HALL WAYS REVIEW: The structure and premise of
Ghostly Bugles, written by San Antonio author Max L. Knight, are
compelling. Readers are introduced to the main character, identified only as “the
old man,” and are then immersed and held captive in his thoughts.
“The Alamo was and always
would be personal for him.”
The old man has admittedly
been fascinated with the Alamo since he was a young boy and has never lost
interest, so his vast knowledge is believable and for this Texan, even enviable.
Via the old man’s ruminations, we get not only a factual history of the site
and restoration of the Alamo, but also a nostalgic history of San Antonio and its
bygone days. However, it’s by way of the old man’s dreams that readers are transported
into the stories of the people on either side of the walls of the Alamo.
“He intimately sensed the
presence of the souls of the deceased; he envisioned the circumstances under
which they lived and died, even felt their pain at the moment of their demise. Rather
than dispel these ghosts, he reached out to them.”
With the old man’s visions sometimes
having him “soaring over” events, the story is able to be told from an
omniscient point of view. The chapters alternate between the here & now of
the old man’s observations and the then & there of the days leading up to,
through, and after the Battle of the Alamo. It’s established early on that whatever’s
unfolding on the pages is known to the old man, be it from his book knowledge
or from the voices of the dead. But there’s also a layer of added information that
goes beyond the characters’ experiences. In Ghostly Bugles, it’s Knight’s
next-level attention to detail that engrosses, fascinates, and chills the
reader.
I have never professed to be
a student of history, and even as a Texan, I only recall the big picture of the
Alamo and minimal details learned in school, so many years ago. Reading Ghostly
Bugles is eye-opening because it shares not only the stories of the Texians,
but also of the Tejanos and Mexicans who fought. One of the things Knight does
well is to provide a wider lens, and he puts the battle in a context I hadn’t
thought of before: the soldiers of the Mexican Army were fighting for their
homeland and trying to put down an insurrection within. *Texan mind blown by
the obvious*
“It was cruel psychological
warfare.”
The level of detail in Ghostly
Bugles is mind-boggling, which is a nod to the author’s research and clear
expertise in the subject of soldiering. Specifics of munitions are provided
down to the finest detail, but so are the horrible consequences of the trek to the battle lines, living in
unhealthy conditions, and of course, the gruesome deaths. To Knight’s credit:
he doesn’t glamorize a thing, nor does he downplay the flaws of the leaders on
both sides. Travis and Bowie are slave owners; David Crockett struggles with his
alter-ego, Davy; Santa Anna is a sexual predator.
Once again, Max Knight
educates and entertains his readers through historical fiction, and leaves us
with much to consider, not only from the story pages but from his Afterword and
even acknowledgments (thank you). Ghostly Bugles feels thoroughly authentic,
and I’m glad I read it.
05/15/23 | Review | |
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05/15/23 | BONUS Stop | |
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05/19/23 | Review | |
05/19/23 | Review |
Max L. Knight has gotten some wonderful reviews on his Book “Ghostly Bugles”!
ReplyDeleteAnd earned every one, in my opinion. Great book.
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