The Soccer Field Is Empty [Paperback]

Mark Roeder (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 16, 2002

The Soccer Field Is Empty is the story of teen love, steamy romance, friendship, loyalty, understanding, and ancient prejudice. Here is a tale that breaks the stereotypes of the ignorant and peers into the soul of two boys who want what we all want; to love and be loved. The story of Mark and Taylor, two sixteen-year-old high school athletes, is a tale of love and happiness torn asunder by a world that understands too late.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

"The Soccer Field Is Empty" is the first novel in the "Gay Youth Chronicles", written by Mark A. Roeder. Information on his current and upcoming books can be found at markroeder.com. Those wishing to contact him may reach him at [e-mail].

Product Details

• Paperback: 396 pages
• Publisher: Writers Club Press (April 16, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595225101
• ISBN-13: 978-0595225101
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #851,538 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #67 in Books > Gay & Lesbian > Nonfiction > Coming Out

More About the Author

Mark A. Roeder currently resides in Bloomington, Indiana and is a full-time writer of novels, columns, and articles. He has published over two dozen novels to date.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Heart and gut wrenching, but it's CRITICAL you read it, November 26, 2002

By 

Douglas Kendrick (Valencia, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Soccer Field Is Empty (Paperback)

You'll think I'm nuts, but tears are welling up in my eyes and I'm trembling even as I write this review, thinking of the emotion and feelings that The Soccer Field Is Empty filled me with. It is without reservation the most powerful book of gay fiction I've ever read and its story has changed me forever.

The novel opens with a flashback and the first lines from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet: "In fair Verona where we lay our scene..." This sets the entire tone for what turns out to be a modern-day interpretation of that tragedy-but for two boys in midwestern Verona, Indiana and not the ancient Italian town. It sets that specter of tragic inevitability in the reader's mind.

The story is incredibly moving and incredibly complex. We view the lives of these two boys-Mark and Taylor-through their own eyes in the form of a sort of ping-pong, back and forth between their journal entries. From their shy beginnings, through their happiness, their sorrow, their desperation and finally, their end. Roeder has weaved it all together into a constantly moving, roller-coaster ride of a story. I continue to marvel at how my emotions were torn back and forth, back and forth until I was almost left a wreck. I've never before read ANYTHING that at one point had me sobbing uncontrollably, inconsolably for over 20 minutes. That may sound alarming-and believe me, it was at the time-but I wouldn't trade the experience or this story for ANYTHING. The very fact that Mark Roeder could DO this to me is nothing less than miraculous and a testament to his prowess and God-given talent as a storyteller. I'm almost PLEADING with you to read this book.

In the end, the story serves as an incredible cautionary tale of what might happen when those "ancient prejudices" lead to tragedy. This book would be of so much value to anyone who can read it with an open heart and spirit; who would then take a chance at thinking about what LOVE really and truly is. One could only hope and pray that homophobes, gay bashers and even simply the ignorant or mis-informed could see the truth of what love can mean and what evil could come from their own thoughts and actions (or inactions)-and at the very least, just leave gay boys alone. God, if only that could happen and if only the story of this novel would never have to be mirrored in real life...

The Soccer Field is Empty is the kick-off of Roeder's Gay Youth Chronicles saga (it's actually an expanded and reworked edition of his earlier novel, Ancient Prejudice, Break to New Mutiny which only tells the story from one side). If you read this book first, you're on the right track. I think part of my emotional turmoil in reading this novel was the fact that I'd actually read Roeder's third novel, A Better Place, first-and it contained several "spoilers" which made Soccer Field very tough indeed. Please, PLEASE continue reading his books-they are amazing, and each has a different but important or even simply entertaining story to tell. I promise you that you'll not be disappointed. (See my review of A Better Place and others as I post them.)

The complete Gay Youth Chronicles series of six volumes (The Soccer Field is Empty, Someone is Watching, A Better Place, Someone is Killing the Gay Boys of Verona, Keeper of Secrets, and Do You Know That I Love You?) has provided the most enjoyable fictional world for me of anything I've ever read-the eternal saga of Verona, Indiana. I would wholeheartedly suggest you purchase and read ALL of them, and in the above order.

To the Author: Thank you for the lives of Mark and Tay. May their story be one that lives in my heart and the heart of your readers forever. May it be a story that changes the world...

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Soccerfield Is GREAT, May 31, 2005

By 

Brian S. Johnson "Mark Roeder Fan" (Tampa, Fl.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Soccer Field Is Empty (Paperback)

I was told om Mark's books, and I didn't start with The Soccerfield Is Empty. But when I read it, I enjoyed it thoroughly. Both characters Mark and Taylor are well writen, Mark A Roeder does a excellent job with both characters. I highly recommend his books to straight boys/Men, I am straight and I like his books I read so far. Start with The Soccerfield Is Empty, and read his books in chronological order.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Better Book than a Better Place...and more, April 27, 2003

By 

Frank Berkeley (Windermere, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Soccer Field Is Empty (Paperback)

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.