![]() ![]() Donovan’s summary of David Crockett-the man and his career-is on the mark, though perhaps too concise for some Crockett fans. Donovan provides a chapter of background on Texas and then focuses on James Bowie, who was “courteous to strangers, loyal to friends and chivalrous to women” but showed at the 1827 Sandbar Fight he was “unforgiving of any man who became an enemy.” Not until Chapter 9, “The Backwoodsman” (after a chapter on Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna), do we hear about the Alamo’s most famous participant. The first chapter presents William Barret Travis, who thought of Texas as his “country” and followed in the footsteps of two grandfathers who had fought in the American Revolution 60 years earlier. No reason for general readers to be up in arms either Donovan’s compelling book figures to be one of the top choices for anyone who wants to get the complete Alamo picture in one volume (in this case a book of close to 500 pages). But Alamo fans certainly have no reason to complain about another addition to their favorite weighty bookshelf, as Donovan’s vivid prose makes the old 1836 siege seem fresh. As for the Alamo (fought 176 years ago at what was even then an old mission near San Antonio), everyone remembers it, and it no doubt ranks as the second most written-about Western frontier subject. His 2008 book A Terrible Glory: Custer and the Little Bighorn-the Last Great Battle of the American West drew rave reviews and won awards, even though he was dealing with the most written-about subject on the Western frontier. Not fearing to tread over popular, well-worn Western ground, Donovan develops the same kind of excellent read for Alamo aficionados that he earlier did for Custer/Little Bighorn fans. Texas literary agent and author James Donovan strikes again, and nobody can accuse him of aiming low. The Blood of Heroes: The 13-Day Struggle for the Alamo-and the Sacrifice That Forged a Nation, by James Donovan, Little, Brown and Co., New York, 2012, $29.99 And if Gaea wakes, it is game over.Book Review: The Blood of Heroes, by James Donovan Close How can a handful of young demigods hope to persevere against Gaea's army of powerful giants? As dangerous as it is to head to Athens, they have no other option. The gods, still suffering from multiple personality disorder, are useless. The Athena Parthenos will go west the Argo II will go east. Though it is tempting to take the Athena Parthenos to Athens to use as a secret weapon, the friends know that the huge statue belongs back on Long Island, where it might be able to stop a war between the two camps. The Roman legion from Camp Jupiter, led by Octavian, is almost within striking distance. The demigods are having more frequent visions of a terrible battle at Camp Half-Blood. She needs their blood -the blood of Olympus - in order to wake. ![]() ![]() They must be stopped before the Feast of Spes, when Gaea plans to have two demigods sacrificed in Athens. ![]() Her giants have risen - all of them - and they're stronger than ever. Though the Greek and Roman crew members of the Argo II have made progress in their many quests, they still seem no closer to defeating the earth mother, Gaea. The Blood of Olympus is the fifth book in the bestselling Heroes of Olympus series - set in the high-octane world of Percy Jackson. ![]()
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