The Diezmo - A Novel

Rick Bass

Sinopsis

This novel of young men seeking glory in the Republic of Texas is “a surprisingly absorbing rendition of a terrible episode in American history” (The Oregonian).

The Diezmo tells the incredible story of the Mier Expedition, one of the most absurd and tragic military adventures in the history of Texas—a country and a state, as Rick Bass writes, that was “born in blood.” In the early days of the Republic of Texas, two young men, wild for glory, impulsively volunteer for an expedition Sam Houston has ordered to patrol the Mexican border. But their dreams of triumph soon fade into prayers for survival, and all that is on their minds is getting home and having a cool drink of water.

After being captured in a raid on the Mexican village of Mier, escaping, and being recaptured, the men of the expedition are punished with the terrible diezmo, in which one man in ten is randomly chosen to die. The survivors end up in the most dreaded prison in Mexico. There they become pawns in an international chess game to decide the fate of Texas, and with their hopes of release all but extinguished, they make one desperate, last-ditch effort to escape.

“The best literary adventure story I've read since Legends of the Fall. Full of unusual history, exciting events, timely ideas, and stunning wilderness scenery . . . a wonderfully told novel of the human capacity for survival in the face of the very worst that war can do to us.” —Howard Frank Mosher, author of Points North

“A vivid, graphic, harrowing tale of wild men and bad blood, a fable universal and timeless in its application.” —Kent Haruf, author of Plainsong

“Terrific . . . powerful.” —Los Angeles Times

Disponible desde: 15/06/2006.

Longitud de impresión: 221 páginas.

Otros libros que te pueden interesar

This Little Piggy

Bea Davenport

The author of In Too Deep delivers a “gripping, devastating and utterly absorbing” thriller of a shocking murder and a community in turmoil (Emma Kavanagh, author of The Missing Hours).   It’s the summer of 1984 and there is a sense of unease on the troubled Sweetmeadows estate. The residents are in shock after the suspicious death of a baby and tension is growing due to the ongoing miners’ strike. Journalist Clare Jackson follows the story as police botch the inquiry and struggle to contain the escalating violence. Haunted by a personal trauma she can’t face up to, Clare is shadowed by nine-year-old Amy, a bright but neglected little girl who seems to know more about the incident than she’s letting on. As the days go on and the killer is not found, Clare ignores warnings not to get too close to her stories and in doing so, puts her own life in jeopardy.Praise for Bea Davenport’s In Too Deep “[A] moody, disquieting debut [that] focuses on an unlikely friendship between two women.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) “A tense and suspenseful debut.”—Margaret Murphy, author of Darkness Falls   “A taut and suspenseful psychological thriller which marks her as a writer to watch and an exciting new voice in crime fiction.”—But Books Are Better   “One of those compulsive reads that draws you in from the start . . . a clever story.”—Cleopatra Loves Books

Ver libro

The Search

Iris Johansen

With books like And Then You Die … and The Ugly Duckling, Iris Johansen has become a New York Times best-selling author and is hailed as one of today’s most popular suspense writers. The Search is a harrowing journey into the life of a search-and-rescue expert. Sarah Patrick and her golden retriever, Monty, are a dedicated team. They are sent into the most difficult disaster areas on the roughest rescue missions. Through her work, Sarah has perfected a careful balance of tough courage and gentle compassion. But when she discovers that she has been lured into a deadly conspiracy disguised as a search, she is furious. Who is behind it, and how many victims will there be? As Sarah is pulled deeper into the mission, she must draw on all her resources to protect her life and keep her emotions in check. The Search offers fascinating scenes from the highly-trained world of professional rescue teams. With Barbara Rosenblat’s narration, the danger and suspense surrounding Sarah build to a heart-stopping climax.

Ver libro

Mr Zero and the FBI Suicide Squad

Emile C. Tepperman

One for all, and all for one—even in death—was the fighting creed of the three wildest, gun-swinging law aces of the F.B.I.! 
For years there have been rumors around Washington that the F.B.I. has a Suicide Squad—a group of men who have no regular duties, but who wait for the one inevitable assignment from which there will be no return. 
People have wondered just what kind of men comprise this Suicide Squad—and why. 
Six months ago there had been five of them. Two months ago there were four. Now there were only three—Kerrigan and Murdoch and Klaw. 
Tepperman was one of the high-output pulp author of the 1930s, able to deliver readable, action-packed fiction stories like clockwork, securing his place in the hall of fame of pulp writers.

Ver libro

A Dead Man and Doggie Delights

Aleksa Baxter

"This book has everything that makes it a good cozy. Light romance, devoted dog person, curious protagonist, and a mystery."When Maggie May Carver moved to Baker Valley, Colorado she wanted two things: to open a dog barkery with her best friend, and to take care of her aging grandpa.But when her grandpa is accused of murder--a crime he may well have committed--Maggie finds herself in the role of amateur detective.With her faithful Newfie, Miss Fancypants, at her side, Maggie is determined to find the real killer and clear her grandpa's name.Assuming he isn't the real killer, that is.

Ver libro

Dead Drop

Stephen Leather

Dan “Spider” Shepherd shifted position slightly, trying to ease the pressure from the rocks beneath him and the ammo belt pressing into his chest. He lay prone, scanning the terrain through his sniperscope. 
After the Taliban unleash an attack on a military checkpoint, Spider Shepherd suspects foul play. He was too late to stop the attack, but he’s determined to find out how they knew where to strike. With the help of a local boy named Karim, he decides to investigate. But when Karim’s father is killed by the Taliban it’s up to Shepherd to help Karim exact his revenge.

Ver libro

Murders at the Winterbottom...

Gina Kirkham

It’s a quiet English village—except for one crazed murderer—in this delightful romp by the author of the Constable Mavis Upton series. Librarian Prunella Pearce has left heartbreak behind to start a new life in the village of Winterbottom, where there’s little social life to be had aside from the meetings of The Winterbottom Women’s Institute at the parish hall. But a bit of excitement ensues when the group is about to elect a new president—and the nominees for the position begin dropping like flies. One is found facedown in a lemon drizzle cake, stabbed with a crochet needle. Another nearly dies spectacularly in the revolving doors of a Harrogate hotel. When Pru and her friend Bree agree to do some undercover snooping to help the police, little do they know that one of the Winterbottom women is hiding a scandalous secret . . .

Ver libro