Customer Reviews

Fool's Gold (The Skinners of Goldfield, Book 1)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Simple, sweet story of a family who finds themselves stuck in a city bent on finding gold, no matter the cost. From characters who spout Shakespeare to bad guys bent on revenge, this is a fun ride. Underlying message of faith is not preachy, but shows that a man of faith can impact others, even a city, if he lives what he believes.

Circa 1905, O.T. Skinner takes his wife and 4 children on a move to Dinuba, CA where he has family and a grape farm waiting. The trip is hard, and he passes through the dusty, gambling, carousing gold rush town of Goldfield, Nevada. He plans to stay just long enough to rest his family and his mules and head right out, but water is a precious commodity and he discovers an heroic way to become the talk of the town. In the meantime, he meets two different sets of rowdy gang members, or so they seem. In addition, he pitches his tent right beside a drunken father with a starving family. The Godliness and goodness of the Skinner family is indescribable and so refreshing. Stephen Bly has me ready for book 2.

These books are written very well. I have read this series over again several times. For me, the characters seem to teach that though life has many inherent hardships, if you make wise Biblical choices, God will be on your side and help you through. For that reason, these books are great at encouraging the reader.

Bly gives you a great story and wondeful characters. Fergus is my favorite. I have read the whole series and they are so funny and not preachy which I appreciate. Keep up the great writing!

Alkali dust blows through 100-degree days. Saloons line every block. A gold rush draws gamblers, gunfighters, propectors and promoters to Goldfield, Nevada. The Skinners are just passing through, so they thought. No place for a family to settle. But next to their tent is a starving family with a drunken father. And O.T. Skinner quickly makes a name for himself in a heroic move. A lovable family with a vital faith in the bowels of a greedy town.

Have you ever read a book and just were not sure what to make of it? Well...such a thought flows through your mind as you traverse with the travelers found in "Fools Gold."

The book is mixed with Christianity, humor and some silly things that just don't jive. You are thrown in the middle of the Skinner family that arrives in Goldfield amidst a raging fight between two men of the settlement. The Skinners have no desire to strike it rich in this mining town, but end up camping there as unauthorized missionaries in 1905. They were headed to California but everyone needed them in Goldfield to bring direction and light to their self-centered and self-seeking community.

O.T. Skinner becomes a hero as a "wall walker" who masterfully acquires water for his family without paying an outlandish fee which results in the whole community being indebted to him as free flowing aqua arrives for all. His wife is the concluding heroine, but you will have to read about that yourself-I won't let the famished cat out of the bag.

Some of Bly's writing is quite humorous and inventive but at times you cannot imagine the situation in logical unfolding circumstances. Most of the tale is unrealistic and you just have to get past this. You never truly feel a part of the characters lives and you wonder why such good Christian people would get so involved with silly stupid outlaws. The Bible scriptures concerning bad company corrupting good morals and not putting one's trust in man are totally ignored.

No verses are stated in the book, which is a disappointment. However, family principles and being above reproach teach the reader values of priceless gold. True gems are found in a redeemed soul not in "paydirt."

I really disliked this book. It's a fairly cliche story, and the characters have nothing particularily special about them. Pretty much, it's about the "perfect christian family" that manages to, through goodness, help make a nasty environment better. The characters are all saccharine and have no distinct personality, except for being perfect and good and unselfish. They run into all sorts of people who seem like bad people, but the family helps them anyways, and of course it all works out. An extremely predictable book with nothing special about it. It seems like stephen bly is just churning out novel after novel without really making any one novel distinct.