"The Pale Light of Sunset" by Lee Maynard. Vandalia Press. 328 pages. $23.95.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- My first reaction to Lee Maynard's newest book was bafflement. Maynard pens the life of an Appalachian boy from Southern West Virginia and his adventures around the continent. Along the way, there is fighting, incredible adventure, and near-death experiences.

The story loosely matches the author's life, but some stories seem too fantastic to be believed. Was it all really true?

I called Abby Freeland, WVU Press publicity agent extraordinaire. "We can't call it a memoir," she told me, probably channeling visions of James Frey's controversial "A Million Little Pieces."

"I call it autobiographical fiction."

In a podcast on WVU Press' Web site, Maynard acknowledges fictional aspects to the stories.

So cast out any visions of James Frey. Luckily, it shouldn't be too hard: "The Pale Light of Sunset" is quintessentially Lee Maynard. With its keen, confident voice, the book shows an author at the top of his game.

"The Pale Light of Sunset" by Lee Maynard. Vandalia Press. 328 pages. $23.95.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- My first reaction to Lee Maynard's newest book was bafflement. Maynard pens the life of an Appalachian boy from Southern West Virginia and his adventures around the continent. Along the way, there is fighting, incredible adventure, and near-death experiences.

The story loosely matches the author's life, but some stories seem too fantastic to be believed. Was it all really true?

I called Abby Freeland, WVU Press publicity agent extraordinaire. "We can't call it a memoir," she told me, probably channeling visions of James Frey's controversial "A Million Little Pieces."

"I call it autobiographical fiction."

In a podcast on WVU Press' Web site, Maynard acknowledges fictional aspects to the stories.

So cast out any visions of James Frey. Luckily, it shouldn't be too hard: "The Pale Light of Sunset" is quintessentially Lee Maynard. With its keen, confident voice, the book shows an author at the top of his game.

Maynard is best known for "Crum," a coming-of-age story set in Wayne County. Tamarack banned it because of its crude language; Publishers Weekly remarked that the book "will only appeal to readers with sophomoric tastes." Needless to say, readers loved it. "Crum" has achieved cult status throughout the country. A follow-up, "Screaming with the Cannibals," brought added acclaim.

True to form, this tome begins in West Virginia. An early entry has Maynard reflecting on his grandmother's home and then returning there later in life. Much has changed in the interval: "My grandmother a long way gone, I find the house gone, too. There is nothing but a shallow imprint upon the earth, faintly marking where the house once stood. There is no garage, no shed, no chicken coop, no vegetable garden."

Still, "Pale Light of Sunset" is not so much a sappy reflection of time lost, but a celebration of a life lived. Though the book begins in West Virginia, Maynard soon leaves the Mountain State for adventures in the West.

In short order, great adventures ensue. The best include a wild trip on the Pacific Coast, hunting on an old German man's farm and a motorcycle trip to the Arctic Circle. The chapters are generally short snapshot images of each experience. Except for the occasional misstep (a piece on Mr. Lujan's store in New Mexico comes to mind), the book continually entertains.

Maynard's newest release is unlikely to shock readers like "Crum" did, but this book too has occasional coarse moments. Here, the narrator has sex, consumes lots of alcohol and displays an eagerness to use his fists to solve problems. Even these moments have undercurrents of tenderness, however. This is a more mature, reflective author (or however mature Lee Maynard can be).

In the end, it doesn't matter all that much whether the book is fact or fiction. "The Pale Light of Sunset" is a great story written by a sharp, homegrown author. That should be reason enough to take it home.

Cody Corliss, a Wetzel County native, regularly reviews books for the Sunday Gazette-Mail.