Franklyn C. Thomas

The author, Franklyn C. Thomas, gave me a copy of this novel in exchange for my review.


“The Favorite” is a novel with a classic feel. I’m not a boxing fan and know nothing at all about the sport. Boxing novels call to mind movies like “Rocky” and “Million Dollar Baby.” “The Favorite” is not those movies. The novel is reminiscent of 1962’s Requiem for a Heavyweight. A purely character driven story of human struggle and coming to that point (to paraphrase “The Lost Weekend”) of no longer living a “life of quiet desperation.”

The unique twist of “The Favorite” is the way it’s constructed. A man is fighting as his story is told and gives the reader the metaphorical fight of his life and he literally fights for his life. For non-sport fans this back and forth format may seem a risky move but there was not a point where I wished to get back to one or the other as both were so integral to the story of Michael.

The writing style of “The Favorite” is quite visual. Thomas doesn’t belabor his exposition but he does set a scene for the reader that is colorful and gives us a sense of the world we’ve entered. The background characters are described and introduced as though they each play a pivotal role in the story no matter how briefly they may appear. Thomas gives us an image with brevity that speaks to his mastery of the art.

“The Favorite” will appeal to readers of a number of genres but none so much as people who tend to lean toward stories like those written by Steinbeck. Stories of the gritty raw human experience.… (plus d'informations)