Captain from Castile

Rating:
Summary: A merry and panoramic narrative
Review: First published in the mid-twentieth century, Samuel Shellabarger's Captain From Castile is an enduring adventure novel about Pedro de Vargas, a young Spanish nobleman who escapes to the New World when the Inquisition denounces his family. Pedro's exciting adventures (complete with swordfights, political intrigue, and romance), make Captain From Castile a merry and panoramic narrative worthy to take its place among the literary classics.

Rating:
Summary: A fictional tale of historical fact.
Review: I first read this book when in my teens, but missed the motion picture that was withdrawn almost as soon as it was issued. It strirred my interest in Spanish North American History which became my major in college. Recently, I re-read the book with its awful accuracy which, while its main characers are fictional, involves others who are not. It is a riviting account of the time if read purely for historic content. The scenes conjured by the writer are in no way more graphic than the truth which a history of the Inquisition can substantiate. Except for the ending I felt too conrtrived, as if seeking a way to bring his novel to an end, the book is well worth the reading. A fine introduction to the history it portrays that may lead to more investigation.

Rating:
Summary: Hey, Fun-Seekers, I rate this book a million stars
Review: I have loved this book since I was a teeny weeny little girl. I totally agree with everything that has been previously said about how good it is. It's accurate, it's a headlong read - you can hardly put it down once you get rolling. I had one of the original hardcovers (it was my aunt's), plus a falling-apart paperback which I just gotta replace. True, the movie does not do it justice although it is real, real good - I think this was Tyrone Power's role of a lifetime. The music is now considered a classic and the cinematography is utterly gorgeous (filmed in Mexico with all the mountains and flora and fauna, etc.). I told my daughter to bury me with a copy of this book... This is truly a movie they should absolutely re-make (and get it right) - anyway, more later!

Rating:
Summary: Hey, Fun-Seekers, I rate this book a million stars
Review: I have loved this book since I was a teeny weeny little girl. I totally agree with everything that has been previously said about how good it is. It's accurate, it's a headlong read - you can hardly put it down once you get rolling. I had one of the original hardcovers (it was my aunt's), plus a falling-apart paperback which I just gotta replace. True, the movie does not do it justice although it is real, real good - I think this was Tyrone Power's role of a lifetime. The music is now considered a classic and the cinematography is utterly gorgeous (filmed in Mexico with all the mountains and flora and fauna, etc.). I told my daughter to bury me with a copy of this book... This is truly a movie they should absolutely re-make (and get it right) - anyway, more later!

Rating:
Summary: In my Top Ten books of all time
Review: I love this book completely. I found it in a used bookstore when I was thirteen (1993) and completely fell under its spell. It's an incredibly EPIC and rich tale, following Pedro de Vargas from the Spanish Inquisition at home to the New World, with lots of drama and swashbuckling in between. I must have read this yearly through early high school. However, it has probably sat on my shelf for the last 6 or 7 years, which is a tragedy. (Confession time: I am a NUT for historical epics, in both literature and film, I love the grandure, the sweeping scale, the broad vistas). Recently, I was gripped by a need to partake in something EPIC so I pulled this off the shelf and it's been such a delightful ride, again. I've been long enough removed from the story that, while it is familiar, I am still in suspense for all but the largest of plot twists. I'm so glad that this is being published again. This was written in the 40s and deserves a chance at a new audience.

After re-reading this recently, I found that it is even BETTER than I remembered. The story is so rich and complex...warm fuzzies! I stayed up WAY TOO LATE last night trying to get past all the "tense" moments so I could get some sleep. UG! But then, there were only twenty pages left so I stopped because I didn't want it to be over just yet. It was very interesting seeing the 16th Century Spaniards' sentiments toward the Native Americans, and then Shellabarger (the author) as an "enlightened" 1930's male trying to justify/explain them. Yet, the author had NO ISSUE with his characters' treatment of women. While several of the female characters are much more than dish rags (yay!) the concept of beating a woman into obedience is treated as an acceptable solution. I had forgotten that part and how it had rankled me during my readings of this a dozen years ago. Still, it's a tiny 2 page blight on a 500 page great adventure.



Rating:
Summary: If you love historical adventure....
Review: Shellabarger once again thrills us with an historical romance/adventure. From the throes of the Spanish Inquisition--nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition! <g>--to those of Aztec pagan sacrificial altars, we follow Pedro de Vargas and his companeros in an exciting quest for character, nobility, and recognition.

A very fun read!

Rating:
Summary: An Exciting Adventure
Review: This intriguing novel immediately propels the reader into the life of a young and courageous Spaniard who sacrifices everything he owns for a chance to find honor and treasure in the New World. Each adventure, from the escape from the Spanish Inquisition to the conquest of Tenochtitlan (Mexico City), seems so real that you feel as if you were there alongside the characters, fighting for a common cause. This novel offers a vivid and accurate depiction of the Conquest of Mexico, the atrocities of the Spanish Inquisition, and a comparison between the "pagan savages" of the New World and the supposedly superior and religious conquistadors. The excitement of battle is also intertwined with an enthralling, romantic story line.
Although this book would be fantastic with only its compelling story line and breathtaking adventure, it is enriched by a profound and universal philosophy that questions and defines such concepts as love, friendship, racism, and religion. Captain from Castile is an inspiring and enthralling novel that I would equally recommend as an adventure, a romance, a historical and cultural depiction, or a deeper, almost philosophical piece. I found it a book that was hard to put down, yet so absorbing that when I reached the final page, I wished that the book was longer so that I might remain in the story a few moments longer.

Rating:
Summary: An Exciting Adventure
Review: This intriguing novel immediately propels the reader into the life of a young and courageous Spaniard who sacrifices everything he owns for a chance to find honor and treasure in the New World. Each adventure, from the escape from the Spanish Inquisition to the conquest of Tenochtitlan (Mexico City), seems so real that you feel as if you were there alongside the characters, fighting for a common cause. This novel offers a vivid and accurate depiction of the Conquest of Mexico, the atrocities of the Spanish Inquisition, and a comparison between the "pagan savages" of the New World and the supposedly superior and religious conquistadors. The excitement of battle is also intertwined with an enthralling, romantic story line.
Although this book would be fantastic with only its compelling story line and breathtaking adventure, it is enriched by a profound and universal philosophy that questions and defines such concepts as love, friendship, racism, and religion. Captain from Castile is an inspiring and enthralling novel that I would equally recommend as an adventure, a romance, a historical and cultural depiction, or a deeper, almost philosophical piece. I found it a book that was hard to put down, yet so absorbing that when I reached the final page, I wished that the book was longer so that I might remain in the story a few moments longer.