The Soccer Field Is Empty

This could have been a really good book because it had a great premise. And, because the basic storyline was stolen straight from Shakespeare, it also had a great basic storyline. But Roeder just didn't know what to do with the it all. He repeats himself constantly, grammatical and spelling errors run rampant (which I've found is usually to be expected from iUniverse authors), and the characters are all cardboard cutouts. These kids' parents barely even exist until they "discover" Mark and Taylor.

What else can I say? Plain, lackluster prose. Unnecessary scenes that just drag the book's momentum down. And repetition. I've pointed out the author's repetition three times in this review, just to give you an idea of what reading this book is like. He ran his vampire analogy ... into the ground. And he showed almost every scene in the book from both Mark and Taylor's perspectives - even the scenes in which both of them had the same opinion of what happened! It's ridiculous and totally unneeded. If you're going to [use] Shakespeare's plot, at least make it passable.


A Better Book than a Better Place...and more   April 28, 2003
 7 out of 9 found this review helpful

Praise the gods, Mark Roeder or his publisher finally hired a proofreader. This means that the 2002 version of this story is free of the annoying typos and spelling mistakes of all of the other works of this author (at least that I've read) and of the other stuff coming out of iUniverse. This particular story is an update of Roeder's first publication, which I have not read, but it shows superior advances in creativity and writing ability especially compared to the depressing "A Better Place" and the totally implausible "Do You Know That I Love You" which are all inter-connected in obscure and non-important ways. There are anachronisms in this book, set in 1980. Perhaps Mark does have a computer in his room, but, if so, it has to be connected to a Univac mainframe in the basement. Maybe people in rurual Indiana refer to "dudes", maybe not. The character names are a problem for the era, as well. If these guys are sixteen in 1980, it would be well ahead of the curve for their parents to name them Taylor, Devon, Brandon, et al, in 1964. Graymoor Mansion, itself a distraction, could not possibly stand for 100+ years with apparent unrestricted access with contents intact. Lastly as a criticism, Mark and Taylor, at 16, fall instantly and passionately in love on their first meeting, literally within seconds. . We wish! Still, Roeder delivers a moving, emotional, loving story. The tragic ending, while regretful, is part of that story. Having read some, but not all, of Roeder's youth chronicles, I sense that he is getting better, much, much, better, with each new work or update of his previous writing. This book is highly recommended.


Simply the Best!   April 3, 2003
 7 out of 10 found this review helpful

I couldn't believe how this book made me feel. It was like the author somehow got inside my head. I felt like the characters were my friends. I laughed and cried and never wanted it to end. I can only guess that the few negative reviews there are of this book were written by those who are anti-gay in an attempt to keep readers away. This book is absolutely awesome! Buy it, read it, and then give it to a friend!


Insipid doesn't begin to describe this book   February 2, 2003
 7 out of 16 found this review helpful

I have never been so disappointed in a book in my life. The premise is great, but the execution was beyond horrible. The characters are one-dimensional, the writing is bland, and you never get to know these people beyond the "I'm a gay teenage jock in a small town." There was a real opportunity to show gay people as REAL people, and sadly, the opportunity was missed. I can only hope Roeder's writing improves in the ensuing novels.