Review by Reader5698 -- The McCoys Before The Feud

[Reader5698]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The McCoys Before The Feud" by Thomas McCoy.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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When Thomas McCoy Jr., known as Tommy, receives an urgent letter informing him that valuables have been stolen from the South during the course of the Civil War and are kept in secret locations, he feels it his duty to retrieve those items and to return them to their rightful owners. He feels that this is his last chance to get justice for the South after their forced surrender. Having acquired a number of maps detailing the sites where the loot is kept, Tommy begins to form a plan of action with the help of other members of the McCoy clan. Carrying out this mission is no easy task; it requires meticulous planning and skill, with very little margin for error. If the McCoys succeed, they will be able to give people back some of what was stolen from them and will have enough money for a fresh start after the War.

Characterization takes a backseat in the novel, as the focus lies on retrieving the stolen goods. Most of the interaction between the characters revolves around that particular plot point, which makes it difficult to get a real feel for the characters. In spite of this, the author still manages to establish a strong sense of camaraderie and loyalty between the different characters. Their strength lies not in their individual personalities but rather in who they are as a group. The McCoys: Before the Feud is a tale about family and trust. Every member of the group has a role to play and does what it takes to achieve it, putting the family first before personal gain.

The strength of the novel lies in McCoy’s effortless description of the setting, creating a strong sense of time and place. McCoy’s descriptions are just enough to immerse you into the novel without being too lengthy as to feel forced or distracting.

Unfortunately, the story felt rather dragged out towards the end. While it was interesting to read about the group’s attempt to retrieve the valuables from the secret sites, it became rather repetitive after a while, considering there was a total of five sites. The premise of recovering the stolen valuables was simply not enough to carry the whole novel. The story would have benefited from being longer in general, with more emphasis on other aspects of the plot.

I would recommend this book to fans of historical novels and Westerns, as it includes elements that would resonate with fans of both genres. The novel offers a vivid description of time and place, placing a big emphasis on the vast landscapes and the endless possibilities that they provide. The characters follow a strong moral code and are determined to fight for justice, no matter the price. The historical details are woven seamlessly into the text and take you to a different time.

All in all, I rate The McCoys: Before the Feud by Thomas McCoy 3 out of 4 stars. The book is well-edited, but the plot needed to be expanded further, and the characters also needed to be fleshed out more. They worked well in a group, but it was sometimes difficult to discern their different voices. Especially the secondary characters felt very similar, and it was quite difficult to tell them apart most of the time. Hence, I felt I needed to take off a star for the rather thin plot and characters. Seeing how it is the first book in a series, however, I believe there is room for the characters to grow as the series progresses.

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The McCoys Before The Feud
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[Kanda_theGreat]

I read this book a while back and enjoyed it. I'm glad that from your summary, you seem to have had an amazing reading experience too.

[Reader5698]

I read this book a while back and enjoyed it. I'm glad that from your summary, you seem to have had an amazing reading experience too.

Thank you very much for leaving a comment

[drwcroaker]

Cool! This is a very fun premise. Too bad the book doesn't finish well. There are so many fun things this set-up could play with. How long does this take place before the feud? Do we get to see the beginnings of the breach between the McCoys and Hatfields? Also, I am curious about what these southern treasures are. How does the book deal with the issue of slavery and the following reconstruction? I might have to find a sample of this book to see if it will hook me enough to read the whole thing. Thanks for your well-written review.

[Prince Chime]

Quite an exquisite review. A fictional story fall short a great deal with poorly developed plot and characterization. I trust the author would do a better job on the next in the series.

[MeganDJ]

Hmm I personally like a good main plot with subplots to keep the flow and read interesting. Based on your review, it seems that it drags out a bit which is not really my cup of tea. Thank you for your honest and critical review! Happy reading

[NDeMeer]

Characterization is perhaps the most important part of a story. What a shame the author didn't quite get this right. Still, this sounds like an intriguing story. Thank you for this insightful review!

[Kevivas03]

I have read many books about the American civil war and I think such a fictional plot would give a fresh persepctive to the factual books I have gone through. You mentioned that the premise of recovering stolen goods could not carry the whole novel to the end; my thoughts exactly when I read the review introduction. Keep up the good work.

[Chigo Nwagboso]

I hope Tommy succeeds in recovering the stolen treasures. I love adventures. Great review.

[Rodel Barnachea]

I appreciate how detailed you review is, and I find the many insights you gave about the book's characterization and ending helpful.