3 out of 4 stars
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The year is 1864, and Sergeant Frank Shannon is picked by Captain Corder to go with him and a detachment to find a way to flank Grant's army on the west. They have been assigned the duty of getting a lay of the land as they search for a suitable ford across the Rapidan River which would afford them a back door to Grant's army. However, not only do they not find a pass, but a hotly contested battle ensues between the Confederate side and the Union forces. Grant's determination to gain an upper hand in the Battle of the Wilderness is evident with his force that outnumbers their foes by almost three to one. And on the Confederate side, only Frank and Captain Matthew Grounds survive, the others lying down dead by the river.
Frank is resourceful and popular within the ranks. In this latest battle, he escapes with a bullet wound in his right shoulder. Despite the agonizing wound, he's still able to help a fellow Johnny Reb, Captain Grounds, from suffocating to death due to a shattered jaw bone occasioned by a shot through both cheeks. Throughout the narrative, he's astute, brave and a manipulator. Matthew, his partner, has similar qualities, only more refined. He also has the additional key attribute of being generous, epitomizing the popular quote from the Scriptures (which he reads often): "it is more blessed to give than to receive." And blessings he does receive, in the form of an invincible character and success in his many forays.
Dave Lloyd's novel, The Rebels, is based on an important episode in U.S. history, The American Civil War. It's the first book in the Montana Saga Series and the making of a thriller in my own judgment. With the setting and conflict well-known and established, Dave proceeds to create a plot based on living and breathing individuals. He starts building on the backstory of the main protagonists (and other characters) as and when the reader first comes across them. Personally, the trauma that Frank, and later Matthew, faces as one of the only two survivors of their company, drew me in from the start. Later, Matthew tragically loses his young wife after having been married for only a few months. This event seems to be the most profound event that influences his character. He is tough and invincible yet so tender and caring to the people who do his bidding; and besides, like Frank, "he'd never ask them to do anything, take any trail, or face any odds, that he wouldn't himself." Moreover, like any good plot, the action in the novel rises progressively through a series of events that have been expertly narrated, that is, the battlefield incidents, the protagonists' journey westwards after the end of the war, their time as Rangers, and so on. Lastly, Dave's resolution to his plotline is superbly done and points to a sequel.
Dave's pacing is captivating mainly because of his insistence in realizing the moments in their entirety and dramatizing the action. A key moment in the prose, for example, is when the war is now over, and Matthew is not sure of the plans that Frank has for his immediate future. The author dramatizes this and makes the moment endearing to the reader. "Matthew looked back into gray eyes. He liked this man. 'I never said I didn't want you along Serg - Frank. If you want to come with me, I'd like to have you. The way back down into Georgia is bound to be dangerous now. I hope to take some wagons with supplies and as many good men as I can find.'" The author employs a celebratory tone in his novel. He glorifies and honors valor, equality, chivalry, finesse, and integrity. Matthew is a man who wouldn't put a man down because of his race or skin color, for example. Furthermore, Dave's word choice is impressive. He uses uncommon English words, such as guidon, coulee, lionized, swamper, skedaddler, promontory, bobby, cadge, and prude, extensively and effectively in his story. Additionally, the novel depicts a number of memorable pictures that elicited a feeling of nostalgia in me.
To sum things up, the historical events depicted seemed to be accurate. However, in the "Prologue" the author acknowledges that he's done some tweaking with the chronology "a little to get everything to fit properly in the plot line." The editing errors are, regrettably, on the higher side and made me want to reduce the rating for this otherwise exquisite work. That notwithstanding, I recommend the novel to readers who want to be kept on "the edge of their seats." The author has employed extensive plot twists and cliffhangers to ensure this. Additionally, it's bound to elicit unequivocal reactions from lovers of Westerns, notably, because the novel lives to the ideals of this genre. Personally, I so much look forward to reading the sequels, "Pardners," "T.S. Grounds" and "Home Ranch." To conclude, readers who are sensitive to the use of derogatory terms or racist words, are well warned to keep clear of this book (it's based on a period when this was the norm). I rate it a 3 out of 4 stars.
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The Rebels
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