Customer Reviews

The Bulldog Compact

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Growing up is tough enough for any teenager, but the pull of different priorities makes it particularly difficult for Bambi Masterson. In the eighth grade he and his friends establish priorities--to develop a team capable of capturing the state basketball championship. The experiences of the next four years binds the boys together as they fight to maintain a healthy, moral lifestyle--something that becomes a challenge within the group of friends. Bulldog Compact is a compelling read that addresses the problems of growing up. It is a "feel good" book that is a must read. It is a follow-on book in a series that tracks the life and experiences of the Masterson family (also see More Than Dust in the Wind that is the follow-on to this). It is a comfortable read that should become a part of anyone's library looking for inspiration and when dealing with difficult times of the teenage years. It is a book that I am richer for having read.

"The Bulldog Compact" is a book I highly recommend. Once I started reading it, I didn't want to put it down. A young 8th grade boy has a dream of winning the state high school basketball championship someday ( a feat previous teams from his high school had never done.) As an 8th grader he gets a group of young men together to put forth a compact to help accomplish their goal. As the years go by there are many challenges to their compact both from their peers and from themselves. Do they accomplish the goal? You will have to read the book to find the answer. In addition to being well written and captivating, I found the book to be very motivational and inspirational. An inspiring book for people of all ages. Mr. Parker did a nice job!

Blessed with the vigor of youth, the hubris of adolescence, and the naivete of small town America, Lance "Bambi" Masterson, in author Donald James Parker's novel, "The Bulldog Compact," tackles a challenge greater than the influences that would bind him to indifference.
Compelled by frustration and pride, guided by historical precedence, supported by a loving family and close friends, young Masterson plunges head first into the turbulent waters of accomplishment. Intent on determining his own role in an heartland high school community, he embraces the ultimate challenge while deciphering the world around him.
In the course of singular dedication, Bambi encounters the reluctance of peers to accept wholesome, purpose driven lives; while reckoning with his own capering demons.
Assistance from an unlikely source sets the stage for Mr. Parker's sequel in the Masterson family series: "More Than Dust in the Wind".
"The Bulldog Compact" rewards readers with a cast of entertaining and probable characters; a coming of age story realistically presented. On-the-court flourish, sensitive interaction, insight into the mechanisms of determination; and pitfalls of obsession, contribute to this delightfully written tale of one young man's struggle to realize his dream.

Bulldog Compct is a teriffic read. Donald Parker writes with a style that keeps the reader wanting to keep turning the pages. It is a book with a story line that makes you want to read more of this author's books. Keep up the good work. I would like to highly recommend this book.

(Official Apex Reviews Rating: 4.5 Stars)

Traditions are normally looked upon as good things, particularly if they've been around for an extended period of time. In Madison, South Dakota, though, there's one particular tradition that the local folks would love to forget: that of their high school basketball team's losing ways. Try as they might, the men's basketball team can't escape the doldrums of defeat year after year, and this somber legacy has upset no one more than Lance "Bambi" Masterson, member of the local junior high's basketball team and proud supporter of his local community. Fed up with seeing his town's team being laughed off the court time and again, Bambi resolves to put some skin in the game and exhorts his teammates to join him in "The Bulldog Compact," a uniform declaration in which all the boys agree to do whatever it takes to win a state basketball championship before they graduate from high school.

No good deed goes unpunished, though, and, despite their noble intentions, the boys soon find themselves beset on all sides by various external distractions - and they even find it more challenging than they previously thought to realize their ultimate goal. Along the way, hearts are broken, allegiances tested, and many a lesson is learned as the boys mature into young men - a process that's challenging enough on its own. Throughout it all, though, Bambi grows into a strong, spiritually sound individual who, once he embraces the full spectrum of his true power - becomes quite an impressive young man with an infinitely fruitful future ahead of him.

The initial installment of the Masterson Family Series, The Bulldog Compact introduces the reader to a host of compelling characters, chief among them Bambi, the fearless protagonist, and Lisa, the intriguing apple of his eye. In his debut tale, Donald James Parker bestows upon his assorted cast the challenging task of displaying for the reader the various difficulties - and ultimate rewards - of living a life of discipline and dedication. Naturally, the road is not always smooth, but, with the end goal in mind, the challenges that present themselves are never permanent roadblocks - especially if we learn to rely on a strength greater than our own. Bambi does just that, allowing the reader to realize the value of adopting his/her own personal faith and fostering its ultimate growth and development.

A heart-warming tale of victory through perseverance, The Bulldog Compact is quite the enjoyable read.


Latonya Franklin
Apex Reviews