Blue Rivers of Heaven

Follow the continued adventures of Zebadiah (Zeb) Creed, a wilderness-hardened man with a code of honor, in “Blue Rivers Heaven” Tales of Zebadiah Creed Book Three by Mark C. Jackson. Zeb is driven to the rivers of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers and surrounding lands on a quest to find the men who killed his brother. A succession of events sidetracks Zeb from his original mission of revenge and justice. He is framed for a murder he didn't commit and jailed in New Orleans, later sent up the river to the swamp on a chain gang to build a road for a plantation, and then thrust into the middle of a conspiracy of confederates, whose efforts are to build a golden circle of slave states. Zeb is forced back to New Orleans to assassinate General Sam Houston, future president of the new republic of Texas. With the help of his friends and foes alike the assassination is thwarted but not without consequences. Zeb betrays Willie Dan, a cold-blooded killer, and is forced to flee on an urgent mission up the Mississippi to the lower Missouri hoping to save the life of Anna, his one true love.

Needless to say, there is no shortage of action in Mark C. Jackson's newest book “Blue River Heaven.” It's storytelling at its best. Zebadiah Creed is the protagonist and narrator. The story is told in the first person but as an older man who looks back and pens his tales because his friend Sam Clemens urges him to write down his true story. Well-crafted descriptive writing takes on a lyrical tone defining the sights and sounds of river and plantation life and the surrounding New Orleans area painting vivid scenes. Readers will be engaged from start to finish, especially with the fast-paced action. The story is framed within the context of 1836 era. Jackson has incorporated authentic historical details which adds a sense of realism to the story. Readers will find the main characters flawed but interesting and well-developed. Loyalty, betrayal and friendship fuel acts with consequences throughout the story. Characters find they are beholden to the choices they make which in turn impacts their life.

Missouri and the Mississippi are connecting rivers that play a strategic part in the storyline. Zeb, being from the mountains, found river commerce and life on the river a totally new experience. The book title can be interpreted as a simple allegory for all the rivers he traveled. Readers will have to decide for themselves if Zeb Creed's life comes full circle finding redemption and forgiveness, or might there be the realization that there are more and greater tales to be spun.

I highly recommend this novel for its superb writing. In addition, Zeb's daring exploits kept my attention from start to finish.

ALL ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Award-winning author, singer-songwriter, and “builder of things,” Mark C. Jackson is a veteran wordsmith with a passion for western historical fiction. He is known for his ability to give readers a realistic depiction of 1800s frontier life, Jackson is the author of the series The Tales of Zebadiah Creed and podcast series Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid for Legends of the Old West. Jackson is a standing member of the Western Writers of America.

https://markcjacksonwriter.com/ Check out his website for details about his other books and his music.