Sons of Texas (Sons of Texas Trilogy 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Elmer Kelton (Author) "FOR MANY years, mention of Texas sent a chill shuddering down Michael Lewis's spine..." (more)
Key Phrases: Uncle Benjamin, Eli Pleasant, Cyrus Blackwood (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
A veteran writer of more than 40 western novels, seven-time Spur Award–winner Kelton again delivers careful plotting, colorful characters and vibrant action in this tale set largely in Mexican-ruled Texas. In 1816, the patriarch of the Lewis clan leaves its Tennessee farm to join a group of local adventurers who plan is to capture Texas wild horses and bring them back to sell. Lewis's 16-year-old son Michael sneaks off and joins them. When the party run into a Mexican military patrol at the Louisiana border led by the sadistic Lieutenant Rodriguez, Michael's father is murdered along with much of the party, and Michael is left to die on the prairie, but survives (with a little bit of deus ex machinaaid) and returns home. Five years later, after suffering through a bloody family feud, Michael and a younger brother, Andrew, return to Texas to settle the score and stake out new lives for themselves. Michael eventually finds love, revenge and even future Texas hero Stephen F. Austin. Lucid sentences, few surprises, heavily dialected dialogue, authentically clipped emotions, careful historicism and smooth pacing give what could be a hokey story nice nuance. The second and third installments will cover the Alamo, Sam Houston and Texas independence. (June)
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

Praise for Elmer Kelton:

"Elmer Kelton is to Texas what Mark Twain was to the Mississippi River."—Jory Sherman, author of The Barons of Texas

“As always, Mr. Kelton’s history is accurate and his characters clearly drawn and believable.” –The Dallas Morning News on Jericho’s Road

“Once again, Kelton offers and exciting tale in which the bad guys are really bad and some of the good guys are, too. His characters are sharly defined, the historical background is vivid and the gunplay can’t be beat.” –Publishers Weekly on Jericho’s Road

“Multiple Spur Award-winner Kelton knows how to tell a wallopin’ good story without beating the reader over the head with it. His affection for his characters and his gentle sense of humor win the reader over bit by bit, until we find ourselves genuinely caring how the story comes out . —Abilene Reporter-News

“Elmer Kelton writes of early Texas with unerring authority. His knowledge of the state’s history is complete, too—drawn from the lives of real people. . . . The fate of Texas is at hand, and Kelton will have readers eager to find out what happens.”—Fort Worth Star-Telegram on The Buckskin Line

“You can never go wrong if you want to read a good story with realistic characters and you pick up a title by Elmer Kelton. In the case of his newest book, The Smiling Country, the guarantee is as good as gold. . . . Kelton’s characters jump off the page, they are so real. This is another fine title from the man named the greatest western writer of all time in a 1995 survey by the Western Writers of America.” —American Cowboy

"Brings to mind L'Amour's multi-generational Sackett Family saga....Readers will eagerly anticipate the next entry." (Booklist )

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Forge Books (May 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765348977
• ISBN-13: 978-0765348975
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #113,457 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great read, August 10, 2008

By	Robyn Raine - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is the book that got me hooked on Elmer Kelton I picked this book up in the library and could not put in down. I had to go back the next day and get the others. Soon I was ordering the rest of his books off of Amazon and looking for them in half price book stores. If you read this book you have to finish the trilogy.

4.0 out of 5 stars Elmer Kelton - A true Texas Historian, May 7, 2007

By	Zeral D. Holland - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have read at least fourty books by Elmer Kelton. I liked them all and this is one of the best. Kelton places his characters in a historical setting that is both factual and entertaining. I have read the first two books of this series and logged on today hopeing to find the third.

5.0 out of 5 stars True Texas, January 11, 2007

By	Ginny Lamb (Oklahoma) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sons of Texas (Hardcover)

Kelton is not an award winning author without good reason. Any of his books are good reads with well drawn characters and good story line...the history of Texas is so interwoven in each book. One of my favorite authors.