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The Door That Faced West
In the beginning of the nineteenth century, the two murderous Harpe brothers, loyal to one another but violently at odds, go on a year-long killing spree in the American frontier, dragging with them the three wives they share between them; women who form a triangle of dependency, loyalty, jealousy, hatred, betrayal, and love.
- GenresFiction
254 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2014
About the author
Alan M. Clark
140 books324 followersAuthor and illustrator, Alan M. Clark grew up in Tennessee in a house full of bones and old medical books. His awards include the World Fantasy Award and four Chesley Awards. He is the author of twenty-one books, including fourteen novels, a lavishly illustrated novella, a lavishly illustrated novellette, four collections of fiction, and a nonfiction full-color book of his artwork. Mr. Clark's company, IFD Publishing, has released 45 titles of various editions, including traditional books, both paperback and hardcover, audio books, and ebooks by such authors as F. Paul Wilson, Elizabeth Engstrom, and Jeremy Robert Johnson. Alan M. Clark and his wife, Melody, live in Oregon. www.alanmclark.com Visit his blog: https://ifdpublishing.com/blog
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 28, 2015
The Door That Faced West is a western gothic/horror novel about the Harpe Brothers, who were real violent outlaws in the 18th century. This story follows them from the time they begin traveling with the three women who become their wives until their brutal demise. It's told from the perspective of Sadie Rice the daughter of a minister and eventual wife of the Harpe Brothers. Sadie becomes complicit in the atrocities committed by these brothers. She's complicit out of love and survival. While there are no supernatural aspects to this story I still call it horror because The Harpe brothers and their female companions did some horrifying things, and despite being human, I think it's safe to say Wiley and Micajah Harpe are monsters. With that being said the brilliance of Clark's writing makes you feel something for these men and women due to the type of environment and time period they are trying to survive through. I don't say that to excuse them but to say things are sometimes more complicated than good versus evil when it comes to these characters. Like the other books I have read by Alan Clark The Door That Faced West has an disturbingly mind blowing ending that left me feeling all kinds of emotions days after reading it. I have read a lot of books and there are not many authors out there that can end a book like Clark.
This is the third book by Alan Clark that I have read and loved. Clark is solid in my book now, I am sure I will buy and read whatever he releases at this point with confidence that I will enjoy it. I recommend The Door That Faced West to fans of Joe Lansdale's westerns as well as Cormac McCarthy and William Gay. Great stuff.
This is the third book by Alan Clark that I have read and loved. Clark is solid in my book now, I am sure I will buy and read whatever he releases at this point with confidence that I will enjoy it. I recommend The Door That Faced West to fans of Joe Lansdale's westerns as well as Cormac McCarthy and William Gay. Great stuff.
March 5, 2014
I admit, this was not a piece of American history I was familiar with. But Alan M. Clark's writing was powerful enough for me to look past my own ignorance on the subject and really enjoy this book. This story is really strong, about a young woman that ran from her abusive, religious father to live with the Harpe Brothers, ruthless killers from the American Old West. All of her choices are driven by her strong will to survive, and although at first she sees the brothers only as a mean of survival, she eventually realizes her feelings towards Micajah Harpe, or Big Harpe as he was known. The Little Harpe, Wiley, was a vicious killer, with an extremely uncontrollable bloodlust. The sisters Bett and Suesanna round up the party. The three women were shared by the men, and they all did what they had to do to survive. This is a story about what life's troubles can force a person to endure just to live another day. A real powerful story, beautifully written.
May 19, 2019
A historical novel with exceptionally researched roots, the story begins when Sadie runs away from her abusive father & joins her friend Bett who now lives with the Harpe brothers. Murder & mayhem follow as the group struggle to make ends meet. A descriptive, insightful & gripping book, the true story behind the tale is quite remarkable & the author does it justice with his knowledge of the period & brilliantly insightful prose. A great read with an ending that will knock you for six.
May 18, 2015
This book made me cry. I'm not being snarky- it really did. This might be viewed as a strange statement to make about such a violent and brutal book, but it's true.
The book chronicles the lives of the Harpe brothers, who have been called America's first serial killers, and the three women who traveled with them. The author makes the standard disclaimer that names have been changed, details have been created, even entire scenarios have been created, etc., but I have no doubt this book rings remarkably close to the truth. And that's what hit me so hard when I finished the book. There have always been people like the murderous Harpe brothers, and there always will be. That's a frightening and sobering thought.
It's a testament to Mr. Clark's talent as a writer that he can bring not only the people to life so convincingly, but the time period as well. The novel is told through the eyes of Sadie Rice, who falls in with the men as an escape from her abusive father. On her first night with the brothers she loses her virginity to one of them, and it's not portrayed as a horrible, melodramatic tragedy; it's just something that happened. And so it goes in her life with the Harpes- things just happen. Horrible, brutal, violent things happen ; people are murdered for no more reason than they happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and Sadie justifies it all in her mind as something she has to endure because a woman in the wild frontier needs strong men to protect her.
It's a frightening portrayal of just how arbitrary the concept of safety is. There are people just like the Harpes alive today, and if you met up with them, you'd most likely end up dead, just like most who met the Harpes at the beginning of the 18th century did. That's just how things work. And that's what made me cry.
This doesn't sound very attractive for a book, does it? Well, this is one hell of a book. It's captivating. It's engrossing. You'll be immersed in the lives of people in the early days of the USA, and you won't be able to stop reading. I rated this thing five stars and I meant it. If you're looking for a nice, cozy little story about history like The Little House on the Prairie, you ain't going to find it here. If you think an honest look at the brutal beginnings of America, that doesn't whitewash anything or anyone, then check this out. The characters are real, and finely drawn. You'll care about some and fear others.
This is the first book I've read by Alan M. Clark, but it won't be the last.
The book chronicles the lives of the Harpe brothers, who have been called America's first serial killers, and the three women who traveled with them. The author makes the standard disclaimer that names have been changed, details have been created, even entire scenarios have been created, etc., but I have no doubt this book rings remarkably close to the truth. And that's what hit me so hard when I finished the book. There have always been people like the murderous Harpe brothers, and there always will be. That's a frightening and sobering thought.
It's a testament to Mr. Clark's talent as a writer that he can bring not only the people to life so convincingly, but the time period as well. The novel is told through the eyes of Sadie Rice, who falls in with the men as an escape from her abusive father. On her first night with the brothers she loses her virginity to one of them, and it's not portrayed as a horrible, melodramatic tragedy; it's just something that happened. And so it goes in her life with the Harpes- things just happen. Horrible, brutal, violent things happen ; people are murdered for no more reason than they happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and Sadie justifies it all in her mind as something she has to endure because a woman in the wild frontier needs strong men to protect her.
It's a frightening portrayal of just how arbitrary the concept of safety is. There are people just like the Harpes alive today, and if you met up with them, you'd most likely end up dead, just like most who met the Harpes at the beginning of the 18th century did. That's just how things work. And that's what made me cry.
This doesn't sound very attractive for a book, does it? Well, this is one hell of a book. It's captivating. It's engrossing. You'll be immersed in the lives of people in the early days of the USA, and you won't be able to stop reading. I rated this thing five stars and I meant it. If you're looking for a nice, cozy little story about history like The Little House on the Prairie, you ain't going to find it here. If you think an honest look at the brutal beginnings of America, that doesn't whitewash anything or anyone, then check this out. The characters are real, and finely drawn. You'll care about some and fear others.
This is the first book I've read by Alan M. Clark, but it won't be the last.
January 27, 2016
Alan M. Clark is a hell of a writer. The Door that Faced West developed with the momentum of a coal burner, finishing as an oil-fashioned steam train. The majority of this frontier novel takes place in either wooded areas or small towns. You start to think…how can an entire story take place in this setting? Take for instance, The Revenant, another gleaming example of such a tale.
The focus is on brilliant characters that you feel indebted to and who can make you smile or tear.
We find Sadie at an uncomfortable and completely vulnerable crossroads, after leaving an abusive family; she finds a new home with the traveling troupe led by the merciless Harpe brothers. She is the protagonist with as much trepidation as tenacity. The Harpes kill and steal, such as modern gangsters, with no remorse and barely a second thought. The horrifying part of it all is the basis on a true story. You will fear for Sadie and the other characters’ livelihood, praying that some savior will show.
The book is haunting and touching at the same time, something rare in this age of media. The struggle is there, but so is the triumph. You want to cheer for the bad guys because they so happen to be intertwined with the good! Wiley Harpe is a devious bastard that you can’t help but to like; the reasoning is simply not there because he has no redeemable qualities. Micajah is a stone with sensibility, one that gets him in trouble more than ahead of the curve.
So far as historical novels go Door is lush and vibrant, full of exhilarating moments, not the typical dull and drab. I found myself not wanting it to end. I used the Audible version, which critically could have been better edited (a bit dicey in production), but was spot on with the voice. A narrator can make or break an audiobook for me and Hinckley did a great job of keeping it interesting. All in all, it was a spectacular offering from a decorated author. On to the next Clark novel!
The focus is on brilliant characters that you feel indebted to and who can make you smile or tear.
We find Sadie at an uncomfortable and completely vulnerable crossroads, after leaving an abusive family; she finds a new home with the traveling troupe led by the merciless Harpe brothers. She is the protagonist with as much trepidation as tenacity. The Harpes kill and steal, such as modern gangsters, with no remorse and barely a second thought. The horrifying part of it all is the basis on a true story. You will fear for Sadie and the other characters’ livelihood, praying that some savior will show.
The book is haunting and touching at the same time, something rare in this age of media. The struggle is there, but so is the triumph. You want to cheer for the bad guys because they so happen to be intertwined with the good! Wiley Harpe is a devious bastard that you can’t help but to like; the reasoning is simply not there because he has no redeemable qualities. Micajah is a stone with sensibility, one that gets him in trouble more than ahead of the curve.
So far as historical novels go Door is lush and vibrant, full of exhilarating moments, not the typical dull and drab. I found myself not wanting it to end. I used the Audible version, which critically could have been better edited (a bit dicey in production), but was spot on with the voice. A narrator can make or break an audiobook for me and Hinckley did a great job of keeping it interesting. All in all, it was a spectacular offering from a decorated author. On to the next Clark novel!
November 28, 2015
I read this book in print before I listened to it. I have to say that it was two different experiences, and both were wonderful. Occassionaly, I get excited about a piece of historical fiction. However, it is rare. Historical fiction needs to have a couple of very important pieces in place to hold my attention. First, it has to be about the people in that moment in history instead of about the history around the people. Second, it has to be written well enough that I believe in my experience in the skin of the characters. The Door that Faced West came up a solid 5 stars on both counts.
February 14, 2014
Review to come
January 29, 2019
I recently come across the Historical fiction novel 'The Door that Faced West ' by Alan M. Clark .
Having read other books by the author I know the novel would be a mix of fact and fiction and I wasn't disappointed.But you have to remember this a work of fiction as the author states at the beginning of the novel, because it's very easy to become engrossed in this highly recommended novel and believe the book is non-fiction.
The Door that Faced West is about two brothers Micajah Harpe, also know as Big Harpe and Wiley Harpe also know as The Little Harpe, who are vicious killer ( after a quick search of the internet I found they are often referred to as America's first serial killers ). The story beings with a grandmother a woman with a hidden past a women who shows very little love towards her family, with exception of her grandson the only one she shows kind any love towards. Till an incident with her grandson beings the memories of her past flooding back . Memories of a young woman running from her abusive father,only to find herself living with the Harpe Brothers, ruthless killers and the two women they had taken as their wifes.
Having read other books by the author I know the novel would be a mix of fact and fiction and I wasn't disappointed.But you have to remember this a work of fiction as the author states at the beginning of the novel, because it's very easy to become engrossed in this highly recommended novel and believe the book is non-fiction.
The Door that Faced West is about two brothers Micajah Harpe, also know as Big Harpe and Wiley Harpe also know as The Little Harpe, who are vicious killer ( after a quick search of the internet I found they are often referred to as America's first serial killers ). The story beings with a grandmother a woman with a hidden past a women who shows very little love towards her family, with exception of her grandson the only one she shows kind any love towards. Till an incident with her grandson beings the memories of her past flooding back . Memories of a young woman running from her abusive father,only to find herself living with the Harpe Brothers, ruthless killers and the two women they had taken as their wifes.
December 21, 2018
Unfortunately, this book didn't work for me. That's not to say it's a bad book. For me, the main problem is that it's so cerebral. The entire work feels rather matter-of-fact and emotionless. While this goes a long way toward heightening the violence (the brutality is really jarring because of how simply it's described), the author talks about wanting to get into the mind of the characters and explore why they did what they did, so having no real emotion besides occasionally saying, "this person felt this" doesn't actually do much toward Clark's ends.
I also think this books suffers because it's a man trying to get inside the head of an abused woman and that's an experience the author doesn't have. That shows in the writing.
This is a fine book, and if you like Western-ish stories and like the splatter, this one will work for you. Just don't come looking for emotional resonance.
I also think this books suffers because it's a man trying to get inside the head of an abused woman and that's an experience the author doesn't have. That shows in the writing.
This is a fine book, and if you like Western-ish stories and like the splatter, this one will work for you. Just don't come looking for emotional resonance.
May 25, 2019
An excellent read! What would you do to survive in the savage wilderness of woodland North America in the year 1800? Sadie Rice, the sixteen-year-old daughter of a minister, becomes attached to two brutal murderers—the land pirates known as big and little Harpe—who have shown a willingness to protect her. What must she give in return for their protection? As the body count rises in the wake of their killing spree through frontier Kentucky and Tennessee, and the law sets its sites on the Harpes, how will she answer for her part in the crimes? The answers are in the book.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews