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Never Summer: A Samurai Western
"An original, philosophically minded Western adventure."
-Kirkus Reviews
"...the refreshing, sparkling prose simply shines;"
-Midwest Book Review
"The writing is purposeful!"
-Readers' Favorite
"...vivd and almost poetic style of the writing."
-Awesome Indies
"In the mid-19th century, the itinerant Vlad D’Agostino arrives in New York City after a long stay in Japan, bringing with him a samurai mask and a terminal case of tuberculosis. In Manhattan, he learns of an innovative doctor who claims to have found a treatment for the disease using “alpine air,” but Vlad will have to travel to the physician’s clinic in the Rocky Mountains, in a place known as Never Summer...On his quest to save himself and prolong his life, he inadvertently makes discoveries about his traumatic past—and about how to live more fully in the present...Vlad is a thoughtful hero, and Blaine seems just as interested in evoking Herman Melville’s work as he is Zane Grey’s. Adventure fans of all stripes will find something compelling in the tragic, mysterious protagonist. An original, philosophically minded Western adventure." -Kirkus Reviews
“…the refreshing, sparkling prose simply shines; as does the life of Vlad, who is anything but your typical Western wanderer. The result is a compelling literary piece about a nineteenth-century drifter who returns from Japan to traverse a landscape as foreign to him as the concept of his own impending demise. Readers who appreciate genre-busting, thought-provoking reads - especially those familiar with and holding an affinity for Western settings - will relish the tone and characters of Never Summer." -Midwest Book Review
-Kirkus Reviews
"...the refreshing, sparkling prose simply shines;"
-Midwest Book Review
"The writing is purposeful!"
-Readers' Favorite
"...vivd and almost poetic style of the writing."
-Awesome Indies
"In the mid-19th century, the itinerant Vlad D’Agostino arrives in New York City after a long stay in Japan, bringing with him a samurai mask and a terminal case of tuberculosis. In Manhattan, he learns of an innovative doctor who claims to have found a treatment for the disease using “alpine air,” but Vlad will have to travel to the physician’s clinic in the Rocky Mountains, in a place known as Never Summer...On his quest to save himself and prolong his life, he inadvertently makes discoveries about his traumatic past—and about how to live more fully in the present...Vlad is a thoughtful hero, and Blaine seems just as interested in evoking Herman Melville’s work as he is Zane Grey’s. Adventure fans of all stripes will find something compelling in the tragic, mysterious protagonist. An original, philosophically minded Western adventure." -Kirkus Reviews
“…the refreshing, sparkling prose simply shines; as does the life of Vlad, who is anything but your typical Western wanderer. The result is a compelling literary piece about a nineteenth-century drifter who returns from Japan to traverse a landscape as foreign to him as the concept of his own impending demise. Readers who appreciate genre-busting, thought-provoking reads - especially those familiar with and holding an affinity for Western settings - will relish the tone and characters of Never Summer." -Midwest Book Review
- GenresWesterns
203 pages, Paperback
First published May 18, 2017
1 person is currently reading
1309 people want to read
About the author
Tim Blaine
2 books34 followersAn alumnus of Drury University in Springfield, MO, Tim Blaine is an award winning author and member of the Authors Guild and Springfield Writers Guild. Never Summer is his debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 23, 2017
I truly went on an exciting and intriguing wild west adventure in "Never Summer" a debut novel written by Tim Blaine.
Set in the 19th century Vlad D'Agustino is dying from TB. Having fled Japan after the death of his friend, he lands in New York where he hears of a innovative doctor and a miracle cure using 'alpine air' in the mountains of Never Summer.
After acquiring a revolver that he believes is connected to a necklace that was his mothers, he sets out on his journey to hopefully subdue his fate. With superstitions about the mystery revolver, and the true facts about his family arising, he encounters mystery, corruption, violence and death.
This was a really enjoyable read, the author has the style of writing perfect for the setting of the book and he has a real talent for exquisite and unique descriptive prose. There's obviously been a lot of research done and I can see that the author is very passionate about his writing.
There's a philosophical edge to the story too, which mixed with adventure and mystery makes a fabulous read. I imagine this will appeal to many genres and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book as a really compelling piece of fiction set in the Wild West during the 1800's.
Set in the 19th century Vlad D'Agustino is dying from TB. Having fled Japan after the death of his friend, he lands in New York where he hears of a innovative doctor and a miracle cure using 'alpine air' in the mountains of Never Summer.
After acquiring a revolver that he believes is connected to a necklace that was his mothers, he sets out on his journey to hopefully subdue his fate. With superstitions about the mystery revolver, and the true facts about his family arising, he encounters mystery, corruption, violence and death.
This was a really enjoyable read, the author has the style of writing perfect for the setting of the book and he has a real talent for exquisite and unique descriptive prose. There's obviously been a lot of research done and I can see that the author is very passionate about his writing.
There's a philosophical edge to the story too, which mixed with adventure and mystery makes a fabulous read. I imagine this will appeal to many genres and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book as a really compelling piece of fiction set in the Wild West during the 1800's.
April 5, 2017
A young man, Vlad leaves New York City hoping to reach Colorado for a dryer climate for his T.B. condition.
He has dreams and fantasy thoughts plus reality on his eventful trip out west.
The writing has a lyrical style.
I want to thank the author for sending me an advanced copy of his debut novel.
He has dreams and fantasy thoughts plus reality on his eventful trip out west.
The writing has a lyrical style.
I want to thank the author for sending me an advanced copy of his debut novel.
August 11, 2017
Reviewed by Carol Hoyer for Reader Views (8/17)
“Never Summer” by Tim Blaine was quite an interesting read in that it was a different type of story for me.
After a long stay in Japan, Vlad D’Agnosino learns he has tuberculosis, and finds himself in New York City seeking the help of a doctor in Colorado, who feels the mountain air will help him. Vlad, knowing that eventually the consumption will end his life, chooses to at least see how it works. As Vlad begins to learn more about the treatment and how it will impact him, he meets a variety of individuals who add their thoughts. Vlad is a very unusual man and finds he is at odds with his family, and actions that have impacted his life.
I found the story interesting in that the main character is seeking many answers in his life about his past and future, and rather than just wait to die he must make choices about living in the present. Blaine provides an excellent read, which has a great philosophical view and is filled with corruption, brothels, and gang threats. I find it interesting Madame LaGrange protects the women who work for her, and at the same time, she is funding the sheriff who many believe to be corrupt.
Easy to read, compelling, and covers many areas, it was interesting to see the many lives impacted by what has happened in the past, and some must suffer for it. Blaine’s writing is eastern philosophy combined with western action. There are very few authors that can connect this type of story that keeps reader's interest.
Many individuals with a deadly illness attempt to make right from all their wrongs. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. I like the fact that Blaine had his main character choose not to focus on his past, but to live life as he should and accept that no one should be harmed by those who use them.
If you like a read that has a good flow, with relatable characters that cause you to try to determine what you would do in situations like those Vlad encountered, you will love “Never Summer” by Tim Blaine.
“Never Summer” by Tim Blaine was quite an interesting read in that it was a different type of story for me.
After a long stay in Japan, Vlad D’Agnosino learns he has tuberculosis, and finds himself in New York City seeking the help of a doctor in Colorado, who feels the mountain air will help him. Vlad, knowing that eventually the consumption will end his life, chooses to at least see how it works. As Vlad begins to learn more about the treatment and how it will impact him, he meets a variety of individuals who add their thoughts. Vlad is a very unusual man and finds he is at odds with his family, and actions that have impacted his life.
I found the story interesting in that the main character is seeking many answers in his life about his past and future, and rather than just wait to die he must make choices about living in the present. Blaine provides an excellent read, which has a great philosophical view and is filled with corruption, brothels, and gang threats. I find it interesting Madame LaGrange protects the women who work for her, and at the same time, she is funding the sheriff who many believe to be corrupt.
Easy to read, compelling, and covers many areas, it was interesting to see the many lives impacted by what has happened in the past, and some must suffer for it. Blaine’s writing is eastern philosophy combined with western action. There are very few authors that can connect this type of story that keeps reader's interest.
Many individuals with a deadly illness attempt to make right from all their wrongs. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. I like the fact that Blaine had his main character choose not to focus on his past, but to live life as he should and accept that no one should be harmed by those who use them.
If you like a read that has a good flow, with relatable characters that cause you to try to determine what you would do in situations like those Vlad encountered, you will love “Never Summer” by Tim Blaine.
August 29, 2017
My Rating is 3.5/5.
I was so happy on the day I have received this copy. It was my first ever ARC. I am so thankful to the author for sharing his Art with me. I loved my journey with Vlad D'Agustino(the protagonist) but I really couldn't get engaged in the book, in the start. It takes more than 75 pages , before you actually get interested in the book and get over the boredom. Once you cross that page, you will sail through the book smoothly and it piques your interest. 'Tim Blaine' weaves the story beautifully. Only thing I felt bad about this book is the denseness in the start of the story. Though the prose is beautiful, it distracts you from the story.
I hope to see more works of 'Tim Blaine' and I hope they will be more interesting.
I was so happy on the day I have received this copy. It was my first ever ARC. I am so thankful to the author for sharing his Art with me. I loved my journey with Vlad D'Agustino(the protagonist) but I really couldn't get engaged in the book, in the start. It takes more than 75 pages , before you actually get interested in the book and get over the boredom. Once you cross that page, you will sail through the book smoothly and it piques your interest. 'Tim Blaine' weaves the story beautifully. Only thing I felt bad about this book is the denseness in the start of the story. Though the prose is beautiful, it distracts you from the story.
I hope to see more works of 'Tim Blaine' and I hope they will be more interesting.
May 18, 2017
Absolutely amazing!
It's a new type of genre for me to read, and I was hooked immediately. I found myself lost within the story and I read it from cover to cover, each page left me wanting more. The well-written story had a dance of prose that brings this story to life, it's very compelling and Vlad is one of those heroes you don't soon forget. Blaine has a new fan, and I look forward to reading more of his work.
It's a new type of genre for me to read, and I was hooked immediately. I found myself lost within the story and I read it from cover to cover, each page left me wanting more. The well-written story had a dance of prose that brings this story to life, it's very compelling and Vlad is one of those heroes you don't soon forget. Blaine has a new fan, and I look forward to reading more of his work.
June 21, 2017
This one really wasn't for me. I could see that the writer had skill though and that others might possibly find the book very enjoyable. It's certainly very intriguing but I just failed to fully absorb myself in it.
August 9, 2017
Not a memorable read for me; the story was interesting but fractured, like it couldn't decide between being a samurai book and a western, and it didn't bring them together like Yojimbo or Seven Samurai.
August 21, 2021
Awesome Indies Book Awards is pleased to include NEVER SUMMER by TIM BLAINE in the library of Awesome Indies'
Badge of Approval
recipients.
Original Awesome Indies' Assessment (5 stars):
Never Summer by Timothy Blaine tells the story of a mysterious man, Vlad, who is stricken with tuberculosis while in Japan and must return home to the United States in order to find a cure in the form of Colorado’s fabled mountain air. Categorized as a Samurai Western, Never Summer is packed with action, suspense, danger and intrigue. The thing that sets this book apart from other Westerns (that, at least, this reviewer is aware of) is the vivd and almost poetic style of the writing. This is a book where we search the soul of the main character, who himself asks a lot of philosophical questions. There are moments where you think you might be reading a parable; one featuring six-shooters, painted ladies and more than one epic showdown.
As a character, Vlad is a deep-layered, introspective warrior with a seemingly noble heart girding a dark secret and a set of lungs that are killing him. When we meet him, he is arriving in Manhattan from Japan, and at first his past is mired in mystery. Through his interactions with others on his way and flashbacks to his time in Japan, we eventually learn about Vlad’s dark past. It quickly becomes clear that a bacterial disease is not the only affliction from which Vlad suffers, and a heavy emotional weight weighs on him. As he travels across the US, Vlad carves a path through his past that allows him to confront some of his demons. Without giving away too much of the ending, Vlad finds some redemption while also learning that some things can’t be easily changed about one’s own nature or one’s own destiny.
Never Summer is well-written and well-edited, and kept me interested from beginning to end. There were a few points where the poetic language seemed to stifle the action of the book, particularly when the author uses a lot of adjectives in a short amount of time, but these minor problems did not take me out of the story. This is a book that takes an (albeit unknowing) student of The Book of Five Rings and sets them on the Oregon Trail, and that alone should make this worth a look. Fans of westerns and samurai literature will be most at-home here, but this book will likely appeal to an even wider audience. 5 stars.
Original Awesome Indies' Assessment (5 stars):
Never Summer by Timothy Blaine tells the story of a mysterious man, Vlad, who is stricken with tuberculosis while in Japan and must return home to the United States in order to find a cure in the form of Colorado’s fabled mountain air. Categorized as a Samurai Western, Never Summer is packed with action, suspense, danger and intrigue. The thing that sets this book apart from other Westerns (that, at least, this reviewer is aware of) is the vivd and almost poetic style of the writing. This is a book where we search the soul of the main character, who himself asks a lot of philosophical questions. There are moments where you think you might be reading a parable; one featuring six-shooters, painted ladies and more than one epic showdown.
As a character, Vlad is a deep-layered, introspective warrior with a seemingly noble heart girding a dark secret and a set of lungs that are killing him. When we meet him, he is arriving in Manhattan from Japan, and at first his past is mired in mystery. Through his interactions with others on his way and flashbacks to his time in Japan, we eventually learn about Vlad’s dark past. It quickly becomes clear that a bacterial disease is not the only affliction from which Vlad suffers, and a heavy emotional weight weighs on him. As he travels across the US, Vlad carves a path through his past that allows him to confront some of his demons. Without giving away too much of the ending, Vlad finds some redemption while also learning that some things can’t be easily changed about one’s own nature or one’s own destiny.
Never Summer is well-written and well-edited, and kept me interested from beginning to end. There were a few points where the poetic language seemed to stifle the action of the book, particularly when the author uses a lot of adjectives in a short amount of time, but these minor problems did not take me out of the story. This is a book that takes an (albeit unknowing) student of The Book of Five Rings and sets them on the Oregon Trail, and that alone should make this worth a look. Fans of westerns and samurai literature will be most at-home here, but this book will likely appeal to an even wider audience. 5 stars.
November 26, 2017
This is the first Western I've ever finished. Maybe that's because deep down it's not really a Western, but perfectly crafted example of Joseph Campbell's Journey of a Hero. Vlad, whose name I really want to change, goes on a journey to save himself, but realizes in doing so that a truly good person can't help but save others.
I can't wait to explain this book to others...um, it's about this handsome guy, with a hint of Swedish ancestry, on the verge of death, who learns the way of the samurai, comes back to the states, um, and with this kick ass revolver and two swords crushes some bad guys and, well, there's this whore house...I think people will want to read it. Heck, you should read it for the fight scenes alone. But, stay for the setting and the world building because there's nothing cooler than a samurai in the unlawful Wild West frontier.
Maybe this should be a series...
Also, maybe I read this book in one sitting...
I can't wait to explain this book to others...um, it's about this handsome guy, with a hint of Swedish ancestry, on the verge of death, who learns the way of the samurai, comes back to the states, um, and with this kick ass revolver and two swords crushes some bad guys and, well, there's this whore house...I think people will want to read it. Heck, you should read it for the fight scenes alone. But, stay for the setting and the world building because there's nothing cooler than a samurai in the unlawful Wild West frontier.
Maybe this should be a series...
Also, maybe I read this book in one sitting...
April 7, 2017
Vlad D’Agustino is a complex character who has accepted the tragic blow fate has dealt him with a challenge of his own, to pursue an adventure. Beginning in New York City, Vlad sets out on a journey to find a mysterious doctor residing in the Never Summer Mountains; who may be able to provide a cure for his tuberculosis. Along the way he recounts a tale of life in an orphanage, fleeing certain death in Japan, and the mysterious death of his father.
Losing his parents and then his sister seems to have pre-determined Vlad’s sad misadventures interspersed with chance encounters and brief moments of joy. When the Far East influences the Wild West, interesting events occur. Add corruption, mystery, superstition and a brothel, mix it all together, and you’re sure to find an adventure that will keep you wondering if Vlad will ever reach his destination.
Losing his parents and then his sister seems to have pre-determined Vlad’s sad misadventures interspersed with chance encounters and brief moments of joy. When the Far East influences the Wild West, interesting events occur. Add corruption, mystery, superstition and a brothel, mix it all together, and you’re sure to find an adventure that will keep you wondering if Vlad will ever reach his destination.
April 8, 2017
When Vladimir D'Agostino arrives in New York he knows his time is short. In the mid 1800s, a diagnosis of Consumption is a death sentence. Still he seeks a cure by traveling west toward the Never Summer Mountains...This novel brings an intriguing twist on Wild West vigilante justice by adding a dose of Japanese culture. I found this book refreshing in its unexpected plot twists.
April 21, 2017
Um....good writing but i was bored by the story. I almost dnf-ed :/
April 30, 2017
DNF at page 57.
I really tried but I just couldn't get into the story. The writing style wasn't to my liking. But I can see from other reviews that many people have enjoyed this book. I'd like to thank the author for sending me an ARC, but unfortunately it just wasn't for me.
I really tried but I just couldn't get into the story. The writing style wasn't to my liking. But I can see from other reviews that many people have enjoyed this book. I'd like to thank the author for sending me an ARC, but unfortunately it just wasn't for me.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews