If you like a great, epic American true story with realistic action that spans both coasts, read on. Travel back to 1857 where our real hero, Horace Bell, is fearless whether facing villains or fighting for his country in our Civil War. As a Northern army officer he must face the fact that his beloved hails from the antagonist South. The saying, "Go west, young man," leads our hero back to L.A. to fight the war all over again. Brutal gunfights, love, humor, and lust fill the pages from beginning to end. Witness the Chinese massacre, the enslaved American Indians, and the Mexicans loss of title to one-third of California. This story truly is "the last of the Wild West."
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This review is from: 1857 Los Angeles Fights Again (Paperback)
Raymond Sherrard, Book Publisher, IRS Criminal Investigator (retired) California, USA (12/1/2004)
Mr. KNIGHT I congratulate you on your newest achievement. Your sense of story and your writing have improved immensely. I throughly enjoyed the first book, but this one has an epic sweep and includes character development that shows your growth as a writer. Given my interest in Los Angeles history, which I was exposed to in the background research for my LAPD book, I was eager to see what you would do with your in-depth knowledge and research in this area. I was not disappointed, as you brought to life many of the individuals, both lawmen and outlaws, and provided a real sense of what life was like in the Los Angeles of the 1800s. I am amazed you were able to skillfully interweave the various ethnic groups and get into their mentalities. Any book that can explore the Chinese, Indians, Anglos, Mexicans, of both sexes, who made up early Los Angeles and show how they participated in real historical events should be required reading for anyone with an interest in where we came from. The French have a saying, "the more things change, the more they remain the same," and your book certainly illustrates that gangs, crime, criminals,, and the Justice system bear great similarities in early and present Los Angeles. This book is an epic sweep of a very violent and fascinating era of American history, and, to me, it was pure reading pleasure. I have mentioned before you have a knack for writing in such a manner that the reader can picture the action as if he or she was watching it on a screen. This bodes well for your interest in bringing this work to the film industry, and I eagerly await the inevitable film. Steve Willard, Vice-President San Diego Police Historical Assn., SDPD Crime Scene Investigator, San Diego, CA, USA (12/1/2004) As in his first book "1853 Los Angeles Gangs," KNIGHT uses his newest work to transport us back to a village that would one day become America's largest city - Los Angeles. This time it's 1857 and there are no espresso bars or chic gyms there and the LAPD hasn't yet been invented. This is the most violent town in the world and daily survival is as fragile as saying the wrong thing to the wrong person. Murders are still common as real life characters HORACE BELL and ROY BEAN, later a famous judge), struggle to bring peace and civility to people who are neither peaceful nor civilized. STEVEN W. KNIGHT'S background as a cop and historian provides a unique prospective for the reader to step abck and get a feel for the lunacy that was the real Old West. His insight and knowledge gives "1857 Los Angeles Fights Again" a mixture of crime, drama, history, and a love story few authors are able to capture. Max Hurlbut, LAPD Lt., Whitter and Kodiac , AK, Chiefs, Tombstone, AZ, Marshal, Washington, USA (11/29/2004) 1857 Los Angeles Fights Again, is another exciting read from the pen of early-L.A. Police Historian STEVEN W. KNIGHT. KNIGHT, a retired police officer from a long line of Los Angeles area enforcers of the law, is a well-known historical researcher, and a world class collector of police memorabilia. 1857 continues the story of Yankee HORACE BELL's involvement in actual events in the tumultuous early years of L.A. HORACE BELL polices L.A. with fellow Ranger ROY BEAN (prior to his fame as "The Law West of the Pecos"). We see the "Chinese Massacre," the Civil War, various local disasters, and the depredations of the bandit TIBURCIO VASQUEZ through the eyes of Anglo, Chinese, and Mexican residents. The flawed L.A. angers confront -- and participate in -- the excesses that ended vigilante justice in the City of the Angeles. Hollywood has shown us the vigilantes of San Francisco and the shootout in Tombstone. But they forget that Los Angeles was the most violent town in the West. Against this backdrop of early crime and corruption, it becomes easier to understand the more recent riots and scandals that each generation believes is unique to their times. Saddle up with ROY and HORACE for an E-ticket ride through the dusty and bloody streets of L.A. -- that our City Fathers prefer you to forget...!
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