First, a disclaimer: Everything I'm about to say is true. Second, I never tear an author down, but I don't gush over writers either. There's a first time for everything, but more on that later. Ever find yourself reflecting back on the kids you knew in school? If you have a spouse and children of your own, these players from your childhood might seem insignificant, but not for Patrick Beauchamp. He can't help but reflect on Kelvin Fish, who was likely the homeliest bastard in school. But he's more than just a little ugly. Aspects of his appearance, and pain threshold, are almost inhuman. Thus begins Mama Fish by Rio Youers, now available from Shroud Publishing.

Mama Fish is told in the first person, and runs along two plot lines, in the past and the present. At first, Patrick's reason to bring us back to the present seems unclear, except to outline his current status. For example, he has his own kids and seems at odds with his near middle-age. These reflections have a WONDER YEARS quality about them, and I expected Daniel Stern's voice to pipe in. Give Patrick a few pages to show you why his life hasn't turned out quite as expected. What's more is that Youers appeals to the reader's intelligence by offering a protagonist who doesn't have the perfect life.

Youers has created characters that live with distinct disadvantages, which you can find in his novels Everdead (Darkside Tales) and his forthcoming novel End Times (PS Publishing) but none as fragile as Patrick. At the risk of being spoiler-ish, I'll just say that Youers does plenty to create both a sympathetic and unique character.

And now on to the writing. Very seldom will you find anyone in the smaller presses who can tell a story like Rio Youers. In Mama Fish , his prose is powerful, flawless, sometimes humorous, and his pacing never misses a beat. I found this novella as addictive as his first two novels, which were near impossible to put down. Masterful storytelling can come from hard work and natural talent, and I suspect that much of Youers's skill comes from the latter.

This column has differed from my usual reviews because I prefer to offer an analysis so a reader can decide if they should buy a book. Everyone's reading tastes are different. In this case, I am bending my own rules. I am absolutely positive that you will fall in love with Youers's work, and that is an iron clad promise. Pick up Mama Fish from Shroud Publishing to see what I mean. I simply can't say enough about Rio Youers.