Review
For a fairly compact novel, Keith Lee Morris's third book
The Dart League
King certainly packs it all in. Morris anchors his narrative with a
creative divisional framework, each section told from the viewpoint of a
different character, which propels the reader forward and avoids letting him or
her get bogged down at any point. He also has a knack for informing his
audience in depth about the game of darts in a layman-friendly fashion, giving
the reader the chance to gain exposure to a little-documented subject without
overloading the logistics (the rule guide in the back of the book helps).
Morris, too, creates characters to truly invest in - the reader is intrigued by
the mysterious, brooding Tristan, feels sympathy for the genuine and kind yet
unfulfilled Brice and roots for the main man Russell every step of the way
despite his...
Beyond the Book
A Short History of Darts
The origin of the game of darts is lost in the mists of time. The game is
known to have been played since at least the Middle Ages in England, but it
seems likely that bored soldiers lounging around the campsite have probably been
throwing arrows at targets for much longer. In fact, it doesn't take much
imagination to trace the origins much further back - to the first day that one
of our distant ancestors picked up a stone and lobbed it at a passing meal and,
on missing, decided to hone his skills throwing at a target.
Early darts boards were probably whatever came to hand, with wine barrels being
popular, as the cork bung in the center provided a convenient target.
Later, cross-sections of tree trunks were used -...
