Red Grass River: A Legend

By James Carlos Blake

Book Overview

"A superb and engrossing novel... Blake is] one of the best and most original writers in America today." -- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

James Carlos Blake is a masterful chronicler of the restless, outcast, the lawless, and the lonelyheart. With Red Grass River, he has written a powerful and rousing historical saga of family loyalties, blood feuds, and betrayed friendships; of bank robberies and bootlegging; and of a passionate love as wild at heart as the Everglades.

It is the story of sworn enemies: John Ashley, a criminal and folk hero, the brightest star in a family destined to become the most notorious in south Florida; and Bobby Baker, a lawman born of lawmen, a violent, hard-hearted man driven by the searing memory of past affronts and the enduring hatreds the engendered.

Ashley and Maker will clash many times over many decades. And as the twentieth century encroaches on their world--and the wildlands give grudging way to the rising boomtown of Miami--a feral, sensual mating will place one man in gravest peril...while his adversary contrives a dark, personal vengeance that could leave countless lives--his own included--in ruin.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0380792427
• ISBN13: 9780380792429
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.79 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.3" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Got Florida

This is an excellent example of Blake's ability to spin a yarn mixing fact and probability to take a reader on a fantastic journey of surprise, shock, adventure, history, fact and a bit of fiction to glue it all together. This non-stop thrill ride takes you throughout Florida in the days when it was easy to get lost ten miles from the center of any city. In the centers of any of these cities it was easy to get away with murder or be murdered. Ride the highways, the swamps, the backroads; even the bounding main running rum. Keep your weapon handy, you'll need it.

Violent splendor

Wow - If you like gritty historical fiction with a decidedly violent bent, this is for you. I've never written one of these reviews before, but felt compelled to. Blake's imagery is stunning, making the everglades come alive and drawing an astonishing picture of a tight-knit family of moonshiners, bootleggers, bank robbers and killers in early 20th century Florida, near the site where Miami is being carved from the swamp. The period details are great, and they blend seemlessly with the truly outstanding story. One of those rare books where both the plot and the writing are top notch. Can't wait to read Blake's other books.

High Times in the Devil's Garden

Big in scope, description and cast of likeable outlaws set in a bygone time and wickedly beautiful Everglades. For me he rounds out a trio of super writers whose work hinges on the desperate, dark and graceful: Blake, Larry Brown and Cormac McCarthy. High company, in my humble opinion.

rip-roaring "Bonnie & Clyde" fun

I loved this story...set in the swampy Florida Everglades and complete with bootleggers, blood fueds, old-fashioned bank robbers and steamy smoldering excitement. It's the story of two sworn enemies - one a lawman...the other an outlaw - carrying a personal vengeance through the years - making each a notorious figure in their own right during a notorious era. I found myself cheering for both sides and didn't want the story to end!

A Great Story

Another outstanding contribution from one of America's greatest storytellers. A true "fable" of a boyhood rivalry turned life-long epic battle between a cop and an outlaw. Blake creates a rousing tale of a family of moonshine outlaws, where the everglades are their sanctuary and everyone elses hell. First read Elmore Leonard's "The Moonshine Wars," then listen to Steve Earle's fantastic "Copperhead Road" (and then listen to it about 20 times more)and you'll only start to get the feel for Blake's tale of guns, moonshine, bank robbing and revenge in the heat of South Florida.Blake continues to make me anxious for his next book. A great read.