Well, it's the start of another week! I hope you all enjoyed your weekend and were able to do something fun! Today we are going to look at a story by one of our Hosted Authors who have been with the site since 2005! Mark Arbour! During that time he has posted 25 stories, including the very popular CAP saga! Today though, we are going to look at the short story he shared with us for the 2010 Spring Anthology: I'd Never Do That!

Reviewer: Renee Stevens
Status: Complete
Word Count: 6,567

Like I’m sure many of us at GA do, when I hear the name Mark Arbour I think Chronicles of an Academic Predator (CAP). I wanted to take a look at what else he has written and finally decided on Wars End. I knew how popular his longer stories were; I wanted to see what he could do with a short story, and I can definitely say that I wasn’t disappointed in the least.

When the story starts we find ourselves in Paris near the end of World War I where we get our first introduction to Gabriel, a soldier who was injured during the war and now earns his living as a bank teller. His thoughts are on anything but his job as he recalls a man named Jack that he had met earlier in the war. There is so much he wants to know, so much that he wants to say, but above all, he just wants to know if Jack has survived.

As this story progressed I got a look into Gabriel’s thoughts and feelings. Despite the length, or maybe because of it, I really felt as though I got to know him. I found myself cringing as he was forced to deal with advances he didn’t want. I found myself smiling as he talked about his time with Jack. I even found myself with tears in my eyes as I felt as though I was there with him in his moments of despair.

This story took me on an emotional roller coaster ride, but I wouldn’t have changed anything in it. I think Wars End showcased Mark’s ability to pull the reader into his story and make the reader really care about the characters. It’s amazing how much I empathized with the characters in such a short time, and while this story could easily have been longer, I think Mark did a wonderful job with keeping things moving without rushing them. As much as I would have liked to read more, I have to admit it was the perfect length for the story it told.

If you haven’t already read Wars End by Mark, I strongly suggest that you go check it out. If you enjoy it, why not leave him a review to let him know how much you appreciate the work he puts into his stories!

If you liked this review, why not check out the story and leave Mark a review!!! Enjoy!!