Len Levinson is a top professional action/adventure novelist who has written more than 80 novels and several popular books series, including THE SEARCHER, THE SERGEANT, THE PECOS KID and the RAT BASTARDS series. DESERT HAWKS is the first book in Levinson’s Apache Wars Saga series, originally written in the 1990s under the pseudonym Frank Burleson. I listened to the Audible recording of DESERT HAWKS narrated by Bill Quinn. I initially expected the book to be a typical Indians vs. the cavalry Western, which would have been fine with me since I that genre. But I found that Levinson had elevated it above the typical level both by his writing skill and the fact-based historical context he provides. The novel follows the lives of several central characters in Texas during in the turbulent years after the fall of the Alamo, when the American Army fought the Mexicans and the Apaches fought both. The characters are well-drawn and three-dimensional. The lead characters, especially U.S. Cavalry Lieutenant Nathaniel Barrington, undergo significant character development. And, the novel is much more grounded in true facts than many Western novels. For me, aspects of the novel even helped illuminate history by adding small but eye-opening details. For example, after the United States annexes Texas and sends in troops to “pacify” the towns, one of the Mexican characters wonders if the Americans will make them slaves, the “Negroes.” It made me realize that would have been a logical concern. Levinson’s depiction of Apache warrior chief Mangas Coloradas and his people are also interesting and refreshingly unsentimentalized. The novel is written from an omniscient viewpoint and follows characters from all sides of the Mexican-American and Apache War conflicts, including male and female Americans, Mexicans, Apaches, and black slaves. The settings range from New York to New Mexico and the story includes action, tragedy and romance. DESERT HAWKS reminded me of some of the other epic historical novels I’ve d, such as John Jakes’ NORTH AND SOUTH TRILOGY and KENT FAMILY CHRONICLES. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading the rest of the novels in Levinson’s Apache Wars series. 5 stars.1 Jeffrey S. Bray1 reviewRead

Autor del comentario:
=================================