The Rebels: Sons of Texas [Mass Market Paperback]

Elmer Kelton (Author)

Book Description

Series: Sons of Texas | Publication Date: November 4, 2008

It is the mid 1830s and a growing flow of American pioneers into Mexican Texas has sown the seeds of revolution. In the midst of the turmoil are the Lewis brothers – Andrew, Michael, and James – scions of Mordecai Lewis, who crossed the Sabine River into Texas a decade past.

Now the news along the Texas frontier is of a young general, a self-styled "Napoleon of the West," named Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, who wants to stamp out any gringo talk of independence from Mexico and oust the American interlopers from Texas.

Standing in opposition to Santa Anna is the former governor of Tennessee and veteran of Andrew Jackson’s Indian battles, Sam Houston, who is gathering a volunteer army to meet the Mexican forces.

Against the heroic, bloody backdrop of the Texas War of Independence--the battles of Gonzalez, San Antonio de Bexar, Goliad, the Alamo and San Jacinto--the Lewis men and their families join such rebels as Jim Bowie, James Fannin, Ben Milam, Juan Seguin, James Butler Bonham, William Barret Travis, and David Crockett, in wresting Texas from Mexican rule.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Seven-time Spur Award winner Kelton has always been a masterful western storyteller of tales rich with historical detail, vivid characters and sharply defined plots. Here he concludes the Sons of Texas trilogy with the strongest entry, set in the mid 1830s. The Lewis family—brothers Andrew, Michael and James, and sister Annie—are foreigners in a strange land, raising their families and farming while Mexican and American cultures, politics, racism and tempers simmer over the possibilities of rebellion and independence from Mexico. During these years, the Lewises must deal with outlaws, the Mexican army, trouble-making American politicians, a slick smuggler and their continuing feud with the thieving and back-shooting Blackwood brothers. When war does come, the Lewis boys and one Blackwood go off to fight in bloody battles at Velasco, the Alamo and San Jacinto, and not all come home. Historical figures—Sam Houston, General Santa Anna, Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett—have cameos and add depth and color to this superb saga of the Lone Star State. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“The ‘Sons of Texas’ Trilogy brings to mind the ever-popular Louis L’Amour’s multigenerational Sackett family saga.  Written with the same skill and attention to historical detail as L’Amour’s works, it gives additional pleasure in imagining the dangers and adventure shared by the pioneers who settled the great state of Texas.”  --El Paso Times on The Raiders

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Forge Books; First Edition edition (November 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765348993
• ISBN-13: 978-0765348999
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #554,243 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Elmer Kelton of San Angelo, Texas is a native Texan and author of over 50 Western novels. He has won many awards for his work and has been recognized as the Greatest Western Writer of all time by the Western Writers of America, Inc. He is the author of Forge's Texas Ranger series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Historical Novel of Texas, June 1, 2008

By 

Russell Davis "Western Sensibility" (Nevada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Rebels: Sons of Texas (Hardcover)

THE REBELS is the third entry in Elmer Kelton's Sons of Texas series, and was originally published in 1990 under the name Tom Early.

Set in the mid-1830's, THE REBELS follows the Lewis family as the struggle to build homes and families in Texas, while dealing with the culture clash between Mexican and American cultures. With his usual flair, Kelton creates a vivid picture of the struggle of early settlers in this part of the west, and politics and racism along with outlaws, the Mexican Army, and family feuds, give this story a depth I particularly enjoyed. Perhaps that's why Publisher's Weekly gave it a starred review and called it the best entry in the series.

The good news is that I didn't feel any particular lack for not having read the first two entries, and I don't imagine any reader would. With cameo appearances from famous historical figures such as Sam Houston and Santa Anna (among others), Kelton delivers a really solid piece of fiction, and a story and characters you'll remember. This title is highly recommended for fans of Kelton's work and general fans of excellent historical westerns.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent conclusion for the Sons of Texas trilogy, February 12, 2008

By 

Ed Crumley "The Host — A novel of life ... - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rebels: Sons of Texas (Hardcover)

It's not a wonder that Elmer Kelton has received so many prestigious awards and accolades from numerous Western writers' associations. This native Texan writes with the authority of one who has lived in the environment he writes about and done the research about the historical details of his subject matter.

His saga about the Lewis family, which migrates from Tennessee to Texas before Texas won its independence from Mexico, has a fitting conclusion with the Battle of San Jacinto and the brothers returning home. They don't know until the end whether each has made it out alive.

An interesting parallel story within the book is about the Spanish-speaking Mexican citizens residing in Texas who disdained the dictatorship of Santa Anna. They befriended the Lewises and also fought for Texas' independence.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Refresher Course in the History of the Revolution, February 24, 2009

By 

Longhorn (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rebels: Sons of Texas (Mass Market Paperback)

It has been over 30 years since my 7th grade history class on Texas History in Houston. Mr Kelton's book was a warm, welcome refresher course, brought to life with his characterizations. "The Rebels" is like a visit from an old friend.