If you love California as I do, Desert Places by Ernest Brawley is captivating. Ruby Rose's story could only take place there, in the land of endless possibilities. Raised in a dysfunctional family, on the grounds of a California prison, the fiery heroine daydreams her way into an unlikely and glamorous future in Hollywood. When that life doesn't turn out exactly as she envisions it, this beautiful young dreamer imagines her way into alternate possibilities. Her alternate realities are possible and preposterous at the same time, all of them embodied in the unlikely home, a Victorian mansion, which she transports to the middle of the desert where she was raised. There, she starts a new life with the rancher who was her high school sweetheart But that is only her second life. There are more to come. This quintessential California heroine epitomizes the endless possibilities of California. Brawley is a true California writer, a complete romantic, who is totally in love with the place where he was born and raised. Read Desert Places and you'll fall in love with California, too. ~ Chiara
This book is a great read! Ernest Brawley is my favorite author and I have read most of his books. Loved everyone of them. Desert places captures the character of a remarkable young woman who dreams of stardom in Hollywood. And even though she does not make it in Hollywood, she does not let it stop her and goes on to find success in another incredible way. ~ Amazon Customer
5 out of 5 stars GREAT! Loved this book, read it in two nights! A classic American novel written by classic American fiction author, Ernest Brawley. ~ Lenor Chappell
I found Streetlight to be a great read, right from the
Get-Go! Its scenes are vivid and unforgettable. Its two
main characters are fascinating and sympathetic. The bad
guy is evil personified and entraps them in a spider web
from which it seems they may never escape. In short,
this is a great read and I have recommended it to all my
friends. ~ Diane Harris
Streetlight evokes the crime scene in New York in the
70s better than any other book I ever read. I just
finished reading street light by Ernest Brawley and I
could not put it down. ~ Amazon Customer
Running after a story and for her life, Streetlight
captured me from page one. The novel instantly
establishes its place in time -- New York during its
crime and drug-ridden nadir in the 1970s -- with a
compelling attention to detail. Tension quickly
escalates as Shelley, an out-of-work reporter, stumbles
upon the story of a lifetime, which puts her in grave
danger so enthralling that I was compelled to read to
the end in one sitting. The suspense that builds until
the very last page of the novel is unusually gripping. I
recommend STREETLIGHT, and give it five stars. ~ Chiara
What a page turner from one of our greatest American
fictional writers. This book was great! ~ Lenor Chappell
"A blockbuster novel...." ~ Kirkus Reviews
"A first rate novel: tough, fast moving... Don't miss it." ~ Newsday
"THE RAP is the best novel I've tasted in many seasons." ~ Philadelphia Inquirer
"It is a bawdy, rowdy and powerful novel - a blockbuster." ~ Fort Worth Press
"I like to dig into a fat, juicy novel a couple of times a year and lose myself fora string of nights. Here's a good one, by a new author, that had me engrossedfor all its pages." ~ Saturday Review World
"An impressive first novel...what a colorful gallery of characters it has. Not tomention enough twists of plots to keep almost everyone happy." ~ Publisher's Weekly
"THERE ISN'T A PAGE OF THE RAP THAT WILL LET YOU OFF... IT IS INCREDIBLYCYNICAL, SARCASTIC, PROFANE AND BRUTAL...YOU CAN'TTURN YOUR BACK ON IT. YOU CAN'T FORGET IT." ~ Chicago Tribune
A dark and revealing look inside the criminal "justice" system. ~ Dr. Michael Hogan
This is one of the most amazing books I have read with insightful and disturbing insights into the criminal justice system, the lives and daily preoccupations of the correctional staff, and the complex interactions with inmates. Brawley has a great ear for dialog and an excellent feel for his characters who not only come across as three-dimensional, but also utterly (and sometimes disgustingly) believable. Everything about this novel rings true in its frightening intensity and even in its lighter moments. This is the first book I have read by Brawley but it will not be the last. Not by a long shot.
I read this novel slowly to take in all of its intricacies and the broad knowledge of the author. The situations that take place in The Rap are very real and delivered with a sense of surrealistic simplicity that bring to light just how common events such as these are perceived in everyday life. It is a fantastic novel, one of the best I've ever read. ~ Buxx
Brawley paints a rugged tale of prison life, both for the kept and the keeper. The style is rough and rugged, almost lewd at times, yet the characterizations will keep the reader turning the pages. ~ M.J
Brawley spins the tale with authority, having been raised on prison grounds since a child; his family worked at several prisons in California.
Loved description of characters with deep understanding. H.C.
Made me feel characters were real. ~ A.F.
This is a brutally honest story of a young man working as a guard in a state penitentiary who is as much a prisoner of the system as any convict. It’s a great story, intensely plot-driven, with a cast of larger-than-life characters. But what really sets it apart is the writing. Brawley’s characters speak in a stream of consciousness style that perfectly captures the way real people talk. ~ C.I.
Very well written and enjoying it tremendously. ~ Arianne
"Selena is ardent storytelling. It sings of California's
landscape with unabashed gusto and native pride." ~
Thomas Sanchez, author of Rabbit Boss.
"A story as
vibrant and earthy as its heroine and her people... a
big, powerful novel, packed with action and alive with
unforgettable characters!" ~ Literary Guild Magazine.
"There is not an area of novel writing where the
author is not scarily gifted. His plotting is intricate
but never rings false or obtrudes. His descriptions of
places, scenes, machinery, processes, illuminate like
flares. His ear for dialogue can handle English,
Mexican-American and 'pocho' Spanish. His narrative pace
is swift. His style is joyous and free. His feeling for
character is mind-boggling. His amazing eye makes every
page fresh. NO AMERICAN WRITER IN YEARS HAS PRODUCED
SUCH A READABLE, DEEP AND FULLY REALIZED NOVEL!" ~
San Diego Union.
"Lusty, robust, pulsating,
lyrical...authentic power!" ~ Philadelphia Inquirer.
"Masterful ...terrific!" ~ Los Angeles
Herald-Examiner.
"Need not to be compared to
Steinbeck; it stands on its own feet, speaks with its
own fresh, strong voice!" ~ Louisville Courier-Journal.
Ernest
Brawley’s new novel, LOVE HAS NO COUNTRY, was an
exceptional read, and I loved it from beginning to end.
As a woman, I have never enjoyed war stories. I even
skipped over the war scenes in Hemingway's FAREWELL TO
ARMS. Yet in this story I did not skip over the war
scenes because the author involved me so deeply in the
experiences of his characters as they fought their way
through the jungles of Laos. As for the love aspect, the
extraordinarily complicated relationship between a CIA
agent and a beautiful Communist spy actually surpasses
Hemingway’s scenes of love. Although I’m old enough to
remember the Vietnam War, I knew little about the
politics behind that war. For me, the writer seamlessly
integrates and clarifies the driving political forces
behind that conflict. Brawley brings it all to vivid
life. In short, I highly enjoyed this book and would
recommend to both male and female readers. ~ D. Harris
I blitzed through this book as fast as I could in part
to see what would happen to our star-crossed lovers. I
figured they were probably doomed but still held out for
the Hollywood ending. I had a hard time putting it down.
Mr. Brawley's clear and precise descriptions, his
development of the characters put me right in the midst
of the action. His knowledge of Asian history, customs
and geography was so informative helping me envision
each realm, throughout the adventure. The American
government may have to answer for its maneuvering at
some point. At least, that is my hope. I'm not
necessarily a fan of the brutality of war, the
subterfuge involved and the heartache but the narrative
is so strong from this writer that my interest never
flagged. Even though our lovers didn't live happily ever
after, I totally believe in this author's premise of
leaving the door open for another chance in next
lifetime. I highly recommend 'Love Has No Country.' ~
Lynne Z.
Wow! A war romance story full of intrigue & sizzle! If
you've read this author's incredible best-selling book,
"The Rap," you will know what you're in for! But "No
Country" is more than that, it is also about finding
family - or, more pointedly... when family you didn't
know you have finds you. A step back in time to a love
story that was destined to fail, but ostensibly lives
on. I really enjoyed this read! ~ Torri.
