Review of Broken Lance

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Diana Lowery
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Review of Broken Lance

Post by Diana Lowery »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Broken Lance" by William H Brown.]
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1 out of 5 stars
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Broken Lance is the third book in the Elias James Adventure series by William H. Brown. The author's attention to detail and descriptive dialogue is commendable. I suggest reading the first two books before tackling this one. There was not enough backstory given about the protagonist, Elias James, which made it hard for me to relate to him. The story reveals that Elias was promoted as an aide to General Jackson because he saved his life, but I never learned how that happened. Another piece of missing information in this book concerns the stolen family heirloom that Elias is searching for. Finally, more historical facts about the reason for the Creek Indian War would benefit the intended YA audience who might not have that knowledge.

William Brown's historical fiction novel does have some positive elements. I appreciate how he portrays Elias's empathy for the Indians and how they suffered. The short chapters are good for young students in grades six through eight. In addition, the insights into the aspects of war such as the movement of troops, strategies used, and problems getting supplies added to the educational value.

Unfortunately, the negatives of the book due to a lack of proofreading are hard to overlook. Besides some grammatical errors, there were two instances of repeated pages of text. I cannot recommend this book to anyone until it undergoes more editing. My rating is one out of five stars for that reason.

The author gives credit to his mother for his storytelling ability. There is a touching scene in the book when Elias is reunited with his mother. The emotional attachment captured in this passage must surely parallel Brown's relationship with his own mother. This level of writing deserves to be presented in a better format. I was pleased that even though this book ends with a lead into the next book in the series, there is enough of a conclusion to satisfy readers.

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Broken Lance
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Risper Ouma Anyango
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Post by Risper Ouma Anyango »

I will be sure to look out for the first two books. I also enjoyed your review so much.
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Diana Lowery
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Post by Diana Lowery »

Risper Ouma Lisa Anyango wrote: 14 Apr 2024, 10:49 I will be sure to look out for the first two books. I also enjoyed your review so much.
Thank you for reading my review.
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Jeff Kanda
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Post by Jeff Kanda »

I have not yet read any book from this series but they seem to be filled with interesting adventures. Your review of the book is straight forward and I really like it!
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Diana Lowery
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Post by Diana Lowery »

Jeff Kanda wrote: 17 Apr 2024, 01:27 I have not yet read any book from this series but they seem to be filled with interesting adventures. Your review of the book is straight forward and I really like it!
Thank you so much for your comment. I am glad you liked my review.
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Olivier Muhammad
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Post by Olivier Muhammad »

Based on the review, it appears that "Broken Lance" by William H. Brown has potential but falls short due to several shortcomings. The lack of backstory and missing information about the protagonist and the stolen family heirloom make it difficult for readers to fully connect with the story. Additionally, the book could benefit from more historical facts to enhance the educational value for its intended YA audience. The positive aspects include the author's portrayal of empathy and the educational insights into war. However, the numerous proofreading and editing errors negatively impact the overall reading experience. As a result, the book receives a low rating of one out of five stars. Despite these flaws, the emotional attachment and the promising lead into the next book are commendable. Further editing and improvements are needed before recommending "Broken Lance" as a satisfying read.
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