Chance Murphy, a 13-year-old living in Morganville, Indiana during the mid 1980s, is full of contradictions. He wants to be a man, but he has the needs of a child; he loves his mentally handicapped sister, but he also resents her and wishes she weren’t such an easy target for the other kids; he is witty, but he embarrasses easily, especially when it comes to dealing with his emerging sexual feelings. Though Chance has a big heart, he has a dark side that surfaces in dreams of nuclear obliteration and manifests into paranoia and an "enemies list"—at the top of which is his archenemy, Otto Manheim, the neighborhood kid. While the tension between the two creates many comical moments, the conflict escalates and finally reaches a boiling point at the bloody battle of Morganville.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"I felt like I not only knew Chance, but I was part of his life. The descriptive language brought everything to life." —armchairinterviews.com
"A compelling and hilarious drama on the anguish of adolescence." —Dr. Kenneth Millard, author, Coming of Age in Contemporary American Fiction
About the Author
Josh P. McClary has worked in sales and marketing for various educational publishing houses. He devotes his spare time to developing his childhood memories into literature. He lives in Chicago.
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More About the Author
Born and raised in Indiana, lived in Destrehan, LA as a smart-mouthed teenager. Graduated from Indiana University in 1996 and began my career in publishing as an 800 line salesman for Macmillian Publishing in Indianapolis. For the next 10 years I worked in sales and marketing for various publishing houses-- Macmillian Computer Publishing, Prentice Hall, and Thomson. In the Fall of 2007, I left the world of big publishing houses and now serve as a marketing & sales manager at Kedzie Press, LLC.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Holden Caulfield's Surly Offspring?,
By 80sMama (Brenham, TX USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Chance Murphy and the Battle of Morganville (Paperback)
If you were a child of the 80's, then you'll especially enjoy the cultural references of "Chance Murphy" as he battles the typical adolescent foes: parental divorce, sexual awakening, sibling rivalry, and the struggle to find your place in the world. Set in small town Indiana, this is a worthy first novel by author Josh P. McClary, and it's somewhat reminiscent of Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye."
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Take a chance on Chance Murphy,
By Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Chance Murphy and the Battle of Morganville (Paperback)
Chance Murphy is a thirteen-year-old boy growing up in Indiana. He lost an eye a few years back to a BB gun incident. His parents are divorced and his sister is mentally handicapped. His best friend lives next door, but so does his worst enemy. His father owns that local movie theatre and his mother is a high-powered lawyer. He goes through crushes, hatred, love, and pain in several ups and downs throughout the year or so that the story covers.
I have never known a kid that seems this messed up. He has family problems, friend issues, religious compunctions, and enough school issues to land him in detention for life. I often questioned his sanity and wondered if physiological intervention was needed. However, I cracked up at his antics and even remembered playing some of the games he loves (who can forget the weeks of waiting to see if the laser tag game was under the Christmas tree?). That was what made this book such a great read. I felt like I not only knew Chance, but I was part of his life. The descriptive language brought everything to life. From the packed movie theatre that would aggravate anyone, to the nail-biting basketball game, you feel as all five of your senses are engaged. I was with Chance life like a fly on the wall while he went through his day-to-day life. You didn't always like him, but that just contributed to making him feel even more real. Even though the Chance character was a little over the top (I really hope most thirteen-year-olds don't have SO many issues), you grew attached to him almost immediately and wanted him to pull through everything unscathed. Chance Murphy's life is like a rollercoaster ride that throws more then one curve ball and will make you think a lot about your own life. It brings situations alive that will make you question how you would feel and react, no matter what your age. Armchair Interviews says: Maybe you know a Chance Murphy in your life.
1.0 out of 5 stars
Waste of Time,
This review is from: Chance Murphy and the Battle of Morganville (Paperback)
Inane drivel. There is no significance, no plot, just an endless droning of common events in a young boys life.
There is a reason this book is selling for pennies on the dollar. It has very little value. Also notice that all previous reviews were made within 2 months of the 2007 publishing date. This is suspicious to say the least.
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