Ralph Compton Trail to Cottonwood Falls (Ralph Compton Western Series)

Having finished a book that was very very hard to put down, I find myself anxiously awaiting Phillips' next effort while simultaneously seeking out his previous two novels, which as I understand were set in 20th-century Wichita.

Phillips has a gifted eye for the absurd (which occasionally veers into the realm of the obscene, so be warned) accompanied by a talent for good dialogue. There were several times where I literally had to struggle not laugh out loud (the baby had just fallen asleep, after all), and I often found myself repeatedly reading passages to my wife so that she too could appreciate one ludicrous scene after another. It was great fun.

The novel can get dark at times, and is often downright gruesome, but for the most part it is ribald Western satire featuring a very interesting protagonist & narrator, Bill Ogden, who is wonderfully amoral --- for the most part, until the chips are down --- and irreverent. Circumstances of his own doing (and some beyond his control) come to pass which force Ogden to flee Cottonwood for almost 20 years as a much-maligned individual, until other events come to pass that induce him to return to the scene of the crime (so to speak) and confront his past actions, as well as dispense justice.

Most of Phillips' strengths lay in his skill with dialogue & character development. He does not spend much time describing the countryside as other authors might do. Some readers may consider this a liability & others may see it as an asset --- all I can say is that I would not have recognized Labette County from any other region in Kansas based on Phillips' descriptive powers. However, his characters are so entertaining as to make you not care particularly. What matters is the story in any case, and this is a good one indeed.

Under Cottonwoods is a lyrical novel of two Wyoming friends who are drawn together by their love of fly fishing and the outdoors. Walter is a handsome young man whose face and brain are scarred as a result of a climbing accident that has left him partially paralyzed and mentally diminished. Mike, who lost both of his parents when he was a young teen, is in his own way as handicapped as Walter. Mike seems at first to be the stronger, admirably and compassionately lending a hand to an unfortunate friend, but it's soon clear that each is giving the other something priceless: the insight and courage to challenge the odds, embrace reality, and find a way to flourish and grow. Through quiet times on pristine streams, dangerous times on angry rivers, and through blizzards, harassment in the local nightclub, the pains of opportunities lost, and the daily grind of a life of diminished expectations, Walter and Mike grow stronger as their friendship deepens. With Mike's help, Walter is able to reestablish a bond with his father and dare to chance romance, while Mike, with Walter's constant encouragement and astute observations, is able to make peace with his wife and get on with his life.

There is life after tragedy. Under Cottonwoods, Stephen Grace's exploration of that life, is a perfect blend of humor and compassion rare in a first-or any-contemporary novel. The story is laced with superb characterizations: Mitch, whose twenty years in state institutions taught him only the value of "safety first" and loyalty; Donna, Walter's true love, who has the wisdom to accept herself as she is; Nancy, a social worker whose concern for the safety of her charges often ensures their frustration and unhappiness; and Nora, Mike's wife, who remains a distant but pervasive presence throughout the narrative.

Having spent some time under cottonwoods in a different setting, I can vouch for their steadfastness and sheltering nature.

I applaud Stephen Grace's first effort, and look forward eagerly to his next book.

An especially engaging biographical novel recalling a vivid depiction of America during the difficult year of 1944.......2006-03-10

Rube Whitlock is faced with raising his two young sons after the death of his infant daughter leaves his wife mentally incapacitated with grief and unable to care for them. Overwhelmed with the responsibility, Rube hires Esther, a local black woman whose husband- in an attempt to establish himself and his farm as competitive cotton producers- has just purchased his second mule and ignited a stirring of dissonance and contempt within the usually quiet community. As Esther's natural maternal presence begins to fill voids in the Whitlock house and racially charged animosity percolates in the dim-lit bars and shacks just beneath the community's surface, Rube is forced to choose between the boundaries set by the laws he has sworn to uphold and the boundaries set by the moral convictions of the human heart.

Amidst painful pasts beginning to resurface and new secrets freshly buried, it would take a "knobby-kneed buckskin" mule, a cheap pocket knife and a lifeless COTTONWOOD tree to form a lasting friendship that would gray the stark lines between black and white and begin the delicate mending of family ties in the tender heart of a young boy.

I liked this book because of the intense description. Another reason is because of the plot of the story. My favorite character was Sydney because he acts just like a little boy should. He likes bllod, guts, and war movies. The best part of the book was when the earthquake hit. The reason is because the author made it very real. It made you feel like it happened to you. The ending is disappointing because I wanted something else to happened.

Hardy Boys have nothing on Danny and Jase. We can't wait for the next in the series. My kids turned off their video games for this. Bravo!