Comments on: Stewball – by Peter Bowen

By: Margaret Clarke

Margaret Clarke — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 07:23:15 +0000

The author is not familiar enough with Metis to be saying anything about them. This section in particular reveals his ignorance.
“. . . Metis, a combination of French and Cree that harkens back centuries ago when the fur trading voyagers from France explored Canada’s remote northwest country by canoe. The Metis still live in good numbers on Reserves situated in the bush land of the boreal forest, most notably in north-central Alberta within a 100-mile radius of the dreary truck-stop settlement of High Level.”

He is seemingly unaware of the thousands of Metis families and communities scattered across the Canadian prairies, as well as part of the northern States.

By: Anna

Anna — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:35:46 +0000

it has been a long spell between books. I am wondering if Mr. Bowen just ran out of things to say or got bored with the series. I haven’t. I re-read his books periodically and chec his webpage, without success hoping a new book will come our way. I suspect it is a publishing problem. They don’t like paying authors much, authors stop writing and fans suffer. GRRR!

By: Al Tate

Al Tate — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 13:40:09 +0000

I first heard of Peter Bowen, while driving long distance and just happen to pick-up an audio book “Thunder Horse”, by Peter Bowen.

Recently have finished books Coyote Wind and Specimen Song of the Grabriel Du pre series. I have a schedule to continue and finished the full series by end of this year (reading the books of course).

Does anyone know if there is a Peter Bowen book club or group to which Mr. Bowen may interface with?

By: Regina MT. Says:

Regina MT. Says: — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 21:19:06 +0000

Mr. Bowen ….We need a new book…Do my reading in the winter. Love your stuff.. Have read all your work..

By: Anna OG

Anna OG — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:43:39 +0000

It has been a while but I think the boy’s father planned to have them run off together get married and he would get his hands on her money since she was a minor married to his son. hmmm now have to go find the Tumbler. it was a bit vague.

By: Diana Werner

Diana Werner — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:03:48 +0000

Would someone please explain the ending of The Tumbler to me? Sorry to sound dumb but I can’t figure it out. Were Julie’s boyfriend and his father trying to kill Julie? What for? How did their shipyard being broke come into it? Did the boy think he would inherit Julie’s money? Why? I’m totally lost here.

By: Lisa Barrett

Lisa Barrett — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:23:02 +0000

I love every word of the Du Pre series and find the “stilted, tired dialect” that Mr. Holt mentions to be a very accurate representation of the way the Metis’ sound when they are speaking English, but thinking Indian. I have spent hundreds of happy hours playing music with these people and might suggest that he drink a few more whiskey ditches with them and see if that sharpens his ear for dialect. Kudos to Peter Bowen for writing about the Metis’ in a style that acknowledges the dignity and grace of these fine people. Any writer who sits his butt in the chair long enough to write 15 novels in a series is to be respected. A larger publisher OUGHT to pick up a proven winner like him.

By: John Holt

John Holt — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 14:48:18 +0000

bourbon (preferably cheap), water (from a ditch), ice (optional)

By: ray garner

ray garner — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:46:26 +0000

i like the books just fine. i just can’t find out how to make a whiskey ditch

By: Jon Thompson

Jon Thompson — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:57:25 +0000

I agree with anonymous. Never heard of “John Holt,” but I’ll buy anything Peter Bowen writes. I’ve got the entire Gabriel Dupre series, so have read Stewball, Ash Child and the others. I don’t recall being at all bothered by the problems Mr. Holt delights in pointing out in Stewball, and I don’t recall finding “lassitude” in any of the others. I only recall straight-ahead story-telling with an amazing sense of place, pace and personality, and with a set of memorable characters.

What Mr. Holt refers to as “manufacturered adult baby talk” is just one more thing that Mr. Bowen does differently from anyone else: He has his characters speak in dialect, apparently something this reviewer hasn’t thought of. That’s just one more reason why Mr. Bowen’s novels are so compelling. Not everyone speaks in the same West Coast dialect that I hear in Los Angeles.

Further, if Mr. Bowen is suffering financial challenges, why is that Mr. Holt’s business? Why is it ours? It amounts to be a mean-spirited airing of what would appear to be dirty financial laundry. It may indeed be relevant to Mr. Bowen’s publishing deal – and I understand he no longer is represented by St. Martins and is searching for another publisher – but it has nothing to do with a review of this novel.

The one thing I most want to know is, when can I get my hands on Mr. Bowen’s next novel? I hope it’s soon, and I hope it’s successful. Mr. Holt’s next novel? Who cares?

By: anonymous

anonymous — Tue, 29 May 2007 17:54:47 +0000

I love all the Gabriel DuPre books and I have never heard of an author called John Holt. Peter Bowen, of course–John Holt, never. The review sounds like sour grapes to me. If St. Martin’s Press is so tight with money, Bowen should change publishers.