Adelsverein: The Gathering

by Celia Hayes

Strider Nolan, December 2008

This is the first in a trilogy, the following books being The Sowing and The Harvesting. The official release date for all three is December 10th.

The Gathering begins in 1844 and takes the reader on an epic journey before ending in 1853.

Celia Hayes tells the tale of a family attracted to the promise of a new life in America and the joys and hardships of this journey which begins with sailing from Germany.

As well as her fictional characters Celia Hayes includes many real people and events that add credence to the historical content of this book.

Celia Hayes has a superb ability to describe the natural world that will have the reader sharing the wonder of discovery with the Steinmetz family. As well as the beauty of new found lands the reader will share the warmth of new love, the horror of a massacre, and the heartbreak of the death of loved ones – most of which are the result of disease.

For me the most memorable scenes took place on or in water. The well told sea passage; life on board the ship and the living conditions painting vivid pictures in my mind. And who could forget Magda’s terror as she fights to save the child on the raft.

And then there’s the well-told series of events, based on truth and real people, that lead to the peace treaty with the Penateka Comanche. In fact the Indians provide some of the most humorous situations in the story.

The Gathering, is a very easy to read story that easily draws you in and will have you eager to find out how the Steinmetz family stand up to the challenges that face them.

If you’re looking for a change from reading the type of westerns I usually review here then this could be worth considering as it sure has me interested in reading the following two books to find out what happens next.

"Whadda We Do Now, Butch?"

Another in my series of occasional reviews of books that are not quite westerns but should appeal to western readers.

“WHADDA WE DO NOW, BUTCH?”

by Shel Talmy

Pan, 1978

‘Some damned Yankee detective held me up with a story about some other damn Yanks,’ said the chief superintendent, ‘desperadoes he called them…small-time crooks with the improbably names of Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid!’

London in the good old 1900’s, Hansom cabs on Sloane Street and every gentleman with his club in St. James. Jonathan De Ford staying at the Cadogan Hotel in his interminable pursuit of Butch and Sundance who are living in Mayfair, as the guest of Lord Reggie Ratlett.

If you thought the Old West’s very latest legends were filled with lead in darkest Bolivia, R.I.P. … then you will be fascinated to learn how they managed to stay alive and afloat all the way to London town and into the – very secret – service of H.M. Government…

As soon as you start reading this it becomes obvious Talmy has used the portrayal of Butch and Sundance as by Paul Newman and Robert Redford on which to base his characterizations of these two famous outlaws. Not only that there’s the inclusion of Jonathan De Ford and many memories of scenes from that excellent film. There are many moments of humour too and a great supporting cast of characters, both fictional and real. Sundance gets to teach poker to a group of men who include Conan Doyle and Winston Churchill. Meanwhile Butch is being interviewed for a newspaper by an author called H.G. Wells.

Talmy writes well and soon had me caught up his fast moving story as Butch and Sundance find themselves, reluctantly, working for the British Government against the Germans and the threat of an inevitable war. Everything builds up to an exciting train robbery, which reveals that not everyone is who they say they are. And all the time Butch and Sundance are trying to keep one step ahead of De Ford as his obsession with catching them, and having them deported, which could lead to the failure of the mission and worse, our heroes deaths.

If you’re a fan of the film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, then I reckon, like me, you’ll enjoy this book too.

Under Outlaw Flags

This is the first in what I hope will be an occasional collection of reviews of books that are advertised as westerns or historical novels that don't really fit the time zone that most readers of westerns expect of their reading material. Books that I think maybe of interest due to their links with western fiction.

UNDER OUTLAW FLAGS

by James Reasoner

Berkley, May 1998

1917 and for most the Wild West was long gone. But out where the roads ended the Tacker Gang still managed to make a dishonest living. They knew how to ride, hide and were more than handy with their Colts. But eventually the law caught up with them and they were given a choice - serve your country or serve twenty years in jail.

So the Tacker Gang left the frontier and headed for the front and found the war in Europe was a whole new world, wilder than anything they’d encountered before.

James Reasoner has said this is one his favourite books he has written and it’s easy to see why. He merges the western novel with a war novel with effortless ease making for a gripping read.

His characters are well drawn and the plot moves along at breath taking speed. Some of the situations the Tacker Gang find themselves in allow them to use their experience as outlaws for health or wealth reasons.

I particularly liked the fact that James didn’t have the whole outlaw gang become soldiers, two become pilots thus adding an extra dimension to the story.

To pick out a favourite part of the story is almost impossible as the book is such and entertaining read - although the part when one of them is caught in no-mans-land has stuck in my memory.

Highly recommended.