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vesper1931's review against another edition
3.0
March 1875 Enquiry agents Grand and Batchelor are in their way to the Wild West in response to a call for help from Colonel Custer, a West Point contemporary of Grand. On arriving in Washington and meeting up with Custer, various incidents lead them to believe that Custers' life is in danger. Even more so when they proceed to Fort Abraham Lincoln where Custer is stationed.
While enjoyable enough there really didn't seem much depth to the mystery or the characters.
A NetGalley Book
While enjoyable enough there really didn't seem much depth to the mystery or the characters.
A NetGalley Book
deearr's review
2.0
I read a lot of historical fiction, and have enjoyed many fantastic stories which used the backdrop of a past era to highlight the story the authors wished to present. Unfortunately, “The Black Hills” by M. J. Trow does not fall into that category.
Right from the beginning, the author bends and even breaks with the facts of the history that surrounds his story. One phrase used is “See how they liked them apples,” even though the first documented use of this phrase didn’t come into play until 19 years after the date of the book’s story, and “dog-face” came into prominence during WWII. A major twist in the early plot implicates President Grant in Abraham Lincoln’s murder, a total invention that does nothing but serve to advance one piece of the author’s tale. A U.S. Senator in the story never existed. There are other even more absurd events in the story that savage history and could never have happened.
Historical fiction is not merely describing some of the events in or aspects of a person who lived during that time. Writing about a famous personality requires meticulous research, and while the story may have some small twists and turns, those deviations should be able to fit the facts of what actually happened. It is also helpful to ensure the dialogue matches the time period as well as the personalities of the characters. I was disappointed that “The Black Hills” ignored all of the above and simply wrote a story that occurred in 1876.
As a work of fiction, there is much contained in the book that could be considered unnecessary for the story. Conversations drone on, and there are a few chapters that contain primarily description and verbal interaction between characters is at a minimum. While it is possible to use this as a literary tool, all that is accomplished in this book is a slowing of the plot as the amusements the author inserts throughout the book are usually a distraction and serve no purpose. The mystery, when it occurred halfway through the book, seemed to be treated as an afterthought, and the basis for the acts of the guilty party appeared to be made up on the spot.
On top of everything else, this was a boring read that meandered from one point to another, never bothering to perform the necessary tasks to involve readers in the story. Two stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and Severn House Publishers for a complimentary electronic copy of this book.
Right from the beginning, the author bends and even breaks with the facts of the history that surrounds his story. One phrase used is “See how they liked them apples,” even though the first documented use of this phrase didn’t come into play until 19 years after the date of the book’s story, and “dog-face” came into prominence during WWII. A major twist in the early plot implicates President Grant in Abraham Lincoln’s murder, a total invention that does nothing but serve to advance one piece of the author’s tale. A U.S. Senator in the story never existed. There are other even more absurd events in the story that savage history and could never have happened.
Historical fiction is not merely describing some of the events in or aspects of a person who lived during that time. Writing about a famous personality requires meticulous research, and while the story may have some small twists and turns, those deviations should be able to fit the facts of what actually happened. It is also helpful to ensure the dialogue matches the time period as well as the personalities of the characters. I was disappointed that “The Black Hills” ignored all of the above and simply wrote a story that occurred in 1876.
As a work of fiction, there is much contained in the book that could be considered unnecessary for the story. Conversations drone on, and there are a few chapters that contain primarily description and verbal interaction between characters is at a minimum. While it is possible to use this as a literary tool, all that is accomplished in this book is a slowing of the plot as the amusements the author inserts throughout the book are usually a distraction and serve no purpose. The mystery, when it occurred halfway through the book, seemed to be treated as an afterthought, and the basis for the acts of the guilty party appeared to be made up on the spot.
On top of everything else, this was a boring read that meandered from one point to another, never bothering to perform the necessary tasks to involve readers in the story. Two stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and Severn House Publishers for a complimentary electronic copy of this book.
samhouston's review
I was initially attracted to M.J. Trow’s The Black Hills because it features two of the more interesting figures from the post-Civil War period - U.S. Grant and George Armstrong Custer - and because historical fiction is one of my favored genres. It was only later, after I began the novel, that I realized it is the sixth book in Trow’s “Grand & Batchelor Victorian Mystery” series (the book is clearly marked this way on its cover but I read an e-book version and did not see an image of the cover until later). Thankfully, however, The Black Hills works well as a standalone – although I did wonder a time or two about Grand and Batchelor and how two such different men ever became detective agency partners in London.
As it turns out, Grand is a Civil War veteran and West Point classmate of Custer’s and Batchelor is his English partner. Grand may have been a onetime classmate of Custer’s but the two of them were never really friends, and in fact, Grand really doesn’t think a whole lot of Custer’s military talents. That said, Grand finds it difficult enough to turn down a direct appeal from “an idiot I was at West Point with” that he and Batchelor agree in March 1875 to meet Custer in Washington D.C. where they will back him as he presents evidence at a Congressional Hearing. In Washington, the pair soon learns that Custer is not much changed from his West Point days. The man still has a high opinion of himself, a big mouth, and a knack for making dangerous enemies, but despite Custer’s self-destructive behavior, Grand and Batchelor manage to get him out of Washington alive. It’s when the detectives decide to visit Fort Abraham Lincoln, headquarters of Custer’s 7thCavalry, before returning to London that things really get interesting.
Fort Abraham Lincoln is a political hotbed where wives compete over the accomplishments of their officer-husbands, Custer’s adjutants despise him, and the main means of entertainment consists of spreading rumors and gossip about rivals. Despite the monotony of everyday life in the Black Hills for civilians and soldiers alike, Grand and Bachelor are just beginning to enjoy themselves a bit when the body of a young soldier is discovered some distance from the fort. Grand and Bachelor, like everyone else, assume that the trooper was killed by the Lakota Sioux until they notice that the soldier had been riding Custer’s horse when ambushed. Have Custer’s enemies followed him all the way to the Dakota Territory and are they still trying to kill him?
Bottom Line: The Black Hills is a nice combination of historical fact and fiction that uses touches of alternate reality and lots of comedy to create a mystery with a light touch. While the reader is unlikely ever to feel that Custer will really be killed off by the author, it is still fun to watch Grand and Bachelor rescue the oblivious colonel time after time. Trow effortlessly blends real and fictional characters in a way that makes it easy to forget which is which (my personal favorite is Calamity Jane). And perhaps best of all, the solution to the mystery of who is after Custer, and why, is not one that many will see coming (well, at least I didn’t see it coming).
Review Copy provided by Crème de la Crème an imprint of Severn House Publishers Ltd.
As it turns out, Grand is a Civil War veteran and West Point classmate of Custer’s and Batchelor is his English partner. Grand may have been a onetime classmate of Custer’s but the two of them were never really friends, and in fact, Grand really doesn’t think a whole lot of Custer’s military talents. That said, Grand finds it difficult enough to turn down a direct appeal from “an idiot I was at West Point with” that he and Batchelor agree in March 1875 to meet Custer in Washington D.C. where they will back him as he presents evidence at a Congressional Hearing. In Washington, the pair soon learns that Custer is not much changed from his West Point days. The man still has a high opinion of himself, a big mouth, and a knack for making dangerous enemies, but despite Custer’s self-destructive behavior, Grand and Batchelor manage to get him out of Washington alive. It’s when the detectives decide to visit Fort Abraham Lincoln, headquarters of Custer’s 7thCavalry, before returning to London that things really get interesting.
Fort Abraham Lincoln is a political hotbed where wives compete over the accomplishments of their officer-husbands, Custer’s adjutants despise him, and the main means of entertainment consists of spreading rumors and gossip about rivals. Despite the monotony of everyday life in the Black Hills for civilians and soldiers alike, Grand and Bachelor are just beginning to enjoy themselves a bit when the body of a young soldier is discovered some distance from the fort. Grand and Bachelor, like everyone else, assume that the trooper was killed by the Lakota Sioux until they notice that the soldier had been riding Custer’s horse when ambushed. Have Custer’s enemies followed him all the way to the Dakota Territory and are they still trying to kill him?
Bottom Line: The Black Hills is a nice combination of historical fact and fiction that uses touches of alternate reality and lots of comedy to create a mystery with a light touch. While the reader is unlikely ever to feel that Custer will really be killed off by the author, it is still fun to watch Grand and Bachelor rescue the oblivious colonel time after time. Trow effortlessly blends real and fictional characters in a way that makes it easy to forget which is which (my personal favorite is Calamity Jane). And perhaps best of all, the solution to the mystery of who is after Custer, and why, is not one that many will see coming (well, at least I didn’t see it coming).
Review Copy provided by Crème de la Crème an imprint of Severn House Publishers Ltd.
pvn's review
3.0
This will probably appeal to Western fans the most. It's an average go from an obviously experienced author -- his talent shows clearly. But I suspect it's not his best work (haven't read his others). Some of the characters were interesting, but it was average overall.
I really appreciate the advanced copy for review!!
I really appreciate the advanced copy for review!!
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