Pennsylvanian-born Peter Pappalardo had his first novel Bluegrass published by AuthorHouse (a self-publishing house) in 2005 and now, for his second venture into authorship, applies his knowledge and love of the sport of darts to bring us The Compleat Dartshooter.
Describing himself as ‘an erstwhile dart shooter’, Pappalardo’s book is a strange and effective combination of a dark yet whimsical look at the world that lies nestled in the bosom of every small town in America. From the moment that the orphaned exile Aznap “Nappy” Ochnas meets a charismatic mafia bagman named Fletcher Widdy, the pair roam about searching for the meaning of life, or at least a good game of darts.
From the bars and taverns of the coal country in Northeastern Pennsylvania to the New York Open, the pair challenge each other and then all-comers for money and fame on the hectic dart circuit; making more money on the road than the USA’s top professional shooters: they reckon. However, the competition and the action are not limited to the dartboard. “Nappy” is heir to his late father’s deeply held belief in truth and beauty, while Fletcher’s worldview is far more cynical. The picture becomes even more complex when “Nappy” falls for Patti Pulkowski, who just happens to be Fletcher’s ex-lover, and a top-ranked dart shooter in her own right.
What “Nappy” sees as a lark that will distract him from his losses and a dead-end future quickly turns sinister when his naïveté leads him to break his word to Fletcher and his cronies. Pappalardo mixes darts, love, violence, drugs, adventure and more darts, to a briefcase full of mob money, murder, more drugs, bar brawls, numerous games of ‘cricket’, more violence and more darts and produces an enthralling tale which all darts fans will enjoy. I leave it to readers to purchase the book to discover whether or not “Nappy” and Fletcher discover the meaning of life.
Maybe the meaning of life is DARTS.
The Compleat Dartshooter is published by AuthorHouse and can be purchased via www.authorhouse.com.
© 2009 Patrick Chaplin
Dr Patrick Chaplin 