Sophia Rose Reviews: Fair Blows the Wind by Louis L’Amour

It's once again time to turn the blog reins over to my cohort Sophia Rose who today is reviewing the audio edition of Fair Blows The Wind by Western Fiction Icon Louis L'Amour.
Heeerrre's Sophia Rose!
Enjoy!

Fair Blows the Wind by Louis L’Amour

Narrator: John Keating

#2 Talon and Chantry Series

Historical Fiction

Publisher:  Random House Audio

Published: 4.10.18

ISBN 1524783153

Time:  10 hours 32 minutes

Format: CD

Source:  Random House Audio

Sellers:  Amazon  Audible  Barnes& Noble  Kobo

ADD TO: Goodreads

Summary:

His father killed by the British and his home burned, young Tatton Chantry left Ireland to make his fortune and regain the land that was rightfully his. Schooled along the way in the use of arms, Chantry arrives in London a wiser and far more dangerous man. He invests in trading ventures, but on a voyage to the New World his party is attacked by Indians and he is marooned in the untamed wilderness of the Carolina coast. It is in this darkest time, when everything seems lost, that Chantry encounters a remarkable opportunity. . . . Suddenly all his dreams are within reach: extraordinary wealth, his family land, and the heart of a Peruvian beauty. But first he must survive Indians, pirates, and a rogue swordsman who has vowed to see him dead.

Sophia Rose's Review

No one can take away from L'Amour's ability to hook a reader in the first few lines.

My name is Tatton Chantry and unless the gods are kind to rogues, I shall die within minutes.

My two companions are dead, and those who came to this shore with us have fled, believing me already killed. Their boat bobs upon a gray sea flecked with the white of foam and soon they shall be alongside the Good Catherine.

I am alone. I am left without food, without a musket, with naught but the clothes in which I stand . . . and a sword. I also have its small companion, a knife.

But what man can claim to be alone when he holds a sword? A man with a sword can bring a kingdom down! Many a man has a fortune who began with no less and no more. I stand upon the outer edge of a continent, and who is to say that continent cannot be mine?

But first, I must live . . . and to stay alive I must be brave, but more than brave, I must be wary.

Crouched at the base of a gnarled and wind-racked tree, I wait with pounding heart. For they will come now, for me. My two companions are dead, and they must know that I am alone. One against many.

Fair Blows the Wind is the second audio release in the Talon and Chantry series, but in time frame it takes place long before Borden Chantry (19th century American West) because this one is set in 16th century and follows Tatton Chantry, the first of the Chantrys.

As you can see, this one opened with a breath-catching situation.  Tatton is marooned on the Carolina coast of North America, natives are active, and he has little, but a knife and his wits.  He encounters a party of Spanish and more adventure follows, but not before there is a long foray into his colorful past. 

Chantry is an adventurer and looks for the big opportunity.  He has had to fight his entire life since the English murdered his family back in Ireland and he leads them on a merry chase to and fro over the British Isles.

Like many of this author's books, there is a lot of detail about what the character thinks and believes, about what he has learned, and how the world works.  The philosophizing and memories of the past are sandwiched in his present.  Another typical trait is that Chantry is not content just to make it through life and moan about his losses, but he goes for the big chance and makes for an exciting and engaging underdog to root for.  He gets in so many tight spots, but his wits and skill get him through along with the grit of a survivor.  I could sense how the author was setting this hero up to be the father of a family line and of a breed of men and women who would tame the frontier.

The pace was uneven because of the flips into deep thought and exciting danger, but I can't say I ever got bored.  Chantry is well developed, but most other characters are left to speak and act in and out of his life with less development.  Some are friends, some rogues, and some are quite villainous.  Chantry has a roguish, piratical sense of humor and I love how that shines through in his dealings.

As to narration work, I thought John Keating was exceptional.  He carried the listener through several of those longer monologue passages and captured the essence of Tatton and the story.  His accent work was great.  Enjoyed my first time listening to his narration.

In summary, it’s a bold adventure tale and was a pleasure to experience.  I definitely want more of the series.  I would recommend this one not only to those who enjoy Western Frontier Fiction, but straight up adventuresome historical fiction with great details and authentic 16th century feel.

My thanks to Random House Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Author Bio:

Louis L'Amour was an American author. L'Amour's books, primarily Western fiction, remain enormously popular, and most have gone through multiple printings. At the time of his death all 101 of his works were in print (86 novels, 14 short-story collections and one full-length work of nonfiction) and he was considered "one of the world's most popular writers".

Website:  http://www.louislamour.com/

Sophia’s Bio:

Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.

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GoodReads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13418187.Sophia_Rose