The Hockey Saint
by Howard ShapiroBuy The Book: Amazon.ca
- Chapters - Amazon.com
From The Publisher: The Hockey Saint is a graphic novel about friendship, fame and what we sacrifice for ambition and success.
Twenty one year old Jeremiah Jacobson is the world's best hockey player, but he wasn't prepared for the frenzy and scrutiny that came with that title. Tom Leonard is an average college sophomore - just a guy trying to find his place in the world as he sorts through issues that are both very real and seemingly insurmountable.
Through a chance meeting, these two strike up an unlikely friendship. Their bond is tested when Tom discovers that his idol isn't as perfect up close as he seems from afar. With Jeremiah living a little too much in the moment and with his past catching up to him, will Tom be able to help him before it's too late?
Joe's Take - This is a neat project in that I don't think I've ever seen a hockey book in the form of graphic novel before. Keep in mind it is more novel than hockey book, thus hockey is not the centerpiece here. Instead it focuses on the relationship between college student/fan Tom Leonard, our protagonist, and the world's best hockey player Jeremiah Jacobson. Despite not having much in common it would seem, they inexplicably are drawn to each other by a chance meeting and form the quickest of friendships. However that friendship is ultimately put to the test.
I won't reveal any more of the plot than that. There are a few good messages in the storyline, such as showing a superstar such as Jacobson as a human being, and that not everything is always as it seems. And sometimes friends have to make tough decisions to help each other out.
It's a little squeaky clean in regards to how quickly the characters' relationships develop so quickly, but it is a good read for the teenager in your family. I can see a series developing here so if this book sells well I wouldn't be surprised to see a spin-off or a sequel in the future.
Comments