Even though this selection of Olympics-themed books vastly differs from one another, we did notice a trend.
Here's a shocker: the ends are all insanely inspirational.
Whether it's because the books chronicle a triumph over some tragedy or obstacle, or whether its subjects are looking towards a bright(er) future, they all end on a high note.
Seeing as these books mostly follow hugely successful athletes, that's not too surprising. They're writing the book because they've triumphed, after all. Even Lopez Lomong, one of the most memorable athletes in our anthology, might not have medaled at the Olympics (yet), but he overcame more hardships than all the other athletes combined. And he went on to start a wonderful international non-profit that has helped countless boys from Sudan.
The only book that doesn't really follow this trend is Vengeance. After being promised a lifetime of financial security after doing some really morally questionable actions in the name of his country, Avner's abandoned by his agency, and all of his money is confiscated.
He's left in the wind after a lifetime of total dedication, and so he feels cheated and swindled. But it's important to note that of all our books, Vengeance is the least of the "Olympic" stories. It's about tragic events that occurred at the Olympics, but more about everything that followed the terrorist actions of Black September. So it's not too surprising that it's doesn't end on a "if you just work hard, you too can triumph" sort of message.