More Reviews for Robert W
Praise for PROSPECTS
Bill Bushnell,
CentralMaine.com
Mining for gemstones and minerals began in Maine 200 years ago, driven by dreams of great wealth hidden beneath the earth’s surface. Mining has always been risky, dangerous and economically unpredictable, especially as portrayed in Robert Spencer’s novel “Prospects.” Spencer lives in Waterford and this is his second novel, following “The Spinster’s Hope Chest.” This is an ambitious, complex novel covering the years 1896-1903, split between the mining history of Oxford County and the Victorian-era, soap-opera dramas of working-class families. The story combines mining history, business deals, family relationships, courtship, romance, tragedy, deceit, heartache, suspense and even murder, providing an exciting tale. Spencer also uses clever foreshadowing, so readers must pay attention to catch clues to what might happen next. Canadian miner Clarence Potter shows up in Maine in 1896, full of ideas for getting rich mining for gemstones and rare earth minerals. He is hired to mine for feldspar, mica, quartz and tourmaline, and enjoys some success. But Potter is an enigma, something about him just doesn’t seem right. He is a widower with three children, looking for a new wife, and settles on 20-year-old Lottie, a young woman swept off her feet by this worldly man’s attentions. An abrupt elopement and wedding sets off a bitterly contentious family drama with unpleasant results. Meanwhile, Aphia Stevens, a supposed widow, is nuts, threatening neighbors and a former rival for her husband’s hand. Her farm abuts one of Potter’s mines and escalating trouble ensues, including an accidental shooting death and suspicions of multiple murder. Spencer’s portrayal of southern Maine’s pegmatite mining history is fascinating — the business of mining, investing, financing, products and the frequent risk of failure. The ending, however, is sudden and surprising, capping an entertaining family and business saga.
True Page Turners
M.K.Donovan
Charlestown, MA & Mount Desert Island, Maine
Spencer draws his readers into the story’s space, grounding them in the place and time of the narrative. Lizzie Millett, strong protagonist of the first novel, The Spinster’s Hope Chest and the second PROSPECTS, Mining Maine for Riches, is a character I can identify with, nearly befriend. In this third novel of the Lizzie Millett Series Francena Hallett’s Heart, she shows her family and friends how to face evil bravely. These books are wonderful in a singular style. True page turners.
Another Beautifully Written Story
Susan Clout, author of The Six Week Road Trip
Spencer has given us another beautifully written story about life in rural Maine in the late 1800s. PROSPECTS takes the reader through the life of a poor Canadian miner hoping to strike it rich in the western hills. It doesn’t take long for the reader to become immersed in the lives of all the quirky characters in Clarence Potter’s life. The author has done a remarkable job setting scenes and writing dialogue that allows his readers to truly understand what life could have been like back then.
Your Characters Are So Real
Laurie Corron, a reader
Last fall I ran into you at the Fryeburg Fair where you were selling your books. I bought all three and was excited about seeing what they were all about. Yet, they wound up on my bookshelf, and life chugged along at its busy pace. Then, the last few weeks happened in our country and I find myself barely able to keep my bearings. Seems I have taken to reading to distract my mind. About four days ago I went to the bookshelf and pulled off all three books. I started reading The Spinster’s Hope Chest and almost finished it in one sitting. I did bring it with me when I went grocery shopping and finished it in the Hannaford’s parking lot. The following day I started in on Prospects. Again, I became engrossed in the world of the Millett sisters and their families. This book took me maybe two sittings, over as many days. I was totally surprised and loved the ending. So, I could not wait to get to Francena Hallett’s Heart. I also read it in two sittings. I LOVED the trilogy. It was so awesome to see this intertwined group of people deal with life’s ups and downs over several generations. Your characters are so real, especially the women. I cherished the bonds they made with each other, the men in their lives, and their children. I felt as though I knew them. They were all strong, and loving, and talented, and capable. But you also write great male characters. Clarence Potter is a wonderful example. Nathan Hallett is another. Finally, your stories are interesting and have just enough history tied to them to make them both relevant and impactful. I appreciate how subtly you use foreshadowing. I am very fond of foreshadowing and so I am on the lookout for any indication of foreshadowing. But yours is so subtle I found myself wondering if it was foreshadowing or not. Many times, my instincts were right, and yet you often surprised me with some plot twists. Finally, I thank you for taking me away. You took me to a different time. A time where life and death challenges were faced by strong and principled people. A time that showed me that good people celebrated their joys and got over their tragedies to continue to live on.
Exemplifies the Spirit of Small Village Maine
Tom Buckley, Milton, MA; reader
Bob exemplifies the spirit of small village Maine in his writing. A great storyteller of how life used to be. Just when you thought you knew about Maine, Bob has found another intriguing twist.