Wednesday, August 29, 2012

The Old West Of America.... (Blog review)


The Old West of America was a lure for many in the 1800s. Freedom and rumors of gold created a frenzy of movement, wagon trains were the mode of travel, and danger lurked at every turn.

In Maps of Fate, a novel by Reid Lance Rosenthal, we follow the amazing journey of a group of young men and women who are dreaming their own dreams and experiencing their own drama as the rush to settle the West is in its infancy.

We met the characters in Book one of the Threads West series, where the introductions took us back to their homes across the seas and their very reason for being in America. As the story continues, we tail them into the West following the trail of the ancestors of many who have settled in the Midwest and Western part of this country. The romance is thrilling and the danger is exciting, yet the story captures your imagination as it creates a strong fear of the unknown.

As we follow Zeb, Reuben and Johannes and the women they love as they carve out a piece of history, we meet the natives and the outlaws, both with their own quests. Life on the trail and the rigors of traveling with a wagon train are brought to basic relief as the story continues to unfold. Danger within the group creates almost as much damage as the dangers they face from the outside on this epic journey. We being to hear the rumblings of dissent as the story furthers. News makes its way West through the writings and newspapers, hinting of a war brewing between the North and the South.



Hostility and rage drive some, while glory and choice drive the others. The creak of the leather and the rumble of the wheels create the sounds and sights that bring alive an exciting saga. You can actually smell the smells, and hear the sound of the wind as the trail takes you deeper into the unexplored territories. Rosenthal has surpassed his previous work and given us such a complex telling you feel as though each and every story is true. The horror and danger are real, yet the excitement and challenge are the edge that builds the heroes of the time.

The description of the characters is flawless, creating a feeling of knowing. You love them or hate them, but the feeling is real. The romance is fierce and gentle at the same time, but the savagery is just as abundant. The interaction of the group draws you in as you become immersed in their daily lives and begin to dream their dreams. Where you could only imagine what life at this time in history could be like, you now can begin to live it through the characterization of this wonderful group.

The story is exciting, the suspense is bold, and the period setting is sensational. You can smell the sage, and are startled with the unexpected sounds as you travel with the team. The sounds and sights are so real you begin to place yourself in the scenes, viewing the happenings as they occur, reeling with the danger and feeling the fear and adrenalin as you too take this journey.

If you love a great story and love history this is a fantastic work. If you enjoy romance, suspense, danger and action this would be a great book for your library. The work stands on its own, but the saga is certainly worth the read. The beginning sets the stage, but you can join up anywhere. Be prepared to become engaged, as Rosenthal sets the stage for another leg of this fascinating journey.


Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/blogcritics/article/Book-Review-Maps-of-Fate-Book-Two-by-Reid-Lance-3822177.php#ixzz24wljWDBr

Thursday, August 23, 2012

"A Real Page Turner!" (Book Review)

"This book is a true page turner! Maps of Fate continues the epic tale of immigrants heading west in late 1850 America. The main characters are as colorful as the historical and geographic context and include among others aristocratic, working class, and military immigrants from Denmark, Germany, England, and Ireland, southern slaves, trappers, and Native Americans.

If you have ever left your home and had to recreate your life in an unfamiliar place, you will appreciate the challenges, tenacity, resourcefulness, strength, bravery, optimism, and spirit of adventure that shapes these immigrants as they head west across America. The romantic yet realistic description of characters and setting is so vivid it feels like you are making the journey with them. I can’t wait for the next one!"

~Kira (Barnes & Noble Review)

(Book Review) -- Threads West: Maps of Fate, by Reid Lance Rosenthal


An enjoyable Western adventure story, Reid Lance Rosenthal’s Maps of Fate takes the mixed cast of characters from book one of Threads West on a wagon train across America in the late 1850s. Readers really don’t need to have read the first book to enjoy this story, and I never found myself referring back to it. While there are lots of characters, the structure of the wagon train keeps them well-defined—who lives in which wagon, who rides with whom etc. Nicely drawn details of everyday living bring the world to life, from how to circle wagons to the problems of crossing a river, from jerky fires to women’s laced boots, Kentucky long rifles and the feel of a horse’s “warm, moist muzzle” brushing a character’s cheek.
I liked the sense of North America about to contract as railroads promise development. Slavery’s becoming a national issue. Immigrant Jews are moving West. And Indians struggle with broken treaties as wrong-doers on both sides erode their sense of trust.
The novel follows the wagon train to journey’s end in a small town, with miles yet to be traveled, maps to be studied and claims to be set, but the story still has a pleasing sense of completion, even as characters come to the fore. Book three will, I'm sure, be just as interesting.
I enjoyed book two more than book one in this series. The history, while not completely accurate, was pleasingly evocative. The writing, while occasionally wordy, felt appropriate and kept me turning pages. The characters became deeper, making me really care about them. And the dialog felt true to life. An enjoyable Western, sufficiently complete to satisfy, complex enough to build genuine mystery and character, and sufficiently incomplete to leave the reader wanting more, this one’s a good solid read, evoking a life long love in a world of possibilities.

Disclosure: I received a free ecopy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
http://lotsabooks.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981568867

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Where Water Turns Rock Red


I was busy writing (dictating) several chapters of Uncompahgre—where water turns rock red, the third novel of the Threads West, An American Saga series, the other day. I needed a break, some time to reflect on a particularly critical scene between several characters, and had a chore to do about a half-mile from ranch house. I decided to combine some outdoor time with pondering and manual productivity.
It struck me as I was putting a top rail back on a jack leg fence that a band of fleeing elk had dislodged, just how much I like writing this story and how thrilled I am that so many are getting such pleasure reading it. The awards and #1 best-selling (Romance, Western Romance, Historical Fiction, Western, and more) status of both Threads West, Book One and Maps of Fate,Book Two, have stunned and humbled me. I chuckled to myself as I recalled the incessant banter and prodding to get Book Two done from too many readers to count.
Well, Uncompahgre is rolling along the arc of the story. The characters whisper to me from their stage of conflict, passion, and the rugged lands American West. The plot is unfolding as I have envisioned it for decades and so far I am delighted with what’s getting down on paper. I hope you will be too. We are going to start publishing periodic excerpts from Book Three soon, and we are aiming for a November 2012 National release and Branding Day. So, keep your ears to the track!

My Office Remains Hopeless


As I dictate this I am wandering through the ranch house. I stop at my writing desk. Despite my best efforts it has now become just as cluttered as the other flat surfaces on various levels. There is an array of blogs, new web pages, contributions to four websites, Land for Love and Money, coming out June 26, 2012 (www.landforloveandmoney.com) the evolving manuscript of Book Three of the Threads West series—Uncompahgre—where water turns rock red.
I stare at pages and wonder, “Let’s see, did I do those re-writes?” My eyes glaze over at the scribbled edits on this and that manuscript for both fiction and non-fictional.
My writing desk has become a storage place for outlines, blogs and revisions. The breakfast bar in the kitchen is now home to the amended copies of the Land for Love and Money and the third book of the Historical Western series. My office remains hopeless. I believe that somewhere under the piles of papers there’s a short story or two. I’ve run out of floor space to pile papers and documents. I have to move papers to sit on the couch.
My new mantra has become, “I’m enjoying this creative process.” I gaze cross-eyed at a pile of paper with so many red-line edits that it’s difficult to see the original print.
“I think I will work on Uncompahgre,” I argue with myself. “No I really need to get those blogs done.” (sigh). Nope need to put the final touches on the Green for Green Workbook for Land for Love and Money.
And finally, “I think I will just go fishing for a couple of hours!”

Monday, August 6, 2012

Maps of Fate.... Extended My Vacation ... (Amazon book review)


"I had the pleasure of meeting Reid at an airport gate; on my return home from a working guest ranch in CO. Came home read and both books: I was able to re-live what I do each spring in CO. Hear the coyotes yip, see the vast Plains unfold toward the Rockies, smell the air, be over-whelmed by the sky, the sunshine, the stars, feel the wind, know how your skin (and mouth) feel after a day on horseback with cattle churning up dust, smell the saddle leather and sweat. 1855 maybe long gone in a historical sense, yet these characters live on in Reid's books.

People never really change....look for your ancestors,recognize friends,find yourself in Maps of Fate.

Even if you never take the opportunity to visit the West.....read the books. Reid does an excellent job of portraying this land and it's people. About real as it gets. Waiting for book 3."

~Hilbert (Amazon review) 

One of Wyoming's most successful author's was in Cheyenne signing copies of his latest novel.

Reid Lance Rosenthal, a rancher from Douglas, was signing and promoting his latest novel "Maps of Fate" Saturday.

It's the second novel of 16 in his western series; "Threads West: An American Saga".

He says the upcoming books in the series will take place in locations all over Wyoming, including Cheyenne.

Rosenthal began writing the series just two years ago and has already received eight national awards.

The Douglas rancher says the series is unique because it resonates with people of all genders, ages and political views.

"Doesn't really matter what the political persuasion is or what the life outlook is. Everybody seems to get into the story and get the message and that's really gratifying because I tried to write it that way," Rosenthal said.

To learn more about Rosenthal and his novel series you can visit his website at http://www.ThreadsWestSeries.com

Reid Lance Rosenthal with host Kristen White on Bestselling Celebrity Author TV



The adventure and romance of America, her people, her spirit and the west. The story of us. One saga, five generations of unforgettable characters, and—through their eyes—one hundred seventy years of America, brim full of adventure, sensuality and intrigue.
http://www.ThreadsWestSeries.com