Reviewed by Richard

As usual, R.W. Mercer has spun another delightful tale with Texas flare and simple human warmth. "Odell" is an uncomplicated tale of a group of friends who come together to help an old friend. The narration is first person and this person is quite a character. The author makes great use of small details, without burdening the reader, to create a warm, believable atmosphere. His characters are so real that you could almost reach out and touch them. The language, although unconventional, is rich and colorful.

I would have liked to have seen more of the character the story is named for. Interestingly, though the story was about this person, I didn�t get much of a feel for who he was as all information about him came through the narrator. Still, there was enough there to make the story credible.

The narration is done with a Texan twang and that is challenging in places. I must give the author credit here, because this could easily become a sloppy mess and it is anything but that. The narration gives the story a texture that is truly unique and only adds to the charm of this story. Writing in a local dialect is difficult and Mercer is getting to be very good at it.

This story is a fun read and I recommend that you take your time to savor every word.