Shadow Rider: Blood Sky at Morning

by Jory Sherman

Book Overview

Those who inhabit the harsh, beautiful, blood-red land between Tucson and Fort Bowie have never seen the like of the Shadow Rider�who appears out of nowhere and vanishes just as suddenly in the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060885289
• ISBN13: 9780060885281
• Release Date: February 2007
• Publisher: Harper
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.3" x 6.7"

Customer Reviews

Definately worth a read

Those who inhabit the harsh, blood-red land between Tucson and Fort Bowie have never seen the likes of the Shadow Rider, Zak Cody - who appears out of nowhere and vanishes just as suddenly in the desert heat. Now death and lies surround him again. The Apache are under siege for murders they didn't commit - and Cody's is riding hell-for-leather into a war where nothing's what it seems. But his mission is to get to the truth...and to kill the cause of the bloody chaos - even if it means laying down his own life. The first, in what I believe will be a trilogy, about Zak Cody - a half-Indian loner who works for U.S. President, Ulysses S. Grant. Jory Sherman presents the reader with well-drawn characters, many of which seem to have hidden agendas. Sherman also spends quite a bit of time with flashbacks, explaining the background of Cody, his life as a child and events that mould him into the person he is today. The book builds well as the hunt for the men behind the murders the Apache are accused of as it races to its climax. And here is were I wonder to the method used to end the book, it's a technique that should have readers looking for the next book as there isn't really any kind of climax to the story. It just ends, leaving many questions unanswered and the battle the reader is expecting not taking place. Frustrating to some readers I'd think? The other problem with this kind of ending these days is that it takes so long for the publishers to put out the next book, eight months in this case, so a reader might just give up looking for the next one and feel Blood Sky at Morning to be an unsatisfactory read. My advice would be to wait for all three books to be published before reading them, as you'll have less chance of forgetting what's gone before. Have said all that, Sherman is a very good writer, and should be on the reading list of all western fans.

BLOOD SKY AT MORNING......SAILOR TAKE WARNING

'Blood sky at morning' is a line within this book of the same title, a book that begins a trilogy. The second book in the series is entitled "SHADOW RIDER: APACHE SUNDOWN" with the third volume, 'SHADOW RIDER: GHOST WARRIOR" due out later in June, 2008. The book is an excellent western set in Arizona Territory during the Apache Wars with some real life characters such as Generals Grant and Crook, Tom Jeffords, and Cochise woven throughout the story. The main protagonist is an ex-military man working directly for now President U. S. Grant and Major General George Crook, he carries credentials compelling any and all military to assist in his mission. Though he no longer is in the army, he carries the rank of Colonel. Many foolish, unwise men do not take proper heed of this man, Zak Cody, and pay for their foolishness with their lives. Zak doesn't enjoy the killing and will generally give men the choice of either shooting it out to die or walking away to live, mostly they try to brave and badger Zak and shoot it out, only to die. This western novel of 227 pages sets in motion activity that will be concluded only in the final two volumes, so by end of the trail in this first volume, no closure has come to Zak Cody. The man, Ben Trask, he hates and hunts, the man who tortured Zak's father to death, is on the loose with Zak still trailing him. If you enjoy Jory Sherman's work and want to saddle up to ride with him through 3 books you will find a plentitude of good reading here. Though the author's philosophy of life, faith, or spritualism sometimes nudges out the action, the book is still very enjoyable. Anyone who enjoys both a good western and a good story cannot go wrong riding the trail with both Zak Cody and Mr. Jory Sherman. Semper Fi.

Terse Vivid Language Shines Through

This book, which serves as my introduction to Jory Sherman, reads like a detective story out of the old west. I mean that in the best sense. The writing style throughout this books shines beyond nearly every Western I've ever read. I don't know why I didn't notice this auther before (since he's been writing for years), but he's amazing. Descriptive language in the book such as "The Colt bucked in his hand as it exploded with orange flame, belching out golden fireflies of burnt powder..." paint pictures like few Westerns. Though I haven't yet reached the last page of the story, I had to say what a rare work of fiction this is. I will most definitely begin reading other works by this author.