1.Review from 4 out of 5 stars
Posted October 10, 2011 by Toni, Lincoln, NE
A collection of short stories of adventure set, not just in faraway places with strange-sounding names, but also in the good ol’ US of A in various eras. A backwoods sculptor leads a group of volunteers to rescue captives from a Huron shaman; former female pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Reed once more don their sabers and pistols to save their children from a Chippewa raiding party; a transported Marine helps battle a fire-breathing dragon; a young New Orleans duelist learns humility the hard way with a twist of an ending; an up and coming movie star lands the script for his greatest performance ever, but there’s a very important catch; A Renaissance Faire cad—in armor or out—learns you’d better not mess with a lady who’s really into creative anachronisms…
MY OPINION: A short description of some very interesting reads, I know, but I couldn’t excerpt one story without including the rest, and each of these nineteen tales is a little gem. Individually prefaced by a poem or an explanation of the style in which the story is written and what inspired the author to write it, these essays are so enlightening they ought to be included in a textbook on the subjects rather than simply as forewords. The tale of pioneer sculptor Declinn leading a group of pioneers and King’s soldiers into the deep forest could’ve been written by a contemporary of James Fennimore Cooper. In “Fever Pitch,” TK Mitchell, a marine finding himself on the island of Z’n Sa, might be John Carter’s double as penned by Edgar Rice Burroughs. The adventures of Ku’Zn of the blue-furred Z’n race sound like something Robert E. Howard might have written in between tales of Conan the Barbarian, and the other stories, set in more modern times, are delights to behold. Some lighter-hearted than others, they all have excellent language and enough twists and turns—especially in their endings—to keep the reader guessing as well as entertained.
Drawing on his experience as a swordsman, a Renaissance Faire player, an actor, and a stuntman, Mr. Glenn has peppered his stories of the more magical adventures in Hollywood with the names of the famous and not-so—but names a good number of us will remember from our childhoods—of events made believable even when the magic starts. You’ll feel a frisson of disquiet as actor Race Austin prepares to meet the make-up genius for his new movie “Synbad and the Sorceress.” You’ll think you know how it’s going to end, and you’ll be right…in a way…
When you open this book, settle back and expect the unexpected, and go with the flow… It’s an enjoyable ride into an adventurous time when men were handy with a sword and women were even more so, and life was to be lived for the moment… I’ve enjoyed every word of TJ Glenn’s that I’ve read…he’s creative, humorous, descriptive, and entertaining…besides, you gotta love a guy who can pose for his own covers!
