Review of Beyond the Higher Ground

[Blackstenius]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Beyond the Higher Ground" by Thomas A. Brigger.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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Beyond the Higher Ground is a historical fiction novel written by Thomas A. Brigger. It revolves around Tucker Mason, an employee of the Doenitz Building Company. Mason's company was contracted to build a prison at Bright’s Mountain in Wells County, Virginia. Mason moves from Denver to Virginia after losing his girlfriend, Katherine, to a road accident. Once in Wells County, he goes house-searching and manages to find a rental house located near the prison’s construction site. But the area he's to call home for the next one and a half years has an ugly history, and he encounters some trouble as he's harassed by Boone Correl, one of the natives of the place who is notorious for his criminal life. Yet to heal from the loss of his girlfriend, and still haunted by the sad story of his life concerning his parents and his late brother, Mason slowly gets to learn of the inner details related to Wells County that shaped its history. Unbeknownst to Mason and his colleagues at the construction company, narcotics are being trafficked right under their noses at the construction site. Apparently, substance abuse is an epidemic of sorts in Wells County, and it has been going on for a long time under wraps. But the authorities, with the support of local citizens who have been affected by the vice in one way or another, won't let the drug dealers destroy people’s lives without a fight. Grab a copy of Brigger’s book to discover more.

The book addresses a number of themes, but the two major ones are substance abuse and family relationships, that is, parents-children relationships – how divorce/separation of parents affects the children. The issues of grieving deceased loved ones and how the loss of loved ones affects those who are left behind are also addressed in the book. Flashback and dialogue are the two major stylistic devices used. Informal language is used.

One of the things I liked about the book was its cover. It helped make the story clearer when talking about Bright’s Mountain. I also greatly enjoyed the several narrations by Verna Lee, Cecil Beckman and Leanna Dell - they were so meticulous. The author managed to build up and give depth to several characters through these narrations. Through these accounts, I got a glimpse of Low Creek’s, Bright’s Mountain’s, and Wells County's histories.

The book's relevance was also noteworthy, as the book addresses a very important issue plaguing today's society: drug abuse. Substance abuse has a lot of negative effects on individuals and society, and these effects were evident in the book, ranging from heartless murders to the wreckage of the family unit and the destruction of students’ and young people’s lives. I liked that this issue was addressed and that some of the victims of this detrimental habit got help and changed for the better. I was also delighted by the character of Sally. Her warm and friendly nature towards everyone was admirable, as it lifted the spirits of those who were feeling sad or out of place, Mason being one of them. I was pleased by Mason’s compassion and empathy towards some of the victims of substance abuse who were vulnerable and needed help.

The plot of the book had such a slow pace, and it wasn't until I was past halfway through the book that I saw the story pick up momentum. This was one of the things I disliked. There were also some points in the story where I felt like the author overused flashbacks. Moreover, a somber mood dominated much of the book. This ended up lowering my spirit, and I think it would benefit the story if Mason's sad memories were reduced, as they ended up overly dulling the mood of the book. I also think the author spent more time than was necessary on two things: building up Mason's character and reminiscing about Katherine. This, in my view, resulted in the plot of the book (the sub-plots) being imbalanced – one aspect of the storyline was given more attention than was necessary, while the other aspect was deprived of its befitting attention.

The book’s editing was commendable, as I noticed very few minor errors. The book was professionally edited. However, due to the aforementioned negative aspects, I rate this book 3 out of 5. I recommend this book to fans of historical fiction. Fans of crime thrillers will also find this novel enjoyable. The book does not favor any specific religion. Therefore, it is suitable for people of all religions. However, the book contains several instances of profanity, both borderline and non-borderline, and as such, age could be a limiting factor in the readership of this book.

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Beyond the Higher Ground
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[Zillionaire_me]

Wonderful review. Mason's story is really touching.
I would love to know more about substance abuse, family relationships and how it affects children.

[Blackstenius]

Wonderful review. Mason's story is really touching.
I would love to know more about substance abuse, family relationships and how it affects children.

Thank you.

[Sara Nóbrega Bartolomeu]

Despise your rating of the book not being very high, I still felt intrigued by the story. The fact that not only substance abuse but the family situations that have an impact on children is recognized made me aware of the depth it can take. Well done. I adore your reviews. They are so complete!

[Blackstenius]

Despise your rating of the book not being very high, I still felt intrigued by the story. The fact that not only substance abuse but the family situations that have an impact on children is recognized made me aware of the depth it can take. Well done. I adore your reviews. They are so complete!

Yes, the story did well highlighting the devastating effects of substance abuse on both the individual and societal levels. Thank you so much for your kind words.