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Fox #3
Dragon & Hawk
Immigrant Evan Jones is desperate to escape copper mining in the Arizona Territory and go home to Wales by any means. Adventurous and daring, Evan makes risky but lucky choices that earn him a fortune - and the hatred of a ruthless outlaw.
From the copper mines of Bisbee and the gambling halls of Silver City, the isolated romantic beauty of Sabino Canyon and the riotous streets of Tombstone, the danger of mining life stalks Evan and his family as surely as the vicious convict bent on exacting revenge.
From the copper mines of Bisbee and the gambling halls of Silver City, the isolated romantic beauty of Sabino Canyon and the riotous streets of Tombstone, the danger of mining life stalks Evan and his family as surely as the vicious convict bent on exacting revenge.
394 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2004
2 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Jude Johnson
19 books10 followersJude Johnson is the granddaughter of a curandera and considers herself “native by proxy” to Arizona. She speaks moderately effective Bad Border Spanish and knows just enough Welsh to yell unique words while driving through construction zones.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 17, 2017
Frontier times in southern Arizona were unpredictable and often savage, especially for Welch immigrants eking out a scarce living working the copper mines. For Mexicans and Apaches, things were equally unsettled as the cultures clashed in wild and wooly towns such as Tombstone and Tucson. The lives of Evan, a Welch miner, and Reyna, a Mexican curendera and Beloved Woman of the Apache, weave together in this intense story of love, misunderstanding, survival, loss, and family set in the boisterous towns, stark deserts and isolated beauty of canyon country. The characters captivate while they frustrate readers with their stubbornness and presumptions. Their tenuous love reaches across chasms while they confront unspeakable cruelties and harsh landscapes, with many setbacks. At times overly descriptive of brutality, the story offers both hope and despair as two unique people try to bridge disparate perspectives.
March 20, 2012
The first book I reviewed was Shadow Fox by Ashley Barnard. In fact it was Ashley who inspired me to create my review blog (DarkissReads.com) in the first place. While talking to Ashley I saw how hard it was for new authors to get their works noticed. For those lucky few writers that have landed themselves a publishing deal the trial don’t stop. Few publishers have the resources or the will to spend money on new unknown writers and they are left to do their own marketing. Not an easy task when competing against the big names that we are all familiar with in our bookstores. So I created DarkissReads.com to help good new writers get a voice in a industry where money shouts the loudest
I have followed the Shadow Fox series from the start and now we come to its close. Night of the Fox is the final instalment in the trilogy that has seen us follow the exploits of Jared Dunefaellan as he slowly falls to the madness that plagues his family. In the final book we see if Jared manages to avoid the fate that seems laid out before him and which of the two prophecies will be fulfilled. Accompanying him on his journey and sharing his tribulations are Tarika and Nathaniel, both of who are often the victims of Jared’s bouts of insanity. Their love triangle becomes more and more entangled and complicated as politics, war and Jared’s curse drive wedges between their relationships.
As with the previous two instalments the writing is excellent and the narrative carries you on by the seat of your pants. Ashley has blossomed as a writer and this shows in her style and skill in developing the emotional relationship that abound throughout this tale. Her talent in making you care for a character even when they is far from anyone’s idea of heroic or good is well defined in her portrayal of Jared. It is a rare thing to come across a character that you can often dislike and yet care so deeply about. It is the creation of these two emotional opposites bound up in one person that shows the elegance with which Ashley can manipulate your senses. Night of the Fox will drag you to the extremes of your emotional spectrum leaving you feeling like you have just been hit by a truck.
Once again some of the subject matters dealt with within this book will not be to everyone’s taste. Ashley’s writing is gritty and uncompromising, dealing frankly with subjects like rape, child abuse and sexual humiliation. No punches are pulled throughout the whole Shadow fox series and this continues right up to the end. Few fantasy/paranormal writes offer such dark insights to the human soul. There are no monsters to blame the evil on, just the human soul and the depths to which it can sink. This is not a book for adolescence reader with a craving for the cartoon darkness of books like Twilight. This book is for adults who don’t mind being shocked and don’t want their fantasy realms sanitised into some bland, tasteless, unrealistic nightmare. The sad thing is, it is this uncompromising style that may prevent the Shadow Fox series reaching the mass market. Most books within this genre that make the bestsellers list are those that tone down the darkness. That being said the first in the series did get awarded Champaign Book of the Year. So well done Champaign for supporting a book that pushes the boundaries of the genre.
I give this book a 5 star rating (4.5 star in original review but no half stars here) and look forward to Ashley’s next project which I hope won’t be too long coming.
I have followed the Shadow Fox series from the start and now we come to its close. Night of the Fox is the final instalment in the trilogy that has seen us follow the exploits of Jared Dunefaellan as he slowly falls to the madness that plagues his family. In the final book we see if Jared manages to avoid the fate that seems laid out before him and which of the two prophecies will be fulfilled. Accompanying him on his journey and sharing his tribulations are Tarika and Nathaniel, both of who are often the victims of Jared’s bouts of insanity. Their love triangle becomes more and more entangled and complicated as politics, war and Jared’s curse drive wedges between their relationships.
As with the previous two instalments the writing is excellent and the narrative carries you on by the seat of your pants. Ashley has blossomed as a writer and this shows in her style and skill in developing the emotional relationship that abound throughout this tale. Her talent in making you care for a character even when they is far from anyone’s idea of heroic or good is well defined in her portrayal of Jared. It is a rare thing to come across a character that you can often dislike and yet care so deeply about. It is the creation of these two emotional opposites bound up in one person that shows the elegance with which Ashley can manipulate your senses. Night of the Fox will drag you to the extremes of your emotional spectrum leaving you feeling like you have just been hit by a truck.
Once again some of the subject matters dealt with within this book will not be to everyone’s taste. Ashley’s writing is gritty and uncompromising, dealing frankly with subjects like rape, child abuse and sexual humiliation. No punches are pulled throughout the whole Shadow fox series and this continues right up to the end. Few fantasy/paranormal writes offer such dark insights to the human soul. There are no monsters to blame the evil on, just the human soul and the depths to which it can sink. This is not a book for adolescence reader with a craving for the cartoon darkness of books like Twilight. This book is for adults who don’t mind being shocked and don’t want their fantasy realms sanitised into some bland, tasteless, unrealistic nightmare. The sad thing is, it is this uncompromising style that may prevent the Shadow Fox series reaching the mass market. Most books within this genre that make the bestsellers list are those that tone down the darkness. That being said the first in the series did get awarded Champaign Book of the Year. So well done Champaign for supporting a book that pushes the boundaries of the genre.
I give this book a 5 star rating (4.5 star in original review but no half stars here) and look forward to Ashley’s next project which I hope won’t be too long coming.
August 20, 2017
I remember reading this book when it first came out under a different title. It was good. It showed it was the freshman work of an author but it was good. But in this updated version Jude Johnson has done what Nora Roberts should have done. She took her previously published work and made it better. She added and subtracted but what she is left with is a better version of an already solid story. I felt more connected to the brothers and shared in their adventures and losses. And Reyna. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed her story. I am so glad to have this opportunity to reread a book but have it read as a whole new novel. And that magic of Jude Johnson’s writing shines through.
March 8, 2012
This is the final book of the trilogy and it was a fantastic read!!! It's the darkest of the three books by far and is peppered heavily with issues of child abuse, rape and strong sexual encounters. The characters I fell in love with from the previous books continue in this one with surprising twists and turns. I felt highly satisfied with how the trilogy ended and yet there's room to expand upon the world created. Perhaps we'll see more from Wiekken yet!
January 2, 2012
Originally posted at: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...
Demons, wars and relationship tangles form the basis of this book. Set in an age when wars are fought with swords from horseback, two countries try to overcome each other in battle. Love tangles unravel then become entangled again.
Jared fights for the Wiekkenians against their enemy - the Danarsic army. There are many women in his life but the one he loves is Tarika the King's illegitimate daughter. She loves Jared but also loves Nathaniel who returns her love. Other women appear in Jared's life but every day he has to fight the demon within.
He leads his army through thick and thin, always aware of his demon and afraid it is becoming stronger. The story is filled with intrigue, treason and betrayal, both in love and in the war.
Temptation appears in many forms for Jared. He is enamored of Seline, leader of the Danarsic army. Tarika holds his affection but this does not stop him taking other women to his bed.
In the Prologue, Jared suggests it would be best to read the previous books before starting this one. This option was not open to me but I assumed it would be like previous series I'd read - confusing at first but becoming clear the further I got into the book.
At first this appeared to be the case, but parts of the background of the characters were still a mystery by the time I reached the end of the book. This spoilt my enjoyment as I had no idea of the reasons for some references. For example no explanation was given for why Jared kept mentioning London and Earth when the inference was he'd been born and brought up on this planet.
Night of the Fox is not a light read. It has depth not usually found in romances. Although I found parts of the book confusing, I did enjoy reading it. The depth of the characters in this part of their lives was well written, making me feel their pain, their love and their reactions to others around them. On the whole a good story but you definitely need to read the previous two books before you embark on this one.
Demons, wars and relationship tangles form the basis of this book. Set in an age when wars are fought with swords from horseback, two countries try to overcome each other in battle. Love tangles unravel then become entangled again.
Jared fights for the Wiekkenians against their enemy - the Danarsic army. There are many women in his life but the one he loves is Tarika the King's illegitimate daughter. She loves Jared but also loves Nathaniel who returns her love. Other women appear in Jared's life but every day he has to fight the demon within.
He leads his army through thick and thin, always aware of his demon and afraid it is becoming stronger. The story is filled with intrigue, treason and betrayal, both in love and in the war.
Temptation appears in many forms for Jared. He is enamored of Seline, leader of the Danarsic army. Tarika holds his affection but this does not stop him taking other women to his bed.
In the Prologue, Jared suggests it would be best to read the previous books before starting this one. This option was not open to me but I assumed it would be like previous series I'd read - confusing at first but becoming clear the further I got into the book.
At first this appeared to be the case, but parts of the background of the characters were still a mystery by the time I reached the end of the book. This spoilt my enjoyment as I had no idea of the reasons for some references. For example no explanation was given for why Jared kept mentioning London and Earth when the inference was he'd been born and brought up on this planet.
Night of the Fox is not a light read. It has depth not usually found in romances. Although I found parts of the book confusing, I did enjoy reading it. The depth of the characters in this part of their lives was well written, making me feel their pain, their love and their reactions to others around them. On the whole a good story but you definitely need to read the previous two books before you embark on this one.
May 1, 2011
The history in this novel is all true and very interesting, but it's the dynamic characters and their life and death struggles that make it a fascinating and compelling read. The author transports you back to the early days in Southern Arizona where the people were as wild and unpredictable as the desert they lived in. Welsh immigrants who capture your heart, make you laugh, and bring tears to your eyes come to life on the pages of this book as the author reveals their loves, losses, hopes and dreams.
I highly recommend this book.
I highly recommend this book.
October 1, 2013
Night Of The Fox is the final in the Fox trilogy, and tidies up all the loose ends that had everyone hanging in the previous two books. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this dark fantasy, where Ashley Barnard delves into the deep, dark places of the human spirit. Others have said it was disturbing, even the author herself has stated this. However, in my opinion, it kept to the theme of the lead character's dark persona as he teeters ever-close to the genetic insanity that he's been born with. So his actions, while shocking, to me, were somewhat expected. Regardless, I could not put the book down, even prolonging reading it as I neared the end. Thanks Ashley Barnard for an immensely enjoyable read (times three!)...and if you ever decide to write a follow up, I'm first in line to read it!
Merged review:
This was a sweeping epic tale, following the lives of three Welsh brothers living in the tough Arizona town, the famous Tombstone. Set against the tapestry of the Old West, these three brothers start their lives as copper miners. Through disaster and downfalls, their lives turn around, only to come crashing down again. This was a meaty story, filled with incredible characters, flowing with intriguing Welsh words and expressions, and a tale that read like a long life story. I simply could not put not as I got more and more invested in all their lives and story. Completely addictive tale, and I really look forward to reading Book 2 in the series.
Merged review:
This was a sweeping epic tale, following the lives of three Welsh brothers living in the tough Arizona town, the famous Tombstone. Set against the tapestry of the Old West, these three brothers start their lives as copper miners. Through disaster and downfalls, their lives turn around, only to come crashing down again. This was a meaty story, filled with incredible characters, flowing with intriguing Welsh words and expressions, and a tale that read like a long life story. I simply could not put not as I got more and more invested in all their lives and story. Completely addictive tale, and I really look forward to reading Book 2 in the series.
September 6, 2011
A wonderful departure from westerns, this is much more of an adventure and a love story. The research done here was impeccable; one truly feels present in the Arizona Territory in the 19th-century. Three Welsh brothers start out as miners, then become would-be robbers, heroes, card sharks and theater proprietors. And when one brother falls in love with a native healer known as the Senora, a tender romance ensues, but not without chaotic misunderstandings that fuel separations followed by delicious reunions. Particularly endearing is a love scene in English, Spanish and Welsh, to a symphony of winged imagery. For the Senora's totem is the Hawk, and Evan, her Welsh lover, is the Dragon. The devotion and loyalty between brothers is heart-wrenching, as is the damage done when Evan's enemy pursues him and tries to destroy everything he loves. For the start of what may turn into a 5-book series, Dragon and Hawk has plenty of closure to satisfy any reader, while at the same time leaving them panting for more. Well done!
March 8, 2010
This book is the first in the series by Jude Johnson and introduces compelling characters and plots enhanced by the historical facts woven into the story. It made me want to read the second book in the series, so
I did.
I did.
February 8, 2013
Excellent historical novel with a modicum of fantasy/paranormal twist.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews