Editors Note: This is the second half of a doubleshot review. Today we'll see ?wazithinkin's thoughts on this book. In case you missed it, our prior review gave Judi Moore's views on the same book.
Genre: Magical Realism/Fantasy/Folk Tales
Description:
“In 1954, the small Florida Panhandle town of Torreya had more
Klansmen per acre than fire ants. Sparrow, a bag lady; Pollyanna, an auditor;
and Jack, the owner of Slade’s Diner, step on fire ants and Klansmen whenever
they can while an unknown archer fires fate-changing arrows at the Klan’s
leadership. They are not who they appear to be, and while they take risks, they
must be discrete lest they end up in the Klan’s gunsights.
When Julia and Eldon, a married couple from Harlem, New York, run
afoul of the Klan because of Eldon’s pro-union stance at the sawmill, they find
themselves down at the ancient hanging tree where two policemen, hiding their
identity beneath white robes and hoods, are the ones holding the noose.
Meanwhile, Sparrow seems to have disappeared. When the ne’er-do-well
Shelton brothers beat up the Klavern’s exalted cyclops because they think he
harmed Sparrow, they, too, find themselves the focus of a KKK manhunt.
Bolstered by support from a black cat and an older-than-dirt conjure
woman, Pollyanna persists in her fight against the Klan, determined to restore
law and order to a town overwhelmed by corruption.”
Author:
Malcolm R. Campbell, “previously worked as an insurance company's
training materials designer, a police management school's course materials
developer, a mental health department unit manager, a technical writer, a grant
writer, a corporate communications director, and a railway museum’s volunteer
collections manager.
His fantasy novels were inspired by Glacier Park Montana where he
worked as a bellman and from a tour of duty aboard an aircraft carrier during
the Vietnam War.
He grew up in the Florida Panhandle, a wondrous place often called
“the other Florida” and “the forgotten coast,” that was the perfect environment
for growing up and learning about writing and magical realism.
Campbell lives on a north Georgia farm with his wife, Lesa, and their
two cats.” He dreams that one day their menagerie will include two miniature
burros, and a couple of fainting goats for his wife, Lesa.
To learn more check-out Mr. Campbell’s website, or follow him on Facebook.
Appraisal:
The blurb for Fate’s Arrows
says it all. The plot moves at a nice pace and the twists and turns pack lots
of surprise. Tension runs high as the Klan exerts their power over the town of
Torreya. The archer is an unknown entity fighting the good fight but never
killing. Pollyanna is a different story, she can be deadly when pushed to her
limits.
Torreya is a tangled web of corruption and Klan members. However, Rudy
Flowers, the chief of police, is a good man as well as some of the business
owners around town. The problem is they are outnumbered by the Klan and it
doesn’t take much to get your name on the short list.
I loved the talk Willie had with Eldon. Wise words were spoken, I’m
just not sure the advice hit the mark as deeply as they needed to go. Old
habits are hard to break.
Eulalie is feeling her age, but does what she can to bolster Pollyanna
with her fight against the Klan. And Lena is ever present to keep Eulalie and
Pollyanna apprised. Lena is the best secret agent ever.
The ending I did not see coming! You think you know somebody then BAM,
right out of left field it knocks you for a loop! I found Fate’s Arrows well told with several threads woven together to make
it an encompassing tale of the era. It’s raw and fraught with danger. The Klan
may operate differently these days, but it is still alive and well.
Buy now
from: Amazon US Amazon UK
FYI:
Fate’s
Arrows is book #4 in Malcolm Campbell’s, Florida Folk Magic Stories. Brace
yourself, there are a few F-bombs dropped, and racist language.
Format/Typo
Issues:
A few more proofing errors than I like to see in this length of book.
Mostly missing letters that change a word, extra words, or wrong words.
Rating:
***** Five Stars
Reviewed
by: ?wazithinkin
Approximate
word count: 35-40,000 words
No comments:
Post a Comment