Matamoros

By James Kahn

2019

First Published

4.50

Average Rating

442

Number of Pages

13H30M

Audio Length

By 1862 the Union had blockaded all Confederate ports. Just across the Rio Grande from Brownsville, Texas, Matamoros was the only harbor where the South could ship its cotton to Europe, and smuggle in arms for the rebellion. So it was a haven for Yankee and Rebel spies and diplomats, gunrunners and cotton smugglers, runaway slaves, bandits, Texas Rangers, and rogues of every stripe. But Matamoros was also full of French Foreign Legionnaires—because that same year, Napoleon III had invaded Mexico, to install Archduke Maximilian of Austria as Emperor. Set against the backdrop of two wars, this is the story of Clay—an expatriate Southern gentleman running a gambling hall—and Allie, his ex-con artist partner, bringing her cotton train to market—in a star- crossed affair that may or may not survive their conflicted allegiances amidst the tides of battle. “An in-depth view of the machinations surrounding the Civil War battle for Texas.” ~ Kirkus Reviews Readers’ Favorite Reviews - “…a rollicking Civil War adventure with strong hints of romance…” “The prose is beautiful and highly descriptive, and readers will enjoy the social commentaries that punctuate the narrative.” “…an awesome read, fast-paced and filled with action.” “Kahn mixes his fictional characters with real historical figures, and ably presents an accurate picture of racial attitudes and tensions on the East Texas border and the low regard for human life during the savagery of the Civil War. But what makes this book particularly special is the author’s skilled development of Clayton, a character readers will like despite his many unsavory qualities.” Two maps and a lengthy cast of characters are presented at the book’s beginning. Readers might refer to the maps occasionally, but they won’t need the character list. Kahn makes each one memorable as his engrossing tale progresses, and readers will enjoy every bit of the journey.” ~ BlueInk Review

Avg Rating

4.50

Number of Ratings

5 STARS

58%

4 STARS

35%

3 STARS

2 STARS

1 STARS

goodreads

Author

James Kahn

Author · 10 books

James Kahn is an ER doctor, novelist, TV writer-producer, and singer-songwriter. In addition to many original novels (including the sci-fi trilogy World Enough and Time, Time’s Dark Laughter, and Timefall) he authored the novelizations of Return of the Jedi, Poltergeist, The Goonies and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. His television credits span the genres, from St. Elsewhere, to William Shatner’s TekWar, to Xena: Warrior Princess. He was a Supervising Producer on Star Trek: Voyager, Co-Executive Producer on Melrose Place, Emmy-nominated for his work on All My Children, medical advisor on Spielberg’s ET: The Extraterrestrial; and produced the feature film The Bet, which won Best Feature at the LA Femme Film Festival, 2013. He’s previously released four Americana music CDs, including Waterline, The 12th Elf, Man Walks Into A Bar, and The Meaning of Life. Matamoros is the first simultaneous novel and CD release, and his first foray into deeply researched historical fiction.