Acclaimed New York Times bestselling author T.C. Boyle makes his Ecco debut with a powerful, gripping novel that explores the roots of violence and anti-authoritarianism inherent in the American character.Set in contemporary Northern California, The Harder They Come explores the volatile connections between three damaged people—an aging ex-Marine and Vietnam veteran, his psychologically unstable … his psychologically unstable son, and the son’s paranoid, much older lover—as they careen towards an explosive confrontation.
On a vacation cruise to Central America with his wife, seventy-year-old Sten Stensen unflinchingly kills a gun-wielding robber menacing a busload of senior tourists. The reluctant hero is relieved to return home to Fort Bragg, California, after the ordeal—only to find that his delusional son, Adam, has spiraled out of control.
Adam has become involved with Sara Hovarty Jennings, a hardened member of the Sovereign Citizens’ Movement, right-wing anarchists who refuse to acknowledge the laws and regulations of the state, considering them to be false and non-applicable. Adam’s senior by some fifteen years, Sara becomes his protector and inamorata. As Adam’s mental state fractures, he becomes increasingly schizophrenic—a breakdown that leads him to shoot two people in separate instances. On the run, he takes to the woods, spurring the biggest manhunt in California history.
As he explores a father’s legacy of violence and his powerlessness in relating to his equally violent son, T. C. Boyle offers unparalleled psychological insights into the American psyche. Inspired by a true story, The Harder They Come is a devastating and indelible novel from a modern master.
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It was hard to put down T.C. Boyle’s 15th novel. The Harder They Come tells the story of 3 characters, inspired by a true event, living in Northern California. Sten, is a Vietnam Vet and a retired high school principal. Adam is his disturbed son, attempting to mimic the life of an 18th century mountain man, John Colter. Sara is Adam’s older …
I am baffled by talented writers who pour their poetic abilities into relentlessly bleak stories. There are flashes of brilliance in Boyle’s use of metaphors; he has some terrific phrases and word pictures here. But the tale itself is dystopian and grim; there is absolutely no one to like here. Halfway through, I couldn’t wait to be done. I hoped …
I’m a huge fan of T.C. Boyle, however, this book took me a bit longer to get into. Perhaps it was due to the characters that I had so little connection to, and that I didn’t particularly like. The main character Adam, who preferred the name of Colton based on his obsession with mountain man John Colter, a fearless legendary individualist who was a …