Shooting Star

Author: Bodie Thoene

Genre: Western, adventure

Series: Saga of the Sierras

Number in series: 7th

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 206

Time period: 1800’s

Main characters: Andrew Jackson Sinnickson and others

Exciting events: A cattle drive, a killer on the loose, and much more!

Passage from book: {{Sorry, no passage here, but it starts with a chapter from A Thousand Shall Fall, one of the “Shiloh Legacy” books}}

My overall opinion: Wow. The way these are tied to together with each other…all these books by the Thoenes…is amazing. Maybe I’ll do a post on it someday. Like I said, though, this one begins with a passage from A Thousand Shall Fall – which was really cool because I just finished the ”Shiloh Legacy” series. I suppose that makes no sense to you…once you read these books, it will. J As usual, I’d say if you actually want an awesome western, read Louis L’Amour’s books. However, this one had a good story.

The Year of the Grizzly

Author: Brock and Bodie Thoene

Genre: Adventure, romance

Series: Saga of the Sierras

Number in series: 6th

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 7.5

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 189

Time period: 1800's

Main characters: Will, Francesca, Peter

Exciting events: Absolutely packed with them

My overall opinion: It was a good book. :)

Cannons of the Comstock

Author: Brock and Bodie Thoene

Genre: Western, adventure

Series: Saga of the Sierras

Number in series: 5th

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 203

Time period: 1800's

Main characters: Tom, Mont

Exciting events: Mont (age 9) is captured, Tom is shot at, much more!

Passage from book: From the shadows at the sides of the room, two more blackshirts rushed forward. They seized Mont and carried him suspended by the arms out of the room through a door behind the platform. Once in another dim passage, they opened a heavy oak door and threw him in.

My overall opinion: This one was definitely better than the last one! It had some very unique twists to it. :)

Sequoia Scout

Author: Brock and Bodie Thoene

Genre: Western, adventure

Series: Saga of the Sierras

Number in series: 4th

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 7.5

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 239

Time period: 1800's

Main characters: Will

Exciting events: Tons!

Passage from book: When Will Reed came to his senses, he looked up into the low ceiling of the tiny brush shelter and knew immediately where he was. But when he tried to leap to his feet, he discovered that both his hands and legs were bound with rawhide thongs. His lunge upward accomplished only a clumsy lurch, and he fell forward on another man. "Get off me," screamed Aubrey, "my leg's broke!"

My overall opinion: I'll say it up front: I was disappointed in this book. Most of the Thoene's books I have loved, as y'all know, but this one...there was some weird stuff in it. Don't get me wrong, there wasn't immorality or anything, but some of the phrasing was a little hard to understand. And, what's worse (almost), the picture on the front is SO unnatural. No real Western man would ever sit on his horse like that. Just sayin'. :)

Gold Rush Prodigal

Author: Brock and Bodie Thoene

Genre: Adventure, western

Series: Saga of the Sierras

Number in series: 3rd

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 223

Time period: 1800's, Gold Rush

Main characters: David, Keo, Strawfoot

Exciting events: Capture!!!!

Passage from book: His hands tied together, David was placed back on the black horse and his feet bound underneath its belly. If he slid off, he could certainly be trampled to death......The black horse fell over on its side and lay still for a moment. Its corpse then began a slow slide down into the canyon, dragging David's bound form along with it...ahead lay the lip of a dropoff into a hundred foot crevice....Gunshots tore into the ground near him, and one struck him in the thigh, making him cry out.

My overall opinion: Such an exciting story this was! I had the genre as western, but I changed it to adventure, though I suppose it is part western. Okay, both. :) The main character is part of the gold rush, sails on a whale ship, and encounters a terrible and insane captain. Very exciting.

Riders of the Silver Rim

Author: Brock and Bodie Thoene

Genre: Western

Series: Saga of the Sierras

Number in series: 2nd

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 204

Time period: 1800's

Main characters: Callie, Joshua

Exciting events: Many!

Passage from book: Josh didn't wait for his assailant to fire, but blasted off the second barrel, immediately rolling to the other side of the road as he did. His fire was met with an agonized scream and a wild return shot that ricocheted off a rock beside the road and went singing off into the dark. An instant searing pain, like a hot iron, leaped across Josh's forehead. A second later, Josh heard the sounds of feet running clumsily and a continuous string of curses.

My overall opinion: I enjoyed this book! It was a great read.

The Man From Shadow Ridge

Author: Brock and Bodie Thoene

Genre: Western, adventure

Series: Saga of the Sierras

Number in series: 1st

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 239

Time period: Civil War

Main characters: Jesse, Tom, Emily, Nathan, Byrd Guidett, Mullins

Exciting events: Kidnapping, caves (always exciting. ;)

Passage from book: Down the boys plunged, on a steeply slanted narrow rock path. Here the floor was slick with moisture coming from the nearby underground stream. With no time to pick their way, the boys skidded around corners and slammed into rocks. From behind them they could hear a keening sound: "I'll found 'em for ya. Just you wait here a spell. I'll bring 'em back."

My overall opinion: This was a good one! I really enjoy the Thoenes' writing style. Isn't it funny I'm reading two series at once that have the word "saga" in the series name AND are around the Civil War? Very interesting. This one was very good.