XP

by Alison M. Bailey

Set in 1861 in the Nevada Great Basin, XP follows the orphan James Donovan as he rides for the legendary Pony Express. Galloping for twenty-four hours straight, he carries whisper-thin mail, crossing a desolate land—dangerous, yet terrifyingly beautiful. Two clashing worlds battle for his identity—the Paiute Indians who helped raise him, and the Mormons who tried to capture his soul.
In a story as vast as the great American West, James encounters men and women of such strong character they survive on desire alone—unforgettable characters, some enchanting, some evil, all courageous. He discovers a love so deep it transcends the imagination. A sorrow so true even nature pauses to mourn. On his journey he meets a twenty-something Mark Twain, experiences the threat of a civil war, all while witnessing a diminishing way of living harmoniously with the land.
With a vivid, sensuous style, as sparse as the land itself, Alison Bailey brings to life a time of saddle sores, Indian lore, heartache and glory. Here is the myth, a time in adolescent America when any outrageous dream was possible. An epic tale of an honorable story that is long overdue.

284 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2012

Reviews

[Kaitlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing style would more appropriate for a children's book, but of course the content isn't. A bit of a snoozer for a a western set at such a tumultuous time.

[Anthony Land · Rating 5 out of 5]

A grand novel by a gifted author

XP is an absolute marvel of historical fiction, a sweeping, powerful and deeply human story told by a splendid, lyrical voice. Alison Bailey looks out upon the majestic and forbidding landscape of the American Southwest through the eyes of a broad array of characters and makes the reader see that landscape as each character beholds it, with his or her knowledge of that world and only that knowledge.

The Juggernaut of western expansion on the eve of the Civil War rolls through this story, destroying more than it creates. But Bailey shows her readers the workings of Manifest Destiny as a mosaic—tightly focused, intense and, all too often, tragic. She makes no judgments, draws no sweeping conclusions. It is the harsh, beautiful landscape that sustains and destroys her characters. The large events that will later be recorded as history only finds or puts them there.

XP is a first novel, but there is nothing of the neophyte about it. It is the assured work of a master storyteller deserving of a long and lauded career.

[Mary Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful first book about the remarkable Pony Express. I read it a few months ago, but the characters have stayed with me. Bailey’s writing has an unusual poetic and telegraphic style. She has the gift of observing and writing from inside her characters and the wild west they inhabit.