Rating: 
Summary: One of the best action adventure books I have ever read
Review: I found this book to be exciting from start to finish. The story starts in Louisiana where "King" Tremain is still a teenager and goes with his favorite uncle on a raid of the hated DuMont property. The situation goes bad and young Tremain has to leave town to avoid certain death. Tremain joins the army and this is just the beginning. His adventures leads the reader through France, Germany, to New York, back to Louisiana, to Oklahoma, again to Louisiana and finally San Fransico. Tremain is a hard, determined man who is a highly skilled fighter who is no stranger to violence and death. However, he does have a strict moral code, and is a staunch believer in family and loyalty. Despite how he is able to evade death and serious harm throughout the book when it comes to dealing with his enemies, the same cannot be said for Tremain's family life. In some ways Tremain's family problems are a result of the way he deals with the his enemies. If you are the type of person who enjoys action adventures, where the hero overcomes all odds to right wrongs, etc. then this book is definitely for you.
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Summary: A powerful new voice in black literature........
Review: I mainly picked up this book because it was written by the talented Maya Angelou's son. As the saying goes, the apple did not fall far from the tree. Guy Johnson definitely has his mothers gift of prose.
LeRoi 'King' Tremain was one of the most realistic characters created in a novel. He had anger, strength of will, love of family, his own set of morals/rules and a strong sense of justice. From the time he was growing up to his days as a grandfather, there is always a sense of honor involved in his life. He will not stand for disrespect nor to be called the n-word. He battles enemy soldiers, the Klan, hoodlums, etc and always comes out on top. There is a sense of pathos in his life as well because of the search for his older son who was left at an orphanage by an enemy. And the wife who betrays his trust even after risking all to save his life. I sure hope Guy writes another novel with his larger than life creation.
Rating: 
Summary: A LIFE ALTERING COMPOSITION
Review: I am a HUGE fan of Guy Johnson. He is one of the big inspirations in my writing career; and his book "Standing At The Scratch Line" changed my life. I can't imagine becoming as great an author as he is, but thanks to him I'm always striving to become a better author, as well as a better man. Guy Johnson, you are a hidden jewel, and I wish that those of us who DESERVE to read your work could keep your brilliance all to ourselves. Furthermore,anyone who has given this work less than 5-stars needs to have their head checked. Congratulations, Mr. Johnson on a most incredible novel, and I so look forward to reading more.
Rating:
Summary: Standing at the Scratch Line
Review: I am usually not much of a fiction reader. I enjoy a whole lot of real life stories. This book was a real joy to read because it didn't seem like fiction. We have been reading about the struggle with Black Americans for years now and always end up feeling like history has tried to rob us at every turn. After seeing the Black Holocost exhibit, in a strange twist of emotions I find this book to be an uplifting vision from that same past. I know in my heart that there are more stories that tell the couragious and true stories of men and women that didn't always necessarily wait for triumph to make its way past racism. We'd like to hear them all.. fiction and non-fiction. Guy Johnson says that the books are loosely based on his grandfather. All I can say is .... I wish I knew him. Wonderful book... I really hope it turns out to be a movie with a really really good director and some brave new actor as King Tremain. Bravo Guy Johnson, Bravo!
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Summary: Musings of a Former Bookseller
Review: I read lots of fiction by African American writers. Unlike some, I almost put this book back when I read the back jacket and learned Guy Johnson is Maya Angelou's son. The ONLY reason I persisted in buying it is because I'm working hard to read more books authored by African American males. When, in his introduction, Johnson paid homage to his editor, Manie Barron, I said "Aha!" I knew of Barron's dedication to bring more African American males to print. After the first four pages, I concluded both Barron and Johnson had found their mark. My persistence lead me through an exciting book that touched a theme I've never before seen in print. Yes, this is a page-turning action-adventure, but its strongest contribution is its representation of a Black man's struggle for respect. In order for the central character to win, he must employ the same tactics used by America's earliest entrepreneurs. Individuals unfamiliar with America's brutal business tactics or the Black man's struggle to prosper in business and therein leave some kind of legacy for his children, would do well to read a ficton-to-fact story where the central character does not turn the other cheek!What is significant about Johnson's treatment is that his "I'll hit you back if you hit me," character is a lone voice in the anals of Black American fiction. I've never read a story that describes a Black man who murdered the bad guys and gets away with it! I am even forced to accept his characteration of the main female character even though I disagree with her actions; despite her betrayal of her husband's wishes concerning his offspring, her guilt prompted her to lead the raid that successfully broke him out of a confinement from a whites only enclave in a manner that would have frightened most Black folks then and now. Johnson's work is empowering and militant and funny and sad. When his adroit style of writing described the band playing and the sounds of its respective instruments, I found myself tapping my foot to the music. How often has that happened to you? I look forward to the forthcoming sequel.
Rating:
Summary: Long but worth it....
Review: This book was very long, did I say it was long?? I kept reading this book because of the great reviews I read on this website about the book. I wasn't interested at all but I kept reading. I was like maybe something is wrong with me because the story and the main character bored me. That is until King marries Serena. Once she was introduced into the book I couldn't put it down! All the storylines came together and Guy Johnson really put his foot up in this story! Oftentimes authors start plots really well, but by the middle and to the end tthey get really dull and boring. Not this one. I was bored to death in the beginning. The scenes and inaccuracies of the war tired me out completely. I chose this book for my book club and the few other member who finished the book really enjoyed it like I did. Unfortunately, many of the members stopped reading the book because it bored them as well in the beginning and became disinterested. Ultimately, not finishing the book. One person wanted to read the sequel but she was out-voted.
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Summary: An unknown book/writer...surprisingly Very good
Review: This isn't a book I would have picked up to read. It was a book that we read for our book club. I have to admit, when I read the synopsis, I wasn't interested. But I started reading it and couldn't put it down. This is one of the best books I've read in a LONG time. Despite the historical timeline mistakes..and some vernacular that was used that I'm sure people weren't using in those times...The book was good. I highly recommend it. It is a good book club choice that sparks good discussion. The characters are interesting...and the plot is very captivating.
Rating: 
Summary: A jumbled miss-mash
Review: After reading all of the glowing reviews by other readers, it feels somewhat embarrassing to write a review with such an opposing opinion. First, let me say that I had started reading the book over a year ago. I stopped reading it because I thought it was boring, and it really wasn't well written enough to hold my interest. But I made a promise to myself years ago to always finish a book - even if I don't like it - and boy - I didn't like this book. I majored in African-American Studies in college. As I was reading this book, I could tell that Mr. Johnson didn't do very much research into black history before writing it. Many of the incidences he writes about in the book are years off historically. He writes about using the telephone at a time when very few whites, not to mention probably no blacks, had telephones. The book is just not historically accurate. I also think he tried too hard to put everything in the book, the historical all-black mid-western towns, the New York Mob in New Orleans, (I thought this was completely ridiculous), the Klan, everything but the kitchen sink. His liberal use of terms and phrases including hip-hop slang) that were not even spoken in the 1920's was really stupid. Mistakes like those definitely took away from the magic of reading a book that's supposed to be somewhat of a historical novel. I don't think black folks called Los Angeles "LA," San Francisco "Frisco" or Oakland "Oaktown" in the 1920's or 1930's. His characters constant use of phrases that were out of line with the time was really disgusting and showed a lack of effort in his writing. After a while and couldn't wait to finish the book so that I could throw it in the trash. Moreover, It seems that as the book got further along, Mr. Johnson was just trying to hurry the story along and just threw the words on the page without any thought as to story development. You can see the characters words getting shorter and quicker as if Mr. Johnson is attempting to get the book over with. I know that he has written another book that relates to this one - if it's anything like this one, I think I'll pass on it. Finally, I thought the story was supposed to be about King Tremain. Mr. Johnson spends way too much time and ink on King's idiot wife Selena's side of the story. I must say that I really didn't like the book, and I feel bad because I really wanted to - I love reading the works of black male writers - Walter Moseley, Chester Himes, Langston Hughes, Colin Channer - heck - I even like Eric Jerome Dickey. But in my opinion this book was a sorry miss-mash of junk.
Rating:
Summary: a book i could not put down
Review: one of the best books i have ever read,oprah needed to put this in her book club,but since guy johnson is not white i guess he did not rate.but the book is truly a keeper,does any body know where i can get a hard copy?i have the soft back but would love the hard copy.
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Summary: I Can't Wait To Read His New Book!
Review: I just purchased Mr. Johnson's new novel. I so excited about owning it but I haven't starting reading it ...yet. I'm saving that thrill for my vacation at the end of the month. After reading "Standing At The Stratch Line" last year,I was so impressed that I passed it on to five of my friends and my husband...believe me I had trouble getting it back from my friends. My husband couldn't put down. He doesn't read as much as I do but this was one time he couldn't stop! This book will always be in my collection. What a ride it was! It is the "BEST" novel I have ever read! Really.... please don't miss it! I
can just see Denzel Washington on the screen strutting his stuff. Has anyone heard of this book making it to the "big
screen"?
Thank you so much Guy Johnson.
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