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Border Army #1
Slow Train to Sonora
In 1911, veteran army officer C. W. Langhorne accepts a clandestine assignment that will carry him into revolutionary Mexico for the War Department along with the handsome young ladies' man, Lieutenant Calvin Jester. While Langhorne runs afoul of the Acordada, the Mexican secret police organization, Jester finds danger of his own enjoying the attentions of both Fabiana Medina, a rich young beauty, and the poor but sincere Luna Garcia while he recovers from a serious injury. Destruction closes in on both men, whether from shadowy killers or jilted lovers, in a breakneck race for the border and safety. Slow Train to Sonora combines action, romance, and suspense and is sure to keep readers of both traditional Westerns and historical thrillers on board to the last stop.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
341 pages, Hardcover
Published August 16, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 29, 2017
I REALLY enjoyed this book.
For the sake of full disclosure, I will say that I received an advance copy of the book and it may change ever-so-slightly before it's actually released. Also, for me a 4-star review means, "I enjoyed it a lot, and I would definitely read it again." I gave Loyd Uglow's first book (Marksman's Trinity) a 4-star review also, but this one is a better four stars!
Slow Train to Sonora is the second installment of what I hope will be an ongoing series, called "The Border Army Series." Marksman's Trinity was the first of the series, though Slow Train is actually a prequel to it, taking place about 5 years before Trinity. One thing I love about series is that they give you a chance to become very attached to characters you love, and time for characters you may not care for to change your mind. In this case, the two crossover characters are Langhorne and Jester. They were my two favorite characters from Trinity, and I was thrilled that they are the focus of Slow Train. While Langhorne is a pretty static character, he is a character that demands respect. "Likeable" isn't even the right word for it. He's incredibly intelligent, but also wise; demanding, but fair; tough, but not insensitive. He's like the West Texas Cavalry version of Sam Elliott or Agent Gibbs, and you can't help but admire him. Jester, on the other hand, is a more dynamic character, within Slow Train itself, but more noticeably between the two books, spanning the 5-year gap. Interestingly, I was predisposed to like Jester because of my fondness for him in the first book; he was just different enough (read: younger and more immature) in the prequel that I wonder, would I have liked him as much if this had been the first book I read? I'm not sure. Regardless, there is a definite character-chemistry (not romantic chemistry) between the two men as they learn to work together and trust each other.
An interesting character element of this book was that there wasn't any one particular villain; each of the characters involved had to fight their own battles with their own villains, in whatever form they took - nature itself, Mexican warlords, jilted lovers, controlling family members, etc. There was enough conflict in the book to keep it interesting from start to finish, without over-developing one main conflict or villain. The actual premise of the book - the two cavalry officers undercover in Mexico for their secret mission - really took a back seat in the plot, and yet, it still worked. It was the catalyst for the story to move along, without it being the story itself.
As historical fiction, the details, the conversation and the events are very believable. This is especially impressive because not only does the story take place over 100 years ago, but it's also military-oriented and takes place from the perspective of Americans in the middle of a Mexican political struggle. The writing itself, the plot of the story and the pacing of the book are all improved since the author's first book. "Trinity" was not bad, mind you - but "Slow Train" is better. It's been a few years since the first was released, and the author has definitely used that time to hone his writing skills.
I read this book in one day - almost in one sitting, in fact. I wanted to keep reading - I wanted to know what happened next, and I wanted to finish it. That's the best thing a reader can say about a book.
For the sake of full disclosure, I will say that I received an advance copy of the book and it may change ever-so-slightly before it's actually released. Also, for me a 4-star review means, "I enjoyed it a lot, and I would definitely read it again." I gave Loyd Uglow's first book (Marksman's Trinity) a 4-star review also, but this one is a better four stars!
Slow Train to Sonora is the second installment of what I hope will be an ongoing series, called "The Border Army Series." Marksman's Trinity was the first of the series, though Slow Train is actually a prequel to it, taking place about 5 years before Trinity. One thing I love about series is that they give you a chance to become very attached to characters you love, and time for characters you may not care for to change your mind. In this case, the two crossover characters are Langhorne and Jester. They were my two favorite characters from Trinity, and I was thrilled that they are the focus of Slow Train. While Langhorne is a pretty static character, he is a character that demands respect. "Likeable" isn't even the right word for it. He's incredibly intelligent, but also wise; demanding, but fair; tough, but not insensitive. He's like the West Texas Cavalry version of Sam Elliott or Agent Gibbs, and you can't help but admire him. Jester, on the other hand, is a more dynamic character, within Slow Train itself, but more noticeably between the two books, spanning the 5-year gap. Interestingly, I was predisposed to like Jester because of my fondness for him in the first book; he was just different enough (read: younger and more immature) in the prequel that I wonder, would I have liked him as much if this had been the first book I read? I'm not sure. Regardless, there is a definite character-chemistry (not romantic chemistry) between the two men as they learn to work together and trust each other.
An interesting character element of this book was that there wasn't any one particular villain; each of the characters involved had to fight their own battles with their own villains, in whatever form they took - nature itself, Mexican warlords, jilted lovers, controlling family members, etc. There was enough conflict in the book to keep it interesting from start to finish, without over-developing one main conflict or villain. The actual premise of the book - the two cavalry officers undercover in Mexico for their secret mission - really took a back seat in the plot, and yet, it still worked. It was the catalyst for the story to move along, without it being the story itself.
As historical fiction, the details, the conversation and the events are very believable. This is especially impressive because not only does the story take place over 100 years ago, but it's also military-oriented and takes place from the perspective of Americans in the middle of a Mexican political struggle. The writing itself, the plot of the story and the pacing of the book are all improved since the author's first book. "Trinity" was not bad, mind you - but "Slow Train" is better. It's been a few years since the first was released, and the author has definitely used that time to hone his writing skills.
I read this book in one day - almost in one sitting, in fact. I wanted to keep reading - I wanted to know what happened next, and I wanted to finish it. That's the best thing a reader can say about a book.
March 31, 2020
A little slow at times and with twists that you wouldnt expect.
Overall an interesting read from a chapter of history not many people are aware of.
Overall an interesting read from a chapter of history not many people are aware of.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews