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Summary: Predictable Story...read between the lines
Review: I did enjoy this book, very much so, however, I was bothered by a few things. Some of the segways from the stream of stream of conscious seemed to bit a bit disembodied. You often wonder where is this going of where did that come from. In particular, some references to the family being from Louisiana. ( Not about being from the south and old school though)The only other thing that bother me was the tendency to have many characters use the same verbiage. While this does represent the area, more than one character using the same term `in the cut' give the feeling of a list of stock characters words. Often characters from the same area may have the same vocabulary, but usage of he word is mixed as each person is making their respective mark. Todd Waters
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Summary: Can't Wait For The Sequel!!!!
Review: I just finished reading The Dying Ground and have to say that the writing by this author is superb. In my opinion, the story is an urban mystery set in modern times The author has carefully shaped her main character, Maceo Redfield, in a way that helps you understand why he reacts the way he does in certain situations. I'm not going to give the summary of the book, you can read that on your own time. I will tell you that Maceo is a man who loves hard. That hard love lands him in trouble but he's willing to take that risk. Maceo's extended family, friends, and Oakland, California provide a good backdrop to understanding some of his shortcomings. There's history interwoven throughout without it feeling like you're reading a textbook. There are characters that you'll love and those that you would never want to come across in real life. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who has ever loved or anyone who has ever lost. If you don't fall in either category, read the book anyway, you'll be pleasantly surprised.
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Summary: This book is a page turner. Worth every penny!
Review: I must say that after reading the insert that I thought I was going to be reading another street saga with a typical simple storyline and plot but boy was I wrong. This book held my attention and even had me anticipating chapter after chapter. I actually finished it in two days.
The characters had depth and going into the backgrounds of their past relationships with each other really helped to enrich the story for a better understanding throughout.
The language was right on point because I have a cousin out in Marin City right outside of Oakland and all I hear out of his mouth is "Is that Right?" then "Right. Right"
The story was well written for it to be the writer's first novel. I never been to Oakland but the writer put me right on the street corner to see it. I will definitely be on the look out for her next novel.
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Summary: COULD HAVE BEEN ANYONE
Review: In the THEY DYING GROUND by Nichelle D. Tramble, Maceo Redfield is serching the voliatile streets of Oakland, California to find the love of his life, Felicia. To get to her, he maneuvers through the death and destruction that crack cocaine has brought to the city and the African American community. While searching for Felicia, Maceo, a promising baseball player, is forced to decide who he is going to be. Is he going to be the man his grandparents have raised him to be? Is he going to join his childhood friends, Holly (Jonathan Ford) and the now deceased Billy Crane in the street life? When the search for Felicia ends, on what side of the line will Maceo stand?
As Maceo looks for Felicia, we meet his family and closet friends. All have been touched by violence, death, drugs and family secerts. Readers are taken on a journey that is often grim and sometimes exciting.
Ms. Tramble, in her first novel, is able to speak effectively from a young male's point of view. She uses vivid language to create pictures of the city of Oakland and the characters in THE DYING GROUND. Oakland's rise and fall is a metaphor for the complicated lives and history of African-Americans as they search for survival, sucess and a place in the "American dream".
Ms. Tramble tells a story that incorporates mystery and the passage of Maces into manhood. When THE DYING GROUND ends, readers are left wanting to know more about Maceo and his supporting cast of characters.
Rating:
Summary: Good mystery
Review: Maceo, is trying to find out who killed his best friend Holly. Felicia the girl Maceo love who left him, for Holly, Maceo set's out to prove Felicia's is not guilty of killing Holly, to keep Holly's friends from finding her and killing her for revenge. I must say this book tricked me, I fingered the wrong guy. Though not a big mystery fan, i encourage everyone that is to read this one.
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Summary: Stunning Debut
Review: Nichelle's first novel is a stunning debut, written in a fast paced hand not easily forgotten. The characters are credible; the dialog real. Most interesting is the comparable view of the protagonists inner self vs. that which he presents to the world. He is complex and interesting. Well worth a read.
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Summary: HIP HOP + URBAN REALITY + SUSPENSE = GREAT NOVEL!
Review: The Dying Ground is one of the best novels I've ever read. Nichelle D. Tramble's debut novel is hard-hitting and gritty and goes from 0 to 60 in 6 seconds with the suspense meter. THE DYING GROUND takes us to Oakland, CA...circa 1989, drug wars, crack and gun fire runs rampant in the streets, and we're introduced to Maceo Redfield, a young black man who has always been on the conservative side of ganging and slanging, opting for college instead of drugs and guns. Since slightly parted, Maceo laments over the break-up of his childhood friendship with Billy Crane and Holly Ford, two well-known men in the drug world. When Billy Crane is murdered, Maceo finds himself teaming with Holly to bring Billy's murderer to justice...and to find Felicia, Billy's girlfriend and his first true love. Maceo's decision finds him immersed in violence and drugs and dealers and the dark side, ultimately leading to a shocking, painful climax...he learns that there are ALWAYS prices to pay when you play on the dying ground. Tramble's description of the dark side of urban life - violence, drugs, death - were so vivid and sadly, true to life, that you're immediately drawn into the world that she creates. As much drama that ensues, this book is a wonderful suspense as well, and will leave you flipping pages with the swiftness to reach the end, because Tramble gives NOTHING away in this book...you want to know who did it...and why? Read to the very last page. This novel is a stark SHOCK of reality, a reality we rarely see between the pages of a novel, a reality filled with pain, but Tramble writes so deliciously through her characters, you make it through the pain to realize what a literary gem THE DYING GROUND is!
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Summary: POIGNANT PORTRAYAL OF LIFE AND LOVE
Review: The Dying Ground is the debut novel by Nichelle Tramble. In The Dying Ground, Tramble offers a poignant view of life in Oakland, California in 1989. Through Tramble's storytelling, we see Oakland learning to deal with its newest demon, crack cocaine. The price of life with this demon is premature death and wasted potential in a time when the youth of the area are consumed with the Drug Trade and living a "Playa's lifestyle." The Dying Ground tells the story of Maceo Redfield in a quest to find who murdered his childhood friend Billy and his search for his lost love, Felicia who happened to be Billy's girlfriend and with him at the time of his murder. Tramble paints Maceo as a good guy from a strong family who managed to escape life in the drug trade through his athletic ability. Maceo's investigation into Billy's murder and Felicia's disappearance draws him into a world that he used to watch from the sideline. Maceo places both feet in a world filled with drugs and violence. His desire to find Felicia is fueled by his unrequited love for her. Maceo is accompanied and protected during his quest by his best friend, Holly. Holly is a respected member of the drug community who has doubts about Felicia's innocence in Billy's murder. Tramble tells an effective tale that is filled with action. A number of minor characters are introduced in the book at various times. The multitude of players can become confusing at times and readers never truly get to know Maceo. Even though the story is told from Maceo's point of view, often he is telling the readers about others with very little insight into himself and his actions. Throughout the book, Maceo is plagued by dreams of death that challenge him, but the dreams are never explored or shared with any of the other characters. Nichelle Tramble's writing style is compelling and entertaining. Readers will enjoy The Dying Ground despite the lack of development of some of the key characters. The Dying Ground is a 3 on the RAW Scale....
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Summary: I Couldn't Put It Down!!
Review: This book was amazing. The writing was incredible - the characters, the story, everything. It's hard to call this a mystery book, because the quality was just many steps above the typical mystery.
I could not put the book down. I heard there's a sequel to this called "The Last King," and I can't can't wait to read it.
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Summary: Drugs, violence, death makes for good reading
Review: This is the debut novel of Nichelle Tramble and she did not disappoint. She weaves a story of mystery and the drug world in Oakland CA. Maceo Redfield becomes a reluctant sleuth when at the Barbershop, his childhood friend Holly comes in and announces Billy is Dead and Flea is missing. This words stir Maceo into action cause though Flea was Billy's girl, she is Maceo first and true love. In his search for the killers of Billy and the whereabouts of Flea, Maceo teams with Holly. Together they search for answers on the streets of Oakland. Maceo has one focus and that is to find Flea. He still loves her, but Love don't love nobody. Maceo could lose everything and still not get what he wants. We, the readers are introduce to some unsavory characters of the drug scene. We, the readers are also introduced to Maceo's family which had been very instrumental in keeping him away from the influence of the streets. We, the readers are introduced to the work of Nichelle Tramble and we hope to read more from her real soon. I for one wil be looking forward to the sequel.Jeanette Wallington, moderator of the Motown Review Bookclub
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