Rating: 
Summary: wow
Review: Owen Parry has a way with words. He created a great story, and his prose is excellent. Even if this story wasn't any good, it would be worth it to read this book just to see how Parry weaves his words together. It's a great one. A must read.
Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Book
Review: Owen Parry has done it again--given us a spectacular view into a world no longer with us. He has managed to capture the remote beauty of winter in New York's Finger Lakes region in this lush--there really is no better word to describe his beautiful use of language--sequel to "Faded Coat of Blue." The story, another murder mystery set during the early days of the Civil War, is a page-turner, yet the reader is torn between wanting to hurry along to find out what happens next, and wanting to linger with the marvelous characters and arresting images that seem to exist on every page. If you love language and have an interest in history, this book is for you. And if you just enjoy a good yarn, it's also a sure bet.
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Summary: Abel Jones is back and better than ever! But let that bide.
Review: Owen Parry's first book: Faded Coat of Blue was captivating-- a delightful milestone in popular historical fiction. It that first work, Parry displayed a true master's talent and skill in combining well-researched settings of civil war Americana and some of the most memorable characterization ever. However, Parry created a level of anticipation with the promise of a series that could have diminished his initial, applaudable effort if it had proved less than brilliant. But Shadows of Glory is just that, brilliant. And its readers have been richly rewarded. When do we get #3!?
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Summary: Shadows of Glory, (audio tape)
Review: Owen Parry, author of Shadows of Glory, will I predict, soon become one of the premire Civil War authors of Historical Fiction. His writing style creates a vivid picture of each person and place, evocative of Hawthorne and the "Scarlet Letter". He has selected as his hero and narrator, Major Jones, a Christian whose courage and conviction are very admirable. This audio series was one the best I have ever heard. The voices and drama of the read were smoothly and wonderfully presented. I was moved again and again by the presentation and the story.
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Summary: So-So Sophmore Story
Review: Parry's Civil War mystery series continues with this second volume (after Faded Coat of Blue), which once again has Union Army officer Abel Jones investigating murder most foul. The Welshman is a meticulously honest and scrupulous officer (bordering on the priggish), who has been enlisted in the Union's secret service. Here he is sent by Secretary of State William Seward to the far north of New York's Finger Lakes district to find out who killed a Union spy there, and if there's an Irish rebellion brewing. Soon he finds himself highly distracted by an Irish "spiritualist" woman who claims to see spirits hovering around Jones. I'm not a huge fan of this kind of supernaturalism, and it detracts from the gritty authenticity Parry labors so hard to construct in other ways. Similarly, although he again does a nice job of creating some well-developed supporting characters, such as a local sheriff, a jittery preacher, and a very smart black coachman, Parry also falls into that most regrettable trap of the historical novelist-unnecessarily turning real life historical personages into supporting players in his tale. The military and political figures who pop up in the first book are all there in service of the story, but here we meet Frederick Douglas and Susan B. Anthony. Douglas plays a particularly large role, and there's no real need for him to be so involved in the plot, as opposed to a more anonymous character. Another ill-advised device is the use of letters from Jones' friend Mick Tyrone, who is assigned to Gen. Grant's medical corps. Through these, Parry tries to hammer home the point that while Jones rides around the winter wonderland of New York, there is a gruesome, horrific war on elsewhere. Tyrone's letters are full of all the gory details-lest Jones forget why he's spying. I loved the first book in this series, but I'm afraid I didn't care that much for this one. Aside from the three flaws above (and I do recognize that others may not consider them flaws), this book had very little suspense or pace compared to Faded Coat of Blue. It's altogether much more concerned with moodiness and inner turmoil than it is with the actual mystery. Things play out achingly slowly until the very end, when a very intriguing plot is finally revealed. Told from Jones' perspective, the language is once again rich and full of the Welshman's idiom, cadence, and prejudices. His story continues in Call Each River Jordan, Honor's Kingdom, Bold Sons of Erin and further to come).
Rating:
Summary: A Riveting Read
Review: Shadows of Glory delights the reader in so many areas: plot, characterization, sensory exposition. The story continues the sleuthing adventures of Abel Jones, an idiosyncratic Welshman, newly-made American, and reluctant recruit into the cloak and dagger world of Civil War spies, intrigue and murder. Brutal, senseless murders have occurred in upstate New York and rumors of Irish insurrection abound, and President Lincoln and Secretary of State, William Seward, have ordered Abel to get to the bottom of the mess. In the course of his detective work, Abel encounters remarkable and unforgettable characters, some historical and some fictional, that both help and hinder the progress of his investigations. Frederick Douglass and Susan Anthony assist Abel in his delving and Owen Parry's characterizations provide intriguing insight into these complex, yet intensely human, historical figures. A pivotal role, played by the consumption-ridden, seance-seducing, psychic, Nellie Kildare, is riveting and captures the 19th century fascination with seances and psychic phenomena. Abel is also aided by the character of John Underwood, the straight-forward, straight-shooting local New York sherriff whose desire for justice is only exceeded by his love of his town and his people. In addition, Shadows of Glory reintroduces some of my favorite characters from Faded Coat of Blue: the effervescent, incorrigible Irishman, Jimmy Molloy and the introspective and committed surgeon, Dr. Mick Tyrone. Shadows of Glory is a veritable feast of the senses and the food descriptions absolutely delight. Interspersed with the horrors of war--its brutality and greed, and mind-numbing descriptions of surgery without anaesthesia, are dining descriptions to enchant the mind and senses, descriptions of food robust enough to make you yearn for hearty, thick stews and flaky crusted, gloden, home baked pies, served hot on icy cold evenings. Shadows of Glory is a fitting and well conceived sequel to Faded Coat of Blue. The novel is a quick read; the text is wonderfully lyrical and the plot manipulations are brilliantly executed, making the reader eagerly await the arrival of the next Abel jones adventure.
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Summary: compelling story, exquisite writing
Review: SHADOWS OF GLORY marks the return of Abel Jones, the sterling and completely engaging character first met in Parry's FADED COAT OF BLUE. And what a welcome return it is. Living up to its billing as "a novel of historical suspense", SHADOWS delves into a shrouded but powerful threat to the Union during the Civil War, gathering force far from the front lines. Sent to a remote area of New York State to investigate the threat, Major Jones encounters a community of vividly drawn characters, one of which is nature itself in all its wondrous beauty and force. The social issues and interests of the period, as well as the intriguing diversity of people that populated the region, are deftly and gracefully presented through the characters themselves; historical fact blends seamlessly with the fiction. Even though Abel is far from the battlefields, the brutal urgency of the war is evoked through a series of heart-rending letters dispatched to him by a friend who is serving as a surgeon with General Grant's forces. It should be noted that with this excellent book, Owen Parry does present the reader with something of a dilemma: It is a genuine page-turner but the urge to gallop through the story is countered by the exquisite writing which invites you to slow to a trot and revel in the language. And that is a most rare and appreciated dilemma for any reader.
Rating:
Summary: compelling story, exquisite writing
Review: SHADOWS OF GLORY marks the return of Abel Jones, the sterling and completely engaging character first met in Parry's FADED COAT OF BLUE. And what a welcome return it is. Living up to its billing as "a novel of historical suspense", SHADOWS delves into a shrouded but powerful threat to the Union during the Civil War, gathering force far from the front lines. Sent to a remote area of New York State to investigate the threat, Major Jones encounters a community of vividly drawn characters, one of which is nature itself in all its wondrous beauty and force. The social issues and interests of the period, as well as the intriguing diversity of people that populated the region, are deftly and gracefully presented through the characters themselves; historical fact blends seamlessly with the fiction. Even though Abel is far from the battlefields, the brutal urgency of the war is evoked through a series of heart-rending letters dispatched to him by a friend who is serving as a surgeon with General Grant's forces. It should be noted that with this excellent book, Owen Parry does present the reader with something of a dilemma: It is a genuine page-turner but the urge to gallop through the story is countered by the exquisite writing which invites you to slow to a trot and revel in the language. And that is a most rare and appreciated dilemma for any reader.
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Summary: Brilliant Civil War suspense novel transcends genre fiction
Review: Some years ago, I bought a Faded Coat of Blue, the first in this series, on a remainder shelf. I was aware of the book when it came out, but dismissed it as one of the hangers on of the Civil War craze engendered by Ken Burns' PBS series. Anyway, when I got around to reading the book, I was pleasantly surprised to discover the book is wonderful, and I am happy to report that the second book in the series fulfils the author's promise. Abel Jones is a Welshman, a veteran of the Wars of Empire in the British army, where he was a sergeant. Tired of war, he left the army and immigrated to America, hoping to make a new start. He arrived several years before the Civil War started, and when it opened, felt he had to be a loyal citizen and join the army, this time as an officer. He was wounded at the battle of First Manassas, which is a convenient device to allow the main character to be a behind-the-scenes player without having people wonder why he's not on the frontline (he still limps). He's married (and faithful), doesn't drink, smoke, or swear, and is true to his word. He's a very interesting, and unusual character. In this adventure, he's been sent to upstate New York to investigate a series of murders. One of the victims was a Union army officer, and another an informer who'd been tasked with infiltrating a group of Irish malcontents who apparently are plotting rebellion against the U.S. government (something said government doesn't need in the middle of the Civil War). Apparently a mesmerist is involved, but how we don't know, and of course he has a pretty daughter who's a psychic. There are some wonderful side characters, including Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass, and the completely fictional characters are fun also. The main thing that makes this book so good, though, is the prose. The whole thing is told in vernacular, with all of the appropriate turns of phrase and sentence that someone from Wales, a God-fearing man who'd been to India with the redcoats, would use. It's rare to come upon a writer who can do this for 300 pages (George Macdonald Fraser comes to mind, so does the late Ellis Peters) and someone who does it this seamlessly is truly skilled. I gather the name is a pseudonym. I don't really care, though, just as long as he keeps writing these books
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Summary: Who IS this guy?
Review: These are wonderful books that reveal what words can really do, when wielded by a true talent. They bring a fascinating period in our history to vivid life, without glorifying or glamorizing the horror of war, which you can practically smell coming off the page. Others have remarked on the cleverness of the references and cameo appearances that sent me scurrying to my encyclopedia for more info. Clever but not grandstanding. Having read the first two volumes, I'm torn between rushing through the next two or taking a breather, so I can savor them fully. Finally, I wish I had more clues to the person behind the pseudonym. What else has he (or she?) written?
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