Rating: 
Summary: A Confederate soldier in Ireland
Review:
Take another stereotypical Confederate gentleman soldier, honorable to the point of ridiculousness, his black valet who is treated with respect and affection and you have just one more bit of unbelievable historical adventure. Higgins takes this hoary old convention and moves it to Ireland where our hero finds himself taking the side of the Irish versus their English oppressors. From the predictable culture clashes to the even more hilarious "masked rider" bit, (Zorro, anyone, or perhaps Dr. Syn, The Scarecrow) this book moves briskly from one cliché to another. Higgins has written some fine thrillers, but this is almost their exact opposite.
Rating: 
Summary: Early Higgins' Book shows author's developing talent
Review: Between 1963 and 1964, Harry Patterson, aka Jack Higgins wrote 8 books. This was one of the authors most prolific periods of writing, as well as one of his most interesting. He wrote crime novels, a western (Thunder at Noon), a romance (A Phoenix in the Blood), World War II novels (Seven Pillars to Hell, later published as Sheba) and Pay the Devil, a book which is set in 1865 and follows the exploits of Confederate Colonel Clay Fitzegerald. The Colonel has just ended on the losing side of the Civil War and returns to Ireland for peace and quite. He instead gets caught up in the 'troubles.' Like most of Higgins' early novels, this book is an entertaining, fast-paced story full of one-dimensional characters. If you want a fun and quick read for the holidays, this book is it. Although, if you want better Higgins' try Valhalla Exchange, Touch The Devil, A Prayer for the Dying, Thunderpoint or The Eagle has Landed.
Rating: 
Summary: Rather formulaic and silly.
Review: Clay Fitzgerald, a survivor of the US Civil War returns to Ireland to find peace. Instead, he gets embroiled in the feud between the stereotypical English lord and the noble Irish peasentry. Clay is not only a CSA cavalry combat veteran but a trained surgeon. He's the type of hero who can't be kept down by mere beatings or gunshot wounds. He takes a licking and keeps on ticking. It also doesn't help that all the book's action is compressed into a few days. All Clay seems to do is fly about the countryside on the back of his faithful steed from one confrontation to another. One of the other reviews mentioned that this story was originally written in 1963. In fact, after getting halfway through the book I checked the copyright date because the story gave me the impression of being written by a rather green author. However, the copyright on my book only shows 1999. Perhaps it's one of Higgen's earlier stories that sat in a drawer for 30 years. In any event, I don't think the book measures up to some of the author's other works. Unless all you want is a time filler I'd suggest a pass on this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Colonel Clay goes to Ireland
Review: Clay thought that he was going to have peace and just enjoy that money he had just inheritied...he was wrong. Clay is drawn into a conspricy of arrogant Irish landlords and hard working (and hard headed) Irish rebles named the Rogians.
As the book heats up, Clay takes sides and goes dashing around the country in the gise of "Captain Swing"(he looks like The Shadow).
I recommend this to anyone who loves a good book.
Rating:
Summary: Colonel Clay goes to Ireland
Review: Clay thought that he was going to have peace and just enjoy that money he had just inheritied...he was wrong. Clay is drawn into a conspricy of arrogant Irish landlords and hard working (and hard headed) Irish rebles named the Rogians.
As the book heats up, Clay takes sides and goes dashing around the country in the gise of "Captain Swing"(he looks like The Shadow).
I recommend this to anyone who loves a good book.
Rating:
Summary: Higgins goes Irish with a COnfederate twist.
Review: Higgins is not the kind of guy one reads for deep thought. This was fun romp through the 19th century. So what if it is 40 years old, it's still fun to read!
Rating:
Summary: every book is a monster of a hit and this is no exception!!!
Review: Higgins' storytelling shines here throughout this top-notch story of intrigue. Wonderful characters, great locales, and a huge way to end this this great first rate superthriller! A rare accord. I will not stop reading Higgins until he finally retires. A truly master storyteller. Every book is a monster hit and this is his best! Caution: Do not read this one and put it down, You probably will not anyway! This reader is a higgins fan. UNDOWNPUTABLE! that is the one word or phrase I simply have to say about every book Higgins has written.
Rating:
Summary: every book is a monster of a hit and this is no exception!!!
Review: Higgins' storytelling shines here throughout this top-notch story of intrigue. Wonderful characters, great locales, and a huge way to end this this great first rate superthriller! A rare accord. I will not stop reading Higgins until he finally retires. A truly master storyteller. Every book is a monster hit and this is his best! Caution: Do not read this one and put it down, You probably will not anyway! This reader is a higgins fan. UNDOWNPUTABLE! that is the one word or phrase I simply have to say about every book Higgins has written.
Rating:
Summary: Predictable
Review: I agree with several of the reviewers that said that you could easily predict this plot. The only thing that saved this book is the underlying theme of the mistreatment of the Irish by the British during the 1860's. The character of Joanna is a mystery as to why she helps Clay even before she knows him. Why she hates what her uncle does but still supports him is another mystery. How she shows up in the neck of time at the beginning of the book to save Clay a couple of times and then becomes a hinderance to him the rest of the book is grating. The romance between them is very awkwardly written. Clay is very reckless am seems to have Indiana Jones's luck for getting out of tight spots. He becomes the legendary Captain Swing and it takes quite awhile for anyone to figure out that Captain Swing is him (really?). Even though he has the best horse around, nobody can figure out it is him from his horse. That is like accepting that no one can see that Clark Kent is Superman. Clay has a servant named Joshua. We are not sure if Joshua was a slave or what and why he stays with Clay. Some of the dialog exchanges are very stereotypical and annoying. It seems like the author saw The Scarecrow of Rumney Marsh, Batman, Zorro, Indiana Jones, and the Green Hornet and then tried to combine all the plots and make a book. This is my introduction to Higgins and I understand that some of his other titles are more superior. I do not know what he was thinking when he wrote this one though.
Rating:
Summary: disappointing
Review: I could not believe Jack Higgins actually wrote this insipid book. I kept looking at the cover to verify the author. I am glad to find out this was first written in 1963 therefore should not be an indication of author's current abilities. The plot was shallow. Boy meets girl..everything works out rosy. Seemed more like a cheesy romance novel. I have read numerous Jack Higgins works and loved them all.......until this one. Take my advice and skip it.
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