Customer Reviews

In the Moon of Red Ponies: A Novel

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

My first thought about this book was, "Oh, God, it's set in Montana. Where's he going to go with this?" I was expecting snoozeville but instead got a great mystery with believable characters (if you think this is the norm, folks, you don't read very much). I'm now working on THE LAST CAR TO ELYSIAN FIELDS and have to say that this novel is as good if not better than MOON OF THE RED PONIES.

Also recommended: THE BARK OF THE DOGWOOD

This is the best of the Billy Bob series! The other reviewers have already summed up the plot so I won't rehash that, but let me say this is the best of the Billy Bob Holland books. In fact, I think this is as good as any of the Dave Robicheaux novels (which are my favorites!). The book is beautifully written, with a complex plot and wonderful characters who seem to jump from the pages (or from real life). Mood, dialog, and plot Mr. Burke give it all to us!

I also recommend: "A Tourist in the Yucatan" cool thriller!

One of the great things about Burke's Robicheaux series is that Robicheaux has lines -- and both the reader and his enemies are often surprised at where they are. When they get crossed, stuff happens. Robicheaux pays a penalty, physically and emotionally. Billy Bob Holland might seem to be a Robicheaux clone, transplanted to Montana; but Mr. Holland is a civilized man -- a former Texas Ranger and prosecuting attorney -- who has no lines. Threaten his friends, his wife, kill his horse, attempt to kill his wife: his reponse: talk, reason, shift the target to someone else's back. Just another wimp who knows who's doing the damage but has answer in kind. In this novel Holland is a prop, a sideline clown to the real actors: Johnny American Horse and his wife Amber, the reformed sociopath Wyatt Dixon; and the sheriff's deputy Darrel McComb. Plenty of bad guys, but, oh yeah, they all get off. As always, Burke writes exceptionally well, but his writing cannot overcome a weak and boring storyline. Readers wanting a better read should look at the Robicheaux series.

In his latest book, James Lee Burke has put together a wimpy, dog tired plea for the ecology that goes nowhere. He has become part of the problem because in his wrap up he simply points out that the good guys never win. The major villain who I believe
is patterned after Dick Cheney goes on to continue bribing officials and getting just what he wants for the Oil Industry Lobby or whatever and Burke says that you can't stop them with a bullet and there's always one to replace them if they go down. In fiction, we should see the good guy win, even if it's only on paper, to be reminded of the way things should be. With his wimpy, liberal crying attitude, Mr. Burke simply fosters the idea that that's the way it should be.
But Mr. Mabus should die for his sins. The criminals should pay for their crimes and any wimp who can't pull the trigger on them
should never make it to print.

James Lee Burke is one of my favorite authors. While his left-leaning political views don't coincide with my own, I respect the purity of his beliefs, which usually fit within his storyline, embellished by his extraordinary lyrical prose. Unfortunately "In the Moon of Red Ponies" is not up to Burke standards. Instead, "Poines" struck me as a hastily constructed effort put together only to serve as a platform upon which to hang another tired rant of government-industry conspiracy, and yet another opportunity to bash US involvement in the Mid East.

This is Burke's fourth novel featuring Billy Bob Holland, lawyer and ex-Texas ranger who has taken up residence in Montana. Burke succumbs to all the stereotypes: the downtrodden Native American who nonetheless maintains dignity, honor and wisdom despite persecution from the "G", while evil takes the form of a corrupt US senator and an even more despicable corporate titan. When not raping and pillaging the Montana environment, our conspirators are scheming more diabolical ways in which to profit from the War in Iraq, while the root of Saddam Hussein's treachery is of course unveiled to ultimately be the fault of the US. Billy Bob Holland, while a vibrant and imposing character in "Bitterroot", is flat in "Ponies", wearing his continual state of indignation on his leather-fringed sleeve. While Holland shares many characteristics with Burke's Dave Robicheaux, the macho stoicism just doesn't fit a lawyer as it does the Louisiana Bayou-based cop. The most interesting character is Wyatt Dixon, Holland's vicious adversary from "Bitterroot". Dixon has been released from prison on a technicality, returning to settle the score with Holland - or so it appears.

Burke's consistently talented writing skills keep "In the Moon of Red Ponies" a notch above more typical left-wing paranoia, but in the end, this convoluted tale of government deception and conspiracy just doesn't cut it. Please get back to your somewhat less controversial roots, Mr. Burke, and leave the silly propaganda to Michael Moore.

Former Texas Ranger Billy Bob Holland and his wife Temple relocate to Missoula, Montana where he opens up a law practice. However, Billy Bob is a bit stunned to learn justice did it again as the state freed the most dangerous person he ever met, psychopath Wyatt Dixon (see BITTERROOT) on a technicality. Though concerned that the crazed Wyatt might target him or Temple, he never expected the man to arrive at his law office needing a lawyer to represent his horse-trading business.

Meanwhile, someone steals important documents from the Global Research lab. The police believe former Gulf War soldier, part Lakota Johnny American Horse and his girlfriend Amber, daughter of U.S. Senator Romulus Finney, are the thieves. Billy Bob takes on Johnny as a client while Detective Darrel McComb targets the half-Lakota veteran perhaps because he desires Amber. Cold-blooded multi millionaire CEO Karsten Mabus will hire anyone to do anything to obtain the papers including killing Billy Bob and his family.

The violence is typical of Jamie Lee Burke as events spin out of control sort of like a tornado with innocent people being hurt by the spinning funnel clouds of subplots. Most interesting is Wyatt as he struggles with the help of legal drugs and Jesus to control his maniacal behavior. Billie Bob remains the same person wanting a little peace in his life, but somehow is always the eye of the storm as he learns that Tip O'Neill was right that "all politics is local" inside the Burke norm of a fabulous ferociously brisk thriller.

William Faulkner once said that the only thing worth writing about was the conflict within the human heart. That thought describes perfectly "In the Moon of Red Ponies." This well-written, thought-provoking, and ultimately moving book is a must for anyone with a pulse. Do yourself a favor and check this one out.

Also recommended: Rule of Four, Bark of the Dogwood, and The Taking.

IN THE MOON OF RED PONIES is a surprise on a number of levels. It has been a few years since James Lee Burke has published a Billy Bob Holland novel; the ending of the last, BITTERROOT, could have been the finish to the series had he so desired, and indeed, that appeared to be the case. But here is IN THE MOON OF RED PONIES, and it is more a continuation of the Holland series more than a marking of time between Dave Robicheaux novels. This is the definitive Holland novel and, with BLACK CHERRY BLUES, the definitive Burke novel.

Burke is not afraid to change the landscapes of his characters. He does not do so with gay abandon; the changes are thoughtful and make sense within the context of his work, but are no less unsettling for their occurrence. So it is with IN THE MOON OF RED PONIES, when a newly wedded Billy Bob and Temple Holland find their idyllic relocation to Missoula, Montana abruptly shattered. Wyatt Dixon, the psychotic scourge of the Hollands, was last seen in BITTERROOT headed off to prison for the remainder of his foreseeable existence. Dixon, at the commencement of IN THE MOON OF RED PONIES, is abruptly released back to society and upon Missoula. Dixon immediately seeks out the Hollands, but claims to have cleansed his soul and attained salvation thanks to his work as an itinerant preacher and a daily ingestion of prescribed pharmaceutical cocktails. The fact remains, however, that Dixon is an extremely dangerous man, a loose cannon capable of inflicting permanent damage at a moment's notice.

At the same time, Holland is entangled in his defense of Johnny American Horse, an Indian activist who is as often at odds with himself as he is with those who he sees as despoiling the land that he considers his birthright. When a private research laboratory with extensive government contracts is vandalized and burglarized of sensitive computer files, it appears that American Horse is to blame. Holland finds himself drawn into an unexpected, uncertain and uneasy alliance with Dixon, while at cross-purposes with his client, American Horse, whose actions inadvertently draw Holland and his family into danger of losing everything they hold dear.

Burke brings all of this together without a single misstep. IN THE MOON OF RED PONIES contains one of Burke's more complex plots, yet he lays it out coherently and so subtly as to leave the reader without a hint about what will happen next. The conclusion of this work also leaves enough loose ends to provide fodder for more Holland novels. Amazingly, Burke continues to surpass his previous, already breathtaking, descriptive accomplishments. It is hard to read this book and simultaneously resist the urge to immediately travel to Montana and see for oneself the scenery that Burke so intoxicatingly describes.

Well into his third decade of masterful writing, James Lee Burke has written another masterpiece. IN THE MOON OF RED PONIES will not make you forget Dave Robicheaux, nor should it. It will, however, make you remember Billy Bob Holland and eagerly anticipate the next volume in this series. Very highly recommended.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

This well-written novel by James lee Burke had me from page one until it ended. My introduction to Mr. Burke came with LAST CAR TO ELYSIAN FIELDS--a tour-de-force. I'll admit that I bought it because I'm one for anything having to do with New Orleans or the south, but once into it, I couldn't put that one down either. At any rate, IN THE MOON is superb, with the same suspenseful yet artfully crafted prose you might find in McCrae's BARK OF THE DOGWOOD or possibly some of Grisham's books (think THE FIRM or PAINTED HOUSE). I highly recommend this stellar read for anyone interested in a good story that takes you somewhere different. Kudos, Mr. Burke!

I never thought I'd love a book where the main character is named Billy Bob! The other reviewers have already summed up the plot so I won't rehash that, but let me say this is the best of the Billy Bob Holland books. In fact, I think this is as good as any of the Dave Robicheaux novels (which are my favorites!). The book is beautifully written, with a complex plot and wonderful characters who seem to jump from the pages (or from real life). Mood, dialog, and plot Mr. Burke give it all to us!