Gray Victory - Softcover

This vast, boisterous, yet well-controlled story by the author of Chikara! is an artful rewriting of history. The Confederate States have won the Civil War and are established as a separate nation, the C.S.A. A muckraking newspaper has charged Major General J.E.B. Stuart with dereliction of duty at Gettysburg and President Jefferson Davis convenes a military court of inquiry. Stuart's attorney, Colonel John Mosby (who does not yet know that Stuart is being set up to take the blame for the battle's outcome), is also charged with keeping a wary eye on a moderate Negro abolitionist group called Abraham. A highly militant group of Northern abolitionists led by Salmon Brown, son of John Brown, and Verita, a beautiful but murderous fanatic, want to link up with Abraham and create such bloodshed in the C.S.A. that war will again break out between the two nations. Their plan is to assassinate the cream of the C.S.A.: President Davis; Judah Benjamin, the ambassador to the United States; the senior generals; and the cabinetmost of whom will be attending Stuart's lengthy yet compelling trial. These characters are strong and convincing and all plot lines logically converge in a violent confrontation in the Richmond, Va., courthouse. Major ad/promo; author tour.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

A fictional work of alternative history based on the South's victory in the Civil War. One consequence is that the South has four million unhappy slaves who know about the Emancipation Proclamation. An underground movement among the South's free and slave blacks is joined by a Northern abolitionist group, led by John Brown's son, Salmon. The Southern blacks in the movement, who know they will bear the brunt of the backlash white violence, aren't crazy about the group's plan to wipe out the heads of the Confederate government, but are drawn into it unwillingly. The heads of that government are conveniently assembled together. Though the characters are poorly drawn and ill-motivated, this is of some interest.Marylaine Block, St. Ambrose Univ. Lib., Davenport, Ia.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.