Western Books

The story of the Loon Society is great. You learn about it from the characters and actions in this early gay pulp fiction novel. I will not tell the story, but hope you can read it and then if you are very fortunate will be able to watch the movie (believe me reading the story will help with understanding the movie). The story of men in the early history of this country may be made up in this book, but I believe it happened more than many people would ever admit. I hope the movie will be reissued, even though it is not well made and did not do well when it was released, it would add to any collection of books/movies.

Ephraim MacIver is escaping his one time lover, following the course a wise man has advised him - a course to discover himself - when he encounters an Indian Singing Heron. Singing Heron already knows Ephraim's name, and begins to instruct him in the ways of the Loon Society, and before sending him further on his journey of discovery they fall in love. As Ephraim's quest continues he meets more Indians as well as Cyrus, and he fall in love with them all.

As Ephraim learns more of the exclusively male Loon Society, and their ways of unselfish love, he tries to understand how he also can love more than one person. Yet at the same time he learns that he may also find a special partner from among all those who have fallen in love with him while on his quest. For this is what marks those of the Loon society out from others, they can share their love while still holding to one partner, they do not know jealously.

This is quite remarkable story, especially considering it was written over forty years ago. At its core is the thought of free love along with its unrestrained physical fulfilment, without jealousy. The story has the feel of fantasy about it as everything falls perfectly in place as Ephraim continues his journey, and with the meaningful dreams. The story is contains many explicit passages of love making; passages which manage to avoid being crude and put to shame much of what is written today.

The story does raise concerns though. The men all seem to be handsome and well equipped, and readily declare undying love within a few days or possibly hours of meeting and before they have had a chance to really know one another. It is easy to get the impression that this love is built on physical attraction; although in fairness it does also speak of the beauty within, and Ephraim at least does not restrict his attentions just to the young. And maybe this is part of the fantasy, this ability accurately to read one another so quickly.

There are two sequels to the Song of the Loon: Song of Aaron and Willow Song.

Given the age of this book, and the fact that it was revolutionary when it was published, this book is well worth reading, if only for the "historical" perspective. The writing is STILTED, the situations, CONTRIVED, and the sex, PREDICTABLE, but...and I must hesitate here in reviewing this book, in it's HISTORICAL CONTEXT, i.e., the period in which it was written and published, it is ground breaking. Is it a scorcer?..Nah!...is it entertaining?...Yes!...will it have you breathing heavily?...uh..that depends upon your imagination and libido. Read it and make up your own mind.

One of my all time favorite gay stories. I'm glad it's back in print for the youger people to read.

Even if the book wasn't attached, Michael Bronski's introduction would be reason enough to buy this edition of SONG OF THE LOON by the late "Richard Amory."

But this way you get the novel too, a groundbreaking, yet oddly ultra traditional novel--really a romance in Northrop Frye's terms--in which the white man and the Indian meet on a field of Eros rather than Thanatos. Yes folks, this is the real Brokeback Mountain in which buckskinned pioneers meet up with and pursue Indian braves on the banks of the "Umpqua" in a territory of long ago. Thinking about the storyline, you realize how ridiculous the plot is, for there aren't very many people on the frontier and every last one of them is a man and every last one of them is either openly or secretly a member of the Loon Brotherhood. Yes, it strains plausibility but Amory's power as a writer is such that while it is taking place you don't really quibble, Sybil.

He was a great poet as well, and the book gets a haunting resonance from Amory's descriptions of American nature, its flora and fauna, in the days before heavy industry moved in to shovel it into parking lots. The skies are an amazing blue, the rivers swift and clear. Over the great forests you can hear every animal's step in the fallen twigs, and the insects hum. "Darker green, the waters of the Umpqua fell in tiny crystals from the paddle--the waves from the canoe sighed in the shadows of white elders and lacy vine maples. A pair of jays screamed high in the treetops, then streaked far into the woods, crying hoarsely."

And because it is porn, it has men galore, all of them with heavily veined, vibrant, pulsating members under their loincloths. Ephraim is a white man on the run from a miserable relationship with Montgomery, a self-hating homosexual who could only have sex when he was drunk, who showed his naked form only to taunt the besotted Ephraim. Breaking free, Ephraim is on a long canoe ride into Indian territory where he meets one man after another, each more luscious than the last, and the members of the tribe teach him about polygamy and the joys of giving up your virginity in the scented wigwam rings. If it isn't Singing Heron, it's Bear Who Dreams--even an elderly medicine man, nice to see that old people have sex in the porn of the 1960s. And finally Ephraim meets his opposite number, the dreamy Cyrus, who is so big it takes three hands to hold all of him steady.

The book comes packaged with a dossier of contemporary reviews, interviews, photos and other invaluable documents, just as though we were reading some "classic" by Dreiser or Balzac or Cather.

It is a wonderful version of time travel and comes highly recommended by thousands and thousands of one-handed readers. What a way to kick off this promising series from Vancouver's estimable Arsenal Pulp Press in tandem with the venerable Little Sister's bookstore of BC.

Enjoyed it very much, bogged down just a little in several places. The author really got me caught up in the first page.

This is the type of book that is hard to put down. It grabs you from the start and keeps you wondering what is going to happen next. It is not only a great story, it is also full of history of the Texas rangers and the Mexican border towns. I can't wait to read the sequel. I highly recommend this book.

Agree with others: hard to put down. A New Yorker married to a Texan, I had to take Texas history for teaching certification. It was extremely interesting, but this book beats all by drawing the reader in, so that you sort of live that slice of history along with the characters.

A great read. I was hooked at the first chapter. What a way to start a story! And the story continues with suprising twists and turns. You will enjoy the last chapter as much as you enjoyed the first chapter.

If you liked this tale about the Texas-Rio Grande region, then you will like Bart Skelton's monthly feature in Guns and Ammo magazine. And likewise, if you like Bart Shelton, then you will like this book.

Enjoy.

This is a captivating story with lovable characters. There is just the right amount of excitement, historical reference and Spanish language smattered throughout to make this book authentic and informative but easy and pleasant reading. I am anxious to see more from this author.

If your any kind of fan of gunsmoke , you have to own this book !

How fun would it have been to have been on the set of this amazing show? This is a great book with a lot of interviews, anecdotes, and pictures. I wish more shows today had the quality of Gunsmoke...maybe I'd watch them more than the Gunsmoke reruns!

In "Gunsmoke: An American Institution Celebrating 50 Years of Television's Best Western", author Ben Costello has provided the legions of fans for America's most popular and long-running television western series with an exhaustive compendium showcasing and celebrating all twenty seasons (comprising a total of 635 episodes) of Matt Dillion and his many friends and foes. Profusely illustrated with literally hundreds of photos about what went on both in front and in back of the cameras, "Gunsmoke" covers the major cast members, as well as the producers, writers and directors, and features an especially insightful interviews with Dennis Weaver, Buck Taylor, and Burt Reynolds. There are even sections featuring Dean Martin Celebrity Roast Highlights; reminisces of distinctive guest stars; Gunsmoke memorabilia, the post-television series Gunsmoke films, and so very much more. Certain to be a popular addition to any community library American Popular Culture collection, "Gunsmoke" is a 'must read' for anyone who grew up with Matt Dillion, Miss Kitty, Doc, Chester, Festus, and all the other denizens of Dodge City and the Old West.

This book is a pleasure to read. The background stories and photos really enhance the episodes presently shown on TV Land cable channel. The volume is both informative and entertaining.

This about covers every aspect of that 20 year phenomenon "Gunsmoke"The personal insights from everyone associated with that show from the writers to all the great and soon to be great actors.As a die hard fan of this show I was incensed by some of the decisions made by a couple of producers who made I think,some very bad decisions based on personal feelings and insults made to some key actors.

But the bottom line is thats what a good book does.Gets the reader wrapped up in the story and triggers emotions of both good and bad.This book did all of that and if you are like me and still enjoy watching all the re-runs then you should buy this book and put it all in a wonderful perspective..

Now a note to all that stations that are airing these shows:Where are all the black and white episodes?

Excellent book for travel to BC. We have used other Moon Books on travel and have been very pleased with all of them

This was the first of the Moon books I'd ever used and I was very impressed. There was a ton of useful information on general Canadian travel, but the bulk of the book is devoted to the various regions and the best of what there is to see and do. In places like Vancouver, where there are lots of museums, he discusses these; on Vancouver Island he tells all you'll need to know about water activities; in the Okanagan Valley he chooses his favorite wineries, etc. I'd been to BC previously, but visited a few great spots that I wouldn't have found without this book. The author concentrates on 3 or 4 places to stay and a similiar number of restaurants in each town and he has obviously done his research well as I couldn't find fault with the recommendations that cover all price ranges.

Also importantly, the book is very well organized and the maps were very helpful. I also liked the thorough bibliography.

I know of no better book to my home province of British Columbia than this Moon guide. On my travels as a semi-retired geologist, I also carry copies of the Lonely Planet and Frommer's book and have reviewed both of them and others at Amazon.com, but Moon Handbooks British Columbia stands alone for its usefulness. The other books have their good points, but this one encapsulates everything one needs to enjoy the wonders of the province, whether it's their first trip or they live here. It covers every single corner of BC and is thorough and up to date.

The Moon guide is cleverly written and arranged to appeal to all budgets. The bulk of the text relates to towns and parks of BC, with informative coverage of everything from museums to fishing opportunities and wildlife viewing. Each section ends with details of the best places to stay and recommendations for dining. If you're camping out or RVing I'd suggest also getting a campground guide, but the Moon book suggests at least one campground in each town, each of which the author has obviously visited. Motels are also detailed, and over previous editions I'm yet to find fault with the author's choices. Ditto for bed and breakfasts and restaurants.

In my opinion, thois is definitely the best allround guidebook for British Columbia

This is indeed a terrific guidebook for B.C. Previous editions, however, included Banff and Jasper National Parks, which admittedly are in Alberta, not B.C., but are usually included in Canadian Rockies travel itineraries. There's no excuse including Yoho (which is just over the border) but not Banff and Jasper, except to sell more books. So this is not an improvement.

I've used Moon Handbooks for years and they are simply the best! I have the Montana, Wyoming, Washington, Alberta, and now the British Columbia book, and I've never been disappointed. These books include the usual stuff, such as lodging, restaurants, and recreation, but they also include local history and cultural information that makes them far superior to most guides. Buy a Moon Handbook that covers the state you live in--you will be surprised at how much you can learn. If you're going traveling, they are indispensable.

This series gets better and better. As always, Kristen Heitzmann has a lovely way with words. Her characters are deep and lifelike. Things finally seemed ready to settle down and Cole's up and kidnapped by bounty hunters haulin' him in for a murder, of a harlot of all things. Of course, Abbie's gotta hitch up her skirts and tear off after him like heat on a summer day and of course, she finds and frees him. That's where the fun begins. Cole's still determined to walk towards danger for honor's sake.

Abbie is fearless, a loving wife, a devoted mother. She's a good daughter and friend. She has many qualities most ladies aspire to.

I love the series, and I cannot wait to see what happens next. I love the narration by Kate Forbes. I can't wait for the 2nd series when Janette gets married, and Eliot finds his true love as well; and even how Marci's daughter turns out.

Kristen keep writing,

Julia

I think this is the best book,but I realy wish monte did not die. I think she should write another book to the series, and have monte not realy be dead,and have it turn out that he realy was just badly injured and before they put him in the dirt a native american came and grabbed him and patched him up but lost his memory.So Abbie falls in love with cole and gets married, and so monte comes home after a few months they've been married, with his memory back,and abbie has to choose between them........you could finish the rest kristen if you decide to use my idea in another rocky mountian legacy. Keep up the good work,and GOD BLESS YOU! P.S Keep me informed please!

I think this is the best book,but I realy wish monte did not die. I think she should write another book to the series, and have monte not realy be dead,and have it turn out that he realy was just badly injured and before they put him in the dirt a native american came and grabbed him and patched him up but lost his memory.So Abbie falls in love with cole and gets married, and so monte comes home after a few months they've been married, with his memory back,and abbie has to choose between them........you could finish the rest kristen if you decide to use my idea in another rocky mountian legacy. Keep up the good work,and GOD BLESS YOU! P.S Keep me informed please!

Cole has returned to Abbie's ranch as foreman, but Abbie is not about to let down her guard to love again, until -- could it be happening? Just as she begins to wonder, a stranger rides onto the ranch and beats Cole severely immediately before bounty hunters come and violently take Cole away for the murder of an El Paso woman, a lady of the night with whom Cole's brother, Sam was in love.

Consuming a good portion of the whole book is the long journeys most of the main characters are making to El Paso and back, leaving the children, 7 and 4 behind in the care of Abbie's parents. The journey is long and hard, unlikely characters from past books appear and one surprise after another lands Abbie in El Paso, visiting Cole in jail. She has a hard time really knowing if he is innocent or guilty, but someone does know, and Abbie feels she owes it to Cole to find out the truth. After all, he has saved her life on several occasions. Her faithful young stable hand, Will, is by her side, helping in every way he can.

A circuit rider preacher has accompanied Cole part of the way on this trip and Cole has decided he needs to know God. However, Abbie has a hard time believing he really has changed. The author throws in some difficult situations with Cole's past and his family's tragedies and some real surprises in this book which features mainly, the life, the hanging charges and the changes which take place in the lives of Abbie Farrell and Cole Jasper.

I already have the next book ready to start. Thanks Kristen, for this wonderful, historical Christian fiction series!

I bought this book because our family is planning a summer vacation to Montana. We wanted to refresh our memory of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. We all enjoyed the diaries and illustrations in the book. It is the right amount of information to keep the story moving and keep all readers interested. It is full of interesting details of this famous journey.

We ordered this to complete a reading requirement for my child's project. It was packed with information yet illustrated nicely and easy to read.

Wow! This is a wonderful book. An engaging layout, colorfully descriptive illustrations, captivating text, and numerous extra little tidbits of information all combine to make this a most enjoyable and informative book. And that's not all! Perhaps the best feature of all is the fact that the text, while slightly adapted for the younger reader, is taken from the original writings of Lewis, Clark, and other members of the Corps of Discovery. All in all, this is a can't-miss resource for studying the Lewis & Clark Expedition with children. My 12-year-old enjoyed it every bit as much as my 9-year-old... although I'm not sure how either of them could have enjoyed it more than I did!

The adventure and thrill of the Lewis & Clark Expedition is brought to life here in a story that both children and adults could appreciate. In beautiful and carefully rendered folk-style illustrations, and with descriptive text from the actual journals of the participants, the book has the appearance of something that almost could have been written in the early 1800's, when the expedition occurred. Rosalyn Schanzer's personal interest in the subject, especially the journals and the Indian tribes, seems to bring out the best in the storytelling, which primarily illustrates the first 1 1/2 years of the Corps of Discovery's journey to the Pacific Ocean. The story is accessible and easily understood, yet the attention to detail should satisfy those trying to learn, and even researchers in this important chapter in early American History.

A very good book about the Lewis & Clark expedition. The illustrations were vivid and the best part of the book. I would recommend this book

I purchased this for my own reference. A friend already has it and I wanted one for myself.

Great detailed information and great pictures. Learned a lot about the old breed. Thanks.

THIS IS THE FIRST OF THE LEGENDS SERIES THAT I PURCHASED.
IT IS EXCELLENT! I HAVE COLLECTED ALL OF THE LEGEND BOOKS AVAILABLE AND LOOK FORWARD TO NEW ONES. ALL VERY USEFUL INFORMATION AND MAKES FOR SOME GREAT CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN AROUND THE QUARTER HORSE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF AQHA.

IT WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF IT HAS INFORMATION OF HORSE MR CONCLUSION IN THIS BOOK

This book provided the ancestry of the horses that started the American Quarterhorse breed. It was fun to take my horses' lineage and be able to trace it all the way back to the original King Ranch horses. I found out why my horse has such hard feet, why she likes to run so much, and found that she is the spitting image of one of her ancestors. I could hear the stories of her great grandsires and great granddams, the lives that they led, the places they lived, their temperaments, their quirks of behavior. I feel that I know my own horse better after seeing where she came from. I highly recommend this and the other volumnes of this series.

It is a difficult read, no doubt, but this is one book which each and every educated person must read; doesn't matter if it takes a lifetime. If one reads three pages a day, it'll take one year to finish the book; that is the kind of patience the book demands, but it's worth it and extremely rewarding. Logistics overcome, comes the barrier of prejudice; several of them: India, Hindu, Ashram, Philosophy, Spirituality, New-Age etc. But what is needed is an absolutely open mind and the book becomes a pure Life's User Manual.

The book itself is a Univeresity that breathes universality. During the course of reading, one gets attuned to many related areas and ideas by way of allusions and comparisions. It also solves progressively one's long-held doubts and discords. Besides, in whichever profession one is, it helps to improve on the practical aspects. Further, the poetic beauty of the text enhances the sheer pleasure of reading even while the insights gained expands one's sense of mundane existence. Two other booklets, "The Mother" and "The Mind of Light" or "The Supramental Manifestation upon Earth" are essential supplements, lest one's understanding of the author is prone to be lopsided.

Rating this book is like rating god for his creation-a joke of first order. This book is an eternal book, its language ancient, contemporary, futuristic and transcendant. the only way one can approach this book is in quiet contemplation and deep introspection. every thought, doubt and question that might have crossed the minds of humankind is addressed, explained. understanding this book is the puny first step. it needs to realised, acted, lived and revisited. that would be rare human who does not find this book has changed his/her life. one feels like annihilating oneself to greatness of this being.

This book is the greatest achievement of Mankind!It is the greatest philosophical book ever written and in the best English Language ever written too.It is the Ultimate culmination of a 3,000 year Indian Philosophic Thought.

Sri Aurobindo examines deeper than anybody ever did the Human Condition and treats with the utmost profundity,clarity,linguistic beauty,logical acuity,originality and imagination all the major questions of Life:Why is there something rather than nothing,what is the meaning of life,why are we here,where did we come from,what is our relationship to the ultimate ground of Being,what is the function of ignorance,suffering,pain,what is the Nature of the Ultimate Being.He surpasses Shankara,incorporating in his philosophy the Tantric idea of the meaningfulness and purposefulness of the Becoming,as well as all central elements of Buddhist Philosophy.In relating all these to modern man (Western and Eastern) and connecting everything together through the most plastic,expressive,exquisite language ever written,he achieves the Ultimate Synthesis of all philosophical and spiritual thought of Mankind.

Although one needs to become accustomed to his unique language and expression ,as well as to spend initially some time in understanding the way he uses certain terms (some of his own creation,so that the Inexpressible could at least be hinted at),this initial investment of time will more than reward the serious reader in the end.

Some,with whom I agree,suggest that one start reading the book from the chapter "The evolution of the spiritual man"(Book 2,chapter 24) and,after moving on to read the next two chapters too,to go back and start reading it from the beginning.These last chapters give an overview of his philosophy and are written in an easier language.

"THE LIFE DIVINE" is itself one of the most pure EMBODIMENTS of the DIVINE

This is a difficult book to read. Let us be under no illusions about that. It is verbose, repetitive and massive in its scope: tackling virtually the entire gamut of issues that philosophy traditionally deals with. But by the time you have finished reading the book (it took me three months to finish)it would have transformed the way you live your life. You may not agree with Aurobindo, and in fact, he probably does not want you to blindly agree with him, he would much rather that you think things out for yourself; but one thing that he certainly does is to question the 'commonsense' view of the world: the view of the world that we build up using bits of unexamined,untested, received, 'truths'. Take just one such 'truth': We believe--or at least we have done so ever since Descartes--that Matter and Consciousness are two separate things. Aurobindo puts forward the suggestion that the two are actually one and the same entity, only they are in different states being: somewhat like Ice and Steam being different states of water. If we concede that matter may be a form of consciousness, only in an inert state, all sorts of consequences would follow: especially with regard to our attitudes towards the environment.
As I had said earlier, the scope of the book is massive. Its three parts can be roughly divided into Ontology (where he discusses the Nature of the Cosmos), Epistemology (where he discusses the nature of Knowledge (&Ignorance), and the problem of Evil--which he attributes to Ignorance: a consequence of Ahamkara or ego-centricism) and finally, in the last part, he provides a broad, general direction for living our lives in accordance with our revised view of the world (Ethics). However, the book is not tightly structured (If you are looking for a book like Wittgenstein's Tractatus you will find yourself truly frustrated) it is loose, repetitive, and disjointed. Possibly because it was originally written as a series of essays and published monthly in a magazine called the Arya (between 1914 to 1919). He must have had to repeat himself because his original audience would have forgotten a point that he would have made five years ago. But the cumulative effect of the repetitions is that his ideas have a tendency to gradually seep in and sink into your mind, rather than strike you as a sort of brilliant epiphany.
Aurobindo's philosphy is ultimately rooted in ancient Hindu Vedic thought. In the course of the book, Aurobindo tackles Marx, Darwin, Nietzche, Freud, Hegel, Feurbach, (plus a whole range of European philosophers) and his idea is to adapt their philosophy to the 'Truth' as expressed by the Seers of the ancient Vedas. Does he succeed in doing so? I don't know. That is for professional philosophers to decide. For me, the book has been a revelation, the scales have dropped from my eyes: I see things differently now. Hopefully, I will continue to do so for a while before the snares of living in a modern city finally engulf me once again. Haven't they said that we can't stand to face the truth for too long?

There are very few great spiritual classics that each century produces. The Life Divine is one of these great spiritual classics, one of the key spiritual studies of the twentieth center, perhaps of all time. There are few great mystics and enlightened masters who are able to express themselves in extensive philosophy and profound poetry. Sri Aurobindo was one of these, and the Life Divine is probably his magnum opus.
The Life Divine is no mere call to a life of piety, asceticism or outward religious fervor. It is a call to bring the Divine as a force of higher consciousness into all that we are and do, both individually and as a species. The Life Divine unfolds a panoramic exploration of consciousness from the Absolute (Brahman), to the Cosmic Creator (Ishvara), to the individual soul (Jivatman), and all the realms of existence, manifest and unmanifest, known and unknown. There are few books that cover such an expanse and with such depth, direct knowledge and clarity. For those who want to widen their horizons and extend their awareness into the realms of higher consciousness, there is perhaps no other book that is as complete, comprehensive and challenging. Reading it requires both concentration and meditation of a very high order, but brings great riches of inner insight in return.
As someone who has studied the main religious traditions of the world, and has written extensively on the traditions of India, this book has remained with me as life time companion. I recommend it to all those who are looking at the spiritual life as a quest for a higher consciousness and grace that can transform all that we do. One can continue to delve into the book for new wisdom and insight year after year. The Life Divine teaches us in depth about the great spiritual traditions of India, Veda, Vedanta, Samkhya, Yoga, Tantra and Buddhism, but from a view of practice and realization, and a seeking for the universal truth behind all these great teachings.
Most notably, the Life Divine outlines the spiritual purpose of the soul and of our human lives. It charts a way to a future in which we can go beyond our current mentality of ego and strife to a world of Divine peace, bliss and knowledge. It charts the transformation of our species from a confused adolescence to the maturity of wisdom and grace. Sri Aurobindo shows how the Divine Shakti can descend into our minds and lift us to a higher level of intelligence as our natural state of existence. The book is perhaps the best study of the spiritual evolution of humanity, the evolution of consciousness in man and nature, which is available.

No wonder my book Lily's Sister was selected by a major Ohio newspaper as one of the top 20 books by local authors in 2006. (Akron Beacon Journal, 12/31/06) It really is a great love story on several levels, well written with wonderful characters, a page-turner of a plot, and a beautiful epilogue. The book is well worth the price and I know you'll consider it a keeper - one you'll return to again and again for the pleasure of its company.

I bought Lily's Sister just before Christmas and read the first chapter. It was a busy time and I had to set it aside for a more leisurely season. Well, summer came and I picked it up and soon discovered it took self-discipline to allow myself only one chapter per night. It turned out to be a delightful way to enjoy an interesting story brought to life through strong characters and a fascinating setting. I enjoyed watching the storyline unfold as each scene built upon the last.

It is a love story but an unusual one in that it explores love from several perspectives: the love of sisters, the love of one's self, the love of home, and, obviously, the love of man and woman. It brought unity to a theme that supported the storytelling well. I particularly enjoyed how the slow build up of events and relationships paralleled the action of the weather as the long, excessively dry summer finally built to a stormy relief. This depth of writing adds dimension to the reader experience. I highly recommend Lily's Sister; reading it is time well-spent.

Alright,I'm hooked on the story line...please don't make we wait long for Karen Haley's next book!

Lily's Sister caught me from the first ten pages and I was carried away until the end. Karen Hasley not only weaves a captivating tale. She also offers great insight into the joys and difficulties of sisterhood as Louise describes her relationship to her sister, Lily. Evidently Hasley has researched pioneer women's literature, because she catches the strength and determination of the voice of the early western woman. Louise's growing affection for John Rock Davis is a little like a sunflower coming into bloom. You (and she) suspect it's coming and then it explodes into flower. Lily's Sister is a love story, but it's also about loyalty and integrity and grief. I highly recommend it.

Reading this book, feeling the strength of Louisa reminded me of myself. If I had lived a former life, it would have fit me so well. It felt so good to read a book that illustrated a female supporting herself and not jumping at the first man to take care of her. It was refreshing to have the author express her Faith in her story. I truly enjoyed the way the author alluded to intimate encounters and did not try and tantalize us with her version of a "good sex scene". - My imagination loved this book!

I'm a teenager and i really enjoyed this book.It is a real page turner & I recommend people of all ages read it. Even if you dont like westerns, read it you will truly enjoy reading this book.It was written with taste that even a teenager could enjoy.

Luke Ludd is a book of revenge and what friendship's are supposed to mean; and makes the reader agree that revenge is the way. While Luke has been away, working as a Pinkerton Agent, Laughlin attempts to take over water and range rights from everyone in the valley resulting in multiple murders, including Luke Ludd's father. Luke's only desire is to see the men responsible dead. This results in his killing three of the McKues brothers in the streets of Rising Star. Luke is badly wounded himself during the gun battle and struggling to survive. After being rescued by Cork Langtry, an old family friend with a beautiful daughter who has loved Luke her entire life, the book is off and running with non-stop action. The character's come alive and the reader feels as though he is there with them to the end. Luke Ludd is a must read for any fan of western novels and a book you will not want to put down because you can't wait to see what happens next. D. J. Bishop is a writer with in depth knowledge of his genre, and readers will look forward to future books.

LUKE'S REVENGE FOR MURDER OF HIS FATHER
LORAINE'S LIFETIME LOVE FOR LUKE
CHARACTERIZATION WAS SUPER

After seven long years away, Luke Ludd returns to the town where he grew up after receiving word that his father had been killed. He arrives back in Rising Star to find not only had his father been shot down in cold blood, but a man by the name of Maxwell Laughlin had ordered it done so he could take over the ranch and water that in time would surely give him control of the town and all the people in it. To make things even worse Laughlin had hired the five mean-spirited McKuen brothers with their fast guns to carry out his orders and to do away with anyone else who stood in his way. The pursuing gun battle leaves three of the McKuen's dead and Luke under the boardwalk of the barbershop near death with three bullet wounds in his body and what remained of the McKuens closing in. This is an Avalon Western, and like all Avalon books, it is suitable for the whole family to read.

FROM COVER TO COVER A REAL PAGE TURNER
WELL DEVELOPED
VERY CREATIVE
PACKED FULL OF ACTION
I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN
The book has a straight-line plot. The author's style is simple and straight forward. The book is a real 'page turner.' The focus of story is on action, situations, and events. Characterization focuses on several characters of different sexes whose lives are intertwined. There are memorable and important secondary characters. The ending wraps everything up.
The geographic setting(s) of the book: Texas.
The time period(s) of the book: Mid 1800's

Luke Ludd by D.J. Bishop is must read western. It is a story of a famly and its strugle to stay together, and how in those days revenge was a must. Luke and Lorraine, Cork and his brother Elam, are examples of how families are suppose to be, and how they were the backbone of our country when a mans word was everything. The characters were strong and they stick with you. It is a real page turner I'm not a avid reader and I couldn't put this one down. This is my first western but if there are more like this one of D.J. Bishop's it won't be my last.

Luke Ludd by D.J. Bishop, what can I say. You must read this western. It weaves a story of a family that stays together no matter what the consequences. I absolutely loved this story. I even loved Sadie the ole black sow. The feelings that grew between Luke and Lorraine. Cork and his brother, Elam, a wonderful pair. These men were the backbone of our country. The characters were strong and they stay with you! I bought the book it was so good. A ten stars and two thumbs up to this great story of the western life of a family made strong with the lives they weaved.