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There Will Be Consequences: A Biographical Novel of Old New Mexico
"It's August 3, 1837, and rebellion has broken out in northern New Mexico. By the end of the week, Governor Albino Pérez and key members of his administration will be dead, and a governor with indigenous ancestry will be installed in Santa Fe.
Trouble's been brewing for over a year, fed by new laws restricting the right to vote, the threat of new taxes, and a governor who's quicker to borrow money than distribute it. On top of that, Pérez has jailed the Santa Cruz de la Cañada alcalde for making a decision he didn't like. The locals free the alcalde and go to war, campesinos and Pueblo warriors against the ricos of the south.
But the rich aren't about to give up their privileges so easily. More people will die before the violence ends.
A deeply-researched biographical novel with implications for today, There Will be Consequences explores the events before, during, and after early August 1837 through the eyes of the people who participated in them. Twelve linked stories propel the narrative forward from the perspective of individuals as diverse as Albino Pérez, rebel governor José Angel Gonzales, Santa Fe gambler Gertrudes "Doña Tules" Barceló, Taos priest Antonio José Martinez, and that most flexible of New Mexico's politicians, Manuel Armijo."
Trouble's been brewing for over a year, fed by new laws restricting the right to vote, the threat of new taxes, and a governor who's quicker to borrow money than distribute it. On top of that, Pérez has jailed the Santa Cruz de la Cañada alcalde for making a decision he didn't like. The locals free the alcalde and go to war, campesinos and Pueblo warriors against the ricos of the south.
But the rich aren't about to give up their privileges so easily. More people will die before the violence ends.
A deeply-researched biographical novel with implications for today, There Will be Consequences explores the events before, during, and after early August 1837 through the eyes of the people who participated in them. Twelve linked stories propel the narrative forward from the perspective of individuals as diverse as Albino Pérez, rebel governor José Angel Gonzales, Santa Fe gambler Gertrudes "Doña Tules" Barceló, Taos priest Antonio José Martinez, and that most flexible of New Mexico's politicians, Manuel Armijo."
310 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 1, 2022
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4 people want to read
About the author
Loretta Miles Tollefson
21 books30 followersLoretta Miles Tollefson writes historical fiction set in New Mexico prior to statehood in 1912, with a special emphasis on the 1800s. She grew up in the American West and lives in the shadows of New Mexico's Sangre de Cristo mountains. Her novels and short stories are deeply researched and richly imagined.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 12, 2021
I was given access to a very early copy of this novel, which I freely chose to review.
I have read and reviewed several of the author’s series of Old New Mexico novels, which includes some interlinked stories following the same characters, and others that explore in more detail the background of one of the side-characters, as well as different types of fiction, such as short stories and microfiction. I was initially intrigued by the setting of the stories, as it is a place that I know very little about but one I’ve always been interested in, and I have come to appreciate how much one can learn from a good historical novel while at the same time enjoying the fictional side of the story.
Here, Miles Tollefson takes on a new challenge that I think many of us will identify with: you are researching a historical period or an event and cannot find a detailed and unbiased account of what happened. The author goes into her thoughts and the particular difficulties she came across when researching the August 1837 rebellion in New Mexico in her author’s note, and it is a must-read, as is this book described as a ‘biographical novel’. Although it follows the events chronologically, each chapter is told from a different point of view, by characters who were directly involved or witnessed what happened, on both sides. And she does include a big variety of voices: women, children, priests, rich owners, governors (both rebel and official), military men, rebel fighters... sometimes right in the thick of the action, and sometimes in the outskirts of it, providing an immersive experience.
There are twelve chapters that could be read as independent episodes (making it ideal for people with little time who can only manage to snatch a few minutes to read, here and there), but together create a clear and vivid picture of the historical era and the people involved in those events. By writing each chapter from a different point of view, but always in the third person and in the present tense (not something I generally like, but it gives the narrative immediacy and a sense of continuity), it has the effect of a jigsaw puzzle, where each piece has been slightly twisted this way or that, but with a bit of effort, we can find a way to make them fit. The author does a great job of putting flesh in the bones of the facts she has found and of filling in the gaps in as non-judgmental a way as possible. She explains the biases in the reporting of the events she covers in her novel, and she excels at presenting each individual and their thoughts in their own terms, rather than trying to impose her interpretation on them. It is easy to see how the conflict would have escalated, with such differing and seemingly irreconcilable opinions, positions, and points of view. Even those characters whom we might totally disagree with are shown as human beings with their reasons and motives, and it does feel at times as if you were there, willing everybody to come to an agreement and avoid the bloodshed, but also knowing that it will happen nonetheless. This is a novel that will make people think about these kinds of conflicts, and, hopefully, also understand a bit better how easy it is to escalate matters when the positions become entrenched and people are unable to put themselves in somebody else’s shoes.
Readers don’t need to worry about not having read any of the author’s novels set in New Mexico or not knowing about this historical period, as that is not necessary to enjoy this book. (Enjoy never seems to be the best word when much of the book describes painful and violent events, but I am sure readers know what I mean). This book can be read independently, although I enjoyed learning more about the historical events that feature as background in some of the author’s novels I’ve read. Miles-Toffeson also incorporates a list of character biographies at the end, a vocabulary (including Spanish and unusual English terms used in the book), and also a short bibliography for those who might want to learn more about the historical events featured here.
This is a book about a rebellion, and there are some terribly hard scenes, so I would warn readers who need to avoid explicit violence and blood-shed, as some of the chapters are very hard (even for somebody who does not have an issue with it. Knowing that this is based on real events makes it more poignant). The writing is excellent throughout, descriptive enough without going into excessive detail, and it manages to turn readers into privileged witnesses of the action, down to the protagonists’ thoughts. I am no historian, so I cannot comment in detail on the accuracy of the language and/or events described, but the dialogue and the characters jump off the page, and at times one feels like grabbing the characters, shaking them, and giving them all a piece of your mind. Remember you can always check a sample of the book to see if the style of writing suits your taste. As my copy was a very early ARC, I have decided not to share any quotes from it, but I highlighted plenty of passages, and some have left a long-lasting impression.
I recommend this book to anybody interested in New Mexico’s story or historical fiction with a difference. I think there is much here that will interest writers who work in the same genre, as well as any reader looking for a gripping novel set within a changeable, dangerous, and exciting historical period.
I have read and reviewed several of the author’s series of Old New Mexico novels, which includes some interlinked stories following the same characters, and others that explore in more detail the background of one of the side-characters, as well as different types of fiction, such as short stories and microfiction. I was initially intrigued by the setting of the stories, as it is a place that I know very little about but one I’ve always been interested in, and I have come to appreciate how much one can learn from a good historical novel while at the same time enjoying the fictional side of the story.
Here, Miles Tollefson takes on a new challenge that I think many of us will identify with: you are researching a historical period or an event and cannot find a detailed and unbiased account of what happened. The author goes into her thoughts and the particular difficulties she came across when researching the August 1837 rebellion in New Mexico in her author’s note, and it is a must-read, as is this book described as a ‘biographical novel’. Although it follows the events chronologically, each chapter is told from a different point of view, by characters who were directly involved or witnessed what happened, on both sides. And she does include a big variety of voices: women, children, priests, rich owners, governors (both rebel and official), military men, rebel fighters... sometimes right in the thick of the action, and sometimes in the outskirts of it, providing an immersive experience.
There are twelve chapters that could be read as independent episodes (making it ideal for people with little time who can only manage to snatch a few minutes to read, here and there), but together create a clear and vivid picture of the historical era and the people involved in those events. By writing each chapter from a different point of view, but always in the third person and in the present tense (not something I generally like, but it gives the narrative immediacy and a sense of continuity), it has the effect of a jigsaw puzzle, where each piece has been slightly twisted this way or that, but with a bit of effort, we can find a way to make them fit. The author does a great job of putting flesh in the bones of the facts she has found and of filling in the gaps in as non-judgmental a way as possible. She explains the biases in the reporting of the events she covers in her novel, and she excels at presenting each individual and their thoughts in their own terms, rather than trying to impose her interpretation on them. It is easy to see how the conflict would have escalated, with such differing and seemingly irreconcilable opinions, positions, and points of view. Even those characters whom we might totally disagree with are shown as human beings with their reasons and motives, and it does feel at times as if you were there, willing everybody to come to an agreement and avoid the bloodshed, but also knowing that it will happen nonetheless. This is a novel that will make people think about these kinds of conflicts, and, hopefully, also understand a bit better how easy it is to escalate matters when the positions become entrenched and people are unable to put themselves in somebody else’s shoes.
Readers don’t need to worry about not having read any of the author’s novels set in New Mexico or not knowing about this historical period, as that is not necessary to enjoy this book. (Enjoy never seems to be the best word when much of the book describes painful and violent events, but I am sure readers know what I mean). This book can be read independently, although I enjoyed learning more about the historical events that feature as background in some of the author’s novels I’ve read. Miles-Toffeson also incorporates a list of character biographies at the end, a vocabulary (including Spanish and unusual English terms used in the book), and also a short bibliography for those who might want to learn more about the historical events featured here.
This is a book about a rebellion, and there are some terribly hard scenes, so I would warn readers who need to avoid explicit violence and blood-shed, as some of the chapters are very hard (even for somebody who does not have an issue with it. Knowing that this is based on real events makes it more poignant). The writing is excellent throughout, descriptive enough without going into excessive detail, and it manages to turn readers into privileged witnesses of the action, down to the protagonists’ thoughts. I am no historian, so I cannot comment in detail on the accuracy of the language and/or events described, but the dialogue and the characters jump off the page, and at times one feels like grabbing the characters, shaking them, and giving them all a piece of your mind. Remember you can always check a sample of the book to see if the style of writing suits your taste. As my copy was a very early ARC, I have decided not to share any quotes from it, but I highlighted plenty of passages, and some have left a long-lasting impression.
I recommend this book to anybody interested in New Mexico’s story or historical fiction with a difference. I think there is much here that will interest writers who work in the same genre, as well as any reader looking for a gripping novel set within a changeable, dangerous, and exciting historical period.
March 19, 2022
Che Guevara would slap your face! This thought springs to mind whenever I see a spotty-faced, Birkenstock-wearing teenager sporting a t-shirt emblazoned with a stylized image of the Cuban revolutionary. Its easy to forget that revolutions are not pretty. They are man’s base nature laid bare. They are not heroic struggles of good versus evil; they are, in fact. ideological contests that invariably denigrate into bloody slugfests. They are fantastic films when set amid the backdrop of interstellar empires and mysterious powers, but they are not as clear cut as fantasy tries to make them. However, revolutions are an integral part of society.
In There Will Be Consequences: A Biographical Novel of Old New Mexico, Loretta Miles Tollefson presents a tale of intrigue and social upheaval. Inspired by actual events, Tollefson’s narrative embraces over a dozen central characters. While each of these individuals is a real historical figure, their thoughts and actions are dramatized. This is often dangerous territory with historical events, but the author is careful not to allow artistic license to corrupt the historical narrative. She is presenting a true story with enough creative staging to make it interesting. This is talent.
In August of 1837, discontent over increased taxes gave way to a civil insurrection which spread like a wildfire throughout northern New Mexico. Within a few weeks, the territorial governor was dead, and the rebels had managed to seize power in the region. Their hold on the territory was tenuous and in the ensuing government counterattack, thousands were killed or imprisoned. The narrative contains twelve chapters, each written in the first-person voice of a different character. All sides of the story are told, each with his or her own perspectives. The author does not ascribe heroic motives to her protagonists, nor does she try to make the antagonists come off as intrinsically evil.
With each chapter, the reader learns a bit more about the events as they unfold. While much would be lost when consigned to the medium of film or television, the narrative would make a fascinating mini-series. There Will Be Consequences gives the reader a detailed and dramatic interpretation of actual events. Artistic license is expected in such works of the genre but is done merely for the purpose of telling an entertaining tale. Its easy to relate to the characters, while at the same time being taken aback by their actions. The intractable positions of those representing both sides of the political questions surrounding the rebellion are laid bare in their individual narratives. This is human nature, and when there is no more common ground to be found bloodshed is inevitable. That is lament, but it is also indisputable truth.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
In There Will Be Consequences: A Biographical Novel of Old New Mexico, Loretta Miles Tollefson presents a tale of intrigue and social upheaval. Inspired by actual events, Tollefson’s narrative embraces over a dozen central characters. While each of these individuals is a real historical figure, their thoughts and actions are dramatized. This is often dangerous territory with historical events, but the author is careful not to allow artistic license to corrupt the historical narrative. She is presenting a true story with enough creative staging to make it interesting. This is talent.
In August of 1837, discontent over increased taxes gave way to a civil insurrection which spread like a wildfire throughout northern New Mexico. Within a few weeks, the territorial governor was dead, and the rebels had managed to seize power in the region. Their hold on the territory was tenuous and in the ensuing government counterattack, thousands were killed or imprisoned. The narrative contains twelve chapters, each written in the first-person voice of a different character. All sides of the story are told, each with his or her own perspectives. The author does not ascribe heroic motives to her protagonists, nor does she try to make the antagonists come off as intrinsically evil.
With each chapter, the reader learns a bit more about the events as they unfold. While much would be lost when consigned to the medium of film or television, the narrative would make a fascinating mini-series. There Will Be Consequences gives the reader a detailed and dramatic interpretation of actual events. Artistic license is expected in such works of the genre but is done merely for the purpose of telling an entertaining tale. Its easy to relate to the characters, while at the same time being taken aback by their actions. The intractable positions of those representing both sides of the political questions surrounding the rebellion are laid bare in their individual narratives. This is human nature, and when there is no more common ground to be found bloodshed is inevitable. That is lament, but it is also indisputable truth.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 10, 2024
I received a complimentary copy of the ARC of this novel from BookSirens, author Loretta Miles Tollefson, and publisher Palo Felchado Press. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am pleased to recommend this novel to friends and family.
As a native New Mexican, I can tell you that the history of New Mexico as taught in the school systems of New Mexico in the 1950s and 1960s covered NONE of the shenanigans in the capital of Santa Fe and the Counties of Chaves, Otero, and Dona Ana. What was revealed to us students as truth contained only bright, positive highlights of that history. It took following a job out of state in the 1970s to expose me to a more unbiased and accurate telling of the political battles in our history. 50 years of absorbing less slanted New Mexico tales has exposed to me the truth. much as it is printed in this novel, There Will be Consequences. The political abuse, the racial injustices, and the abject poverty portrayed in this novel are really how it was.
Don't get me wrong, I love New Mexico and moved back as soon as I could retire. Yes, water is limited, and jobs are scarce. But it is a haven for campers and hikers, with 1/3 of the land mass consisting of federally held parks and public lands. There are state parks and recreation areas all over. Chaco Canyon is home of the oldest solar and lunar viewing site in the nation. It has the most diverse landscape of any state in the nation. We now have a stable state government.
That said, how it was made for a very good tale.
Reviewed on July 22, 2022, at Goodreads, BookSirens, AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, BookBub, and Kobo.
As a native New Mexican, I can tell you that the history of New Mexico as taught in the school systems of New Mexico in the 1950s and 1960s covered NONE of the shenanigans in the capital of Santa Fe and the Counties of Chaves, Otero, and Dona Ana. What was revealed to us students as truth contained only bright, positive highlights of that history. It took following a job out of state in the 1970s to expose me to a more unbiased and accurate telling of the political battles in our history. 50 years of absorbing less slanted New Mexico tales has exposed to me the truth. much as it is printed in this novel, There Will be Consequences. The political abuse, the racial injustices, and the abject poverty portrayed in this novel are really how it was.
Don't get me wrong, I love New Mexico and moved back as soon as I could retire. Yes, water is limited, and jobs are scarce. But it is a haven for campers and hikers, with 1/3 of the land mass consisting of federally held parks and public lands. There are state parks and recreation areas all over. Chaco Canyon is home of the oldest solar and lunar viewing site in the nation. It has the most diverse landscape of any state in the nation. We now have a stable state government.
That said, how it was made for a very good tale.
Reviewed on July 22, 2022, at Goodreads, BookSirens, AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, BookBub, and Kobo.
April 12, 2022
I found this interesting but as a story-telling exercise it didn't really work for me. Full review to appear on my blog next month.
April 4, 2022
The rebellion would last 5 months. There Will Be Consequences is a novel of this rebellion, told as a chronological narrative of the events from twelve different points of view, each of an historical person caught up in those events. Some, like Pérez, are upholding the federal government’s laws; some are active rebels; some are people caught in the middle. These changing viewpoints, coupled with the third-person-present voice, give the book a cinematic feel, the story unfolding for us as if from a film-maker's lens.
Tollefson makes the many facets of the rebellion clear through the voices and thoughts of her characters. Not just a rebellion against a sales tax seen as unfair, or the centralization of political power in distant Mexico City, divisions of class and race also contributed to the unrest and violence. Power and political preferment was given to men of Spanish ancestry; they too held most of the best farmland. The indigenous population had been in some cases enslaved, their land taken from them, and those of mixed ancestry navigated the space between, their success often related to the lightness of their skin.
These attitudes are woven into the story, presented through the eyes of the changing main characters, but this is not a polemic. Tollefson has done extensive research while acknowledging that written histories are not free of bias; her interpretations of the facts are not always theirs. By giving voice to this wide range of historical characters, expressing their motivations, pride, fear, doubts, the author has created an immersive fictionalized history of a period I knew next to nothing about.
My only real niggle with the book is a sameness of voice among many of the characters. But, coupled with brief but evocative descriptions of the New Mexican landscape, the judicious use of Spanish words and geographical names, and glimpses into the mundane as well as significant events of characters’ lives, Tollesfon shows us both how a little-known rebellion of the early 19th century unfolded, and gives us food for thought about how simmering resentments against a distant central government can flare into revolt. Recommended.
Originally Reviewed for Discovering Diamonds
Tollefson makes the many facets of the rebellion clear through the voices and thoughts of her characters. Not just a rebellion against a sales tax seen as unfair, or the centralization of political power in distant Mexico City, divisions of class and race also contributed to the unrest and violence. Power and political preferment was given to men of Spanish ancestry; they too held most of the best farmland. The indigenous population had been in some cases enslaved, their land taken from them, and those of mixed ancestry navigated the space between, their success often related to the lightness of their skin.
These attitudes are woven into the story, presented through the eyes of the changing main characters, but this is not a polemic. Tollefson has done extensive research while acknowledging that written histories are not free of bias; her interpretations of the facts are not always theirs. By giving voice to this wide range of historical characters, expressing their motivations, pride, fear, doubts, the author has created an immersive fictionalized history of a period I knew next to nothing about.
My only real niggle with the book is a sameness of voice among many of the characters. But, coupled with brief but evocative descriptions of the New Mexican landscape, the judicious use of Spanish words and geographical names, and glimpses into the mundane as well as significant events of characters’ lives, Tollesfon shows us both how a little-known rebellion of the early 19th century unfolded, and gives us food for thought about how simmering resentments against a distant central government can flare into revolt. Recommended.
Originally Reviewed for Discovering Diamonds
October 3, 2022
Loretta Miles Tollefson’s There Will Be Consequences: A Biographical Novel of Old New Mexico tells the story of a very tumultuous time in New Mexico history. New Mexico, the distant and neglected area on the wild edge of the Spanish New World, had long been left to its own devices. The Spanish, busy with European wars and other colonies, had provided little, and expected little in return. New Mexicans had expected the same kind of negligence from the Mexican government when it revolted against Spain and established its own government. However, by 1837, Mexico had decided to exert more control over New Mexico, appointing governors from beyond its territory and demanding taxes that had long been waived. The northern half of the territory responded with a rebellion that left the Governor and key members of his administration dead, and a local man with indigenous ancestry and a set of local alcaldes set up in their place. In this well researched novelization of the events, Tollefson tells the story of this rebellion through the eyes of twelve of its participants and witnesses. Anyone who’s read anything of the period will recognize names such as Albino Pérez, José Angel Gonzales, Gertrudes "Doña Tules" Barceló, Father Antonio José Martinez, and Manuel Armijo. But Tollefson isn’t just reciting names and events. Her narrative makes the people in it come alive.
March 3, 2022
This was rich with history and I appreciate the manner in which the author treated the story. She is very careful to remind us it is fiction, but fiction based on a true story. There was a nice even flow in spite of the separate viewpoints. I grew up in the area and truly enjoyed the visualizations and the dialog. I also appreciated the use of the more original language.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 15, 2022
I really didn’t like this book. I think it was the way the story was arranged, told by 12 different perspectives rather than sequentially.
The writing was good, and having lived in Albuquerque for three years, I was familiar with the territory of the story. That being said, there were just too many names, too much territory, and not enough story for me.
Great subject, and I think a more straightforward telling could have produced a wonderful tale.
Recommended
The writing was good, and having lived in Albuquerque for three years, I was familiar with the territory of the story. That being said, there were just too many names, too much territory, and not enough story for me.
Great subject, and I think a more straightforward telling could have produced a wonderful tale.
Recommended
December 27, 2022
Although I am familiar with Colorado’s history for this period, this book shows that there was a lot more going on on the western frontier than just cowboys and Indians, wagon trains and mining. This is not a tale of high adventure, but one of the backbone of this country just trying to survive, and it is filled with events that most will find astounding.
Read my full review on my blog, "Writing to be Read": https://writingtoberead.com/2022/06/0...
Read my full review on my blog, "Writing to be Read": https://writingtoberead.com/2022/06/0...
February 20, 2022
this was a wonderful historical novel, I enjoyed the main story and getting to know the characters. It was a great biographical novel.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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