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Rebels
of Babylon
By
Owen Parry
This
is a ripping yarn! It has every variety of chase sequence that
19th century technology will allow, black magic, voodoo and even
zombies! I have often thought that Shakespeare suffers from a lack of
zombies but Owen Parry knows that good literature cannot be without
them.
This
is the sixth book in a series that features Major Abel Jones, Welshman,
British army and American Civil War veteran and investigator
extraordinaire. As ever, Major Jones is directly commissioned by
Abraham Lincoln and in this instance his mission is to investigate the
murder of Susan Peabody, a Northern abolitionist, in New Orleans in
1863.
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This
is the sixth book in a series that features Major Abel Jones, Welshman,
British army and American Civil War veteran and investigator
extraordinaire. As ever, Major Jones is directly commissioned by
Abraham Lincoln and in this instance his mission is to investigate the
murder of Susan Peabody, a Northern abolitionist, in New Orleans in
1863.
Owen
Parry`s works have been described elsewhere as "well-researched
entertainments" and it is difficult to resist his vivid depiction of
war-torn New Orleans. The city is imbued with an atmosphere of
decadence, mystery and intrigue which acts as a perfect foil for Major
Jones' swashbuckling adventures.
Perhaps
the most interesting feature of these books is the character of Jones
himself. Jones is in many ways a stereotypical 19th century Welsh
Methodist, albeit with an almost superhuman gift for self-preservation.
He is aloof, self-righteous, judgemental and pompous almost to the
point of arrogance. He never misses a chance to air his prejudices,
particularly where the Irish are concerned. But for all that he is a
likeable character who frequently fails to live up to his own very high
standards and is entirely capable of self-criticism.
This
book
is a first class entertainment for the lover of historical fiction and
an ideal companion for a long journey.
Owen
Parry is a nom-de-plume of Ralph Peters who writes about political and
military matters under his own name. Whatever one may think of the
political opinions expressed in his more serious works, it is
undeniable that he is a fine writer of historical adventures. It is
also difficult not to sympathise with the sentiments expressed in the
dedication to "Faded Coat of Blue" ( 2002 ),one of the earlier Abel
jones mysteries:-
"To
the Welsh,
Scots, and Irish
who built America
while the English weren`t looking ."
CS
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