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Summary: Best of Chicano Literature, for Chicanos
Review: I strongly recommend this author and particularly this book. However, care should be taken when reading, some background spanish is recommended since author likes to throw in a bit of "Spanglish" in, expecting that readers will catch on. I most interesting character Sonny Baca, very refreshing to read about Latino heros, which go unmention in American Literature.
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Summary: Rio Grande Fall review
Review: Rio Grande Fall is one of my favorite mystery books. The characters are unique and likable, the plot is captivating, and the story is full of the Spanish language and myth that Rudolpho Anaya is known for.
Sonny Baca is an investigator living in New Mexico who journeys into the world of the supernatural during a murder investigation. Through the help of his loving girlfriend and an enchanting curandera he finds the answers he seeks regarding the murder case and his inner self. The action in the book is guided by the existance of mystical beings; An intriguing plot is joined with Catholicism and the spirits of the earth to create an original type of mystery novel.
Rudolfo Anaya's vivid portrayal of Mexican culture and heritage, along with beautiful imagery and, a thrilling mystery plot, ensure the Sonny Baca series to be a long lived one.
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Summary: Rio Grande Fall review
Review: Rio Grande Fall is one of my favorite mystery books. The characters are unique and likable, the plot is captivating, and the story is full of the Spanish language and myth that Rudolpho Anaya is known for.
Sonny Baca is an investigator living in New Mexico who journeys into the world of the supernatural during a murder investigation. Through the help of his loving girlfriend and an enchanting curandera he finds the answers he seeks regarding the murder case and his inner self. The action in the book is guided by the existance of mystical beings; An intriguing plot is joined with Catholicism and the spirits of the earth to create an original type of mystery novel.
Rudolfo Anaya's vivid portrayal of Mexican culture and heritage, along with beautiful imagery and, a thrilling mystery plot, ensure the Sonny Baca series to be a long lived one.
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Summary: Sonny Baca and Raven square off for Round 2!
Review: Rio Grande Fall is the second novel featuring the resourceful Alburquerque private eye, Sonny Baca. Rita, Lorenza, Turco, Don Elesio, Howard, and the rest of the unforgetable characters from Zia Summer are featured and so is the diabolical eco-terrorist, Raven! The Hot Air Balloon Festival of Alburquerque is in danger of being cancelled unless Sonny Baca can figure out who is responsible for the murder of two balloon pilots. It doesn't take Sonny long to realize that his arch rival, Raven is responsible, but Raven has more on his agenda than just vengance. A beautifully written novel with suspense and surprises all set in the mysteriously charming state of New Mexico. Not as good as Zia Summer, but an enjoyable sequel nontheless!
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Summary: Sonny Baca and Raven square off for Round 2!
Review: Rio Grande Fall is the second novel featuring the resourceful Alburquerque private eye, Sonny Baca. Rita, Lorenza, Turco, Don Elesio, Howard, and the rest of the unforgetable characters from Zia Summer are featured and so is the diabolical eco-terrorist, Raven! The Hot Air Balloon Festival of Alburquerque is in danger of being cancelled unless Sonny Baca can figure out who is responsible for the murder of two balloon pilots. It doesn't take Sonny long to realize that his arch rival, Raven is responsible, but Raven has more on his agenda than just vengance. A beautifully written novel with suspense and surprises all set in the mysteriously charming state of New Mexico. Not as good as Zia Summer, but an enjoyable sequel nontheless!
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Summary: A great idea that spins out of control
Review: Rio Grande Fall starts with a great premise, a murderer is stalking the Albuquerque Balloon fiesta. Sonny Baca is back in this sequel to Zia Summer but for me this book is a sophomore slump. There are a number of problems with the book. It refers too much to Zia Summer so you need to read it first or you will be lost and if Zia Summer was a bit preachy, this book is a sermon. Sonny must develop spiritually to be able to catch and fight the murders, will he develop quickly enough? Sonny gets a lot of help from a local shaman and we learn a lot with Sonny about the spirit world as he progresses on his quest, until Anaya shuts us out at the critical moment while Sonny learns how to use his spirit guides something he does not bother to explain. If Anaya wants to focus on Sonny?s Spirituality quest he should at least follow through and show us one of Sonny?s major triumphs, instead he leaves us in the dark. The book moves on to a very unexpected and quite unsatisfactory ending. This novel will probably lead Anaya to write something better because it is a stew of creative ideas that does not make sense in itself but probably will mean a lot for the author in the future. As for the reader, beware! There are a lot of wild ideas flowing around in this novel and if you do not know Spanish bring a dictionary.
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Summary: Magical Mystery Tour
Review: This second book by Anaya, regarding the adventures of his detective hero Sonny Baca and his companion Rita, has wonderful contrasts between the three layers of culture in the Rio Grande valley in New Mexico. We are shown the modern American culture in the setting of this novel during the Hot Air Balloon Festival in Albuquerque, where we encounter modern life and modern villains and some heros as well, even among that modern phenomenon of a homeless population. The Hispanic culture is included in the cantina, the bar, knife fights, and gun battles in the predominantly Spanish barrios in parts of Albuquerque, as well as in the Church of San Felipe de Neri. This book is most appealing in the poetic beauty that Anaya brings to this complex tale by carrying the story deeper into the magical thinking of the mysterious culture of the Native Americans. Anaya brings the magical fantasies in slowly but reaches a grand climax in the heroic battle of good versus evil as if it were out of a Navajo legend. It is great fun to go on such a fast tour through these different cultures. In the end, it leaves you with a greater appreciation of the unreal beauty of the Native American cultures. It is helpful, but not essential, to know a little bit of Spanish to understand the brief interchanges in Spanish between some of the characters. This use of Spanish is at a basic level and never too taxing, since Anaya often explains the action also in English.
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Summary: Not up to Zia's standards
Review: While I enjoyed Rio GRande Fall a lot, it could not comapre to Zia Summer. To read Rio, you must have read Zia to understand the book. The plot was a little more deliberate. ZSonny, the main charater did not develop as well as can be expected. You woyld think that he would learn after the first 5 times Raven almost kills him that he should be more careful. But in the end of the novel he doesn't. It is still a very enjoyable novel and paints an elegant picture of the Southwest and its culture.
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