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from our archive: Autumn 2004 |
Spring 2005
Summer 2005 Reviews:
THE
MAVERICK PRINCESS: A KRISTINA VALBORG NOVEL
D. A. Arthur,
PublishAmerica, 2004, $19.95, pb, 375pp, 1413712940
The story of seventeenth-century Swedish Queen Kristina has long fascinated
readers. Kristina wore men’s clothing, refused to marry, and during her brief
but eventful reign, was highly involved in affairs of state—much more so than a
typical queen of her age. D.A. Arthur’s The Maverick Princess, the first
in a projected trilogy loosely based on the life of the legendary queen, covers
Kristina’s life from her birth in 1626 through her young adulthood, including
her ascension to the throne of the Kingdom of Vidaria.
Had Kristina been born today, she would likely have
identified as transgendered—a woman preferring to live her life as a man. During
her time, however, she was both feared and admired by those around her. Arthur
presents a sympathetic portrait of Kristina, highlighting both her triumphs in
war and diplomacy as well as her troubled relationships with those around her
(particularly her childhood friend Ameerah, a servant girl with whom she is
accused of having an improper relationship). The novel is fast-paced, and the
chapters are very short—few are longer than four pages. Readers looking for
long, detailed, descriptive passages may be disappointed, and some of the
dialogue seems outlandish, but readers looking for an enjoyable, quick read that
doesn’t delve particularly deep into its subject will enjoy The Maverick
Princess. Consider this one a historical “beach read.”
Nanette Donohue
TECUMTHA AND THE STORY OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN: A BIOGRAPHICAL NOVEL
Vernon H. Castle, Sr.,
Lost Coast Press, 2003, $18.95, pb, 512 pp, 1882897676
Tecumtha and the
Story of the American Indian
is a biographical novel that
chronicles the Shawnee Indian warrior Tecumtha’s efforts to unify into an
alliance the different tribes of Native Americans. Tecumtha hoped to cease the
aggressive and land grabbing policies of the United States by presenting a
strong unified Indian nation.
This novel’s incredible strength is its ability to strip away
stereotype in its portrayal of the people and times. Tecumtha, a well versed
and intelligent leader, emphasized diplomacy and negotiation, debunking the
stereotypical savagery and ignorance associated with Native Americans. Most
remarkable is that the conflicting interests are presented with such clarity and
sensitivity that no race or country is villainized. The author emphasizes the
humanity of both sides, the good and the bad, and avoids sweeping judgments.
The novel is meticulously researched and, with the amount of
information it provides, is at times a bit overwhelming for the novice in Native
American history. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the novel is its
portrayal of how much intermarriage and interrelationships took place between
the Indians and Whites. The portrayal of these relationships does much to
emphasize the humanity of both sides.
This novel brings to attention a very important and often
overlooked portion of American history. Fair and sensitive treatment by Castle
creates a very balanced portrayal. The story does become rather tedious at
points, but it is saved from monotony by the interesting social interactions of
Tecumtha. Overall, this work does a good job at bringing life and sympathy to a
marginalized people and history.
Amanda Speight
Yesilbas
AN
ENDLESS EXILE
Mary Lancaster,
Mushroom eBooks, April 2004, $5.99, 539pp, B0002ZPNWI (e-book)
This novel is the story of the eleventh-century Saxon warrior Hereward, the only
native Englishman to have successfully defied and defeated William the Conqueror
during his conquest of England in the eleventh century. The story, however, has
less to do with Hereward, who is already dead at the beginning of the novel, and
more to do with his wife Torfrida, who is devastated by his betrayal and
murder. The novel follows her attempts to find his murderer, which leads her
into greater danger along with those she loves. The majority of the novel takes
place in March 1076, with Torfrida going back in time throughout the novel to
recall specific events with Hereward.
This novel is interesting in that it tries to provide a
woman’s perspective of Anglo-Saxon life and the Conquest. At times the reader
loses track of who is involved in the continuous conversations going on, as
there is very little development of landscape, context, and of detailed
description of what is happening around the conversations. Overall, however, it
is an interesting historical novel of an Anglo-Saxon resistance movement to the
Norman invasion.
Brad Eden
MODRED’S VERSION: KING ARTHUR’S DISHONOR
Beric Norman,
Crawford Redfern, 2005 £10.95, pb, 471pp, 0954715101
Here is another version of the Arthurian legend, this time told from the dark
side of the story. Instead of focusing on the heroes’ good points, the author
of this novel graphically illustrates their flaws. Norman covers Arthur and
Modred’s much maligned relationship, their similarities in the context of a
maligned Fate and their births, as well as other familiar topics of the
Arthurian legend such as murder, intrigue, adultery, and incest. There is even
some grim humor throughout the drama.
The author, an academic psychiatrist as well as actor, draws
from a number of medieval sources, including Malory, Chretien de Troyes, and
Geoffrey of Monmouth, to provide a refreshingly racy reinterpretation of the
Arthurian legend.
Brad Eden
THE
SPEAR OF LEPANTO
Leon J. Radomile,
Vincero Enterprises, 2005, $19.95, pb, 335pp, 0967532930
The Spear of Lepanto is a cross between a swashbuckling romance and
brief historical survey. In the first book of a series, the presumably dashing
protagonist Leonardo is sent by the Pope to retrieve a holy artifact, the Spear
of Lepanto, to help Christendom repel the invading forces of those barbarous
infidels, the Turks. Along the way Leonardo stumbles upon love, intrigue,
betrayal, and any historical personage of note. The encounter rate of famous
rulers, holy men, and artists begins to stretch credibility, but it does draw a
solid historical setting.
While the novel is at times an enjoyable fast-paced
adventure, it suffers from the fact that the author casts himself and his family
as the heroes. This leads to eye-rolling moments in the story, such as the
careful explanation of how the author’s wife’s character has maintained her
“honor” despite being married five years. The author’s inclusion of himself and
family is distracting and ill-considered.
The characters and story also suffer from shallow
stereotyping. Everyone noble and high-born is virtuous and wise, while every
commoner is treacherous and bad. The author makes a few attempts to portray
Turks in a well-rounded manner, but it quickly deteriorates into
Western/Christian good versus the Eastern/Islamic bad.
Overall, the novel is an enjoyable Dumas-like romp, if the
story is taken in the spirit of a romance instead of history.
Amanda Speight
Yesilbas
DEVIL IN THE NORTH WOODS: A NOVEL BASED ON THE TRAGIC 1908 METZ, MICHIGAN
WILDFIRE
Walt Shiel, Slipdown Mountain Publications, 2005,
$14.95, pb, 246pp, 0974655317
Ten-year-old Henry Hardies is afraid of fire. He
knows its deadly power, and sees the devil in its glowing red light. Wildfires
are nothing new to Henry’s Metz, Michigan community, built up from the wood of
the acres of forest that surround them, yet he knows to fear their
unpredictability. Devil in the North Woods presents the story of the
October 1908 wildfire that tore across Northern Michigan, destroying over two
million acres of land and ruining hundreds of lives.
Building on contemporary reports and recorded oral histories,
Shiel presents us with the seemingly endless day of the wildfire as seen through
Henry’s eyes. The horror of the wildfire becomes a personal tragedy that the
reader, too, experiences. Shiel does not wish to comfort the reader, just as
young Henry is not comforted—the oppressive heat, singeing embers, the smell of
burning hair, and the heavy smoke-filled air makes one appreciate the ability to
come up for air from the oppressive fires of this story. Despite this dreadful
scene, Shiel’s compassionate writing creates a community of bright, supportive,
and determined people, whose characters develop and deepen as the fire grows.
Not for the faint of heart (or stomach), this novel never slows down, but leaves
the reader with a great respect for the hardy, strong-willed people who fought
and survived wildfires all across the States, and built up their lives in the
aftermath.
Catherine Perkins
IN
SEARCH OF A BRILLIANT WHITE CLOUD
Simon van der Heym,
Ivy House Publishing Group, 2004, $24.95, hb, 364pp, 1571974202
In 1940, nine-year old Eric flees the Netherlands with his parents and brothers
after the German invasion, trading an easy, privileged life for an uncertain
and, at times, difficult future. In Search of a Brilliant White Cloud
follows Eric through many challenges: life underground during World War II, his
relationships with various women and his children, a battle with cancer, and his
constant search for inner peace.
Like William Styron's Sophie's Choice, In Search of
a Brilliant White Cloud is the story of survival and how this survivor
attempts to move beyond the initial catastrophic event that shaped his early
life. Although awkward at times, the first half of the book works surprisingly
well. Eric's life on the run from the Nazis is interesting and often gripping.
Unfortunately, the second half of the book is not nearly as successful. The
writing is clumsy, and information is included which does little to advance the
story or Eric's development. The author provides detailed backgrounds for
characters who barely figure into the story, and much of the second half of the
novel deals with Eric's business dealings, which can make for a tedious read.
The story once again becomes promising when Eric is diagnosed with prostate
cancer, but this plot development is resolved so quickly that the reader doesn't
really get the chance to see how the illness has brought Eric the peace that he
has so desperately sought. Although enjoyable at times, In Search of a
Brilliant White Cloud ultimately doesn't work as a novel.
Catherine Collins
THE
STORKS OF LA CARIDAD
Florence B.
Weinberg, Twilight Times Books, 2004, $18.50, pb, 231pp, 1931201765
In the year 1767, Ygnacio Pfefferkorn, our narrator, was arrested. He was an
innocent victim in the expulsion of the Jesuits (the Society of Jesus) from the
Sonora desert in northern Mexico, and the reason for the arrest—Jesuits were
being accused of hoarding gold from their mother country.
The book explores the complexities and contradictions of the
Church during the late 1700s, and the plot centers around don Ygnacio's
reputation as a solver of mysteries. He has been imprisoned and abused for
eight years and has finally been released to the small mission of La Caridad.
Once he has been comfortably established in this monastery, two murders occur
and he learns that the mission is in danger of losing its independence. The
abbot of La Caridad enlists Ygnacio’s help in solving the murders, and in the
process our hero finds his own life in peril. Ygnacio is caught up in the
politics of the mission and the surrounding communities as he tries to uncover
the murderer.
Weinberg weaves a tight story. The reader is exposed
to an interesting history of the Society of Jesuits, the complexity of life in
the Roman Catholic Church in the 1700’s, and the interests and thoughts of the
monks who are coming to terms with a new world in this Age of Reason. Her
characters are well-drawn, and she delivers a well-written mystery. Her
descriptions of everyday life in the monastery ring true to the time period.
This book will appeal to mystery lovers as well as history buffs. Anyone who
loves period mysteries is likely to enjoy this book.
Naomi Theye
FINDING THE WAY: FROM
PRUSSIA TO A PRAIRIE HOMESTEAD
Alfred Wellnitz, iUniverse, Inc., 2004, $16.95,
pbk, 240 pp, 0595315909
Working seventy-two hours a week for six cents an hour and living in a dirty
tenement slum with his friend Heinrich was hardly the American dream for which
Karl Mueller left his native town of Flatow, Prussia in 1871. This book is an
invitation to journey with Karl Mueller and his friend, Heinrich Schlicter,
across America from 1871 through 1878. In a fictionalized history based on a
few facts from his grandfather’s life, author Alfred Wellnitz creates this
exciting, believable tale of hardship, adventure and romance. The book opens
with Karl’s return home to Flatow after serving in the Prussian Army during the
Franco-Prussian War. From a fellow soldier he learns of homesteading land in
America, and this becomes his dream. If he stays in Prussia, Karl would be
forced to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a peasant farmer, never
owning land and most likely dying in debt.
Karl arrives in America penniless and speaking no English.
Will he attain his homestead? Will he find a German Lutheran woman to marry?
This story includes Karl’s attempts at romance in America as he encounters
self-sufficient and enterprising women—some well educated, and others able to
handle a shotgun better than he.
This is not a shallow romantic tale with cardboard
characters; rather Karl and his friends are drawn fully and realistically. This
book is constructed around carefully researched facts and the details of
everyday life in the 1800’s. The vintage descriptions of cities and other
places provide a rich backdrop to this story, ensuring wide appeal in the
historical fiction market.
Judith Carroll
A
SHIP’S TALE
N. Jay Young,
Boson Books, 2004, $9.95, pb, 372 pp, 1932482032
World War II veteran Flynn has settled into a life of postwar drudgery in the
Kentish village of St. Mary’s Hoo, working for Mrs. Beasley, a crusty and
comical war widow who owns an inn and a tavern. His only solace is the
old-fashioned ships docked nearby. When Flynn learns that the ships are soon to
be destroyed, he bands together with a group of sailors to sail one of them, the
Bonnie Clyde, to Dumbarton, Scotland, where she was built. Though the
ship is seaworthy, she needs some repairs, and because of postwar shortages the
crew must make creative substitutions (using circus tents as sails, for
example). Both the journey and the preparation for the journey are full of
excitement, mystery, and adventure.
A Ship’s Tale is a
well-researched, exciting adventure with a healthy dose of humor. The author’s
passion for his subject is evident in the extraordinary descriptions of the
ships and the seafaring life. Naval buffs will especially appreciate the
accuracy and the level of detail, but A Ship’s Tale is accessible to
general audiences as well. Though there are times when the pacing is somewhat
slow, the story is highly enjoyable overall. Part naval adventure and part comic
novel, A Ship’s Tale will please a variety of readers. Recommended.
Nanette Donohue
CHILDREN'S / YOUNG ADULT NOVELS
THE BALLOON BOY OF
SAN FRANCISCO
Dorothy Kupcha Leland, Tomato Enterprises, 2005, pb, 125pp, ISBN 0-9617357-9-1
This book is written around a true incident. In 1853 a newsboy, Ready Gates,
went up in a hot air balloon. But when he pulled the valve cord to come down it
came off in his hand and Ready was left floating through the air with no way of
controlling the balloon. Although this particular incident is well documented
not much is known about Ready himself but Dorothy Kupcha Leland has provided her
own background for him.
Ready’s mother takes in boarders and sews pew cushions
while his father works in the brick factory. Ready's contribution to the family
finances is to sell newspapers as well as doing any other work he can. It is the
theme of newspapers which holds this book together. As Ready sells more papers
when there is something newsworthy we hear all about various steamship disasters
such as the sinking of the Independence and of other disasters such as
the Rassette House Hotel fire. As well as introducing the newspaper owner Pat
Hull. On a lighter note there is the arrival of the famous dancer and actress
Lola Montez.
As well as following the fortunes of Ready, there is another story in
the book. While going to buy the eastern newspapers from a ship Ready meets
Lydia, a teenage girl who has been rescued from the Independence.. Lydia
has come to San Francisco to try to find her brother who had left for the
goldfields and has not been heard of for some time. Ready determines to help her
track down her brother. This search also illuminates another facet of California
at the time –– namely the work of early photographers, the travelling
daguerreotypists.
This book has been very thoroughly researched. It comes with a sketch
map of Ready’s balloon flight along with a historical note.
A fascinating book which really brings the California of the 1850s to
life.
Ages 9-13
Mary S. Moffat
WEATHER BOY
Steve McCoy-Thompson, (Illustrated Richard McCoy and Tammy Flynn Seybold), 1st
Books Library, 2001, paperback. 165 pages, ISBN 0-75960-947-0
Throughout history the English Channel and the weather have always protected
Britain from invasion. Think of the storm which dispersed the Spanish Armada. Or
the Protestant wind which wafted William of Orange to England at the time of the
Glorious Revolution.
The importance of the weather did not apply only to the days of wooden
sailing ships. It was just as important during the Second World War.
For the D-Day landings in 1944 the weathermen had to find good weather
at the right time. Good weather was found –– and right after a great storm so
the Allies were able to invade when the Nazis would have least expected them.
And how were the weathermen so successful? In this modified
fantasy Steve McCoy Thompson has given his own very original explanation.
March 1944. Ten-year-old Frankie Brown lives on Cape Cod, Massachusetts
with his mother and older sister Joan while their father is a paratrooper in
England. Frankie and Joan quarrel over the radio programmes. Joan wants to
listen to jazz while Frankie wants the weather forecast. The quarrel becomes
physical and Frankie gets an electric shock. When he recovers he finds that he
can forecast the weather. And, surprisingly enough, people believe him because
his predictions come true. He is even able to forecast the weather for baseball
matches.
Then the Army hear about this. Frankie is tested and then, with his
mother and sister, taken to an army camp in England. There he works with army
meteorologists and meets General Eisenhower himself.
As well as the central theme of the weather, this unique
little book also contains much extra information about D-Day and war time
England. The story line is strengthened as Frankie's father goes missing after
D-Day. There are even hints rights of passage as Frankie learns to rely on
himself and not hide behind his Lone Ranger mask.
An absorbing story which highlights an aspect of D-Day which
is often overlooked.
Ages 9-13
Mary S. Moffat
NORTHERN LIGHTS
Stephanie Wincik, One Horse Press, 2003, $5.99,
pbk, 121 pp, 0972565019
In this time-travel adventure for young readers,
a five-man band of rock stars called LightStar is blasted into the past by a
violent storm. One minute they are wowing their crowd of 30,000 fans at a
concert in Richmond, Virginia; the next minute they are waking up in a dark
muddy field. Before our heroes can figure out what’s happened, they are
captured by Union soldiers. How will they convince the soldiers they are not
spies? How will LightStar travel back to the present?
This book would merit a review by a young reader. Some
readers looking for rich historical detail will not find it, but the author
offers plenty of action and clever joking among the characters. Truly, the book
reads like a fast-paced comic book. The plot will strike those who enjoy more
intricately woven tales as contrived; however, if this book is meant to be a
fast, fun read, and not a serious, thought-provoking tale, then it does hit the
mark.
Character development seems to be sacrificed for action
and clever one-liners, making it difficult to remember who was who in the
five-member cast of main characters. Early during the course of events, the
band is separated. The chapters then switch back and forth, telling the events
experienced by Eric and Gabriel, and then following Michael, Kyle, and Tony’s
adventures. Toward the last third of the book the characters begin to emerge as
viable individuals, and the separation aids in making that happen.
It appears that this book should be recommended for
children who read at the chapter book level and for those in their early teens.
This story is light-hearted, good, clean fun. Appearances by President Lincoln
and references to the Civil War may inspire an interest in this period of
history.
Judith Carroll
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