Ten Thousand Acres

Rating:
Summary: Born Too Soon
Review: Flora McAndrews is on her way to a new and better life with her husband, when he suddenly and inexplicably drops dead from a heart attack. So it is that Flora, "an attractive woman with stunning blue eyes," finds herself faced with the prospect of sustaining herself in a vast unsettled wilderness, fraught with dangerous wildlife and the barest of essentials necessary for survival.

Chester is the third generation offspring of African Royalty of sorts. His grandmother, the daughter of an African chief was captured, savaged and enslaved by her Anglo-Saxon captors. Thus Chester, the grandchild of this grievously wronged aristocrat turned slave woman, is born on a plantation whose owner believes in educating and treating his slaves humanely. Standing at well over six feet tall, with an uncanny aptitude for learning, Chester is his master's favored slave. Chester becomes the companion of his master's only son, partly because
the improbable pair share a passion for hunting. While on a hunting expedition, the master's son is accidentally shot, and Chester, realizing his predicament and knowing that he would most likely be blamed and unjustly punished for his friend's unfortunate demise, opts to run away.

After enduring numerous hardships, fate eventually brings Chester and Flora together in what should have been the quintessential love story. They almost immediately fall deeply and truly in love, but alas the ill-fated lovers are born too soon. Living at a time when their liaison is deemed intolerable by the evil social structure of the period, their relationship appears to be doomed.

Ten Thousand Acres is a chilling chronicle of the lives of two unlikely lovers, and their struggle to overcome the harrowing harshness of the American Frontier, during one of the harshest and darkest periods in American history. Preston Corbett presents the reader with the opportunity to reflect on the horrifically dehumanizing impact of slavery on individuals, and perhaps attempt to make sense of a senseless period in our history.

Reviewed by Autumn
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Rating:
Summary: Born Too Soon
Review: Flora McAndrews is on her way to a new and better life with her husband, when he suddenly and inexplicably drops dead from a heart attack. So it is that Flora, "an attractive woman with stunning blue eyes," finds herself faced with the prospect of sustaining herself in a vast unsettled wilderness, fraught with dangerous wildlife and the barest of essentials necessary for survival.

Chester is the third generation offspring of African Royalty of sorts. His grandmother, the daughter of an African chief was captured, savaged and enslaved by her Anglo-Saxon captors. Thus Chester, the grandchild of this grievously wronged aristocrat turned slave woman, is born on a plantation whose owner believes in educating and treating his slaves humanely. Standing at well over six feet tall, with an uncanny aptitude for learning, Chester is his master's favored slave. Chester becomes the companion of his master's only son, partly because
the improbable pair share a passion for hunting. While on a hunting expedition, the master's son is accidentally shot, and Chester, realizing his predicament and knowing that he would most likely be blamed and unjustly punished for his friend's unfortunate demise, opts to run away.

After enduring numerous hardships, fate eventually brings Chester and Flora together in what should have been the quintessential love story. They almost immediately fall deeply and truly in love, but alas the ill-fated lovers are born too soon. Living at a time when their liaison is deemed intolerable by the evil social structure of the period, their relationship appears to be doomed.

Ten Thousand Acres is a chilling chronicle of the lives of two unlikely lovers, and their struggle to overcome the harrowing harshness of the American Frontier, during one of the harshest and darkest periods in American history. Preston Corbett presents the reader with the opportunity to reflect on the horrifically dehumanizing impact of slavery on individuals, and perhaps attempt to make sense of a senseless period in our history.

Reviewed by Autumn
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Rating:
Summary: Great potential as a movie
Review: Heroine: Solid

Life in the newborn United States was not easy for anyone who was not a well-to-do white male, as is attested by the experiences of one white widow lost alone on the frontier with a head of cattle to drive to her new property, the well-educated runaway quadroon slave she falls in love with, and the various Native Americans and Mexicans who have the misfortune to cross paths with greedy and unprincipled white men intent on invading their land and grabbing it up for themselves.

What worked for me:

The plot was the strongest feature of this novel, and the author's passion for his subject was highly evident throughout. I hope he considers fleshing this story out and writing an extended, more visual version of it for his second edition, thus turning "Ten Thousand Acres" into the epic saga it cries out to be.

Size-wise Flora was a very sturdy and capable woman who somehow managed to make a living with her own two hands in an incredibly inhospitable environment.

What didn't work for me:

The modern sentiments thrust into historical sensibilities occasionally pulled me out of the story. And the dialogue was also noticeably modern for the time period. It would have added to the flavor of the story had the characters sounded more like the former colonists that they were.

The bouncing around in the story's timeline left me confused at some points and uncertain whether the information presented was historically accurate or not.

Overall:

Fans of frontier stories or multi-cultural novels may enjoy this one.

Rating:
Summary: Great potential as a movie
Review: Heroine: Solid

Life in the newborn United States was not easy for anyone who was not a well-to-do white male, as is attested by the experiences of one white widow lost alone on the frontier with a head of cattle to drive to her new property, the well-educated runaway quadroon slave she falls in love with, and the various Native Americans and Mexicans who have the misfortune to cross paths with greedy and unprincipled white men intent on invading their land and grabbing it up for themselves.

What worked for me:

The plot was the strongest feature of this novel, and the author's passion for his subject was highly evident throughout. I hope he considers fleshing this story out and writing an extended, more visual version of it for his second edition, thus turning "Ten Thousand Acres" into the epic saga it cries out to be.

Size-wise Flora was a very sturdy and capable woman who somehow managed to make a living with her own two hands in an incredibly inhospitable environment.

What didn't work for me:

The modern sentiments thrust into historical sensibilities occasionally pulled me out of the story. And the dialogue was also noticeably modern for the time period. It would have added to the flavor of the story had the characters sounded more like the former colonists that they were.

The bouncing around in the story's timeline left me confused at some points and uncertain whether the information presented was historically accurate or not.

Overall:

Fans of frontier stories or multi-cultural novels may enjoy this one.

Rating:
Summary: An absolute must have......
Review: I am an avid reader and this book is a page turner. This early american book is based on the struggles and strengths of a woman who travels across the plains to the west. It was fast paced, action packed and an easy read with an unforgettable and unpredictable ending... I recommend this book to ANYONE (men and women) who enjoys a great adventure story.

Rating:
Summary: An Amazing Story
Review: I found this to be a faced paced, interesting story. I felt connected to the characters and the landscape, as though I was there with them. The story blended together very well without missing a beat. I strongly recommend this story to anyone who is interested in learning what life on the frontier must have been like or to those who are interested in seeing a woman conquer her fears and take on the wilderness

Rating:
Summary: Ten Thousand Acres
Review: I just finished reading this book. Although it is not the kind of book I ordinarily read, I found that I couldn't put it down. I fell in love with the characters and was moved by their struggles. I hope this is not the last we will hear from Preston L. Gorbett

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful story
Review: I read a lot and will not keep reading if the story doesn't grab me from the first. Ten Thousand Acres did just that. I was with Flora all the way. The dialog flows so smoothly (one thing I'm very critical about). I am retired so I had the pleasure of not putting the book down until I had read the whole thing.
Thank you for bringing this new author to us.

Rating:
Summary: Ten Thousand Acres
Review: I'm the type of person that before I'll actually buy a book, I have to have had read it for 30 minutes first. I've purchased several books that are still collecting dust, never read past the first chapter. This wonderful piece of art will NOT let you down. It grabs your attention from the very first page and will not let you go. This book amazed me in the fact that it brought out so many different emotions, but still not so descriptive that it left the reader lost. A complete page turner and MUST have for any readaholics collection.

Rating:
Summary: Just couldn't stop..
Review: Just wanted to let anybody interested in purchasing this book they will NOT be disappointed! It was fantastic! Exciting from page one though the end! It was one of those great books you just can't put down! Hope to see more from this talented writer Preston Gorbett!