There is the sense, at the beginning of The Samaritan, that maybe you've heard this story before. Dale Sampson is an awkward adolescent, striking out with girls and living in the shadow of his talented, charismatic best friend. Dale struggles with an absent father and sick mother while Mack brags about his latest female conquests and dominates on the baseball field. Though this may feel familiar, Fred Venturini doesn't stay on predictable ground for long. A violent tragedy not only changes the course Dale and Mack had set for themselves, it also reveals that, finally, Dale Sampson can do something no one else can do.

Dale Sampson can regrow lost body parts.

It's at this point in The Samaritan that it is probably best to give up trying to define the genre of the novel. It's not exactly a coming of age story and it doesn't belong entirely to the realm of science fiction. Despite discovering a seemingly miraculous ability, Dale's life continues to be marked by loss and hardship. It is not until a chance encounter with the twin sister of the high school girl he was almost able to love does he find the purpose that will drive him back to his best friend and west toward the lights of Hollywood.

Fred Venturini writes in a crisp and often brutally honest style, sparing few details even in the most graphic and violent scenes. But beneath the often gritty exterior the characters present is a story about friendship, vulnerability and the way every dream changes as we grow older. The Samaritan is one of the first books to come from St. Louis publisher Blank Slate Press. If this novel is any indication, we have a lot to look forward to from both author and publishers.

Next week we'll be talking to Fred Venturini about sports and first novels. Watch for the interview, here!