Just An Awesome Story

I really enjoyed this post civil war western story. This is my first book read/listened to by Kwen Griffeth. He is an awesome writer, and this book has great believable characters, great locations that the writer explains in detail, so you feel like you are right in the story. I received this audio book code for free at my request, and I am giving my voluntary unbiased review. Also I have to say that Joseph Durika does a fine job of narrating. I highly recommend this story and author, and I look forward to read/listen to more of Kwen's work.

1 person found this helpful

Well-written, Well-read, Wonderful!

History? Wild West? Strong, flawed, well-drawn characters? Romance? Great plot? Check, check, check, check and check. Yup! Terrific book, well worth reading, with an interesting slant on PTSD (NOT so identified as that would be terrifically anachronistic, but I would speculate the horrors of combat and killing may have affected men going back to the caveman) which provides valuable insights.

But wait! There's more! I had the joy of listening to the audible version (standard disclaimer: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.) which is superbly narrated by Joseph Durika, who richly brought the characters to life.

1 person found this helpful

A Good read / listen

A good post civil war novel, Lots of strong characters good & bad. A very good plot well edited and very well written and crafted.
Narration is excellent and draws you into the characters and story.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest reveiw.

1 person found this helpful

Respectable

I found this novel, The Law of Moses "Sam and Laura's Story, Book 1" by author Kwen Griffeth, solid and one I would rate for any age. Samuel Moses Cardiff is a tough man who knows how to handle a gun and is not afraid of anything. He is fair and not looking for trouble, although it seems to find him. The beginning was like an exciting Clint Eastwood western. The pace slowed down some but was still intriguing. The narrator, Joseph Durika, was perfect for this genre.

Another Good Out West Story

I was given this free review copy audio-book at my request and have voluntarily left this review. This review is for the audio copy of The Law of Moses - Sam and Laura's Story, Book 1 by Kwen D. Griffeth and narrated by Joseph Durika. I am quickly becoming a major fan of Kwen Griffeth’s work. I love the detailed descriptions of the landscapes and areas where the books take place. Character development is well laid out and maintains consistency throughout the stories. This was very good story that gets you hooked from the beginning. It can be a stand-alone story but I was quite excited to see there are other books in this series. I’ll definitely be listening to them and leaving reviews. Joseph does a very good job narrating and brings the characters to life.

The law of Moses

I really enjoyed listening to this book. Such a great story and told so well. I’m excited to start the sequel.

I Loved it

I got this book via audiobook boom and this is my review. This is a beautiful western romance. It is a full story but left me wanting to get the next in the series. Sam and Laura's story. The story went from past to present and all in between but was easy to follow. I could feel all of the emotions that Sam was feeling and the narrator was just perfect for the book. I especially liked the scene between Sam and his mother. then the letter he wrote to apologize for his behavior. the ending was very well done. although the story did not fully end it was complete. Not a strong cliffhanger but one anyway.

Well Worth Your Credit and Time Investment

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Samuel Moses Cardiff wants to die. It's as simple as that. Worse still, he has spent a lifetime placing himself in positions that should guarantee his death. But he's just too good at what he does to die, and maybe he doesn't want to after all.

Sam would eventually drop his last name and simply be known as Sam Moses; and, if he ever laid down the law of Moses on you in his job as the town marshal, it usually meant you got very little mercy and probably didn't deserve any.

He had plans; he was going to graduate from a teacher's college in upstate New York, marry Patsy, his childhood sweetheart, and live a quiet life as a good husband, a good dad, and a good teacher. But all that changed when his kid brother, Luke, enlists to fight in the civil war. Sam's dad had died only days before he could return home from college, and his mother, more than a little distraught at Luke's decision, insists that Sam sign up and accompany his brother into battle. Her perspective is that Sam can protect his more flamboyant brother.

But fate intervenes, Luke dies, and Sam blames himself from that day forward for breaking his promise to his mother. Worse still, his fiance dies while he is at war.

His meaningless life is something Sam is eager to be rid of. He casts himself into situations that should guarantee his death, but they don't.

That's where we find Sam in post-civil-war New Mexico, where he has signed on as the marshal of a small town. The shield of bitterness he has erected around him ensures that his relations with members of the community are perfunctory and superficial--just the way Sam likes it.

But things change dramatically for Sam when he encounters Laura. She's married to a disabled veteran who credits her with saving him from himself. But a shooting leaves the disabled vet dead and opens a way for Sam to be forced to make choices he never thought he would make.

The author is highly talented, and if you read this, you benefit from a well-researched bit of romantic historical fiction. Quite frankly, I couldn't put it down. While the narrator has a magnificent voice, I thought his falsetto was over the top and distracting--well beneath his otherwise excellent talent. I was also a bit discomfited by the fact that Sam had somehow picked up a Texas-wild-west-frontier-sounding accent despite his New York heritage. The narrator has a great voice; his inflections are spot on; his timber and cadences make him a pleasure to listen to. But I wish he had just done a nice straight narration. Let me be the one to figure out what Laura sounds like in my head; don't distract me with a falsetto that distracts more than it helps.
I'm grateful for the opportunity to have read this, and if you enjoy romantic historical fiction, you can spend a credit on this with no regret. This is apparently a series, and the author crafts these characters well enough that you become invested in their lives, and you'll want to know what happens to them. I hope to be able to listen to other books in the series.

Loved the story! Looking forward to book 2!

I am not typically a fan of westerns or romances, but was pleasantly surprised at how quickly this tale drew me in! It was the perfect blend of historic storytelling, action and romance along with an introspective look into the mind of a man struggling with demons the only way he knows how. It's a wonderful story of love and redemption!

Great Western Setting with an Interesting Plot

This is a terrific historical/ western fiction. As I listened I felt as if I was reading Sam's memoir rather than fiction. The listener follows the Marshall as he protects his town to his utmost ability. We are treated to the beginnings of a romance, a murder, cattle drovers , and anything else that fits the story. I came away feeling like I knew the characters, and cared what happened to them. I will be looking for more in this series

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review