Customer Reviews

Laguna

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4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
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Laguna is a story where extreme wealth equals extreme power or does it? John Magne is a fourth-generation Texan with great land wealth. He is nearing the end of his family's dynasty of land in the Laguna Madre unless he can figure out a way to generate more money from his ranch. With an attitude of Manifest Destiny and the end results far outweighs the means to get there Magne puts himself above the law and sets out to do what it takes to save his heritage including greasing political palms and applying power and pressure wherever needed as he sets about to drill for gas on his land regardless of the human and environmental consequences. Drawn into the legal and political scenario are two brothers, one who is seeking an answer and one who is running from it, and five women who have very different reasons for trying to stop Magne from succeeding in his forward, by all means motto.

***** Michael Putegnat's excellent novel consists of short chapters that give a wealth of information on the character of each particular chapter and which end with a punch that ensures continued reading. For the last several chapters I simply could not put the book down. I found this story reminiscent of a John Grisham legal and political bestseller with intrigue and suspense all culminating in a spectacular conclusion. *****

Reviewed by Barbara Stabler for Huntress Reviews.

The first thing that stood out for me about Michael Putegnat's novel, Laguna, was the author's excellent writing skills. He has the ability to create a vision in the readers mind and employs a clever use of humor. Attractive hooks at the ending of most chapters kept me unable to resist reading at least the first paragraph or two of the next one.

Laguna opens with Octavio Paredes, the missing fisherman, and his wife Anajita. This interesting inter-racial marriage gives glimpses of underlying racism in their families. From there we are introduced to Jason, a sergeant at a police station, and his brother Jack, who is depressed and out-of-work. The hands of fate drag these two brothers into the case of the missing fisherman. Intriguing threads lead back to Jack's old job and his only refuge is his sailboat. However the unexpected romance with Angela brings a ray of relief to Jack's battered life.

Sweet Angela, the green-eyed daughter of Sophia Poole, is more than she seems. She gets that from her mother. Sophia, no ordinary elderly lady, holds an emotional secret.

John Mange, his wife and two sons are facing financial loss on a grand scale. But nothing small in this family has been done in more than four generations. Greed runs deep in John's genes and like his forefathers, he stoops to unspeakable levels to get what he desires most.

Enter Fester Stubb, a former IRS tax fraud specialist is employed by John Mange. John doesn't yet know it, but he has just made his biggest mistake.

As you can probably tell by the list of characters, the back cover statement accurately describes the setting for Laguna as a place where "power and greed are the new religion and love is an accident".

This book invokes political scams and rich men's schemes, harbored loves and dedications that control women's lives - and my favorite of all themes - the love and desire to protect the environment. I love the good verses evil scenario set out from the start. Here we have greed working against vengeance with the backdrop of romance and the need to do what is right. I was stunned to discover this is this author's very first book. It is of excellent quality with writing skills I have seldom seen.

The characters are made to appear so real. No one in particular is a "hero", yet they all play a heroic part in some way - each without knowledge of what any of the others were doing. It was a great example of what each of us can do by playing an active role.

In his real life, author Michael Putegnat is familiar with the political arenas and enjoys sailing. He also comes from a long line of Texans; his family has lived in the state for 5 generations or so. Because of this, his book comes alive for the reader with seemingly little effort on his part.

~ Book Reviewer: Lillian Brummet - Co-author of the book Trash Talk, a guide for anyone concerned about his or her impact on the environment - Author of Towards Understanding, a collection of poetry. (http://www.sunshinecable.com/~drumit)

How often have we all seen or even felt the effects of those who have power, land or money? Does it not seem that because of the station they hold in life that more often than not they are working and living beyond the law that we all call our own? So is the case concerning John Magne, a powerful-fourth generation Texas rancher who is now facing a terrible financial crisis that could well send his family into bankruptcy. In his eyes any means to stop this from happening was fair game.

However, there are others who also see him and all he owns as fair game as well. Unbeknown to him they are working and not for his best interest.

Interested yet? You should be.

In this book by Michael Putegnat we see the savage beast come out in mankind as the struggle for power, money and land is fought. We find some decent, some corrupt and many teetering on the edge in this work. What will be the outcome and who will be the winner? Does greed and murder take it all, or could decency possibly win? You simply must read this page turner of a book to find out. Very well written.

Laguna by Michael Putegnat is a vividly written and gripping novel of Laguna Madre native John Magne and the transformation of his delicate homeland and ranching town into a national reserve and high-priced natural gas field. As Magne manipulative strives for power and ownership of the investment, one man and five women stand in his way, persistently interfering with his plans, each with different intent. An engaging page-turner, Laguna is very highly recommended to all general readers of good political fiction for its twists of plot which deftly carry the reader through an ultimately memorable and satisfying conclusion.

Putegnat's first book beautifully captures the spirit of life in deep South Texas and for that alone it is a good read. But it does much more; it spins a wonderfully complex tale of intrigue, power, love and the desperateness of human kind.

From the minute I picked up the book, I did not want to put it down! This is the perfect suspense novel that will keep you at the edge of your seat.........

Reviewed by AJ Cooper for Reader Views (8/06)

The main plot of "Laguna" focuses on the development of coastal land and waters on the Texas Coast for natural gas, the people who opposed it, and the land owner who needed the money to survive. I found that the book covered every point of view for and against developing the land and involves a large number of characters. This is a murder mystery that may appeal to someone living in Texas and/or interested in a small glimpse at manipulation at work in local and federal government.

The beginning of the book has a brief description of most of the characters that are involved throughout the book. Each chapter made me feel as if the characters should really be in their own book with no direct correlation with each other in "Laguna". Some chapters are only 1 or 2 pages long. I found it difficult, at first, to continue reading the book because none of the chapters seemed to flow together well. Though I was very frustrated with the beginning, I finally did get caught up in the book and developed a curiosity about what would happen next or who would do something to Jack Grider, a System Analyst that had previously worked for the Federal Government in the Fish and Wildlife Department. Jack Grider had become involved with this land without really even being aware of his involvement - primarily because of a small report he had filed prior to his untimely departure that would impact the land if it ever came to light.

"Laguna" turned out to be a very thought provoking book about turning a large wildlife area into a site for the removal of natural gas. The landowner John Magne was so exited about the prospect of natural gas on his land that he let the financial aspects cloud his sense of trust and common business practices. Magne used all of his power at every level of local and federal government to ensure that his project would be approved and move forward without a hitch. The power that John Magne exerted on everyone around him stopped most from questioning his judgment - even his bank that was requesting a long overdue payment on the loan he held. A murder even occurs that no one is really eager to investigate because it might stop the approval of the permits to drill for natural gas.

It all starts to come to a head when Jack Grider is threatened and has to leave the area to save his life. He is manipulated by those who at first seemed unlikely to do that to him. At one point, a little kitten is saved, leading to a small turn of events in Jack's life - making him seem more human. There is also a mystery about a dwelling on the property and threats made against the Magne family for revenge. I thought I had the book figured out but the end was a complete surprise to me and many of the characters that seemed unimportant sprang to the forefront and saved the day.

Received book free of charge.

The opening paragraph of Michael Putegnat's `Laguna' portrays an egret hunting for minnows before being torn apart by a Peregrine falcon. A character who observes this transference of power considers the nature of justice, concluding that it only takes one moment for the predator to become the prey.

This sequence sets the tone for the rest of the novel, which depicts a power struggle that spans generations.

`Laguna' tells the story of an influential Texas family on the brink of demise after accumulating a million acres of land over four generations through any means necessary. In order to save his family from financial ruin, the patriarch, John Magne IV, is willing to upset the ecological balance of the coastal bay that makes up the Laguna Madre by drilling for natural gas.

His sense of entitlement clearly comes from being born into a family with the motto, "Forward by all means." The Magnes are described as thinking of their land as a, "separate country: independent and self-reliant."

Opposing his efforts are a group of women with separate and converging agendas and two brothers who are unwillingly pulled into the drama.

Balanced against the dark underbelly of politics and investment banking, `Laguna' explores current environmental, social and racial issues in South Texas while touching on the history that made the area what it is today.

Putegnat acknowledges that the region changed hands many times over the centuries, describing it as, "a land under occupation. The Spaniards, the French, the Texicans, the Confederates and now the Americans - each adding a new twist on the culture. To many of the poor it seemed as if the `outsiders' were merely a parade of different players who would come and go, but the hacienda remained. There was resentment for those who tried to change it and these were nearly always the late comers."

Since the author is a fifth-generation native of the region where he has set his debut novel, he is able to draw an authentic picture with an eye for detail. Creating an intriguing adventure filled with realistic characters, Putegnat brings the reader on a thrill-packed ride through the landscape of his novel, building up the suspense right to the last page. `Laguna' is filled with twists and turns and unsuspected outcomes. It is guaranteed to put you on the edge of your seat and keep you reading for hours.

Friends told me about this book that was set in the Rio Grande Valley, where I grew up and so I was curious to read it. From the first page I was brought back home. The images, the people, the whole feel of it was much like I have remembered. Reading it in a novel was much more interesting to me because I recognize the places described. I didn't expect more than that, just a nice photo album of my home area, but then I was hooked on the story. Some of it seemed familiar and I have asked friends if there really was an incident at Sal del Rey. It seemed so real. Well, in three days I finished it. The ending floored me. Looking back I had a hint it was coming but still it was a surprise. Some of what the author wrote was unusual. There aren't many black people in the valley and his making a key character a black woman was an interesting twist and it seemed perfect for the story. There is a lot of the subtle tension between cultures that is well managed. A lot of the references to corruption were not too far from the news in the last few years. I think it is great to see the valley showing up in mainstream fiction. It's a part of the country that a lot of people know nothing about, as I have discovered living far from there now. So now I'm going to point people who want to know about where I came from to this book. I hope there will be others to follow. It was fun to read. I was sorry when it ended.

Texas has a long history of very wealthy landowners controlling not just their land, but the way of life for the local people in the area. Some have acted like benevolent dictators while others have seen themselves as gods who should have every whim catered to without question. John Magne IV certainly fits the latter category.

The current patriarch of a family that has always gotten their way over the decades is faced with a dilemma. Not only are his grown children less than helpful in keeping things going but he sees his empire beginning to crumble. Loans are coming due and the local banker is getting a bit big for his britches. But John Magne IV has a plan to deal with all of it. He wants to drill for natural gas as he believes a field lurks beneath his land in the Laguna Madre. The resulting financial windfall, if the gas is there, will restore the family's financial footing and increase their power base considerably.

To make it all happen, he will need help and return on favors and deals he has made over the years with politicians and regulators as well as the money men. As he puts the wheels in motion on plans he has made, so do others with their own plans either is support or against John Magne IV and his interests. The result is an interesting read with shades of Greek tragedy and hubris that spans a number of interrelated characters and generations of family members.

While the read is interesting and the attempted tale is grand, this novel could have been so much better. A slick marketing package does not make a good book. Instead, it creates an illusion of what the book will be and when the book fails to reach the marketing hype, disappoints the reader. Such is the case here.

More than any thing, a strong editor would have been able to cut back on some of the overwriting of dialogue and scene as well as streamline the work so that it moves forward at a better pace. Despite the often cited blurb found on all promotional items, book jacket, etc. the author does not have a "crisp writing style." The novel drags at numerous spots and the pace throughout work is uneven with sudden starts and near stops.

Dialogue sections are most often the problem throughout the novel as they frequently read unrealistically, both in terms of stilted prose as well as going on much longer than normal human conversation. They are also used as info dumps and serve to bring the action to a virtual standstill. At the same time, the narrative sections provide some of the best writing and serve well to move the story along. Not only do they do that, but especially in the sections detailing the region, showcase the author's clear experience and appreciation for the natural beauty of the area.

The result is a rollercoaster of a read that serves to disappoint in that the author tried to do so much. This is a grand book in terms of various storylines covering various generations with numerous small subplots. Several of such should have been eliminated which would have resulted in a radical structural change but yet a much better book. Like many books that are released though publishing houses where authors share the financial costs of publication, this novel could have been and should have been so much more. It certainly never lives up to the hype of the promotional materials this reviewer received, nor does it ever answer the teaser questions posed in the materials. Taken for what the novel actually is, this work becomes an average read at best.

Kevin R. Tipple (COPYRIGHTED) 2006