What Goes Around: A Novel of Power, Love and War [Mass Market Paperback]

David O'Neal (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 20, 1998

A novel of power, love and war that asks the question, "Do law-abiding people kill?"

If so, what might be the reasonthe heat of passion, revenge, survival, blood lust? The ultimate list is sweeping, but for Doug Carlson it is emotional and painful, challenging the foundation of his humanity.

Dougs life is drifting, but after meeting Mr. C it will never be the same. The Mobs relentless pursuit spews a path of death and destruction leading directly to him. Forced to defend himself, he faces a past he sought to hide even from himself.

Throughout the ruthless assault Catherines strength, tenacity, courage and undying love comfort him. As violence escalates, Doug finally acknowledges the joy of their relationship; but is it too late? Will his past sabotage their future, as they become casualties in the war on the bloody streets of Los Angeles?

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 252 pages
• Publisher: Pacific Coast Press (March 20, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966085108
• ISBN-13: 978-0966085105
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,975,746 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I began writing when I was eight years old. Back then, I could barely print and hardly make sentences, but I knew what they meant, and I may have been the only one. A lot has happened since then.

Writing professionally began in the summer of 1994. By the first week of December, I had the first draft of my first novel. Those were happy days. That was the dream of so many people, to write a novel, and I had done it. Little did I know the toughest work of all was just beginning, the rewrites.

Fourteen rewrites and over three years were needed to finally get it published. That happened in early 1998. It got easier from there. At first, I was doing what became known as "The Dying Game Trilogy".

A few years later, when a fourth one was published, that idea got dropped. Today, those four novels are called "The Doug Carlson Thriller Series". All four mass-market paperback novels have been available on Amazon from the very beginning and also available through most major bookstores. Starting in late 2009, each one was released as a Kindle Edition and updated by the author as a second edition.

Currently, David has a number of writing projects in-progress. The one closest to a publication date is entitled, "Jessica and the Four Secrets", and it was completed in April, 2010 as a screenplay. It's completion as a novel is still pending with a flexible release date.

Here's the log-line for the movie version: "With two sorcerers, a 10-year-old girl leaps into a medieval battle, where even using magic, everyone has to fight." It's a story involving an unusual adult world of war as seen and experienced through the eyes of innocence.

Early discussions of this work brought up many questions. Particularly, is this anything like "Harry Potter"? Absolutely not! It's a very different kind of story with a uniquely different experience for readers and for the viewing audience.

Update 05-14-2011: Part Two of Jessica's ongoing story is now in development. The working title is "Jessica and the Medicine Woman".

As Jessica continues learning the practice of magic from Jules and Sal, an incredible accident happens; she is lost somewhere in time. While both sorcerers scramble to find her, back in the present, they become suspects in her disappearance, and a parallel story involving her family explodes into a frantic race against time to locate their abducted 11 year old daughter.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What can possibly happen next?, May 20, 2011

By 

Patti - See all my reviews

This review is from: What Goes Around: a novel of power, love, and war (The Doug Carlson Thriller Series) (Kindle Edition)

Once I started this story, I was hooked. I keep thinking, "What can possibly happen next to this guy?" The main character, Doug Carlson, is a male version of the "Unsinkable Molly Brown" because whatever life throws at him, he just keeps on ticking. The ending was a total shocker and I plan to read the next story in the series to find out what happens next.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First of the Series, an Action-Packed Thriller, October 21, 2005

By 

Cąt MacGhriogair - See all my reviews

This review is from: What Goes Around: A Novel of Power, Love and War (Mass Market Paperback)

"What Goes Around" starts off fast-paced and absorbing, and ends with a bang! David O'Neal's first book of power, love and war in this progressive series of four, won't disappoint. An action novel that also delves into relevant social and ethical issues, O'Neal uses his experience as an ex-marine to create this tightly-written drama about how an ordinary man can get caught up in circumstances beyond his control. The decisions that the protagonist, Doug Carlson, uses to cope with Mob aggression and control in the gambling lifestyle of Nevada are colored by writer O'Neal's unique insights into the warrior mentality from his military service in the Vietnam jungles. This series, which includes "The Pact With Bruno," "Choosing to Kill," and "Fool Me Twice," illustrates how possibly this "jungle" could inadvertently creep into our own backyards. I read all four novels back-to-back, and found them hard to put down. Very good reads!

5.0 out of 5 stars Hard hitting action, June 2, 2001

By 

Jonathan R. Price (Albuquerque, NM USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: What Goes Around: A Novel of Power, Love and War (Mass Market Paperback)

Great plot, interesting characters, and a fascinating perspective on American life--then and now. The then, for O'Neal, is the Vietnam war. Now is the culture of contemporary California and Nevada--rich, violent, out of control. Battles with the Mob in the present alternate with intense flashbacks to combat, surfacing the confusion, grief, and rage, as well as the skills needed to overcome the guerilla attacks by made guys and their henchmen. It's jarheads vs The Sopranos, and the Marine Corps wins--by a whisker.