The Rifle
ISBN 0-440-21920-5 | |
The Rifle is a 1995 novel by American writer
Plot
The novel begins prior to the American Revolution. A gunsmith named Cornish McManus, inspired by a piece of maple stock, crafts a rifle which turns out to be exceedingly accurate. Later, McManus is forced to sell the rifle, which comes into the ownership of a soldier in the Revolution named John Byam. After Byam's death, the rifle passes to a woman named Sarah, who stores it in an attic, where it is forgotten. The rifle passes through several owners, being lost, rediscovered, and sold as an antique. It ultimately comes to rest on the mantle of a mechanic named Harv Kline. Unbeknownst to its owner, the rifle is loaded, and the gunpowder is inadvertently ignited by a stray spark. The rifle discharges, killing the 14-year-old son of a neighbor.[1]
Reception
Kirkus Reviews described the novel as being "as shattering as the awful events it depicts", while holding appeal for readers on both sides of the gun control debate.[3]
References
- ^ ISBN 0-440-21920-5.
- ^ ""The Rifle," by Gary Paulson". Inkweaver Review. Retrieved 2009-11-16.
- ^ "The Rifle". Kirkus Reviews. September 1, 1995. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
External links