deities and folklore are another strong theme sprinkled throughout the novel, from Tlingit legends to Christian saints and maritime superstitions. - Ashley Swanson, The Columbian What I love about this story is its unassuming premise, and the humble characters that live ordinary lives in the unforgiving Alaskan landscape. Ray's story is one that could happen to anybody, and I was rooting for him from the opening scene. - Gwen Stephens, The 4 a.m. Writer Author Dan Berne brings the Alaskan scenery to life effortlessly as he weaves the tale of a broken family trying to reunite, missing one of its members, and struggling to fit the pieces back together. - Valerie Lawson, Barbies on Fire The greatest strength of this novel is the exploration of relationships among members of a fractured family. Ray is trying to deal with and process his daughter's drug use and the fact that she reappears in his life after years of prison and drug rehab programs. Sitka, Ray's granddaughter, has never known her mother and has a hard time coping with her parent unexpectedly showing up on their doorstep and trying to forge a relationship with her. Berne makes us think about whether or not a wounded family dynamic can ever truly be repaired. - The Book Binder's Daughter