The novel tells the story of Bolivar Collins, a character caught in the crossfire of political upheaval and criminal enterprise.
Marlon Fick, Associate Professor in the Department of Literature and Language and Department of English at The University of Texas Permian Basin, has published a new novel titled Rhapsody in a Circle, a powerful work that blends real-life experience with fiction.
Fick, who has been teaching at UTPB for about six years, says the heart of his work in the classroom is the students.
“They’re eager to learn and it’s an honor to facilitate that,” he said.
Originally from Kansas, Fick has brought a global perspective to his teaching, a perspective that also fuels the narrative of his latest book.
“The story is half biographical,” Fick said. “I really did work as a consultant to the Commission for Higher Education in Pakistan, and that position—given the war going on with the Taliban—did put me in harm’s way. It was a unique opportunity to address global challenges and to situate my own ethics in relation to these challenges.”
The novel tells the story of Bolivar Collins—also known as Francisco Barranca and Robert Segovia—a character caught in the crossfire of political upheaval and criminal enterprise.
Author Melissa Studdard, in her summary of the novel, wrote: “Everything about Rhapsody in a Circle is extraordinary: from the lyrical, crystalline prose, to the vivid and eccentric cast of characters, to the very situation in which Bolivar Collins… finds himself. Amidst a fervent political landscape of clashing ideologies, Collins is trapped between the jaws of an elaborate transnational drug cartel and pulled into a surreal and often terrifying journey in which his mettle, stamina, and exceptional intelligence are repeatedly tested against the greed and inhumanity of others, ultimately demonstrating that it is possible, even in the most dire of circumstances, not only to survive, but to retain empathy, hope, and goodwill as well.”
Fick added that much of the novel’s setting also draws on his experience in Mexico.
“Half the book takes place in northern and central Mexico, so you may also want to refer to Pura López Colomé’s endorsement on the back of the book,” he said.
Rhapsody in a Circle is available through Guernica Editions, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and other major booksellers.
Fick, who has been teaching at UTPB for about six years, says the heart of his work in the classroom is the students.
“They’re eager to learn and it’s an honor to facilitate that,” he said.
Originally from Kansas, Fick has brought a global perspective to his teaching, a perspective that also fuels the narrative of his latest book.
“The story is half biographical,” Fick said. “I really did work as a consultant to the Commission for Higher Education in Pakistan, and that position—given the war going on with the Taliban—did put me in harm’s way. It was a unique opportunity to address global challenges and to situate my own ethics in relation to these challenges.” The novel tells the story of Bolivar Collins—also known as Francisco Barranca and Robert Segovia—a character caught in the crossfire of political upheaval and criminal enterprise.
Author Melissa Studdard, in her summary of the novel, wrote: “Everything about Rhapsody in a Circle is extraordinary: from the lyrical, crystalline prose, to the vivid and eccentric cast of characters, to the very situation in which Bolivar Collins… finds himself. Amidst a fervent political landscape of clashing ideologies, Collins is trapped between the jaws of an elaborate transnational drug cartel and pulled into a surreal and often terrifying journey in which his mettle, stamina, and exceptional intelligence are repeatedly tested against the greed and inhumanity of others, ultimately demonstrating that it is possible, even in the most dire of circumstances, not only to survive, but to retain empathy, hope, and goodwill as well.”
Fick added that much of the novel’s setting also draws on his experience in Mexico.
“Half the book takes place in northern and central Mexico, so you may also want to refer to Pura López Colomé’s endorsement on the back of the book,” he said.
Rhapsody in a Circle is available through Guernica Editions, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and other major booksellers.
