Blood Harvest by Brant Randall

Blood Harvest

by: Brant Randall

Hardcover: 285 pages
Publisher: Capital Crime Press (May 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0979996015
ISBN-13: 978-0979996016
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.2 inches

I found Blood Harvest to be a very unique reading experience and completely different than anything that I have previously read. The author, Mr. Randall, tells his story from the viewpoint of several different characters. Focusing on a lynching in 1929 Massachusetts, Blood Harvest tells the story of what happened, to one man, from the different aspects of different characters during the same time frame. This gives an excellent insight into the story and what happened, through the eyes of the people involved (including a dog and a crow).

The dialect used within Blood Harvest is amazing and seemingly true to life for that time period and setting. The reader is quickly and easily transformed into the story and all that is happening. Mr. Randall does an amazing job with his story of racism, prohibition and dealing with the KKK. Each and every character is brought to life in an excellent and engrossing way. The chapters are short and the story very quick - once the reader begins, they will not want to pull away until the final page is turned.

Though I found Blood Harvest to be a great read, I can see where it may offend those who are easily offended by racism, a medium amount of violence, and a bit of sexual overtures - just as a forewarning.

I anxiously look forward to reading more by this author in the future and recommend Blood Harvest for anyone looking for a highly engrossing read.

*overall rating 4/5

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About Blood Harvest:

What drives a small town in New England in the late 1920's to lynch a man? Immigrant Nic DeCosta's skill as a wine grower makes him a fortune as a moonshiner and puts him at odds with the 'shine sales of the MacKay clan, even though he's wed to their wild youngest daughter. But is this the real reason he is killed? And who is the second corpse in the woods?

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Excerpt:

Jackie Sue Palmer, age 13, testifies at an attempted murder trial-

The bailiff placed me in this little cubby next to the judge's tall desk. They call it the witness box. Every eye was on me, and I felt like I was a move star or something. Which sits just fine with my own future plans.

I caught sight of the woman I had met in the bathroom, taking notes on a pad of paper, laughing all the while. She was sitting in the front row, right behind Andrew and Angus MacKay. There was a man unkown to me sitting next to my cousins. He was maybe thirty or so, not bad looking for a man of his age. I guessed he was their lawyer.

The judge looked over the end of his nose and right down my blouse. He gave a little smile to himself and motioned to the bailiff.

A Bible was placed in front of me.

"Place your right hand on the Bible, raise your left hand, and repeat after me," said the bailiff.

"I'm left-handed," I said. "Does that make any difference?" I gave an innocent look, the kind Mary Pickford is so good at.

The spectators in the courtoom laughed out loud at that, causing Judge Halbersson to rap his gavel several times and demand order.

"Which hand you use is not germane, Miss Palmer," said the judge.

"Of course it's not germane," said I. "I'm an American, born right her in Potemkin County."

That drew another round of guffaws from the gallery. I saw this was going to be a good crowd.

The bailiff glared at the citizens who were laughing. I though the judge might break either the gavel or the top of his desk. I put my eyes down and looked demure. At least I think I did. I was trying to.

The bailiff placed my left hand on the Bible. "Do you solemnly sweart to tell..."

"I most certainly do now swear. My parents raised me to be ladylike."

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About the Author:

Bruce Cook, who also writes under the pen name Brant Randall, has earned credits as writer, producer, or director on eleven independent feature films as well as commercials. He has written more than twenty screenplays, including the films Husbands, Wives, Money & Murder; Line of Fire; and Nightwish.

Since 1973 he has taught at a number of film schools, including USC, UCLA, and Los Angeles City College. Among his thousands of former students are Matt Groening (creator of The Simpsons), actor Laurence Fishburne, Paramount VP of Marketing Lucia Ludovico, numerous directors and producers, six Academy Award nominees and winners, and twelve Emmy nominees and winners.

In 1996 Dr. Cook was invited by ABS-CBN, the largest television network in the Philippines, to teach a series of seminars on improving the production techniques of the film and TV industry. While there, he addressed an assemblage of 2,000 Filipino film industry professionals.

He later returned to the Philippines to conduct a market study on Southeast Asian film production and helped design a motion picture soundstage. While on location, he researched the background for his novel Philippine Fever.

Dr. Cook holds degrees in Physics, Mathematics, Film Education, and Communications. He worked as a laser physicist on the Apollo Project. He and his wife live in Castaic, California.

After discovering that there were four other authors named Bruce Cook, he published his second novel, Blood Harvest, under the pseudonym Brant Randall. His third novel, Tommy Gun Tango, will be published in July 2009. Bruce and Brant will collaborate on that one.

For more information, please visit http://www.brucecookonline.com/

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Win Prizes!

BLOOD HARVEST VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR '09 will officially begin on January 5 and end on January 30. You can visit Bruce's blog stops at http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in January to find out more about this great book and talented author!

As a special promotion for all our authors, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour to a published author or a $50 Amazon gift certificate to those not published who comments on our authors' blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available.