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The Ames Archives #1
Brings the Lightning
When the Civil War ends, where can a former Confederate soldier go to escape the long memories of neighbors who supported the winning side? Where can Johnny Reb go when he can't go home?
He can go out West, where the land is hard, where there is danger on every side, and where no one cares for whom you fought – only how well you can do it.
Walt Ames, a former cavalryman with the First Virginia, is headed West with little more than a rifle, a revolver, and a pocket full of looted Yankee gold. But in his way stand bushwhackers, bluecoats, con men, and the ever-restless Indians. And perhaps most dangerous of all, even more dangerous than the cruel and unforgiving land, is the temptation of the woman whose face he can't forget.
When you can’t go home again – go West!
He can go out West, where the land is hard, where there is danger on every side, and where no one cares for whom you fought – only how well you can do it.
Walt Ames, a former cavalryman with the First Virginia, is headed West with little more than a rifle, a revolver, and a pocket full of looted Yankee gold. But in his way stand bushwhackers, bluecoats, con men, and the ever-restless Indians. And perhaps most dangerous of all, even more dangerous than the cruel and unforgiving land, is the temptation of the woman whose face he can't forget.
When you can’t go home again – go West!
229 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 20, 2016
194 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
About the author
Peter Grant
17 books60 followersPeter Grant was born in South Africa in 1958. The state censor board did not allow television until 1973, and his parents didn't get one until 1974. So he grew up with books. Lots of books. He started out after school as a military man, moved into commercial information technology, and assisted with humanitarian work during South Africa's prolonged civil unrest that led to the end of apartheid in 1994.
After having been all over Africa, he emigrated to the USA in 1997, where there were far more English-language books, and more access to the internet. He married a pilot from Alaska and settled in Tennessee.
After having been all over Africa, he emigrated to the USA in 1997, where there were far more English-language books, and more access to the internet. He married a pilot from Alaska and settled in Tennessee.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
October 28, 2016
I am not much of a connoisseur of the Western, but have certainly read some.
I really liked this one which tells the story of a Confederate scout in the aftermath of the Civil War where first he wants to go home and then to head to the frontier.
What set this one apart was I had a real feel of the circumstances and exactly the difficulties in setting himself up to succeed in the new environment. There is an entrepreneur aspect as he crafts ways to pick up items and sell them later in imaginative ways. As he moves to the new frontier he picks up with others along the way. Mostly he gets by on his intelligence, but will certainly fight it out when forced to.
“If he’d learned one thing from the war, it was that there was good and bad in every man. It was only the proportions that varied.”
There was also obvious attention to details regarding the weapons of the time and the limitations.
I really liked this one which tells the story of a Confederate scout in the aftermath of the Civil War where first he wants to go home and then to head to the frontier.
What set this one apart was I had a real feel of the circumstances and exactly the difficulties in setting himself up to succeed in the new environment. There is an entrepreneur aspect as he crafts ways to pick up items and sell them later in imaginative ways. As he moves to the new frontier he picks up with others along the way. Mostly he gets by on his intelligence, but will certainly fight it out when forced to.
“If he’d learned one thing from the war, it was that there was good and bad in every man. It was only the proportions that varied.”
There was also obvious attention to details regarding the weapons of the time and the limitations.
October 19, 2016
The return of the classic western. I've been seeing some rumblings about this for awhile, and as a Western aficionado myself, it's been on the list because of that. I saw that it came out on audiobook recently, which jumped its place in the "I'd like to read" to "I will listen to this on commutes right now." The audio book is about 8 hours long, which I find to be a perfect length for about 2 weeks worth of commute time, a length I like, and also reminiscent of the 200-300 page books of ages past that most stories used to be for classics from the 1950s-1980s, a pace I find enjoyable as well.
Walt, the main character, is a classic southern gentleman, a former soldier taking up a new life, an expert with munitions who tries to do right by everyone he comes across. This was pretty refreshing to see a hero who is truly a hero and an everyman, like I used to see in old western books as well.
The story itself unfolds like the Oregon Trail video game come to life, another nice element of nostalgia that played well for me. It's a travel adventure going out west to the frontier, and it was done right. A lot of the stops and haggling and talk of specific items where the character had reminded me of Nathan Lowell's sci-fi trade novel, Quarter Share, but unlike Quarter share this had a lot of action thrown in as well, which made for a nice ebb and flow to the story pacing.
Overall, I enjoyed the book a lot. It felt just like something from a 1960s or 1970s book, the cover looks just like one too. It delivered what it promised on every level. I look forward to checking out more Peter Grant books.
Walt, the main character, is a classic southern gentleman, a former soldier taking up a new life, an expert with munitions who tries to do right by everyone he comes across. This was pretty refreshing to see a hero who is truly a hero and an everyman, like I used to see in old western books as well.
The story itself unfolds like the Oregon Trail video game come to life, another nice element of nostalgia that played well for me. It's a travel adventure going out west to the frontier, and it was done right. A lot of the stops and haggling and talk of specific items where the character had reminded me of Nathan Lowell's sci-fi trade novel, Quarter Share, but unlike Quarter share this had a lot of action thrown in as well, which made for a nice ebb and flow to the story pacing.
Overall, I enjoyed the book a lot. It felt just like something from a 1960s or 1970s book, the cover looks just like one too. It delivered what it promised on every level. I look forward to checking out more Peter Grant books.
January 16, 2025
I occasionally like a good Western, even if the genre has mostly been dead since the 70s. There aren't a lot of new Western authors, and rarely do they get any buzz. Peter Grant is an indie author who seems to mostly write SF but also Westerns, so I sampled this start of a series.
Walt Ames is a former Confederate soldier trying to get home. The war has just ended which means word hasn't even reached the entire country that the South has surrendered. In the first chapter, Ames is ambushed by "bushwackers"; pro-Union guerilla fighters who are sniping Rebs in a Kentucky valley. It would be more accurate to say Ames ambushes them, since he listens in on them, figures out what they are up to, and guns them down first. In fact, they are a family, and Ames first kills the father, then as the teenage son pleads for his life, Ames kills him, and then when his (now-widowed) mother shoots at him, he kills her. (Supposedly he didn't know it was a woman when he shot her and he feels a little bad about it, though he clearly heard her calling to the two men earlier, so who else would it be?) And after he overheard them talking about how the older son will be returning soon, he waits for the older son and immediately murders him.
The bushwackers aren't depicted in a good light (they are clearly lowlives and little more than brigands themselves), but the setup reads like a Confederate revenge fantasy, and I really didn't see much to like about Walt Ames. He then returns to his family farm, to find his mother and older brother are dead and his sister is engaged to a Yankee officer. Ames meets the pretty schoolmarm, agrees to accompany her to St. Louis, and heads west for a new life.
It was okay, but the story so far is simple, the dialog stilted, and anything involving the war is glossed over, so I just wasn't that interested in Ames's continued adventures.
Walt Ames is a former Confederate soldier trying to get home. The war has just ended which means word hasn't even reached the entire country that the South has surrendered. In the first chapter, Ames is ambushed by "bushwackers"; pro-Union guerilla fighters who are sniping Rebs in a Kentucky valley. It would be more accurate to say Ames ambushes them, since he listens in on them, figures out what they are up to, and guns them down first. In fact, they are a family, and Ames first kills the father, then as the teenage son pleads for his life, Ames kills him, and then when his (now-widowed) mother shoots at him, he kills her. (Supposedly he didn't know it was a woman when he shot her and he feels a little bad about it, though he clearly heard her calling to the two men earlier, so who else would it be?) And after he overheard them talking about how the older son will be returning soon, he waits for the older son and immediately murders him.
The bushwackers aren't depicted in a good light (they are clearly lowlives and little more than brigands themselves), but the setup reads like a Confederate revenge fantasy, and I really didn't see much to like about Walt Ames. He then returns to his family farm, to find his mother and older brother are dead and his sister is engaged to a Yankee officer. Ames meets the pretty schoolmarm, agrees to accompany her to St. Louis, and heads west for a new life.
It was okay, but the story so far is simple, the dialog stilted, and anything involving the war is glossed over, so I just wasn't that interested in Ames's continued adventures.
June 22, 2020
I had never heard of Peter Grant or read any of his books before. I read some reviews on Goodreads that were not very complimentary, but I read it anyway. It wasn't so bad, in fact it was rather enjoyable. Yes, the main characters is a kind of superman whose every shot hits home and whose gun never jams. Yes, the story contains lots of historical information which some might feel slow the action down and may be more than they want to know. Personally, I enjoyed learning about the "Old West", guns and Injuns and wagons and everything.
What it reminded me of more than anything was novels by British journalist-turned-novelist G.A. Henty, tho obviously aimed at adults rather than young teenagers, as Henty's books are.
What it reminded me of more than anything was novels by British journalist-turned-novelist G.A. Henty, tho obviously aimed at adults rather than young teenagers, as Henty's books are.
November 11, 2021
Rimfires and Percussion Caps
It seems like every-other generation has enough technological innovations that a culture change is forced upon us all. Today, that tech seems to be automation a AI, but in the 1860's it was the technology involving weapons and transportation, in this case wagons West. Wrapped up on all of that are humans with their emotional ties, preconceptions, prefudices, and egos. This is a story that takes place right after a horrible chapter in American history - the U..S. Civil war, from which many wounds have yet to heal. I especially enjoyed the history of percussion firearms just prior to the Winchester rifle being invented. If Grant is not an expert black-powder gunsmith he convinced me! I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.
It seems like every-other generation has enough technological innovations that a culture change is forced upon us all. Today, that tech seems to be automation a AI, but in the 1860's it was the technology involving weapons and transportation, in this case wagons West. Wrapped up on all of that are humans with their emotional ties, preconceptions, prefudices, and egos. This is a story that takes place right after a horrible chapter in American history - the U..S. Civil war, from which many wounds have yet to heal. I especially enjoyed the history of percussion firearms just prior to the Winchester rifle being invented. If Grant is not an expert black-powder gunsmith he convinced me! I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.
February 4, 2018
Can't say I've read too many Westerns, but this was a great book. The main character is a Confederate cavalry scout, intent on heading west to make his fortune. Also along for the adventure is his old school teacher, who is now widowed, and with whom he had been in love with when a student.
Thanks to some trickery involving swapping damaged guns for good ones, Walter Ames and his now wife Rose, head west, along with two negro servants/hired workers.
The story has enough action to keep you interested, enough character development to keep you reading, and likeable characters to want to succeed. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Thanks to some trickery involving swapping damaged guns for good ones, Walter Ames and his now wife Rose, head west, along with two negro servants/hired workers.
The story has enough action to keep you interested, enough character development to keep you reading, and likeable characters to want to succeed. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
May 19, 2022
I thought the book opened up really good and I was interested but somewhere near the middle I started to lose interest. Some of the dialogue was insincere. I started to find the main character to be robotic. Knew too much for a young guy. It seemed. He never lost and it became annoying. Too much detail given also. I thought the writer peeled a good deal of detail about the wagon train from another book about pioneers moving west, The Oregon Trail by Francis Parkman. I just felt it wasn't a good book.
November 15, 2021
Nice new angles for Western stories
Tough times for Southern soldiers after the Civil War. New angles of how a thinking man and woman could rebuild their lives. Not just a bang bang Hollywood cattle drive type of Western story.
Tough times for Southern soldiers after the Civil War. New angles of how a thinking man and woman could rebuild their lives. Not just a bang bang Hollywood cattle drive type of Western story.
July 31, 2022
A Good Find
If you’re looking for some good fictional western history, this is a good find. Peter Grant tells a good story about the main character, surrounded by interesting support characters with a believable situations and action.
If you’re looking for some good fictional western history, this is a good find. Peter Grant tells a good story about the main character, surrounded by interesting support characters with a believable situations and action.
March 7, 2024
Grant’s prose lacks the punch of Louis L’amour or Zane Grey, and the characters are fairly cookie-cutter, but this is still a fun, light read in the tradition of the old pulp westerns (especially as the series is currently free on Kindle Unlimited!).
October 31, 2024
Excellent series start
I have to have likable characters, a good storyline that doesn't move too slow, and a sense that you can't wait to hear what happens next. This has all that. Can't wait for more at 5 am on a Thursday. Highly recommended for all readers.
I have to have likable characters, a good storyline that doesn't move too slow, and a sense that you can't wait to hear what happens next. This has all that. Can't wait for more at 5 am on a Thursday. Highly recommended for all readers.
January 10, 2025
Walt Arms, a Confederate scout heads home to Tennessee after the war. After visiting his dad and sister he heads to St. Louis and west toward Colorado territory. Not a stand alone continues to the next book.
January 18, 2025
A good western adventure!
My only quibble is that the author is not as familiar with the frontier as he should be. Small things, easily overlooked, but as an author of western novels myself I spotted a few things.
Recommended, and I look forward to the rest of this series.
My only quibble is that the author is not as familiar with the frontier as he should be. Small things, easily overlooked, but as an author of western novels myself I spotted a few things.
Recommended, and I look forward to the rest of this series.
March 15, 2025
I was very impressed reading this, my first one by Peter Grant.
Mr. Grant truly brings the characters to life and makes the reader feel connected to them. brings The Lightning lives up to it's name from start to finish!
Mr. Grant truly brings the characters to life and makes the reader feel connected to them. brings The Lightning lives up to it's name from start to finish!
March 22, 2025
Super job, Peter!
For somebody not from America, Peter, you've done a beautiful job of capturing the cold realities of the post-CivilWar years. Thank you, I'll be reading more Peter Grant stories. Your gun knowledge is off the charts!
For somebody not from America, Peter, you've done a beautiful job of capturing the cold realities of the post-CivilWar years. Thank you, I'll be reading more Peter Grant stories. Your gun knowledge is off the charts!
June 12, 2020
Excellent!
This is the second time I 've read this series. It is so well written and a pleasure to read again.
This is the second time I 've read this series. It is so well written and a pleasure to read again.
March 10, 2022
Good read
Very well written. Very thorough in describing weapons during this period. Thoroughly enjoyed reading. Will definitely read about the next Ames adventure.
Very well written. Very thorough in describing weapons during this period. Thoroughly enjoyed reading. Will definitely read about the next Ames adventure.
August 15, 2024
Idk the dialogue kinda sucked and all the characters felt the same but it was a fun short lil western story
July 11, 2025
Good read. Excessive details about rifles and guns.
December 14, 2016
Fun and interesting to read a new novel in the Western genre. As a Southerner, I appreciated that the protagonist was a Confederate soldier. Too often, Southerners and Rebels are used as tropes, cliched cartoons meant to represent the worst type of men, so this was a refreshing portrayal. The author spends a lot of time and detail on the weaponry of the time, discussing their features and usage, pros and cons. All in all it was light and fun, perhaps best suited to the younger reader, as the book was simply written, of moderate length, avoided graphic depictions of violence (while containing enough fight scenes to entertain) and avoiding graphic language, and contained wholesome values of honor, courage, temperance, perseverance, hard-work, duty, charity and chastity.
The plot of the book progressed steadily, but was more melodramatic than dramatic, as none of the characters had to wrestle with any significant demons or personal failings. The characters were of simple and unchanging type, as with melodrama. Personally, I find it a bit more interesting if some of the protagonists have personal failing and challenges to overcome, and are not in every way beyond reproach. It seemed to me that the book was arranged into a standard 3-act structure ( 1. man returns home from war, decides to find his fortune out West, 2. man toils and fights his way out West, 3. man arrives at an acceptable location), but it felt more like a progression of minor challenges and solutions, lacking significant character arc.
Overall, the book was fun and easy to read. It portrayed positive values and is suitable to younger readers.
The plot of the book progressed steadily, but was more melodramatic than dramatic, as none of the characters had to wrestle with any significant demons or personal failings. The characters were of simple and unchanging type, as with melodrama. Personally, I find it a bit more interesting if some of the protagonists have personal failing and challenges to overcome, and are not in every way beyond reproach. It seemed to me that the book was arranged into a standard 3-act structure ( 1. man returns home from war, decides to find his fortune out West, 2. man toils and fights his way out West, 3. man arrives at an acceptable location), but it felt more like a progression of minor challenges and solutions, lacking significant character arc.
Overall, the book was fun and easy to read. It portrayed positive values and is suitable to younger readers.
June 29, 2016
Brings the Lightning was a very enjoyable read. We need more books like this one. It was great to enjoy a Western where the author clearly did his research on numerous aspects of society immediately after the Civil War. While much of it was over my head, I found the details on the guns to be great, as the main character clearly has reasons for selecting the weapons he chooses at different points. Also, the reader learns about the perils of bushwhackers, con men and travelling over the frontier.
Walt Ames is the main character, a no-nonsense man who is strong, smart, and capable. No moody introspection or self-doubt from this guy. The supporting characters were well-drawn, and the plot drew me in.
Just misses out on 5 stars because some of the "interludes" between action scenes were a little too drawn out. But I'm definitely going to read the next installment when it comes out.
Walt Ames is the main character, a no-nonsense man who is strong, smart, and capable. No moody introspection or self-doubt from this guy. The supporting characters were well-drawn, and the plot drew me in.
Just misses out on 5 stars because some of the "interludes" between action scenes were a little too drawn out. But I'm definitely going to read the next installment when it comes out.
July 21, 2016
This book is not for you if you prefer your heroes to be flawless. This book may be for you if you like characters whose moral code evolves.
This book is not for you if you don't like reading about guns. This book may be for you if you do wonder what sort of weapons a bushwhacker might have carried.
This book is not for you if you don't like characters who are lucky. This book may be for you if you like characters who capitalize on opportunities to make their own luck.
This book is not for you if you're welded to a stereotype of how you think a former Confederate soldier would think, act, and believe. This book may be for you if you think people are individuals.
It's a destination story--a journey story of a man traveling to a place where he can make a new life for himself.
This book is not for you if you don't like reading about guns. This book may be for you if you do wonder what sort of weapons a bushwhacker might have carried.
This book is not for you if you don't like characters who are lucky. This book may be for you if you like characters who capitalize on opportunities to make their own luck.
This book is not for you if you're welded to a stereotype of how you think a former Confederate soldier would think, act, and believe. This book may be for you if you think people are individuals.
It's a destination story--a journey story of a man traveling to a place where he can make a new life for himself.
July 14, 2016
Entertaining read
Good story set in the post civil war era. Walter Ames is a former Confederate cavalry scout. After the surrender, he makes his way back to Tennessee, only to find that he doesn't fit there anymore. Taking his savings he goes west, accompanying a pretty young widow to St Louis. As the story developes there are ample gun fights and action. Ames is a likeable hero with a fast draw and strong character. The only drawback is that this version of the old west seems curiously free from racial and ethnic disputes, so much so that it seems unrealistic.
Good story set in the post civil war era. Walter Ames is a former Confederate cavalry scout. After the surrender, he makes his way back to Tennessee, only to find that he doesn't fit there anymore. Taking his savings he goes west, accompanying a pretty young widow to St Louis. As the story developes there are ample gun fights and action. Ames is a likeable hero with a fast draw and strong character. The only drawback is that this version of the old west seems curiously free from racial and ethnic disputes, so much so that it seems unrealistic.
August 30, 2019
A PG. Western Action Adventure. (BTL) (AAB. - 1)
PG. has penned a western action adventure about a Southern soldier who heads home from the war and as he does he is attacked by thieves. He defeats the thieves and keeps their plunder which enables him to head west. He meets and marries a woman in Missouri then hired two black men as his assistants to work in a gun shop. They are very successful and make a move to the city of Denver to determine their future. This is an excellent read for the genre.....DEHS
PG. has penned a western action adventure about a Southern soldier who heads home from the war and as he does he is attacked by thieves. He defeats the thieves and keeps their plunder which enables him to head west. He meets and marries a woman in Missouri then hired two black men as his assistants to work in a gun shop. They are very successful and make a move to the city of Denver to determine their future. This is an excellent read for the genre.....DEHS
June 7, 2016
Seemed a little too - I don't know - shallow?
The dialog from the main character was like reading a college professor; everything was laid logically, point by point.
Frequently, a problem would pop up, and our hero figured out a solution immediately, and everyone looked on him reverently.
Not a bad book, just not all that great either.
The dialog from the main character was like reading a college professor; everything was laid logically, point by point.
Frequently, a problem would pop up, and our hero figured out a solution immediately, and everyone looked on him reverently.
Not a bad book, just not all that great either.
July 10, 2016
A good, traditional Western
Brings the Lightning is a good, well-told story in the tradition of the great Western writers. The flavor of life in the post-civil war west comes through, with strong characters and believable situations. Highly recommended, even if you're not a big fan of Westerns.
Brings the Lightning is a good, well-told story in the tradition of the great Western writers. The flavor of life in the post-civil war west comes through, with strong characters and believable situations. Highly recommended, even if you're not a big fan of Westerns.
September 8, 2019
Great Story Without the Curses
I know that most of the Southern folks and settlers were just fighting for family and friends but it’s still hard to believe they didn’t know that they were doing evil. Just like the Romans and the Vikings.
This was a great entertaining fast paced action packed story that I really enjoyed reading.
I know that most of the Southern folks and settlers were just fighting for family and friends but it’s still hard to believe they didn’t know that they were doing evil. Just like the Romans and the Vikings.
This was a great entertaining fast paced action packed story that I really enjoyed reading.
August 12, 2016
A very well done effort on Grant's part that reminds me of a classic western story. Grant provides an historically accurate portrait (except for the clean language) of the years shortly after the Civil War. I'm looking forward to the sequel.
June 4, 2016
How long do I have to wait for the next one? I'm eager; this book was simply great. I haven't read a Western that measures up to this, and the Caleb York books are really good(Spillane/Collins). If you like the Old West, read it. If you don't, this might change your mind.
June 24, 2020
So glad it's back
Peter Grant is one of my top five authors. Nice break from his usual SiFi, this series one of my favorite western. This book had change publisher so been unavailable in kindle unlimited for a time. had two books with a third coming soon. So glad it's back
Peter Grant is one of my top five authors. Nice break from his usual SiFi, this series one of my favorite western. This book had change publisher so been unavailable in kindle unlimited for a time. had two books with a third coming soon. So glad it's back
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews