A PUNY MAN by Henley Hornbrook shows a multi-faceted author when at his best.
The story revolves around Puny, an abused little boy growing in a small town setting. One on the first things we notice about Puny is his ability and courage to adapt and survive, no small thing considering his home environment. The second is his capacity for love and compassion.
When the one living thing he loves is taken brutally away from him, he finds himself entering an alien world both physically and metaphorically. Starved for love, he quickly adapts to being a “pet†of intergalactic beings, real estate agents if you will, who have landed on earth, to sell earth to the highest bidder.
They have a plan for Puny, who grows up in this alien environment. Thriving on encouragement and praise, Puny quickly learns and wants to please his new caretakers.
He grows into a young man and is sent out into the world for an education to help further the plans of his alien foster family.
Out in the world, Puny falls in love, but unfortunately with disastrous consequences for him and others. Under the advice of his foster family, Puny lives in relative isolation finishing his education at the top of his class.
Puny then enters into the world of corporate business, becoming a shrewd lawyer, encountering success after success, marked for fame and accolades.
When his foster family contact Puny to fulfill his debt to them, he is more than ready.
But Puny learns that all things have a price, and is he willing to pay that price?
An in depth and interesting read with many twists and turns in young Puny's life. Enjoyable, satisfying and surprising!