Fracking King (Browning)

Book Reviews
[A] playful debut about a serious subject: fracking.... Browning effortlessly translates his passion for environmental change into a rousing, witty, and enlightening tale of outsiders and Scrabble. That the author gets his environmental message across without sidetracking Win’s journey is a testament to his ability as a storyteller.
Publishers Weekly


In his whimsical first novel, Browning puts [his environmental] background to good use by satirizing fracking’s environmental hazards while recounting the story of precocious teenager and Scrabble fanatic Winston Win Crwth.... Browning’s clever and engaging debut, with its young Scrabble champion turned unlikely environmental advocate and timely ecological theme, is a funny and thought-provoking tale. —Carl Hays
Booklist


Probably the first novel to bring together the disparate elements of hydraulic fracturing, a struggling boarding school and tournament Scrabble.... The villains of the piece, such as they are, are the members of the Dark family..., which owns a gas and oil company that has tried to cover up the dangers of fracking.... The novel is fine as long as we’re attuned to the quirky characters, but the action remains rather precious and contrived. 
Kirkus Reviews