The Red Gate

General Fiction

By Richard Sutton

Publisher : CreateSpace

ABOUT Richard Sutton

Richard Sutton
From San Rafael, California on a windy January in 1952, I've taken quite a few steps. Some confidently, and some very tentative, but they've got me this far.  My father told me how to walk in the woods when I was about 6, how to pilot a boat when I was 8, bought me a Kay guitar when I was More...

Description

A damp day on the wild Co. Mayo coast in late Summer, 1911. A bored Irish shepherd falls into a terrifying, pasture sink-hole. As his father finally pulls him to safety, he finds an ancient artifact has come up in his muddy sleeve. That artifact and subsequent discovery unleashes a growing threat and reveals an archaic promise that changes them and everything in their simple lives forever.  What will become of their home and its hidden legacy? What will become of their sheep?

For some people, finding a course in life comes later than you might expect, or through pressures and changes you haven't planned for. The main character, Finn O'Deirg, finds himself oddly unsuited for the life he leads, and longs for more fulfillment. The traditional life isn't as comforting as he thought it would be. Be careful what you wish for, Finn. Sometimes the most obvious clues are right beneath your feet, the very last place you'd expect to find something important. Maybe even something that could change the world.

"The Red Gate is hard to lay down. A thoroughly intriguing story and character line. Richard Sutton's unique personal style introducing different characters and situations, smoothly ties in the various threads and guides the story to unexpected conclusions. Whether from close research and study or from personal observation, Mr. Sutton has captured the Irish weather and the experience of muddy rutted roads in a skillful and authentic manner. His descriptions of the people and places are complete and accurate without being overdone. There is a subtle romantic thread running through the book; so understated in fact that the reader is unsure whether to take it seriously. Did they get together or not? . . . I'm not telling. A very enjoyable read. I am looking forward to the sequel."

Jarrel R. Jackson