The Cock of the South by C. S. Boyack

My rating: 4.3 of 5 stars

Plot
(by Amazon)

The Southern Dwarves are a conquered race. Scattered and hidden they must flee the legions of Remus before they all become slaves.

An unlikely dwarf, known as Cobby, leads them to a place where they can live in peace. He discovers other downtrodden races along the way and recruits them to his mission. These include centaurs, Amazons, satyrs, and more. There aren’t enough of anyone to make a difference, but together they might stand a chance.

There are quite a few dwarf stories around, and I wanted to do something different with them. The setting is Greco Roman, and the times are brutal. This book contains violence, you have been warned.

It was fun trying to keep what readers expect from dwarves, and still add something different. Part Spartacus, part Exodus, I hope you will give The Cock of the South a chance.

Genre(s): Epic fantasy

Series: n.a.

Length: 518 pages

Release date: 2014-10-31

Teaser

Amalgus nodded and said, “Oh.” He sat silently looking at the rabbits. After a few minutes he said, “I think I’m your uncle.”

“How?”

“My mother was raped by a Centurion from the Eighth Legion. I’m the result. He had a legitimate daughter who married the pro-magistrate of Portus Omorfi,” Amalgus cocked his thumb over his shoulder.

“My mother.”

My Opinion

This story introduces you to to Cobby, a son of the pro-magistrate of Portus Omorfi. When the town is attacked, the survivors hold him and his dead/vanished family responsible. He gets away, his life changing forever. I cannot tell you more about the story as it would spoil the fun of reading it yourself.

With The Cock of the South, C. S. Boyack presents us the intriguing story of Cobby, Uncle, Gallicus and their new allies on the rocky road to survival. This story is cleverly elaborated, has a great flow, carrying the reader through all events. C. S. Boyack skilfully introduces his characters, describing them very detailed, you can imagine them clearly. Ernest Hemingway once stated “When writing a novel a writer should create living people; people not characters. A character is a caricature.” C. S. Boyack shows this masterly with this story – he created living people instead of mere characters. I was drawn into the story right away – very close to Cobby. I could easily envision the characters and locations. I had a great time reading The Cock of the South. It is a very enjoyable read. This is for you if you like Roman history, adventures with a humorous streak, very likeable characters to cheer on their thrilling trip and food for thought. I love the concept of mutual respect.

This is a book to read again. Recommended.

In brief:

Writing	Great
Plot	Full of surprises
Mood	Suspenseful
Pace	Steady
Characters	Complex
Violence	Some violence
Sexual content	No sexual content (a few hints)
POV	Third person

About the author

I was born in a town called Elko, Nevada. I like to tell everyone I was born in a small town in the 1940s. I’m not quite that old, but Elko has always been a little behind the times. This gives me a unique perspective of earlier times, and other ways of getting by. Some of this bleeds through into my fiction.

I moved to Idaho right after the turn of the century, and never looked back. My writing career was born here, with access to other writers and critique groups I jumped in with both feet.

I like to write about things that have something unusual. My works are in the realm of science fiction, paranormal, and fantasy. The goal is to entertain you for a few hours. I hope you enjoy the ride.

Craig

Connect with the Author:

Website: https://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Virgilante

Amazon: C. S. Boyack

Amazon: buy link

Please take a look at my statement on reading in My train of thoughts on …reading. Now I am asking you. 🙂

My questions for you bibliophiles:
What about you? What did you think about The Cock of the South? Or – if you did not yet read The Cock of the South – are you now interested in reading it yourself?

My question for you cinephiles:
If The Cock of the South was filmed – who should direct it, who could you imagine as actors?

I am looking forward to reading your comments. 🙂

10 Statements – C. S. Boyack

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