The Year of the Grizzly

Saga of the Sierras #6

by Brock Thoene, Bodie Thoene

On a sprawling rancho near Santa Barbara, mountain man Will Reed has found a place to call home--and a family he loves. But when the Americans and the Mexicans begin to battle over supremacy in California, their struggle threatens to destroy Will's dreams--perhaps his life.

Human greed and the lust for power hold sway as both the American military and Mexican Banditos attempt to grab for themselves the wealth of central California's cattle ranches. And Will Reed's family is caught in the middle. Battling against both nature and the human propensity for evil, Will must face the most dangerous of adversaries--men who are determined to take his land at any cost.

But much more than the land is at stake. Saving his family will require every ounce of courage and resourcefulness the mountain man can muster. . . .

Genres: Christian Fiction, Westerns, Fiction, Historical, Historical Fiction, Christian

189 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1992

About the author

BODIE AND BROCK THOENE (pronounced Tay-nee) have written over 45 works of historical fiction. These best sellers have sold more than 10 million copies and won eight ECPA Gold Medallion Awards.

Bodie began her writing career as a teen journalist for her local newspaper. Eventually her byline appeared in prestigious periodicals such as U.S. News and World Report, The American West, and The Saturday Evening Post. She also worked for John Wayne’s Batjac Productions (she’s best known as author of The Fall Guy) and ABC Circle Films as a writer and researcher. John Wayne described her as “a writer with talent that captures the people and the times!” She has degrees in journalism and communications.

Bodie and Brock have four grown children—Rachel, Jake, Luke, and Ellie—and five grandchildren. Their sons, Jake and Luke, are carrying on the Thoene family talent as the next generation of writers, and Luke produces the Thoene audiobooks.

Bodie and Brock divide their time between London and Nevada.

Reviews

[★*☆♪Ev★*☆♪ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just lost interest in this.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t love this book. There was not a lot of plot, just a lot of evil men doing sickening things. But of course all the main characters that “mattered” survived with minimal injuries. There was not satisfactory resolution to some parts of the plot. The justice that was meted out to the wicked men was simply them meeting their demise doing wicked things. I did like appreciate the band of men from both sides of the war coming together to protect their families.

Apart from the plot, I didn’t enjoy the way the authors incorporated Spanish words. It wasn’t natural. They would translate in the middle of a speech as if the person was repeating himself.

(I just realized that I read this as book 2 and it is actually book 6, so perhaps it is more enjoyable when read at the appropriate point in the series.)

[Stephanie Pieck · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel gives readers a ringside seat as California is torn apart by opposing forces. Newly independent Mexico wants to hold onto as much of the territory as possible, while transplanted Americanos want to create an independent republic. A third group wants to remain part of the United States. The volatile mix of cultures among Mexican, American, and Indian are also highlighted. Threaded through it all like a gold line in a fine tapestry is the story of a family trying to stand up for peace and justice despite crushing forces for evil gathered against them. They are at risk of losing everything, yet their humanity and decency ring true.
I applaud the authors for their sparing references to God and the Bible in Christian fiction. Often, the best way to evangelize isn't by talking loudly or at length, but by allowing one's actions and character to speak for themselves.

[Glenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5Stars maybe closer to three, but no a great story…. Had its moments. Didn’t really like a couple of characters which turned me off the story.. maybe their western writing isn’t as good as their other books…

[Mark M · Rating 2 out of 5]

The quality of this series goes down with each successive book.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good Old West tale by the Thoenes. It was a touch less engrossing than their Zion novels, but Bodie and Brock still proved they know how to write historical fiction like no one else. As far as content goes, some violence (which is to be expected, given the subject matter) was the worst of it.

[Cws]

JAR6-Tho

[Charity U · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good one! Not a favorite Thoene, but I enjoyed it.

[Sasha (bahareads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.2 Stars