A Legacy of Honor
Submitted by Nikki on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 21:25
I’m neither a war buff nor a western buff and since I hadn’t read an action story before, didn’t quite know what to expect from A Legacy of Honor by author Hank Manley. I have to admit that the cover came across “very masculine” to me and made me question whether I would be able to connect with the story and the characters.
Well I am happy to say that I did connect with both. It is a great story. The chapters are short and you feel like you are blazing through the book. The story flows nicely, keeps your attention and does a good job in setting you up for what is coming next. My friends and I discussed this book during book club and came to a consensus that this story has a “Forrest Gump” kind of feel.
The story begins with the birth of Morgan Early in the year 1900. Morgan grows to become a very good natured person and is of course very naïve in the beginning of his life. Each experience that he faces teaches him something important about life and so he quickly matures in confidence. As he grows he becomes the kind of man that you can’t help but respect. My favorite part of the book if you can believe it, were the war scenes. They are phenomenal. I was able to vividly picture the scenes and found myself holding my breath often. I had tears in my eyes during a couple of the war scenes because the characters were so charming and likeable and it was overwhelming with what they went through. These scenes felt so realistic and got your heart racing. The author does a superb job in setting the scenes and emotions and still manages to keep you guessing. Superb action!
I give a lot of praise to the author since he was able to convey non-stop action and strong emotions in as little as a paragraph or two. He didn’t get into graphic detail, which quite frankly can unnerve some readers. Yet at the same time, was able to satiate the readers who do need detail. Great writing I thought.
Book club questions:
- Morgan Early was alone at such a young age. He came to learn the value of practical experiences and learned most lessons from himself. How important is it to have people teach and influence your life? What role have these people played in shaping who you are?
- Marshal Longstreet seemed to be the closest thing Morgan had to a father. Why do you think it is that they never reunited later in the story? Was it because the way of travel then or was it because Morgan didn’t feel that way about Longstreet?
- People that Morgan became close to seemed to die, at least that is what Morgan thought. Do you think as Morgan did in that these deaths are his fault? Do you think Morgan ever really stopped thinking that way?
- Morgan had many life altering experiences. Some good and some bad. In your opinion, how well do you think Morgan handled those situations? Would you see yourself doing things similarly? How would you have been different?
- Morgan said that he felt that he had to fight in the war. Could you see yourself being able to come to that decision if you knew you were needed just as Morgan was needed?
- What were some of the instances where Morgan showed “out of the box” thinking, not like anyone else? Can you think of situations where you have done the same? How did the outcome affect you?
- What qualities are there of Morgan that you admire? What qualities do you think Morgan lacks?
- Who would you say was the constant companion to Morgan Early? Have you had the pleasure of such a companion? Did you appreciate the companionship or was it only after he/she/it was no longer around?
- What was your overall feeling about reading this book? What were the highlights for you? Would you have changed anything?
- Would you recommend this book to others? Why or why not?
Buy it now! directly from the author Hank Manley, on this website PageTurnerNovels.com.
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More about "A Legacy of Honor"
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Book Jacket Summary/Synopsis - "A Legacy of Honor"
“The next pasteboard better not be an ace.” When the single spade drops, Warren Earp, brother of the famous Wyatt, is gunned down, and his pregnant girlfriend dies giving birth to his son. Morgan Early enters the world an orphan in 1900 in Wilcox, Arizona.
Morgan is raised by a kindly widow and taught to ride and shoot by the local sheriff. A gentle nature and scholarly upbringing, seek a peaceful, meaningful life. Traveling by horseback to Colorado, Morgan’s foster mother is murdered and the heartbroken teenager seeks revenge, spilling human blood for the first time.
Alone and facing a severe mountain winter alone, Morgan is hired on as a ranch hand. His riding skills and speed with a six-gun prove to be very valuable on the ranch and he finds himself enjoying the life he's made and the family that takes him in, that is, until a terrible accident changes everything.
Seeking a new life, Morgan finds himself deep within Mexico fighiting for Pancho Villa’s revolution. Barely making it out alive, Morgan finds refuge on the island of Bimini. But warrior blood flows through his veins and when hearing of the German invasion, Morgan jumps at the opportunity to serve his country. His natural speed and ease with a gun earns him medals of honor but at a terrible price. Following the Great War, Morgan throws caution to the wind and becomes a successful rumrunner during Prohibition.
With the passage of the 21st Amendment, Morgan is forced to start a new life yet again but finds love along the way. His idyllic life is interrupted when he is recalled into the Marines. Morgan trains the men of the 2nd Battalion and lands on the bloody beaches of Tarawa. His heroic life inspires his sons but with tragic results on the island of Iwo Jima and the jungles of Vietnam.
About the Author - Hank Manley
Hank Manley has traveled the Bahamas by boat for over thirty years. He has witnessed first hand the attempts by the Drug Enforcement Administration to control the flow of illegal drugs into Florida.
He served in the United States Marine Corps and is intimately familiar with the weapons described in his novels.
He has spent considerable time in the mountains of Colorado and the areas of Mexico accurately and colorfully depicted in his books.
He lives with his wife Gretchen in North Palm Beach, Florida.
Visit Hank Manley's web site: www.PageTurnerNovels.com
