Fratire [Paperback]

Darren W. Bryce (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 19, 2008

If you live a life of extremes, it will always end with a crash, but sometimes the ride is worth it. This was the philosophy Darren Bryce and his friends lived by as wild young men who cared nothing about the consequences of tomorrow because all that mattered was today. Narrated through the eyes of an FSU college student, Fratire is the graphic memoir of a competitive party college town where who you know, where you work, and what you look like determines your social status. Bryce reveals it all: Greek Life, keggers, date rape, bar fights, racism, hazing, drug abuse, social pressures, wild sex, violent crime, steroids, and lewd drunken behavior. This is the true story of what really goes on at large college campuses in America, a behind-the-scenes no holds barred account of what happens beyond the closed doors of dorm rooms, frat houses, nightclubs, and the bedrooms of students. You will be shocked, you will be captivated, you will be appalled, but most of all, you will be entertained.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An honest blend of humor, violence, and drama."
--Michael Ferrari, Author of Assault on the Senses

"A soon-to-be classic. It's graphic and cuts to the core of some tough issues members of Greek Life face."
--Garnet and Black Magazine

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace (June 19, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1438243138
• ISBN-13: 978-1438243139
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #984,532 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Darren Bryce is a convicted felon who has traded the bars of a jail cell for the bars of a typewriter office. When he is not writing about his wild days as a promiscuous, steroid using, drug abusing, Machiavellian, bouncer fratboy with an attitude, he can usually be found watching interracial midget porno with his pet poodle Chiquita.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fratire Offers a Blunt, Boiled-down Take on One Facet of College Life, February 1, 2010

By 

Michael P. Ferrari "Author, 'Assault on the S... (Conshohocken, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fratire (Paperback)

You may not agree with what Darren Bryce and his friends did in college, but there is no book (other than mine, of course) that does a better job of putting you in the wild and crazy and just plain crude experiences of the modern college student. Whether it is fraternity life, club life, or sex life, Bryce did it all and tells it all from his unique perspective.

Fratire is a narrative memoir about Bryce and his random college adventures. I have to admit the central plot is a little unclear as Bryce bounces from one story to the next. With that being said, there are several continuous storylines and reoccurring themes which give this book direction and make you want to know what is going to happen next.

First and foremost among these is "The Scene," which is what Bryce calls the in-crowd of FSU that rules the bars, clubs, and gyms. Bryce starts out on the outside of this crowd, but seems to demonstrate a natural leadership among his boys and a desire to propel them to popularity. He does this with extreme behaviors that show both shrewdness and recklessness. For instance, Bryce and his crew are quick to throw punches and this does not occur without consequences. One of the underlying messages of Fratire seems to be that you have to be bold to make a name for yourself in the college town of Tallahassee. You also have to spend a lot of time worrying about what you look like in the mirror. Things like steroids, tanning beds, fighting, partying, seducing freshmen girls, and working at bars are the tickets to fame.

Darren's relationship with his girlfriend Allison is also a major storyline that accurately reflects the jealousies and sexual energy that give college relationships so much polarization. Allison is the type of girl to punch women who hit on her man which is probably why Bryce dates her, because girls like that are awesome! Allison is definitely a cool chick who gets along with his boys, but I see the writing on the wall that she will probably be tossed aside when Bryce achieves the popularity he wants.

Darren's relationship with his boys, especially Blake, Mickey, and Mitchell, is another central story thread that revolves around the normal alpha male pastimes like hitting the gym, talking about women, fighting at keg parties, and finding drugs when the town has gone dry. There are also fraternity chapters that deal with things like hazing.

The nightclub stories dominate the end of Fratire and I suspect will become more prevalent in the books ahead. Darren is a rookie bouncer who is learning what "The Scene" is really all about and you get the feeling that he is a quick learner who has the potential to become one of the big shot bouncers he admires like Seth. I look forward to reading about how Darren uses this position to propel himself to greater things.

I enjoyed Fratire. Darren is a promising new writer with potential. He knows how to takes the otherwise despicable behavior chronicled in this book and spin it into an honest blend of humor, violence, and drama. You will laugh about a lot of the fratire antics, but you'll also shake your head at some of the choices Darren and his friends make. I definitely recommend this book and look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Michael Ferrari
Assault on the Senses

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, June 2, 2009

By 

Jessica L (NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: College Life Extreme: Lies, Sex, Drugs And Violence (Paperback)

The good: I thought the writing was really good and the dialogue completely accurate. The plot was about young men trying to be "cool" and it was more intelligent than I thought it would be. Don't get me wrong. This is a book about guys behaving like the drunk jerks we hate to love, but the memoir component gives you a unique look into Bryce's head and shows you some of the insecurities that most guys try so hard to hide. I give Bryce much credit for opening up like this. Honesty about inadequacies and self-doubt is what makes memoirs like this so great.

The bad: I liked that it was a fun and fast read (4 days), but the book ends rather suddenly because there's a part two. I'm going to buy the next one which is probably why it's being sold as two books in the first place. To make more money. Jerks.

The ugly: Bryce and his friends (especially the bouncers) are manipulative guys who treat women like little more than sex objects. Yes, I know some women DO bring it upon themselves with the way they choose to act, but the rest of us don't deserve to be labeled "sluts" just because of the way some women act. There are also too many characters. There's a list at the end of the book with character bios, but I think the book would probably read better if the author had combined some of the minor characters into composite people.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Sexist and Violent, July 20, 2011

By 

Cara - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fratire (Paperback)

I wanted to read a book about college students with real goals and real struggles, but this book is about very shallow people who only care about popularity, looking good, and having sex. Just about every chapter I read had violence or sexism in it. None of the characters were what I would call admirable people. Yes, I made mistakes in college, but at least I look back on them with remorse. This book seems to say "Look at what I did, ain't I great?" Sorry, Bryce, there is nothing great about hurting people or yourself just to get ahead.