Sequel to "Paradise City", and final volume of "The Mire Man Trilogy".
A decade or so following the events of "Paradise City", Arlo Smith finds that he is still somehow clinging to life.
Fueled by the revelation that Constance may also still be alive and waiting for him somewhere out in the world, Arlo Smith, now feeling older than ever, decides to make one last stand against himself. Obliging to the last wishes of a recently-deceased love one, and perhaps succumbing to his own obsessions, Arlo embarks on an open road quest one last time in hopes of finding what he's been searching for since that fateful day near the end of his high school years. What he discovers is an unexpected , and obligatory companionship with his estranged father, self-exiled in a lonely Nevada town, and more revelations that could either cement his perception of his very existence, or tear it down completely, rendering him beyond saving.
Feeling the promise of death in one direction and the lure of Constance in another, Arlo is forced to decide to stay or leave... to obey the itching bones of his lusts, or to do what is right... and finally put to rest what may have started him on his path to damnation all those years ago.
"Return to the Madlands" serves as the final chapter in "The Mire Man Trilogy", and will bring to a close the ugly, messy, horrible story that is Arlo Smith.
Professional Reviews
A fitting final chapter for a tough to love but hard to hate protagonist.
While the penultimate book in the Mire Man Trilogy was an origin story, Return to the Madlands reintroduces us to Arlo more than a decade after his release from Moriarty's Institute. Grizzled with age and insouciant as ever, Arlo learns that Beth, his recently deceased former guidance counselor turned getaway driver turned companion has been hiding a secret from him. With this secret serving as a catalyst, Arlo embarks on a road trip that's full of the hair-pin twists and turns Matthes is known for. Picking up a stray or two as he's wont to do, Arlo lands himself in dire straights (as he's also wont to do) and sets off in search of vengeance. With his misfortune leading him to Nevada, Arlo is wholly unprepared for the ghost of lifetimes past he is about to encounter - even though it was a very different ghost of lifetimes past that motivated his cross-country quest to begin with.
Once again, Matthes forces his readers to evaluate their own relationships through the lens of his characters. As Arlo is reunited with the father who left him and realizes he has an infant half-brother, we are forced to evaluate the age old battle of nature vs. nature. In Matthes' trademark style, we are shown the full spectrum of human emotions right down to visceral self-loathing and disgust. Though his characters are all dysfunctional in their own right, one can't help but want the best for them. Through Arlo's journey spanning three books, the reader is left believing even he deserves peace, no matter how often he manages to find ways to sabotage his own happiness. Matthes' account of fathers and sons is real and raw; anyone who has ever questioned how they have become who they are can relate to the questions raised by the final installment of the Mire Man Trilogy. Those who have followed Arlo's story from the very beginning will have a strong appreciation for the closure received in Matthes' well-crafted epilogue, finally answering the question as to whether or not Arlo and the only woman he has ever truly loved find a way or if they were merely ships passing in the night, meant only for a fleeting encounter. While this trilogy doesn't end with all loose ends tied up in a pretty bow, Matthes has once again provided a story worth reading, characters worth rooting for, and the sense of hope that even though their tale has come to the end of the road, everyone involved ends up coming out on the other side unscathed.
The Hungry Monster Book Review
Arlo is on a journey across the country to find Constance, a long lost love. Throughout his trip, the reader is treated to his interactions with random individuals, many of whom this reader wishes he could know more about. However, the brief glimpses are more than entertaining. The owner of a motel and the story behind his sword on display, the female police officer who pulled Arlo over for swerving while driving, and Lenny, the former man of faith who shoots a gas station iguana, they all help Arlo along on his journey. Aside from the cast of supporting characters, Arlo is also dealing with his health. With the years of whiskey catching up to him, it made this reader wonder if he would survive long enough to find Constance.
This story is more like a collection of stories, rather than a novel with a driving plot line. While Arlo is technically on a journey that has a defined ending, the real value of the text comes from the small stories that Arlo collects from the people he meets along the way. Many of them share experiences that give the reader plenty to think about, but too many of them are too ready and willing to give “advice”. Most readers will anticipate this pattern of meeting, backstory, lesson. Because of this pattern, many of the lessons lose their weight due to the seemingly formulaic inclusion. If these lessons had been blended into the story with a bit more tact, then they would have a stronger impact.
Regardless, there is still some beauty in watching Arlo learn from these characters. Many of them are from walks of life that do not get much respect in our society. Hookers, drug addicts, hitchhikers. All of these people are human, and they have experiences that Arlo asks about. When he asks, and if the character responds, then the reader is treated to some of the most well-thought lessons in our society
Saved the best for last
This last book in the trilogy was my favorite ... It wasn't so much about the characters for me as it was about the reality of life ...the raw and s***ty parts ...we all deal with but sometimes just keep them to ourselves ...and there's always the parts of the book where you connect and relate to and you have a revelation ..at least that's how it was for me ..and yeah I cried ..blahhh lol..but as you take the journey with arlo ..this time it helps you understand him more ..and people in general ... What one can't say in words Dave matthes says it for you ...in a fantastic blunt deep way .. Loved the series!!
Helios is an award winning novel about a brilliant inventor of new technology, a fallen CEO seeking redemption, and an idealistic youth who comes of age in corporate America.
'Coruscated Confabulations' is a collection of stories and experiences, most of which took place in prior decades. They are taken from or based upon real events, with a certain admixture of fictional embellishments.
Helios is an award winning novel about a brilliant inventor of new technology, a fallen CEO seeking redemption, and an idealistic youth who comes of age in corporate America.
