Customer Reviews

In the Rogue Blood

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Blake is a wonderful stylist. His vivid imagery and stark, eloquent language breathe life into this book and make it outstanding. Readers who enjoy Cormac McCarthy's books will find this to be similar in many of its good qualities.

In the Rogue Blood is the story of two brothers in the 1840's. They travel West and get mixed up in the Mexican War; one ends up fighting for Mexico in the San Patricios, while the other joins a band of Mexican scouts fighting for the United States. The end, as one might expect from Blake, is not a happy one.

It's a tribute to Blake's writing that I was able to enjoy the book despite his characters. They're walking lizard brains, constantly sleeping with whores and getting in pointless fights. However period they may be, they're not very interesting people. The plot bogs down in the middle, when the characters seem to be meaninglessly repeating their brutal behavior ad nauseam, but picks up when they become involved in the war. Female characters here exist primarily for the use of men, though one could argue that part of the tragedy of John and Edward is that they are never capable of comprehending their wild mother and sister.

Much of 1840's America as presented by Blake seems accurate to me, though his version is certainly a very bleak one, sometimes melodramatically so. This is an ugly West, full of cruelty and deformity, with malice towards all, and sometimes the sheer ugliness of everything taxed my suspension of disbelief.

Nevertheless, this is a powerful tragedy and a brilliantly styled book, which I strongly recommend.

Except maybe Cormac McCarthy's "Blood Meridian" there is no other book I can think of that compares with Blake's noir, hardcore, historically-based vision of the 1840s west. He is a natural storyteller who loves spinning the hard-hitting tale, occasionally at the expense of finer language (which he is perfectly capable of crafting when he chooses to do so). A harrowing depiction of wild souls and the decisions they make (or don't make) and the consequences of their actions.

I think this book is definetly the most gruesome and gory book i have ever read.In my opinion this is James Carlos Blake's best book. My teacher recomended his books, and especially this one, knowing that I enjoy "guy" books. This book has made me laugh, cry, and gag. I could'nt believe how unbelievably descriptive and graphic it was, it kept me up for hours because i couldnt put it down. I highly recommend this book to any guy who enjoys appalling, grim, gritty, and repulsive stories, with a touch of twisted romance. Also to any girl that enjoyes the above qualities in a story.

I'm a huge fan of Blakes writing. I tried Cormack McCarthy, but couldn't get into it. Blake's style may be easy reading, but the vivid imagery he creates while you read is priceless to me. Who couldn't enjoy this amazing story of family and adventure. Individual lifes swirl with mystery and suspense as they weave amongst others. I recommend all of Blakes books to anyone who enjoys a great action novel with fantastic characters that are hard to forget and easy to empathise with. Far from a fairy tale writer, Blake is an extrordinary author who deserves recognition. Don't browse over this title, you'll really be missing out.

blake has a sincere and vivid imagery, with empathy as portrayed by his characters. the portrayal of what real violence is, has to win Blake some kind of award. his characters are real, and they react as normal men (and women) would react under similar circumstances,anger, loss of a sibling, or, just trying to survive in this world of the 1840's. in the author's heart, there is a certain compassion, as seen in real men under real and violent circumstances---and the acceptance of one's fate.
cormack mccarthy sees the forest of violence, blake sees the leaves in the forest--a destiny to which the main characters are condemned. i wonder what war blake served in, or does he see true visions as his namesake the artist and poet (edward blake) saw violence in his poetry and art. Blake sure knows how to describe violence with reality. this book will stir your emotions.
stan sanders, m.d.

In the Rogue Blood is the story of two brothers in pre-Civil War America,1838-1850, who were raised in the Flordia swamps. They also have a sister who they are both attracted to. Their mother and father are both criminal grifter types. Their father is a man killing fugitive and their mother was a prositute at the age of 12, but not because she was forced into it, only because she liked it. The story of how their mother and father met is an illustration and demonstration of the dysfunctional family structure in which these two brothers grew up, but I will not give it away in this review because it would reveal too much of the story. Suffice to say that their mother and father met in bizzare and unhealthy circumstances and that the two boy's father did not know about his new wife's past sexual activities as a prostitute when he married her. Their mother and father despise each other and the boys grow up in this atmosphere of poisonous mutual hatred. Eventually they are forced to flee Flordia because the law is after them and they run to New Orleans. Their father is dead, I wont say how or why, and their mother and sister are gone to god knows where. This turn of events depresses the brothers much less than one might imagine and they continue on their directionless journey and get into more trouble. They get split up in New Orleans and in order to escape the law one brother, John, joins the U.S. Army, which is on its way to Texas and Mexico to fight the Mexican War. The other brother, Edward, continues to wander on his own and joins up with a band of Indian hunters who kill any Indian they can find, women, children, etc., and scalp them. An Indian scalp can be sold to the U.S. government because the U.S. government wishes to get rid of the Indian population. Edward and John eventually end up on different sides of the Mexican War for different reasons that have nothing to do with ideology or morality but only circumstantual conveince. So many people die in this book it is unbeliviable, maybe Blake's most violent but I have yet to read "The Friends of Poncho Villa". This book exiciting and fast paced and honest about American History.

I liked this book, but the plot seemed too loose to hold integrity.
The dark mood was captured well for the most part. I bought this after reading much of Cormac McCarthy, esp. Blood Meridian, but James Blake doesn't come close to that type of imagery and depth.

It's a really good western, but Blake shamelessly steals from McCarthy's "Blood Meridian" (So did McMurtry in "Dead Man's Walk"): A kid picked up at the nadir of his existence by Scalphunters, Comanche attacking disguised as a remuda of mustangs, earless compadres, Ahab leader figures, and the list goes on. Still, it is like a Blood Meridian-made-easy, without all McCarthy's stream of conscious riddling. I recommend both books (and all 4 of McMurtry's and Guthrie's Big Sky Series) for anyone who likes the dark (McMurtry/McCarthy) or realistic (Guthrie)grand western tale.

James Carlos Blake took my breath away with this historic novel. The architecture is fine, the characterizations superb, the use of language both deft and superlative. I intend to introduce him to a larger audience at the library where I work.

Blake is truely an author who's style I love to read. This book is as good as or bettery than his Red Grass River. A type if fiction that has enough possible truth in it that makes it believable. Gritty with no holds barred. Great Read!!