Story of the Sand

by Mark B. Pickering

Book Overview

After spending months fighting in the sands of Iraq, Sampson Roy has returned to his home in Georgia a changed man. Gone is the patriotic optimist who went off to serve his country, and in his stead is a bitter, resentful pessimist. Sampson is unable to cope with society, and the government could care less about his problems. His psychological damage from what he witnessed in the Middle East has ruined his marriage and left him a pariah to those he...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0595472052
• ISBN13: 9780595472055
• Release Date: December 2007
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Length: 228 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A gritty, hard hitting novel

The narrative opens with Sampson Roy awakening in his tent after drinking himself to oblivion the night before. His fondest wish was that he did not have to see another living person, ever. However, when he was hungry or wanted something to drink he was forced to trek into town. The work continues as Roy comes face to face with the ghost of an army buddy, recalls his military service, the deaths of friends, the horror of the war and his anger. The tale weaves and spins is filled with lust, booze, misunderstanding, as first one ghost and then more appear to take part in the story and the narrative continues toward the final chapter. Story of the Sand is a fictionalized recounting of the dilemma surrounding a combat soldier who has seen comrades fight and die. The result, according to the author, is a man now facing myriad problems; mental, relationship, financial, inability to cope with what has happened as a result of the disillusionment felt by the main character Sampson Roy who went off to war full of optimism and the belief that those in power can be trusted; that the war undertaken was right, proper and needful. Sampson Roy has returned to his home in Georgia a changed man after spending months fighting in the sands of Iraq. Roy finds himself powerless to deal with home, society, life in general. He soon learns that the government he served has little care concerning his problems; he receives little help from the VA or any other agency. Gone is the patriotic idealist who went off to serve his country, in the wake is an angry, aggrieved pessimist. Roy's psychological harm due to what he observed while serving in the Middle East has left him with a marriage in tatters, himself a pariah to those he has known and with whom he had relationship. He retreats into a lonely world filled with liquor. The unexpected dreamlike appearance of a ghostly figure of a dead soldier, David Tree, killed during the fighting in Iraq and unable to pass to the other side, brings Roy some unexpected news. His wife is pregnant. Author Pickering sets down an intense portrayal of war's devastation for the individual soldier, and the aftermath filled with loneliness, misery and attempts at rehabilitation. Roy cautiously attempts to re enter the world he left; however his alcoholism and self-destructive temperament has left him branded an outsider. His wife rejects reconciliation. Roy yearns to return to the life he knew prior to his military deployment, he hopes to raise his child. Finding the resolve to conquer his addictions and turn his life around may be too daunting. Through Pickering's clever writing the reader carried along in unanticipated, imaginative directions. While the various twists and turns are fundamental to the story, the tale borders on the bizarre, unless Pickering is attempting to portray some of the drunken stupor induced hallucinations Roy may have experienced. Even though PTS is not mentioned, Story of the Sand is presented as a glimpse

I love this story and want to make it into a movie!

This story is a "must see" as well as a "must read". The way Mark Pickering tells his story is as good as I am saying it is! I don't want to reveal the plot but STORY OF THE SAND will keep you reading and believing. You will not be able to pre-figure what is coming next. Even though the story has an element of fiction you will find yourself thinking "maybe it really is like this". Buy the book, read it and you will be telling your friends about Sampson Roy and what happened to him after his return from a tour of duty in Iraq.

Raw and Powerful

As I read "Story of the Sand", at every turn of the page I wanted to know what would happen next. Pickering crafts his story in such a way that it leads the reader in unexpected, creative directions. I emphasize "creative" because the twists and turns aren't in place simply for shock value (although this story is shocking in many ways). The novel is written effectively and unpredictably. This is a deeply moving look at survival from the field of battle through the journey home as it deals with personal loss and hope for the future. I've never read anything else like "Story of the Sand", and I look forward to more of this gifted writer's work.

My Story of the Sand Review

The Story of the Sand is, at its heart, a novel with a wonderfully intertwining story of finding the courage to face our demons, whatever they may be. The book skillfully walks the line of being thought provoking while remaining and entertaining read. (I found myself disappointed that my hour-long train ride (and hence my time in Sampson's world) was coming to an end: which, trust me, does not happen very often!) As a supporter of our servicemen but not of our war, this book caused me to reevaluate the way I define my support to those who have sacrificed it all. I may never be able to sympathize with Sampson or my own friends who have been in that sand, but his story has certainly given me a deeper appreciation for all our veterans and reminds me to not pass judgment on those whose pasts I will never truly know or understand. Above all else, this story has reaffirmed that in a world filled with destruction and self-destruction of many kinds, the greatest gifts we can bear are our love and compassion.

Thought Provoking and Insightful

Story of the Sand is an account of the trials of a soldier who has seen combat, including seeing his buddies die. The result is, of course, mental problems, relationship problems, financial problems, etc. But this isn't your run of the mill story about a soldier returning from war. This story gets into the heart and soul of the soldier and everyone he touches. At first I wasn't all that sympathetic with him, but as I "watched" him deal with life after war, I began to understand him better and to root for his return to an existence which brings him pleasure. It certainly isn't a direct line from war to rehabilitation, and this story has no end, but the process makes this one of those books that you can't put down. One never knows what is going to happen in the next chapter, but you are anxious to find out. And, as you find out, you learn a little more about the issues that such a person, as well as those who love him (or her), has to deal with. There are offensive moments as well as tender ones throughout the story. One who is a Bush supporter might be slightly turned off with the beginning chapters, which lay the groundwork for the reason the soldier is in this predicament. But once the reader begins to identify with Sampson, then the political aspect falls to the background. I recommend this book to those who want a better understanding of the results of war on the soldier and to those who want a stimulating and thought-provoking day of reading.