Reviews
Here are are a couple of reviews from some actual readers, plus a couple of cuts from a professional reviewer-type person.
From Amazon
"I enjoyed this book. It’s clever, witty, and at times genuinely laugh-out-loud funny. The writing is sharp and intelligent, with humour that ranges from subtle to wonderfully absurd. What really connected for me was how familiar it all felt. I grew up in Scarborough / Toronto in the ’70s and early 80s and played hockey all my life, including recreational hockey as an adult, so many of the references and moments resonated. Overall, this is a very enjoyable read — especially for anyone who has spent time in a rink or around the game".
— KM, Ottawa
"It is clear that being a beer league defenseman takes a toll on one's grasp on reality - and on recognizing who really is at fault when the opposition scores, or even when your own team scores. When popes, extra-terrestrials and your least favourite politicians are seemingly implicated in games, it encourages one to read on - to find out what the hell is happening. Jeff McCartney writes a very read-able and engaging tale of the mundanity of seniors hockey and what it inspires in one's mind. I liked it".
— PN, Toronto
From The Society for International Hockey Research
In January I was interviewed by Greg Oliver of SIHR for his blog about hockey writing. Greg is an author with several sports books published. Greg reviews hockey books and interviews authors on his blog Two Minutes for Reading So Good. So what did he think?
"My notes while reading The Rise and Fall of the Black Aces Hockey Club have phrases like 'oddly compelling', 'strange' and 'unique' ".
Ok, I'll take that. But wait, there's more.
"The Rise and Fall of the Black Aces Hockey Club: Vol. 1: True Tales of Rec Hockey Greatness simply has to be read to be, hmm, not believed, since there’s a lot of silliness, but to be appreciated".
From the Aces themselves
"I’ve almost finished your book, and it’s unbelievably funny… I’ve been caught laughing out loud on the subway with people giving me dirty looks!"
— JP, actual Black Aces player
Have you read it yet? Send your comments and if you approve I can include them here.