King's Mountain--A Ballad Novel

September 1, 2013
Southern writer McCrumb, author of a series of Appalachian ballad novels (The Ballad of Tom Dooley, 2011, etc.), puts her hand to the Revolutionary War as the Overmountain militia men of North Carolina push off the British. In 1780, John Sevier has had little time to concern himself with the war up North. In the mountains of the Carolinas, the western frontier of the era, the fighting is with the Indians, and it is brutal and frequent. Politics between the crown and the Continental Army seem a distant worry, that is until Maj. Patrick Ferguson of the British army threatens those on the frontier: either pledge allegiance to the Tory cause or suffer the consequences. Feeling squeezed on both sides--by the Indians and the British--Sevier sets out to organize an army to defeat Ferguson. When word gets out of Ferguson's threats, it doesn't take much for all of the neighboring militias to join forces--in the end, over 2,000 men. But before the march, Sevier needs money and food and gunpowder for an army, and much of the novel is taken up with the organization of a battle. Meanwhile, in Ferguson's camp, Virginia Sal, a young washerwomen, describes Ferguson and the ambivalence of those pressed to serve. Ferguson, the second son of a Scottish lord, is a wonder to all: He eats off china and has met the king; Sal thinks he may be closer to God for all his fineness. As Sevier's men get closer to the battle (as untrained soldiers who have sworn no oath), he prays their element of surprise will decide the victor. The book is well-researched, but it too often lacks a lively voice (save for Virginia Sal) and is caught up in logistics, to the detriment of atmosphere. There is no look or feel to the story that allows the characters to breathe. McCrumb's novel is much like Sevier's exploits--a slow march to an inevitable conclusion.

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Starred review from January 1, 2014
In October 1880, a disorganized collection of local militias barely represented a threat to British domination--until about 1,000 rebels marched over the mountains from the northern tip of North Carolina (now Tennessee) to hunt down British forces under Major Ferguson. They met on a low ridge, King's Mountain, just over the South Carolina border. The ensuing Whig victory altered the course of the Revolution. McCrumb's series has previously featured Appalachian folklore, but this tenth entry (after "The Ballad of Tom Dooley") enlivens a pivotal historical event. John Sevier, a leader of the Overmountain Men, details both life on the frontier and the motives for Southern rebellion, while the voices of Major Ferguson and his local servant Virginia Sal personalize British and neutral Carolinian viewpoints. Brilliantly performed by Tom Stechschulte, Rick Holmes, and Julia Gibson. VERDICT Highly recommended and of interest to listeners who enjoy American history and historical fiction.--Janet Martin, Southern Pines P.L., NC

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2013
Tenth in the atmospheric Ballad series by Appalachian author McCrumb, this meticulously detailed retelling of the battle at King's Mountain, North Carolina, in October 1780 lacks some of the emotional impact of her other novels, favoring instead a richly described portrait of landscape, weather, and battle strategy on the way to the tragic fight that marked a turning point in the American Revolution. At King's Mountain, British Major Patrick Ferguson defends the Crown's sovereignty over the colonies, but the Overmountain Men, led by Southern Whigs and the author's own forebear, John Sevier, roundly defeat him. Told in first person by Sevier and Virginia Sal, Ferguson's mistress, the narrative follows the buildup to battle as the armies gather, plodding over misty, rainy, chilly hills and down into warm, dusty valleys while various missives deceive, inform, and shock commanders who vie for control of their own and each other's men along the way. This vivid portrait of historical Appalachia is similar in pacing and detail to John Ensor Harr's Dark Eagle (1999) and to Johnny D. Boggs' Ghost Legion (2005), another landscape-rich tale of the same battle.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)