Alone by the Window (Legend of the Golden Feather)

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Summary: Another good book by Dave Brown
Review: First, my wife and son and his gay friends, and I love Alone by the Window. Dave Brown could have written it upside-down and backwards and we still would have loved it. The characters, dialog, the various situations and actions are always enjoyable and entertaining. To us it really doesn't matter what any of the characters are doing at the time. We marvel at, and discuss their interactions. Jake and Wiley's were especially well done. All six of us laughed when Lisa read about the chrome toaster. Plus, Dave Brown has a way of instantly putting the reader into the story; like we're all standing right there as it unfolds. We discuss how amazing that is. We highly recommend this book to anyone except--as Andrew yelled--"The prudes"! Lisa and I did blush during a couple scenes, but learned a lot from the expressions on my son's and his friends' faces. Being gay is not a choice.
Secondly, this is supposed to be a place for a book review, but we are all outraged by Gary Arbach's comments. Not only does he mercilessly rip Alone by the Window apart, twice, he had the unmitigated gall to insinuate what my family should or should not read. I have not witnessed that magnitude of arrogance for many years. Loud comments have bounced around this house about Arbach's tirades, but I will only state one that Andrew said. "Thanks, Mom and Dad, for not bringing me up to be like him."
We will be reviewing Dave Brown's other books. We are working to condense our comments without giving away the story lines. We laugh a lot doing it. Jake and Bill crack us up a lot.

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Summary: Alone by the Window , Review #2
Review: OK, John. I re-read Alone by the Window, trying my best to keep a positive outlook on the characters and story. Unfortunately, my conclusions didn't change much from my original review under Bristlecone Peak. I've read the first 3 books of the Golden Feather Series several times and they are a fresh, interesting read every time. But I glanced through them and I realized what Alone by the Window is lacking, and that is a fully developed plot that carries the characters and the reader along on an interesting journey. Where were all the plot elements that the first three books had, such as adversity, a personal motivating agenda of each character, the thread of evil verses good, like Billingsly and his men, moving through the story, and the fantasy of time travel? The way all of these were woven together into a classic drama was missing in this book. Each of the earlier books was a fresh, clever adventure which built on the characters and had our heroes overcoming daunting situations and really bad guys. The good ole Western cliff-hanger element of not knowing what would happen next was missing.

This book was just a series of predictable events, one after the other. Jim and Dave get into trouble, bang, in pops Jake and Wiley from the past. Jake gets shot, wham, he's transported back to the future to get patched up. They go to the Castille Ranch and Soaring Raven lumbers out of the kitchen with heaping plates of food. Wiley gets in a gun fight and blows the bad guy's hand off. Jake and Wiley get into an argument and Jake and/or Wiley sulks. It's a cut and paste job from past books with nothing new. It has all been done before. OK, it was interesting to see how 1994 looked through the eyes of Harry and Bill, but we already saw that when Jake first took the trip in time in The Protectors. Wow, a Mall! We haven't heard that before. Just substitute Bill's name for Jake. Was there nothing new to add to our heros' character development, other than finding out that Jake likes sex with other men? Big deal. He's a big boy now, he's traveled, and he's been a Pinkerton, kinda. He's not "many gay men," as you say, he's Jake Brady, Our Hero! I don't want him acting like "many gay men." He's one of a kind, he travels through time! Get my point? Jake can have common traits to help us identify with him, but he can't be a common person.

The addition of the black former US marshals was OK, but what purpose did they serve the story, other than just being there and showing us that racists existed in 1887 and no one at the orgy wanted to have sex with them? The best part, which was interesting and, I agree, well done, was the Ute Chief and the CD player. .

Just the fact that you and I are reviewing this book so closely should make Dave Brown proud. He has created 2 characters that we really care about.

I guess I'm just spoiled from the first 3 books. I know what you liked, John, and that was a series of cute little stories. "Olden times" 5 books later have turned into "Boring times" for me. A plot based on wondering if Jake and Wiley's relationship can survive a few arguments is pretty thin. I'm not going to settle for that and neither should you. I've had relationships that have been much more exciting than that. Maybe I'm wrong, but all the novels I've ever read have had certain basic elements, like a gripping plot that slowly unfolds and carries the characters along. Or in the case of this series, develop the characters beyond what we've already experienced. . I just don't want to see them re-living the same old cute little stories. Put them in Europe. Put them in Africa. Put them on the Moon! Move their lives ahead 20 years. Burn down the Castille Ranch! Just get them the heck out of Colorado and into some new adventures! There's a lot of untapped potential here. I'm waiting..........

I still take issue with the back cover. Making us think that Jake disappearing into a rain-swollen current had anything to do with more than a paragraph of this book is very deceptive.

Oh, and one of my pet peeves is an Author, in his notes, giving me some excuses, like chopping down trees, or building a house, or creating World Peace, as to why the book is late or has typos. "The dog ate my homework" excuse doesn't work for me when I'm plunking down hard earned money for a novel. He mentions that on his website. Let it stay there. And since you made it personal, I am a contractor, and I've built several houses. Which, by the way, in Upstate New York, required chopping down lots and lots of trees.


Rating:
Summary: Alone by the Window
Review: [...]
The plot of Alone by the Window was obvious to me--will Jake and Wiley's relationship survive these events?
The several time travels were a delight, not a burden. I've always wanted to know what Bill would do in modern times. He was a hoot, and Jake's actions and dialog made me laugh out loud.
As far as Jake wanting sex--he's been confined his whole life to Wilmore. How many gay men would have desires like he does finally being out in the big world? A lot! That's what breaks up relationships, Gary!
Brown is also weaving in gay men of all races, leaving no one out. I'm black/Hispanic, and I like that.
The title, Alone by the Window, though three brief incidents bring it out, they were very poignant moments in Jake, Wiley and Bill's lives.
All what people, Gary? I found it quite enjoyable to meet the Utes (which Brown treated masterfully, not only in dialog, but in their actions), and I especially liked the scenes around the Castille dinner table. Just like "Olden times." The people worked hard then, they kept going by delicious food.
Chapter 32 is an amazing treatise of inner fear and how to overcome that fear. Plus, it shows that Jake knows Wiley intimately.
I read the Author's Notes in Alone by the Window. I've chopped down trees and split them into firewood, but I was in my 20s. According to Brown's photo, he is 50+. I've also added on to a house. Both are daunting tasks. but to do both at the same time and write a book? Amazing! Try it, Palm Springs Gary.