Customer Reviews

Too Long at the Dance: The sequel to 'Shortgrass Song'

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

 

 

Howdy, folks, I'm James Drury. I used to play the Virginian on TV, for those of you who might not know me. I just saw that last review on Mike Blakely's book, Too Long At The Dance, and I couldn't let it stand without an argument. I have read several of Mike's books, and a lot of other western novels, including narrating Kirby Jonas' books onto Audio Tape for Books in Motion. I hope that qualifies me as one who can judge a good or a bad Western novel.

This novel by Mike is superb. It is packed with high quality research and excitement and very believable characters, and it brings a very satisfying ending to the story begun with Shortgrass Song. I hope you folks who read these reviews will take my review to heart. I have no idea what the last reviewer was doing when he was supposed to be reading this book, but he obviously knows nothing about the West and perhaps has never read a Western book before in his life. This was a very good novel and well worth anyone's time, if you like authenticity in your reading.

As a member of a sixth-generation Texas family, I cut my teeth on traditonal western novels. In my fifty-eight years of life on this planet, I have managed to get a master's degree, work in numerous foreign countries, as well as many states of the US. During that time I drifted away from the written works of my youth, but Mike Blakely's novels have brought me back into the fold. Although, I would not consider Blakely a traditional western writer, in the style of Louis L'Amour,et al., I would deem his works as fresh and envigorating as the breeze that sweeps across my hilltop just above the Guadalupe River. Upon returning to Texas to live, I taught history, among other subjects, in an adult education program. "Too Long at the Dance" and other Blakely novels ("Comanche Dawn" being my favorite) have been an inspiration to continue learning more about the West. This novel and other Blakely works have been not only a source of enjoyment, but a wonderful learning experience as well. Keep up the good work, Mike.

Okay, right off the bat I'm gonna say something that may lead you to believe I'm biased, but I swear I don't make recommendations unless I like a book. If a friend writes up a yarn and I hate it, I just won't say anything. Folks, I'm Kirby Jonas, the guy James Drury was talking about in the review he did down below. Being a Western novelist myself, I am very critical of the writing of others. I want the history to be correct down to the proper dialogue (to a certain extent), the right guns and clothing and horses. I also want a fast moving book and good characters, and I want a book that's going to make me laugh and cry and give me goosebumps (I stole that from a review James Drury did on one of my books! :) ) Too Long at the Dance was all of these things, folks. It wasn't a fast read for one afternoon like Shane or a Louis L'Amour book. It was deep and insightful and lyrical and plain good. You need to read Shortgrass Song first to do it justice, but I'm telling you, if you want to learn history without thinking you're having a history lesson, PLEASE pick up this book. You will not for one moment regret it. Mike Blakely did a knock-down superb job here, and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. AND--for me this is a bonus--you don't have a bunch of sex and graphic violence and swearing to wade through, so you can even let your younkers and granny latch onto this'n. Give Mike a try. You'll get hooked.

I love reading books that are witty, funny, romantic, and realistic. Of four other books that I have read by Mike Blakely, I like this one the best. By the way, the CD "Ride the River" by Mike Blakely is great too!

In my order of more books to read are the rest of Mr. Blakely's books. The adventure, the history, the land and the people are very fascinating. Any one who thinks his books are trash has their head (brain) in a place where the sun never shins.

Has to be the the worst western book I've gotten half through. Not worth the time. Do not buy.