RIPPLES <i> by William Elliot Hazelgrove (Pantonne Press: $5.95).</i>

Young males in contemporary novels seem to be perennially coming of age without ever arriving at it--as if adolescence were a burden they had to push along throughout their lives, like Sisyphus’ rock. “Ripples” centers on the naive Brenton Heathersfield, who comes to Ocean City with his old prep school buddy, Christian, for one last summer of fun before entering college. There he encounters Duke and King, two failed bigshots who serve as father figures manques ; an epileptic teen-ager; any number of symbolic rainstorms and a gorgeous blonde heiress. Christian, who might as well have “Sacrificial Victim” written across his bronzed chest, dies in a damnfool stunt that’s supposed to demonstrate both his bravado and lack of commitment to life. His death leaves Brenton empowered, secure in the knowledge that he, too, can dare and succeed--but it leaves reader longing for a less ham-handed novel.