BEASTS OF THE EARTH
James Wade, whose first two novels were praised as “rhapsodic” and “haunting,” delivers his most powerful work to date—a chilling parable about the impossible demands of hate and love, trauma and goodness, vividly set in the landscapes of Texas and Louisiana.
Beasts of the Earth tells the story of Harlen LeBlanc, a dependable if quiet employee of the Carter Hills High School’s grounds department, whose carefully maintained routine is overthrown by an act of violence. As the town searches for answers, LeBlanc strikes out on his own to exonerate a friend, while drawing the eyes of the law to himself and fending off unwelcome voices that call for a sterner form of justice.
Twenty years earlier, young Michael Fischer dreads the return of his father from prison. He spends his days stealing from trap lines in the Louisiana bayou to feed his fanatically religious mother and his cherished younger sister, Doreen. When his father eventually returns, an evil arrives in Michael’s life that sends him running from everything he has ever known. He is rescued by a dying poet and his lover, who extract from him a promise: to be a good man, whatever that may require.
Beasts of the Earth deftly intertwines these stories, exploring themes of time, fate, and free will, to produce a revelatory conclusion that is both beautiful and heartbreaking.
PRAISE FOR BEASTS OF THE EARTH
“Wade’s pitch-perfect, personality-driven dialogue sings in the voice of life, and his ability to meld existential thought, situational metaphor, and cinematic setting is a full-bodied experience…A soul-deep exploration of a wounded man in crisis, James Wade’s Beasts of the Earth…secures his position as an author of extraordinary merit.” —New York Journal of Books
“James Wade writes a terrific story, but that isn’t what makes him so good. Wade is a craftsman. His books should be read slowly, to luxuriate in his word choices, his sentence structure, his character revelation. That is why he is a joy to read.” —James L. Haley, Spur Award–winning author of the Bliven Putnam Naval Adventures
“I found myself rooting for the characters throughout their near-Biblical tribulations, and the storyline kept me turning the pages, desperate to find out what would happen next. Here we have a novel that blends realism with existentialist philosophy to redefine contemporary Southern fiction. Don’t miss this tour de force of modern literature.” —David Heska Wanbli Weiden, Spur and Anthony Award–winning author of Winter Counts
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| “Beasts of the Earth is a beautiful gut-punch of a novel.” —Stacey Swann, author of Olympus, Texas |
Review
Wade has written a fascinating story of the undying need for justice, mixed with a little revenge. He tackles one of the most complex issues facing humanity, the question of how one can live within the law while living with pure evil. Wade deals with this topic by telling two stories within the book; that of a young teenage boy, Michael, and one about Harlan, a lonely aging bachelor. Unfortunately, both meet evil face to face and struggle to live with the fact that evil is real.
In his effort to unravel the forces of evil, Wade has created a character you are not likely to forget: Harlen LeBlanc. LeBlanc is employed as a groundskeeper at the local High School- a quiet man with few needs who is dedicated to his job despite his menial existence. When a friend of LeBlanc’s is accused of murder he steps up to find the real killer. His search for the killer brings to light his own experiences with the evil in his past. What transpires will leave you on the edge of your seat in a quandary over who deserves forgiveness and when evil must be stopped.
Wade has woven a masterpiece of a tale that takes place between heaven and hell, the search for love, and the unending question of why God allows bad things to happen. In the tradition of great southern literature, this story is hauntingly complex and will stay with you for a long time. It is safe to say that it can hold its own with Faulkner, Grisham, or Conroy!
James Wade lives and writes in the Texas Hill Country with his wife and daughter. He is also the author of River, Sing Out and All Things Left Wild, a winner of the prestigious MPIBA Reading the West Award for Debut Fiction, and a recipient of the Spur Award for Best Historical Novel from the Western Writers of America.
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Julia Picks 1 
That’s high praise, and I would agree with it wholeheartedly. Wade’s writing is exquisite. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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I agree! The intensity is high, and this is a great read. You’re right about Harlen – he’s in my brain to stay for awhile.
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