Review: The Fort by Aric Davis

The Fort by Aric Davis is the kind of story that will stick with me forever. It automatically brought me back to the summer when life changed forever for me and the real world was more clear than ever and it wasn't pretty. Ironically I was the same age as Tim and his friends, 12, when this revelation came. Tim, Luke, and Scott build a fort in anticipation for the summer of 1987. They play, joke, hang, and just have a good ol' time until they spot a recently missing teenage girl with a serial killer being forced by gun point to go with him. After making some really mature decisions, they tell the police what they've seen only to be regarded as liars. This entices them to do some detective work on their own.

The Fort's only fault is that it's short. I will get that gripe out of the way now. I could have lived in this town with Tim, Scott, and Luke for as long as Aric Davis would allow. There aren't a lot of characters in this novel, but each move in meaningful and believeable ways. Each character is well developed. There aren't any unnecessary words or meandering in this novel. The suspense feels real and the shocking secrets in this town are crazy.

Tim, Luke, and Scott embark on a coming of age journey and finally see that the world is a lot worse than they ever could have imagined. The idea that a deranged killer is living in your backyard, up the street, or someone you know is a little too much. The three bravely try to rid the town of this maniac in hopes of validation and learn lessons in honesty, friendship, growing up, and life. 

The Fort is a gripping novel that is not for the faint of heart. There are some disturbing scenes and I loved this book for them. The end is explosive and I never once saw it coming so reader beware. I recommend this novel to lovers of suspenseful coming of age stories.  I thank Aric Davis for sharing The Fort with the world.****