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Ben Wyckoff Shore is the author of the historical fiction novel Terribilta, his first published work. Ben enjoys reading and writing about very flawed, very human characters and stories about rebellion and self-sacrifice. He likes all sorts of dogs but especially underdogs. Ben lives in Queens, NY with his wife Mariana. Ben has a B.A. from Tufts University and a Masters from Dartmouth College.
Reviewed by Joel R. Dennstedt for Readers' Favorite
Some authors possess a very subtle but potent knack for continuously compelling their reader’s attention, a talent for plotting and presence that makes the avid reader almost unwittingly keep turning pages. Most assuredly, author Ben Wyckoff Shore possesses this particular knack, and his desperately good historical novel, Terribilita, demonstrates an invaluable storytelling talent right from the start. Undercurrents of passionately deep emotion underlie the almost matter-of-fact narration of an old Italian family, the Ferrandos, whose patriarchal head, an instantly impressive old war hero, proves his outsized worth way too early, then is gone; whose son, a fiery and impulsive heir, is eager to prove himself equal to the family name; and whose own son, a more sensitive creative type, has obediently gone off to sea for self-protection and to learn about the world.
It bears repeating: Ben Wyckoff Shore demonstrates impeccable storytelling skills in this perfectly-paced novel, Terribilita. These are in addition to his writing skills, which reflect a similar if more technically-based attention to detail. Plotting, pacing, timing, and organization of the storyline are flawless. Informative passages never detract from the story. Dialogue is pitch-perfect. Such observations, however, miss a much larger and more important point: Shore has told a most wonderfully engaging, powerfully propelled tale about family and romantic love, with bold adventures both on sea and land, during absolutely fascinating times, and in thoroughly exotic places. Including deftly inserted moments of understated but highly appreciated humorous relief. A story compelling enough to keep one turning the pages. What more pleasure could a reader want, except maybe a few more pages?
