Amazon.com
Escape from Five Shadows is another great Elmore Leonard prison-break novel set in the Old West, with Corey Bowen as an innocent man looking to escape from a work camp run by a sadistic embezzler willing to kill to keep his scheme running. As always with Leonard, there are no throwaway lines, and success comes to those who act with competence and conviction. In Last Stand at Saber River, a Confederate veteran returns to his Arizona homestead to find that Yankee mercenaries are occupying his home. That situation's bound to change, and not peacefully. In The Law at Randado, a young deputy must prove himself to a rich man who represents the legal authority in their community. These three short novels from the early stages of Leonard's career are like blueprints for the crime fiction he would come to master in the 1980s and '90s, and will prove a delightful surprise to any of his fans. If you don't think you like Westerns, read any of these stories and you may find yourself reconsidering your taste for the genre. --Ron Hogan
Book Description
Escape From Five Shadows: It was supposed to be impossible. No man could break out of the brutal convict labor camp at Five Shadows. Until they locked up Bowen. He was like dynamite--charged to go off, to explode out of that desert hell so he could clear his name. Already the deadly trackers have caught him, dragged him back through the mesquite and rocks, beat him and left him to rot in the punishment cell. But they can't stop Bowen. He's a different breed, a man who will go to any extreme to escape. Any extreme.
Last Stand at Saber River: A one-armed man stood before Denaman's store, and the girl named Luz was scared. Paul Cable could see that from the rise two hundred yards away, just as he could see that everything had changed while he was away fighting for the Confederacy. He just didn't know how much. Cable and his family rode down to Denaman's store and faced the one-armed man. Then they heard the story, about the Union Army and two brothers--and a beautiful woman--who had taken over Cable's spread and weren't going to give it back. For Paul Cable the war hadn't ended at all. Among the men at Saber River, some would be his enemies, some might have been his friends, but no one was going to take his future away--not with words, not with treachery, and not with guns
The Law at Randado: Kirby Frye was a local boy come home again--with a badge and a reputation in some circles. But to the men with money in Randado, Kirby Frye meant nothing. Twelve upstanding citizens, prompted by a hard-drinking, free-spending cattleman, hanged two of Kirby's prisoners behind his back. Then they laughed in his face. Frye was young, but he was no fool. He took their taunts, took their hired men's blows, and waited. For with a hotheaded sheriff from Tucson and a breed tracker on Kirby's side, it would be three men against many. And what they didn't know about Kirby Frye was that three against many was good enough for him--good enough to go up against their guns, good enough to bring the law back to Randado, and good enough to drive a rich man to his knees.
Customer Reviews:
A great Leonard Western.......2004-09-23
In the course of the last month, I've become a big fan of Elmore Leonard's Westerns. I'm new to the Western, late in the game. After a few L'Amour's, a friend put me on to Leonard. He's the very top of the genre, in my view. The dialogue and the action tell the story and make the points about toughness and character, not the sentimental interior thought process of the hero, so common in this genre; at least what I've seen thus far.
In The Law at Randado (one of the titles in this collection), Kirby Frye is young and green (as a deputy), but he stands up to the townsmen and Phil Sundeen, the bad cattle baron, much to their surprise. He reminds me a lot of the implacable Roberto Valdez in "Valdez is Coming" (I think Leonard's greatest Western), and there are similar qualities to the story. But this is early Leonard (1954), and he only gets better as time goes on.
We again meet the scoundrel Sundeen and see his fate in Gunsights, a much later book (1979).
It's going to be hard to go back to other Western authors having been introduced to Elmore Leonard this early on!
Western fiction may be out of style, but not Elmore Leonard........1998-09-21
Although the author has tended to underrate his earliest work in the Western genre, later Elmore Leonard crime novels like CITY PRIMEVAL, KILLSHOT (a corker, by the way) and OUT OF SIGHT are certainly influenced by earlier books such as VALDEZ IS COMING. He will often include references to the movie Westerns that were made from his stories in the novels. The famous restaurant confrontation between Chili Palmer and a stuntman-bodyguard in GET SHORTY imitates a similiar scene in the Leonard-written Clint Eastwood movie JOE KIDD (which Chili, a true movie buff, remembers vividly). The very funny novel PRONTO gets even funnier when you realize that Leonard is, to a great degree, satirizing traditional Western heroics and the conventions of a genre that he truly understands and loves. I can't imagine any fan of Elmore Leonard's - or the American Western - being disappointed in THE LAW AT RANDADO (my personal favorite), HOMBRE (which won the Golden Spur Award for the 100 best Western novels of all time) or VALDEZ IS COMING. It's great to have these books back in print in any form (as well as the new set of Western shorts THE TONTO WOMAN) and collectors should move fast - these tend to be taken out of print very quickly. Don't buy one - buy all three!!
Amazon.com
"Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood." The quote is from Frank McCourt's memoir of growing up impoverished in Limerick, circa World War II. But the sentiment might just as easily have come from the fictional lips of Henry Smart, the hero of Roddy Doyle's remarkable novel of Dublin in the teens, A Star Called Henry. The son of a one-legged hit man, young Henry is the third child born but the first to live through infancy. He is also the second Henry--the first having died, and become a star in the mind of his mother.
She held me but she looked up at her twinkling boy. Poor me beside her, pale and red-eyed, held together by rashes and sores. A stomach crying to be filled, bare feet aching like an old, old man's. Me, a shocking substitute for the little Henry who'd been too good for this world, the Henry God had wanted for himself. Poor me.
Soon, his father has all but abandoned the growing family, and at 9 Henry is on his own, running wild in the streets, thieving to stay alive. Depressing as all this sounds, Doyle has invested his narrator with such an appetite for life, and rendered him so resolutely unsorry for himself, that it seems almost insulting to pity him.
By the time he is 14, Henry has become a soldier in the new Irish Republican Army and in one long and harrowing chapter, we view the events of the Easter Rising of 1916 from his position in the thick of it. It's not a pretty sight by any means, as the populace is divided in its support and various factions within the Republican Army threaten to splinter and annihilate one another before the British even get there. When the shooting starts, Henry aims not at the British but at the store windows across the street. "I shot and killed all that I had been denied, all the commerce and snobbery that had been mocking me and other hundreds of thousands behind glass and locks, all the injustice, unfairness and shoes--while the lads took chunks out of the military." Though the uprising is eventually crushed and the leaders executed, Henry escapes to live--and fight--another day.
In previous books such as The Barrytown Trilogy, Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, and The Woman Who Walked into Doors, Doyle has established himself as one of the premiere chroniclers of modern Irish life. With A Star Called Henry, he works his singular magic on the past. What's more, this is only volume one of the Last Roundup, so it looks like we haven't seen the last of Henry Smart. And that's a very good thing, indeed. --Alix Wilber
Book Description
An historical novel like none before it, A Star Called Henry marks a new chapter in Booker Prize-winner Roddy Doyle's writing. It is a vastly more ambitious book than any he has previously written. A subversive look behind the legends of Irish republicanism, at its centre a passionate love story, this new novel is a triumphant work of fiction.
Born in the slums of Dublin in 1902, his father a one-legged whorehouse bouncer and settler of scores, Henry Smart has to grow up fast. By the time he can walk he's out robbing, begging, charming, often cold, always hungry, but a prince of the streets. At fourteen, already six foot two, Henry's in the General Post Office on Easter Monday 1916, a soldier in the Irish Citizen Army, fighting for freedom. A year later he's ready to die for Ireland again, a rebel, a Fenian, and, soon, a killer. With his father's wooden leg as his weapon, Henry becomes a republican legend - one of Michael Collins' boys, a cop killer, an assassin on a stolen bike, a lover.
Customer Reviews:
A (Revolutionary) Star is Born.......2007-09-24
A wonderful journey into Ireland around the time of WWI and after: the author can make you taste, smell, hear, and, of course, see the place. I knew nothing about the nitty gritty of Ireland's problems politically, but now I have a great bird's eye view of the whole conflict. All of this while at the same time we see a real have-nothing Irish kid growing up to learn to hate the "enemy." As the book progresses, he finally comes to see himself as a dispensable tool of whoever he is working for...a truly sad awakening that puts the lie to those Revolutionary ideals. This story is so true to life that it shows us something of what Peggy Noonan wrote about in the Wall St. Journal yesterday: "They would grow up and assign their misery to outside forces. The boy humiliated because he's never sent to school with a clean shirt will turn that into 'Britain Get Out of Ireland.'....We often think it is large and abstract forces that drive history, when it is personal forces, too." The life of Henry Smart is a masterly illustration of this.
A Must For Researchers.......2007-05-18
As Continental forces and Virginia militia units were engaged in winning independence, American quartermasters and provisioners struggled to provide these units with all the necessities of life, from meals and guns to meat, fodder for horses, the horses themselves, firewood, and every other type of material. Much of this was requisitioned from the civilian population and certificates were issued payable in either continental or state funds, depending on the units supplied, upon presentation to court authorities. Thousands of these certificates issued to Virginians were duly entered by the courts, and they provide a fascinating insight into the period of the Revolution. These "Publick" Claims booklets contain interesting and useful information about the contributions of ordinary people to the Revolutionary War. They provide some details of people's service in the militia or as guards for prisoners of war; they indicate where some bodies of troops were at particular times; and they identify providers of horses, wagons, cattle, grain, or other supplies. Much of the information in these booklets cannot be found anywhere else, which makes the surviving records particularly valuable. Also remarkable is the fact that records survived from virtually every county in the state at that time with the exception of the newly formed Kentucky counties. This makes the collection even more valuable in covering areas which heretofore in this time period have suffered from a lack of personal data. The "Virginia Publick Claims" are published by counties. In addition to a faithful transcription by Janice Luck Abercrombie and the late Richard Slatten, a complete index is provided for each county booklet. This series is an extremely important genealogical tool for searchers in Revolutionary-era materials.
SO THAT'S WHY THEY FIGHT?.......2006-02-23
Henry Smart is a sorrowful figure. A robber, a beggar a doorman and destined to be caught up in the "struggle" as so many working class Irishmen and women are. Where else do they turn? Why do the English provoke them so? Answer these questions and you will answer the age old "Irish Problem" and end the hostilities once and for all.
Roddy Doyle takes us through the slums of early 1900's Dublin and asks the question Why? time and time again. At times the book makes me ashamed to be British and then I pinch myself and remember it's fiction. Or is it? It's the mark of a good fiction writer to make you think.
Roddy Doyle is the best Irish fiction writer alive today. Read him and weep!
Fast Paced, Readable.......2005-10-22
A STAR CALLED HENRY is the first novel I've read by Roddy Doyle, whom I'd never heard of, until I got this book as a gift. Doyle's style is crackling and attention-grabbing. It's certainly an easy book to get into, especially in the first part of the book, where we experience Henry's sorid childhood on the streets of Dublin. In many respects, the beginning is the most solid part of the novel; this is where nearly all of the characterization is done and Henry's humanity is front and center as he mourns for his mother, father, brother, and the life that he never had.
As the novel progresses, we witness Henry's involvment in the movement for a free Ireland. These passages are exciting, but not as moving as the earlier chapters. Some of the blame for this must be laid on my shoulders, as I know virtually nothing of Ireland's struggle for independence. Maybe someone more familiar with the history will be more easily drawn into the descriptions of guerilla warfare. Still, even as an ignorant American, I found myself wrapped up in the story. My only complaint is that Henry ceases to change much as a character after he reaches the age of 14. The idealism and violence of the period of "troubles" does little to alter his outlook, and he seems to possess an uncanny confidence that does not lend itself to much reflection. Henry is unrepentently selfish (not a criticism) and never seems to have a moment when he questions his actions. On the other hand, the novel's statement about the way revolutions shift power to the revolutionaries, and not to the people, is presented in a profound way.
A STAR CALLED HENRY is not a life-changing novel by any stretch of the imagination, but is certainly a cut above most fiction, and easily recommendable.
Excellent.......2005-09-18
A star called Henry was one of the best books i have read in the last few years. If you like Irish history you will love this book. Another excellent book i recommend is Tread Softly on My Dreams: The Robert Emmet Story, Gretta Curran Browne. You will surely love this book if you liked A star called Henry.
Book Description
Soon the torch will be passed to a new generation.
But not just yet...
Having saved the Federation one more time in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country®, Capt. James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise™ have finally gone their separate ways. Spock, McCoy, Sulu, and the others are spread out across the galaxy, pursuing their individual destinies -- until an interstellar crisis touches all their lives.
Bored with retirement and ill-suited to teaching at Starfleet Academy, Kirk jumps at the chance to help his nephews colonize an uninhabited planet in a distant corner of the Alpha Quadrant. He even manages to persuade Scotty and Chekhov to come along for the ride.
But Kirk soon discovers that the hardy human colonists are not alone on the planet they call Sanctuary. An alien race, of whom little is known, has also establish an outpost on Sanctuary for its own mysterious reasons. Suspicious, Kirk investigates, only to discover a terrifying threat that strikes at the security of the entire Federation.
Light-years from Strafleet Command, without a ship or a crew to call his own, Kirk thinks he faces the menace alone. yet the bonds of loyalty transcend even the awesome distances of space, bringing together a legendary crew for one final, fantastic adventure.
Customer Reviews:
Good considering the recent Star Trek books .......2004-08-08
Bored with his new life of teaching classes at Starfleet James Kirk signs on with his brothers children to start a new life on a colony world. Strange i've been following Trek books for some time and this is the first mention I have heard of these guys Julius and Alexander. I hope it is not the last they should prove worthy additions t the universe.
The plot is preety standard they get to planet and find out that things are not all as they seem. Which is just as well because if they got to the place and nothing happened it would make for a very dull Star Trek book. The only thing that hurts the book is that the main conflict is wrapped up so easily.
Overall-My small critisms do not mean that the book is not fun to read I polished it off in an afternoon it was also nice to see the Orion Syndcate they are probably my most favorite component of life in the Star Trek universe proves that there are still people in space that don't buy the federations high minded ideals.
A good story, well-written........2004-03-12
Set in the aftermath of "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country", this is an adventure that deals with the crew of the Enterprise as aging, post-Enterprise members of Starfleet, mostly going their own separate ways. If that, and a lot of complaints about aging, aren't your cup of tea, then there is a definite downside to this book. But it IS handled well, so you may find it to be more interesting than you would think even if the idea DOES sound dull.
Furthermore, this is one of those "Kirk & co. save the Federation and civilization as we know it" storylines, but it's handled better than I've ever seen the idea handled before. Most of the threats of that magnitude seem contrived, and the idea that our heroes can stem the tide even more so. But in this story, the threat seemed VERY plausible, and given the nature of it, the solution seemed equally plausible.
One of the best original series "Trek" books I've read in quite a while.
Good Final Bridge to Generations.......2003-12-25
I own this book. It was good but the trio of Spock, McCoy, and Kirk doing their things together as only they can do is lacking, and thats a bummer. The idea of the book was good though I think that the ending was somewhat of a let down. It was a little too easy to stop the destruction of warp drive engines. All in all it was enjoyable read, and if you're interested in Star Trek novels of the orignal series, this is a very good one to get the closure from the series that started it all.
Fairly predictable - Isn't a full "Original Crew" story.......2003-10-01
I was home visiting family recently, and when I left, I borrowed this book from my brother for the flight home. It's 280 or so pages, and I read the entire thing waiting for my plane in the terminal, and for about the first 45 minutes of the flight. I flew through it pretty good, and I don't know if that's because the book is good, or I was bored.
The book was pretty decent - I generally tend to get suckered in by books that proport to tell a story of a single event in an already existing universe that we don't get to see on screen. In this case, it's the "final adventure of the original crew". Which is an odd phrase for the book, because the bulk of the story has Kirk, Chekov, & Scotty in it. The remainder of the original crew is barely there, and only superficially involved with the main plot of the story. We do get Kirk's two nephews from his barely mentioned brother. This story takes place right before the events of movie #7, "Star Trek Generations". There's a lot of characters in it that play a MAJOR part in the story, but are new characters. This almost reads like a fan story - "Hey, let's put me in the story at the expense of some other character(s)". It's not quite like that, but I've read enough of those kinds of stories in the past, that this somewhat feels that way. I suppose it's just a grip at seeing McCoy, Uhura, Spock, and Sulu relegated to backgrond status when this was billed as an original crew adventure.
That said, the book was enjoyable, if a bit predictable. Definitely a bunch of "I'm old - I'm useless" stuff from Kirk, which seemed to be a theme of the latter original crew adventures. Still, it was a good read - I can't say it's my most recommended book, but I did enjoy it. I also felt that the main villian of the story "gave up" a bit too quickly, and the reason he was coerced into giving up was well.. never explained, so it felt really rushed and cheap to me.
I'm glad I borrowed the book from my brother instead of buying it - you might want to see if your library has a copy of it to borrow it from them. If you're a Star Trek fan, it's probably worth a read, but I would have felt ripped off if I actually paid full price for the book.
Bringing the cows in to pasture.......2003-08-18
The Last Roundup is a Star Trek tale of Captain Kirk's final adventure before the events of Star Trek: Generations. This being the final adventure, there are a lot of "I feel old" moments from Kirk, as well as a few of the other characters. There are discussions of age and how things must finally be handed over to a new generation. It's also quite a nice book, though it's very light without a lot of substance.
First of all, I will say that this isn't necessarily the "final adventure" for Captain Kirk, and it certainly isn't for the rest of the crew, who pop up in various books that take place after Generations. The reason it's not Kirk's is because, while the epilogue takes place just as Kirk is getting ready to go inspect Enterprise-B, it takes place months after the end of the story, so there is definitely room for more. Not that I think there should be, of course.
Now, as for the book itself, it should make any Trek fan happy. It's a thoroughly competent, enjoyable story. There's just not a lot of meat to it. It's pretty short with a large typeface, so it's a quick read, and I certainly wouldn't pay hardcover prices for it. If you're looking for depth, go elsewhere. If you're looking for yet another adventure with some of your favourite characters, then this would be a good pickup at the library or in paperback.
My first complaint about it is that the original crew doesn't figure in it very much, with the exception of Scotty and Chekov. That's not necessarily a bad thing, of course, as some of the better Trek books have involved only a few of the characters. The problem is that they are featured in quite a few scenes, so why not make them a bigger part of the story? As it is, they take up space that could have furthered the story elsewhere. Uhura and McCoy are especially given short shrift. They are helping Spock with the Klingon peace negotiations that resulted from the events in the movie Star Trek VI. A number of scenes of these cultural and medical exchanges happen at the beginning of the book, but that's the extent of their contribution. Sure, they go along for the ride with Spock after Kirk is reported missing, but they don't actually do anything. They're background material, and they deserve better than that in their supposed "final adventure." Sulu is given just as short shrift, but he does get a couple of juicy scenes that also set the stage for future Sulu novels if Pocket Books is so inclined. He's characterized very well, overall.
Not only are some of our favourite crewmembers sidelined, but their stories introduce more superfluous characters that clutter the book. The Klingon opera singer is just filler, giving Uhura somebody to play off of (which, since Uhura doesn't do much involved with the story, seems even more needless). The Klingons are only in the book to get Spock and the rest involved. They don't do much but talk, fire a few weapons, and act as ferries for our heroes.
The story, what is left of it, is actually pretty good. Kirk is feeling his age, and he's feeling useless. He doesn't want to be stuck in a classroom, but there's nothing else active for him to do. He wants to be in Starfleet, even if it only needs him as a teacher of the young. The dynamics of Kirk's story are well done, with Kirk being involved just enough to make him the obvious hero of the story, but enough happens despite his actions or before he can intervene that he is shown that maybe it is time to stop pining for another starship. He realizes that he has a new role in life, and that he must embrace it. I thought Kirk's thought processes through this entire book were wonderful and Golden is to be commended for creating a story where Kirk has to deal with this without wallowing. As a caveat to my point about McCoy above, he does figure very prominently in Kirk's conclusions, and the final talk between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy is a wonderful tribute to the friendship these three share. As a Trek fan, I was moved by this scene, and it made the book worth finishing.
None of the other characters are very interesting, though they do serve their parts well. Skalli, a cadet who becomes very attached to Kirk and serves as an illustration of what Kirk's reputation can do, is the most well-rounded. Some have complained that she bounces back and forth between overly emotional and enormously competent, but I think Golden pulled off the difference. I think readers who feel that way missed the point. Like Kirk, they just saw the hysterical, annoying character, not realizing that it's perfectly possible for that sort of person to be skilled. I did find her annoying at first, but I warmed to her after a bit. There's also a female admiral who Kirk is friends with, and while there is a bit of sexual tension, it's obvious they're just good friends. I'm glad Golden was able to avoid that cliché.
If you're a Trek fan, you'll probably enjoy this story. It's not ground-breaking, but it is pleasant. Just don't buy the hardcover. The story's not meaty enough to support it. Check it out, or pick up the paperback. It'll still be there when you're ready for it.
David Roy
Average customer rating:
- EXCELLENT - RUTH WIND HAS DONE IT AGAIN!
- A fast, entertaining read...
- A nice contemporary Native American/plus-size romance
- BEAUTIFUL STRANGER IS TRULY BEAUTIFUL...
- I'm Hooked!
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Beautiful Stranger (The Last Roundup) (Silhouette Intimate Moments, 1011) (Intimate Moments, 1011)
Ruth Wind , and
Barbara Samuel
Manufacturer: Silhouette
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Samuel, Barbara
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Wind, Ruth
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| Authors, A-Z
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General
| Romance
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Silhouette Intimate Moments
| Series
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General
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ASIN: 037327081X
Release Date: 2000-06-01 |
Customer Reviews:
EXCELLENT - RUTH WIND HAS DONE IT AGAIN!.......2006-05-07
I love anything by Ruth Wind. I cant put her books down,they draw you in and dont let go.This one is no exception! I recommend all her books to you.
A fast, entertaining read..........2004-05-05
I love a good,light read... and though "Beautiful Stranger" was indeed light, it definitely was not fluff. Marissa has struggled with her self esteem her whole life...all that she really wants is for someone to really see her, not just her face, her body, or her money, but her...inside. Along comes Robert and wow, he is just what she needed. I loved that this book focused on their liking eachother, not just craving eachother. This is the kind of book that can be devoured in one sitting. It is full of likeable, realistic characters that I feel sure will remain in love once the luster wears off. Not quite a keeper,but definitely worthwhile.
A nice contemporary Native American/plus-size romance.......2003-04-12
The reason I liked this novel is simple. It talked about a Native American man falling in love with a plus-size woman. Even though she lost weight she is not skinny. I liked the fact that both characters were not perfect. The hero was a recovering alcoholic who is taking care of his niece. He is a good man who thinks he is not worth of the woman's love, but he is.
BEAUTIFUL STRANGER IS TRULY BEAUTIFUL..........2001-05-18
So often, when I read a romance novel, I get to the third chapter and put it down, never to be picked up again. Okay, so some of them hit the corner and end up in the "I can't believe I bought that stupid book" pile. But not this one!
Ruth Wind's characters are real people, dealing with real issues. The heroine is not model perfect and she probably never will be. I love that about her. She is aware of her issues with food and even tells the hero she thinks she can control herself if they go to a Mexican food restaurant. He, of course, is wonderful enough not to make an issue of her weight, except to tell her she's always been beautiful. Oh, and how my heart warmed to this book. But it wasn't just the main characters that made me keep reading, the hero's niece, and her "teen in crisis" issues make this book a great read.
If you're looking for your run of the mill, soap-like, romance, go to your nearest book store. If you're looking for true love, try this book -- if you can find it in a resale store. As for me, I'm holding on to my copy.
I'm Hooked!.......2000-06-09
I love romances, but it's so hard to find one that's really well-written, one that grabs me and hangs on to my attention throughout. This one did.
The heroine is the most perfectly ordinary heroine I've ever come across in a romance novel (except of course for one tiny detail). Not only that, but she's dealing with issues that I can understand. Yay!
And the hero--while undeniably rugged and handsome--is also ordinary. He's just a man, like any other man...flaws and all.
It's refreshing to read a story that doesn't rely on unrealistic contrivances to drag out the conflict. These are 'real' people dealing with real issues. They have their flaws and their foibles. And they work it out like adults.
This book isn't just about love-at-first-sight and it's not just about sex. Yes, there's instant attraction between the hero and heroine, but there's more to their relationship than their physical attraction. These characters genuinely talk about their likes and their dislikes. They actually have a relationship based on what they have in common--which is something you don't often find in a romance novel.
And the relationships the hero and heroine had with other characters also had a very strong realistic feel to them. I understood these characters' motivations and fears. In fact I felt I could empathize with them. I love that in a story! It's like meeting new friends...
Another thing I enjoyed about this book was the portrayal of the twin bond... It wasn't magical, it wasn't mystical...it just *was*. And that's how these things really work... It's yet another dose of realism that drew me into the story. The heroine and her twin actually seemed like two halves of the same person...and yet that seemed perfectly natural within the context of the story.
I am now on a personal quest to find anything else this author may have written. It's always a pleasure to discover another favorite! :)
Average customer rating:
- Stranded In A Blizzard: Lonely, Brooding Hunk Finds Love
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Her Ideal Man (The Last Roundup) (Silhouette Intimate Moments, No 801) (Harlequin Intimate Moments, No 801)
Ruth Wind
Manufacturer: Silhouette
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Wind, Ruth
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ASIN: 0373078013 |
Customer Reviews:
Stranded In A Blizzard: Lonely, Brooding Hunk Finds Love.......2003-02-12
From the back of the book: " Tyler Forrest had everything he needed - his son and the wide-open beauty of the Colorado mountains. He didn't WANT a big house, a lot of money...or a bride.
But when sexy, outspoken Anna Passanante showed up on his doorstep, Tyler's long-celibate past gave way to a weekend of passion...
Three months later, he was faced with a very pregnant Anna and a hasty wedding. But it would take more than vows for Tyler and Anna to become true husband and wife."
This is the third book in Ruth Wind's series "The Last Roundup." Anna's bright, lively personality is the perfect foil for broody Tyler Forrest who has "Leave Me Alone" written all over his face and personality. It's great fun to see how she is able to thaw the ice around his heart, and bring love and laughter back into Tyler's life. Highly recommended along with the remaining books in "The Last Roundup" series: Marriage Material, Reckless, and Beautiful Stranger!
Book Description
Praised as "a masterpiece" by the Washington Post, A Star Called Henry introduced the unforgettable Henry Smart and left Roddy Doyle's innumerable fans clamoring for more. Now, in his first novel set in America, Doyle delivers. Oh, Play That Thing opens with Henry on the run from his Irish Republican paymasters, arriving in New York City in 1924. But in New York, and later Chicago—where he meets a man playing wild, happy music called Louis Armstrong—Henry finds he cannot escape his past.
A highly entertaining cross-country epic and a magnificent follow-up to A Star Called Henry, this prodigious, energetic, sexy novel is another Roddy Doyle triumph.
Customer Reviews:
Rhythm is Important.......2007-09-08
I purchased this book on the recommendation of another author (in her review of her book she said her writing was influenced by the author). "Oh, Play that Thing" takes place in the 20's and through the dust bowl disaster, The main character is a savvy Irish immigrant who has landed at Ellis Island to start a new life in NYC.
The author's way of writing is like a stream of thoughts and words. Reading the first few pages, I wasn't sure I liked the book, but as I got into the head and life of the Irish man, I got into the rhythm of his thoughts and the way the writing in the book worked so well.
I found the story fascinating and the beat of time and his life very hypnotizing. How Roddy Doyle, the author, manages to insert a famous celebrity into the mix and engage you in the story is entirely successful, and I couldn't put it down.
WHERE WAS DOYLE'S EDITOR???.......2007-05-28
It's hard to imagine Roddy Doyle followed up a book as wonderfully rich and entertaining as A STAR CALLED HENRY with the flop OH, PLAY THAT THING.
Where was Doyle's editor???
In A STAR CALLED HENRY, Doyle took the reader on an action-packed ride through turn-of-the-century Ireland with Henry Smart - a hero as incorrigibly loveable as any you'll meet. But in this sequel, where Henry escapes to America and finds himself in trouble with the mob, Doyle's writing suffers from three serious problems: confusing writing, boring plot, and shallow hero.
My first criticism: The writing is overly tangential and difficult to follow. I found myself re-reading page after page, wracking my brains trying to understand what the heck was going on and continually wondering whether I'd missed something. I kept at it, hoping to discover a gem hidden in all the confusion. But I'm a die-hard reader; I seriously doubt many others will try as hard to make sense of prose that comes across as lazy rather than worthwhile.
My second criticism: The story goes nowhere. A summary of this book is as simple as this: Henry Smart's on the run again and again because he keeps pissing off the mob. And then there's the almost magical coincidences Doyle tries to pull off - i.,e., out of all the houses in Chicago Henry might rob, he breaks into the one house where his wife (who he thinks is still in Ireland) is working as a maid. And if that's not enough, after Henry is treated to coinsidences so unbelievable the reader is left groaning at the absurdity, the guy squanders each and every one of them.
My third criticism: Henry Smart's character is flat. While the first intallment (A STAR CALLED HENRY) treats the reader to a hero who's as loveable and exciting as any you'll come across, in OH, PLAY THAT THING Doyle squanders each and every ounce of Henry's charisma. Henry's choices and motives don't make sense anymore, and he comes across here as stagnant and shallow. Early in the book, because of Henry's arrogance and greed, he makes enemies with the mob. For the remainder of the book Henry's character goes nowhere. He runs from city to city making the same mistakes over and over again, never seeming to learn a thing about himself. Henry's character never grows.
What makes all these problems so sad is the obvious effort Doyle put into writing OH, PLAY THAT THING. The book is infused with well-researched 1920's American culture. Along the way, Henry meets up with and befriends Louis Armstrong - and Doyle's enthusiasm and passion for music shines through here. Hands down, Louis Armstrong steals the show - Doyle infused his character with all the depth, passion and steam missing from Henry's.
I kept reading this book, hoping if I sifted through the confusing writing and slow story I'd uncover a gem. I never did.
Skilled writer but poor novel.......2007-02-18
After reading both Henry Smart books, I think Doyle possesses great skill to write but fails to deliver an acceptable novel. Oh, Play that Thing has moments that display his eloquence and prose that could lead to a 5-star book. But he fails to put it all together to form a traditional novel with the important features of plot, climax, character development and theme that appeal to readers.
Doyle's characters are morally bankrupt, flaky, and create no connection to readers who will not be able to develop empathy for them. Further, the scenes and timeline are difficult to follow. I think that I am a seasoned reader but at times I did not know what was going on in the story.
Yet, Doyle's skill was enough for me to at least stay with the book and finish it. If you have not read "A Star Called Henry," the previous Henry Smart book, I would advise you to stay away from both it and this one. If you read the prior book and have an interest in Smart, you may be interested in this book. Doyle does provide a glimpse of prohibition America that is interesting though I don't know how accurate it is. He lists numerous books on the age that were helpful to him, so I assume it is. Likewise with the character of Louis Armstrong in the book.
Hated It!.......2006-10-30
The first book was not great, but at least good. This is so dreadful that I couldn't even make it through it. Nonsensical plot, Non-existent plot, Nothing plot. Those terms all describe this one. This isn't worth reading; whether you've read the first one or not. Doyle can be so much better than this!!!
Oh, say it ain't so!.......2006-02-14
I was mesmerized by A Star Called Henry, so I expected the same passionate, magical, heartbreaking storytelling with Oh, Play That Thing. Instead, I found myself disconnected, confused, incredulous, and downright disappointed much of the time.
The writing itself is incredible, and Henry is still the hero who alternately flutters and tears apart your heart, but the plot is just about impossible to follow - or believe. Henry goes from one over-the-top situation to the next, and the coincidences leave you scratching your head. And his incredible, complicated, timeless love for his wife - which drove the plot and the pace of the first novel - takes the backseat much of the time. Yes, Henry is far away and yes, he is a Casanova with an unquenchable thirst, but he conveniently leaves all that passion and pain behind, save for the occasional line or two that Roddy Doyle seems to offer up to forgive Henry's forgetting.
In the end, I felt like I'd missed half the points the novel was trying to make, and Henry Smart became more of a cheap pawn than a complex character. He became a whole new, impossible-to-believe character, with barely a link to the boy we first met. I can't imagine where the next novel will take us, although it looks like Henry will see his name in lights after all. I'd trade in all that flash for one more dirty, gritty story of the real MacCoy.
Average customer rating:
- very good category romance
- Great characters ~ Great story by Ruth Wind
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Marriage Material (The Last Roundup) (Silhouette Special Edition, No 1108)
Ruth Wind
Manufacturer: Silhouette
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Wind, Ruth
| ( W )
| Authors, A-Z
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
Silhouette Special Edition
| Series
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Contemporary
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
Regency
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
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Her Ideal Man (The Last Roundup) (Silhouette Intimate Moments, No 801) (Harlequin Intimate Moments, No 801)
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Beautiful Stranger (The Last Roundup) (Silhouette Intimate Moments, 1011) (Intimate Moments, 1011)
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Reckless (Silhouette Intimate Moments , Vol 796)
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For Christmas Forever (Silhouette Intimate Moments, 898)
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Rainsinger (Silhouette Special Edition, No 1031)
ASIN: 0373241089 |
Customer Reviews:
very good category romance.......2004-10-22
Now *this* is a category book to enjoy! Marriage Material is the first of Wind's trilogy about three brothers living in Colorado. Reckless and Her Ideal Man are the other two that follow.
Yep, it's a secret baby book but it's one that rises above the usual. I liked the
realism of a single mother trying to provide the best she could for her child.
Majoring in something she didn't particularly care for because it would lead
to a good job that would allow her to give Cody more. Of the little joys and
indulgences she and he looked forward to. There is a lovely scene during
which Tamara puts on a CD of waltzes and dances around her living room
with her son. Watching them, Lance begins to realize all he's been missing
in his life.
I liked that Lance tried to be honest with himself and with Tamara about the
type of man he was. That when he found out about his fatherhood, he didn't
know what to think and was confused about how he should feel. That felt
realistic to me. I also like the slow progression of his and Tamara's feelings
for each other.
Another nice point is that even though we know that Lance's two brothers
will have books, neither was in this one to promote that. Each had scenes
that served *this* book. There is also a budding romance for their
mother that I hope will be carried on in the next book. The story also
wasn't loaded with typical small town "characters."
I've collected lots of Ruth Wind categories and am looking forward to
reading them for the November author poll. This one is a strong B.
Great characters ~ Great story by Ruth Wind.......2003-02-12
From the back of the book: "Lance Forrest was the sexiest thing Tamara Flynn ever laid eyes on. Once, he'd hightailed it out of Red Creek, Colorado, on his wild reputation, leaving behind a string of broken hearts and a son he never knew about. A son Tamara raised as her own.
When he walked back into her life five years later, Tamara knew she could no longer deny Lance the knowledge of his son, or the joy of his company. But the more time the three of them spent together, the more Lance started to feel like family. Tamara had always thought Lance and marriage didn't mix...until now."
This is the first installment of Ruth Wind's "The Last Roundup" Series about three brothers who live (and love) in Red Creek, a small town in Colorado. It's such a lovely story. The growing relationship between father and son as well as the increasing attraction and blossoming love between Tamara and Lance is delightful, touching and passionate. You can't miss with this one by Ruth Wind. I recommend this book and the remaining books in the series (Beautiful Stranger, and Her Ideal Man) very highly!
Average customer rating:
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The Last of the Roundup Boys
Debra Seely
Manufacturer: Holiday House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
1800s
| Fiction
| United States
| History & Historical Fiction
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Fiction
| Farm Life
| Where We Live
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ages 9-12
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Wild West
| Obsessions
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Issues
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
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Historical Fiction
| History & Historical Fiction
| Teens
| Subjects
| Books
Love & Romance
| Literature & Fiction
| Teens
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
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Baby Blue
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The Presence: A Ghost Story
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The Wishing Moon
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Chief Sunrise, John McGraw, and Me
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Yankee Girl
ASIN: 0823418146 |
Book Description
When Tom's family finds itself struggling at the start of another harsh winter on the Kansas prairie, Tom has no choice but to take up a cowhand position at the Parsons ranch. The cowboy life isn't easy, but Tom's family needs the money and he craves the freedom it promises. Evie Parsons has always been a rancher at heart, even though ranching is considered man's work. She's planning to have her own land and herd so she'll be able to choose her own path, even if it's one her parents don't support. Narrated in interchanging voices, this sequel to Debra Seely's critically hailed first novel, Grasslands, tells the exciting story of Tom's and Evie's struggles for love and freedom on the open frontier.
Average customer rating:
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Tales of the Frontier: From Lewis and Clark to the Last Roundup (Bison Book)
Everett Dick
Manufacturer: University of Nebraska Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| 19th Century
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| State & Local
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0803257449 |
Average customer rating:
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Last Grand Roundup
Manufacturer: Chief Research Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Washington
| State & Local
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Pacific Northwest
| State & Local
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0962265403 |
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- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
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