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Year of the Horse
A thrill-ride adventure novel capturing the adventure, mystery, legend, and lore of America
Year of the Horse is literary fantasy at its very best, a novel that delves into our myths, legends, hopes, and fears; a coming-of-age fable set in our fondly remembered (if often fictional) past, an adventure more than capable of setting your hair on end.
Year of the Horse tells the story of Yen Tzu-lu, a child of Chinese immigrants unwillingly pressed into service by a gang of roughnecks bent on stealing a gold mine from a shadowy villain deep in the western wilderness. With Tzu-lu as our guide, we experience a landscape of legend, stand toe-to-toe with those larger-than- life heroes and villains of our shared American mythos, and learn the inescapable facts that have both enriched and plagued our nation from its inception.
Resonating with echoes of Mark Twain, Larry McMurtry, and J. K. Rowling, this is a book of fabulous adventure and deep resonance. Allen gives readers a picture of how America sees itself, and in so doing he offers up both a heroic vision of the past and hope for the future.
Year of the Horse is literary fantasy at its very best, a novel that delves into our myths, legends, hopes, and fears; a coming-of-age fable set in our fondly remembered (if often fictional) past, an adventure more than capable of setting your hair on end.
Year of the Horse tells the story of Yen Tzu-lu, a child of Chinese immigrants unwillingly pressed into service by a gang of roughnecks bent on stealing a gold mine from a shadowy villain deep in the western wilderness. With Tzu-lu as our guide, we experience a landscape of legend, stand toe-to-toe with those larger-than- life heroes and villains of our shared American mythos, and learn the inescapable facts that have both enriched and plagued our nation from its inception.
Resonating with echoes of Mark Twain, Larry McMurtry, and J. K. Rowling, this is a book of fabulous adventure and deep resonance. Allen gives readers a picture of how America sees itself, and in so doing he offers up both a heroic vision of the past and hope for the future.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published October 15, 2009
About the author
Justin Allen
35 books2 followersJustin was born in Boise, Idaho in 1974. He graduated from Boise State University with a degree in philosophy, was named one of the school’s Top Ten Scholars, and invited to present the valedictory address at the commencement of the College of Arts and Sciences. Soon after, Justin moved to New York City, where he enrolled in Columbia University’s Writing Program, specializing in fiction and sincerely hoping to become the next Jack Kerouac. While at Columbia he wrote what he has later come to call his ‘Barbarian Story,’ and turned it in for judging by his workshop class. He expected to weather a fearsome barrage of scorn, and was happily surprised at how well they took it.
While working on that story, Justin was first introduced to Uruk, a prehistoric hunter from the jungles of sub-Saharan Africa, and the hero of his first novel, Slaves of the Shinar. It took him fully six more years, umpteen rough drafts, buckets of tears and torrents of blood, to finish the novel and get it placed with The Overlook Press. During that time he also met and married his true-love, Day Mitchell, traveled with her to Tahiti, New Zealand, Kenya, Belize, Nicaragua, and a myriad of other, equally wonderful locales, and began work on two new novels, The American and Tomorrowland, and a book of travel essays about the American National Parks.
Along with his writing, Justin also has a passion for classical ballet, taking class as often as six times a week, and performing occasionally with such companies as Dances Patrelle (for whom he has also worked as administrative director), and Eidolon Ballet in Concert. He first began dancing while a student at Boise State University, and first performed with Idaho Dance Theatre.
Justin is roughly six feet tall, weighs somewhere around 185 pounds (often more, to his chagrin), has dark-brown hair and eyes, and suffers from near-sightedness, motion-sickness, and a tendency to get angry at airport personnel. His wife, a licensed social worker, is trying to help him overcome this last item, but finds the going hard.
In 2001, Justin and Day adopted a houseplant and affectionately named her Phil. Worrying that Phil was growing up alone, last year they adopted again, and are proud to be the somewhat negligent parents of a second plant, Phil Jr. They live in New York City.
While working on that story, Justin was first introduced to Uruk, a prehistoric hunter from the jungles of sub-Saharan Africa, and the hero of his first novel, Slaves of the Shinar. It took him fully six more years, umpteen rough drafts, buckets of tears and torrents of blood, to finish the novel and get it placed with The Overlook Press. During that time he also met and married his true-love, Day Mitchell, traveled with her to Tahiti, New Zealand, Kenya, Belize, Nicaragua, and a myriad of other, equally wonderful locales, and began work on two new novels, The American and Tomorrowland, and a book of travel essays about the American National Parks.
Along with his writing, Justin also has a passion for classical ballet, taking class as often as six times a week, and performing occasionally with such companies as Dances Patrelle (for whom he has also worked as administrative director), and Eidolon Ballet in Concert. He first began dancing while a student at Boise State University, and first performed with Idaho Dance Theatre.
Justin is roughly six feet tall, weighs somewhere around 185 pounds (often more, to his chagrin), has dark-brown hair and eyes, and suffers from near-sightedness, motion-sickness, and a tendency to get angry at airport personnel. His wife, a licensed social worker, is trying to help him overcome this last item, but finds the going hard.
In 2001, Justin and Day adopted a houseplant and affectionately named her Phil. Worrying that Phil was growing up alone, last year they adopted again, and are proud to be the somewhat negligent parents of a second plant, Phil Jr. They live in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 22, 2012
I know this is going to sound weird but I was put off before I even reached chapter one by the authors "note and warning". I read it twice. Was he serious or kidding? I am still not sure but his "voice" outside the narrative of the book annoyed the crap out of me and for that I will not likely pick up another book by the author despite the fact that the story was pretty good.
I enjoyed the characters, their journey, the conflicts, the magic, lies, ghost-riders, and the devil, apparently. The plot was fun, the writing excellent, descriptions were amazing, and the story and the characters have touched me...all the makings of a good book, in my opinion.
However, when I reached the end and was yet again faced with more words by the author in the "acknowledgments" I was AGAIN put off by his overbearing and obnoxious tone despite his praise to American Women, as I happen to be one, I was still kinda insulted and annoyed. I can't make out if Mr. Allen is just a pompous ass, a jokester, or someone who lives and breathes all he chats about in the beginning AND end of his book?!
I enjoyed the characters, their journey, the conflicts, the magic, lies, ghost-riders, and the devil, apparently. The plot was fun, the writing excellent, descriptions were amazing, and the story and the characters have touched me...all the makings of a good book, in my opinion.
However, when I reached the end and was yet again faced with more words by the author in the "acknowledgments" I was AGAIN put off by his overbearing and obnoxious tone despite his praise to American Women, as I happen to be one, I was still kinda insulted and annoyed. I can't make out if Mr. Allen is just a pompous ass, a jokester, or someone who lives and breathes all he chats about in the beginning AND end of his book?!
March 7, 2010
Lu, the child of Chinese immigrants; Henry, first a slave then a Union soldier and now free; Chino, once just a Californian and now a Mexican with no homeland; and of course Jack Straw, also a former Union soldier and now a privateer of sorts; are all hired by John MacLemore, former Confederate loyalist, and his daughter Sadie to get their gold mine and homestead back from the man who murdered Sadie's mother. They travel across mountains, canyons, plains, and deserts. They also deal with Mormons (one of whom really wants to make Sadie one of his wives), dwindling supplies (Oregon Trail style), fatal weather, Confederate soldiers, many forms of racism, and, of course, actual demons.
That's right. This is a Western/fantasy, and as such, it's pretty unique.
I'll be honest, the first half, almost pure Western, was a bit slow for me. I liked getting to know the large cast of characters and found their trials pretty interesting, but I wasn't truly hooked until the fantasy set in. When it did, I felt the need to devour the second half of the book to find out what would happen to everyone. At the expense of my beauty sleep. The forgotten journal of a man no one remembers that is covered with Lu's grandfather's Chinese writing, ghost-riders that pretend to be shooting stars, were-coyotes in the middle of an unlivable desert. And none of that even begins to encompass what Lu, et al. are really up against. It's good stuff. I highly recommend this book for fantasy readers who are sick of paranormal romances taking up all of the magic in young adult lit right now and for adventure readings who might be willing to let the truth stretch a little. Neither group will regret the small step outside of their comfort zones.
Now on to the serious stuff. One of the greatest things about this book is the large cast of multicultural characters. We are also given main characters that hail from both sides of the recently ended Civil War, in addition to soldiers in saloons with differing loyalties. This book does NOT use the /fantasy part of its description to make all of these people live together harmoniously. From the author's note:
"Not all of the characters in this book are to be admired, however. History, as it turns out, is littered with men and women (and boys and girls!) possessed of vile, even shocking beliefs, language and manners. As your narrator I will admit having felt tempted to censor the more disturbing bits of racism from the nineteenth century folk that people these tales. But as fact is my watch-word, I have resisted that temptation."
p.7
And it's true, Allen doesn't remove the racism from the story. I don't think the n-word makes an appearance (not that Henry is called by his name by anyone outside the group), but Lu gets called a chink often (not within the group), or better yet, referred to as "Jack's chink." What Allen does, instead of removing the racism from the book, is take all of these characters beyond their stereotypes for the readers. Yes, Lu starts out as the explosion expert because, genetically, he must know how it's done, right? He is Chinese, after all. But then we also see Jack teaching Lu how to blow up a boulder early on in the trip. All of the other characters similarly move beyond their stereotypes: the rich Confederate and his wild-child daughter, the religious former slave and the nature-conscious Mexican, a variety of mystic and/or violent American Indians and the wife-hunting Mormons. It's all very Breakfast Club, except without the all-white cast.
Book source: Philly Free Library
That's right. This is a Western/fantasy, and as such, it's pretty unique.
I'll be honest, the first half, almost pure Western, was a bit slow for me. I liked getting to know the large cast of characters and found their trials pretty interesting, but I wasn't truly hooked until the fantasy set in. When it did, I felt the need to devour the second half of the book to find out what would happen to everyone. At the expense of my beauty sleep. The forgotten journal of a man no one remembers that is covered with Lu's grandfather's Chinese writing, ghost-riders that pretend to be shooting stars, were-coyotes in the middle of an unlivable desert. And none of that even begins to encompass what Lu, et al. are really up against. It's good stuff. I highly recommend this book for fantasy readers who are sick of paranormal romances taking up all of the magic in young adult lit right now and for adventure readings who might be willing to let the truth stretch a little. Neither group will regret the small step outside of their comfort zones.
Now on to the serious stuff. One of the greatest things about this book is the large cast of multicultural characters. We are also given main characters that hail from both sides of the recently ended Civil War, in addition to soldiers in saloons with differing loyalties. This book does NOT use the /fantasy part of its description to make all of these people live together harmoniously. From the author's note:
"Not all of the characters in this book are to be admired, however. History, as it turns out, is littered with men and women (and boys and girls!) possessed of vile, even shocking beliefs, language and manners. As your narrator I will admit having felt tempted to censor the more disturbing bits of racism from the nineteenth century folk that people these tales. But as fact is my watch-word, I have resisted that temptation."
p.7
And it's true, Allen doesn't remove the racism from the story. I don't think the n-word makes an appearance (not that Henry is called by his name by anyone outside the group), but Lu gets called a chink often (not within the group), or better yet, referred to as "Jack's chink." What Allen does, instead of removing the racism from the book, is take all of these characters beyond their stereotypes for the readers. Yes, Lu starts out as the explosion expert because, genetically, he must know how it's done, right? He is Chinese, after all. But then we also see Jack teaching Lu how to blow up a boulder early on in the trip. All of the other characters similarly move beyond their stereotypes: the rich Confederate and his wild-child daughter, the religious former slave and the nature-conscious Mexican, a variety of mystic and/or violent American Indians and the wife-hunting Mormons. It's all very Breakfast Club, except without the all-white cast.
Book source: Philly Free Library
March 10, 2010
Reviewed by Theresa L. Stowell for TeensReadToo.com
Justin Allen sends young Yen Tzu-lu, also known as Lu, on a Wild West adventure in this humorous twist on the old-fashioned western story.
Lu is the fourteen-year-old son of Chinese immigrants who lives with his intimidating mother and mysterious grandfather in the apartment above their general store. Lu's humdrum life undergoes a drastic change when larger-than-life hero Jack Straw comes to visit his grandfather.
Lu is surprised enough to find out that his grandfather knows Jack Straw, but when he is told that he is going on a journey with Straw, Lu is thrust into an adventure that surpasses anything he could imagine.
When Jack Straw shows up to take Lu away, Lu finds out he is to be the explosions expert on a quest to reclaim the treasure mine of John MacLemore and his daughter, Sadie. Considering the minor fact that Lu has never been taught to handle or set explosives, he begins to wonder if he has been brought along to just do the grunt work for the motley crew of adventurers, which includes an African-American named Henry, a Hispanic named Chino, Jack Straw, and the MacLemores.
Along the way, however, he learns a number of handy skills, like driving a wagon, cooking a camp meal, riding a horse, and shooting (two bullets a day). He also learns that the people he is traveling with are not exactly what they seem to be.
Allen includes a number of amusing allusions (some not so subtle) to classic writers such as Mark Twain, Washington Irving, and Larry McMurtry. Further, he adds a fantasy element that takes the novel beyond the reader's wildest expectations.
Justin Allen sends young Yen Tzu-lu, also known as Lu, on a Wild West adventure in this humorous twist on the old-fashioned western story.
Lu is the fourteen-year-old son of Chinese immigrants who lives with his intimidating mother and mysterious grandfather in the apartment above their general store. Lu's humdrum life undergoes a drastic change when larger-than-life hero Jack Straw comes to visit his grandfather.
Lu is surprised enough to find out that his grandfather knows Jack Straw, but when he is told that he is going on a journey with Straw, Lu is thrust into an adventure that surpasses anything he could imagine.
When Jack Straw shows up to take Lu away, Lu finds out he is to be the explosions expert on a quest to reclaim the treasure mine of John MacLemore and his daughter, Sadie. Considering the minor fact that Lu has never been taught to handle or set explosives, he begins to wonder if he has been brought along to just do the grunt work for the motley crew of adventurers, which includes an African-American named Henry, a Hispanic named Chino, Jack Straw, and the MacLemores.
Along the way, however, he learns a number of handy skills, like driving a wagon, cooking a camp meal, riding a horse, and shooting (two bullets a day). He also learns that the people he is traveling with are not exactly what they seem to be.
Allen includes a number of amusing allusions (some not so subtle) to classic writers such as Mark Twain, Washington Irving, and Larry McMurtry. Further, he adds a fantasy element that takes the novel beyond the reader's wildest expectations.
September 23, 2013
Before the book even starts, the author threatens to sue
whoever doesn't let EVERYONE read it.
Who does that?
" . . . will be sued to the fullest extent of the law. The firm of Lister, Gatliff, Patrelle, Irons and Murphy has already filed a dozen such suits, and is prepared to enter into literally hundreds more. The author considers this fair warning."
Well, take your book and shove it -- "where the sun don't shine".
MINUS five stars.
whoever doesn't let EVERYONE read it.
Who does that?
" . . . will be sued to the fullest extent of the law. The firm of Lister, Gatliff, Patrelle, Irons and Murphy has already filed a dozen such suits, and is prepared to enter into literally hundreds more. The author considers this fair warning."
Well, take your book and shove it -- "where the sun don't shine".
MINUS five stars.
July 21, 2010
I feel bad about not finishing this book, since stories about Chinese having adventures in the West are super rare to nonexistent. However, though the writing is competent and features nothing to complain about, I still cannot get emotionally evolved. If I didn't have a pile of other books to read, I might have continued it, but alas...
August 10, 2010
Very entertaining, and a wonderful homage to a varied collection of classic writers and their tales of Old Scratch.
August 17, 2010
Fun read!
August 24, 2022
The beginning was kind of a drag, but once the plot picked up, so did my interest. I wouldn't necessarily count the characters as anything special- they fit the story like a glove, but there wasn't really a lot going for any of them beyond it. I probably would've enjoyed this more had I read it when I was younger. The action at the end had me enthralled, but I spent most of it pretty ambivalent towards what was happening. Allen's writing style wasn't bad, if a little basic. I found the atmosphere of the story lacking.
There were some good ideas here, definitely, but the execution left me feeling mildly unsatisfied, despite the absolute banger of a sequence that is chapter 17-chapter 21.
I have yet to decide my opinions on the "period-typical" racism our main cast of characters experience throughout the story. It was there. Did it do anything? Meh.
One thing I thought was unnecessary was the smarmy author's note at the beginning. If I wanted to know Allen's opinions on The State of Literature, Access To Books or The Twenty-First Century Stance On Bigotry, I would look him up after I read his writing. I neither need nor want it prefaced beforehand, please and thank you.
There were some good ideas here, definitely, but the execution left me feeling mildly unsatisfied, despite the absolute banger of a sequence that is chapter 17-chapter 21.
I have yet to decide my opinions on the "period-typical" racism our main cast of characters experience throughout the story. It was there. Did it do anything? Meh.
One thing I thought was unnecessary was the smarmy author's note at the beginning. If I wanted to know Allen's opinions on The State of Literature, Access To Books or The Twenty-First Century Stance On Bigotry, I would look him up after I read his writing. I neither need nor want it prefaced beforehand, please and thank you.
June 2, 2019
Chinese boy hired to go West with a famous gunfighter. In doing so, grows up.
February 18, 2010
I now kind of know why I don't like Westerns. Too white, too slow, too macho.
The author did TRY to bring up some racial issues, though they were handled pretty vaguely, in the way that they're mentioned, but in the end it's "just the way life was". Motive and character growth were rather stunted and unclear for most of the book/characters - some things were forgiven too easily, the main character was too follow-the-leader, the mysterious/dramatic hero just ended up really annoying.
I did like some very very minor characters, like the guy with the lion and the tribe with the facially-disfigured girl. Everyone else just mattered so little to me I couldn't go on anymore after the more interesting characters left.
The author did TRY to bring up some racial issues, though they were handled pretty vaguely, in the way that they're mentioned, but in the end it's "just the way life was". Motive and character growth were rather stunted and unclear for most of the book/characters - some things were forgiven too easily, the main character was too follow-the-leader, the mysterious/dramatic hero just ended up really annoying.
I did like some very very minor characters, like the guy with the lion and the tribe with the facially-disfigured girl. Everyone else just mattered so little to me I couldn't go on anymore after the more interesting characters left.
gave-up
April 10, 2014Although there wasn't anything terrible in this book that prevented me from finishing it, there also wasn't anything to compel me to pick it back up. I didn't get far enough to feel like I can give the book an honest star rating. I simply lost interest.
February 27, 2011
Don't know that I've ever really read many western novels, but this one was great. Good characters and plot. Sorry when it ended.
April 9, 2011
Because of the genre of the book, we didn't think I'd like it, but I couldn't get past the reader.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews