The GOAT

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I'm a longtime fan of Roger L. Simon's novels following the exploits of onetime private eye Moses Wine. But this one is outside that series. It's also self-published. Both Kindle and hardcover versions are available for a cheap $3.55 at Amazon, Kindle link at your right.

It's the story of 70-something Dan Gelber, who, as the book opens, painfully collapses while he's playing tennis in an oldsters competition. Back surgery is recommended, but that apparently goes painfully wrong, leaving him in perpetual agony. Worse, his prostate is sending up big red warning flags.

A tip from a chatty Asian cleaning lady sens Dan to a mini-mall in Reseda, where he meets up with a Nepalese quack with a supply of rare herbs that promises to be a cure-all. To Dan's surprise, it also turns out to be a fountain of youth, de-aging him. For obscure reasons, he decides to fake his own death in the Himalayas, returning to civilization as Jay Reynolds. And decides to use his youthful powers to become a tennis pro, snag a beautiful mate, acquire untold riches,…

There's a concious parallel to the Faust legend going on here. Unfortunately, that's a literary thread I've managed to avoid over the years, so I don't know how faithfully Mr. Simon adheres to that yarn. Suffice it to say that all doesn't go smoothly for Dan.


Last Modified 2024-01-23 2:06 PM EDT