Lone Star Book Blog Tour: Ghostly Bugles by Max L. Knight (review & giveaway)

“The fall of the Alamo is remembered today because of its symbolism as a touchstone of courage and sacrifice in the name of freedom”

Ghostly Bugles by Max L. Knight is a unique look at the Battle of the Alamo in the context of both 1836 and today. History has a way of swaying in the winds of perception, recollection, and the shifting cultural atmosphere. One thing that never changes is the ongoing fascination in the Alamo for so many, whether you are Texas born and bred, a student of Texas history, or simply a tourist looking for things to do in the dynamic Alamo City (or River City if you prefer).

Max L. Knight has fashioned a fresh look at the events of that long-ago Battle of the Alamo through the eyes, dreams, and perhaps even memories of an elderly stranger, simply called the old man, in the current city of San Antonio de Béxar. This man spends the day eating lunch on the River Walk, reflecting on the Alamo and nearby areas, contemplating the events in 1836, and ruminating on the discoveries at and near the famous mission over the years. This story is an interesting mix of fact and fiction, views and perceptions, and mystery and wonder. With so many movies and reenactments of the historical battle, separating fact from fiction and poetic license can be difficult. Through comprehensive research and personal experience as an Alamo docent, Knight succinctly takes the reader on a singular, solitary journey that just might elicit new or renewed interest to Remember the Alamo!

If you grew up in Texas, like I did in San Antonio, you attended Texas History class in middle school; sang Texas songs, such as the mournful Ballad of the Alamo, in elementary school; went on a field trip to the Alamo; and will never get tired of taking or directing visitors to see the Alamo. For many, the Alamo is an interesting yet unimposing building surrounded by much bigger buildings, shops, and tourist traps. The Alamo is a place to buy a t-shirt and say you’ve been there. In Ghostly Bugles, Knight shows us that the Alamo is hallowed ground and that the important battle should be remembered as one that was fought for an impossible number of days so that the bigger war could be won. Knight also presents both sides of the battle as worthy of study and remembrance.

Rather than focusing only on the past events and possible dialogue between characters, Knight continually brings the reader back to the present as the old man internally reflects on the Alamo of today and the Alamo in 1836,  when many brave men fought a larger, more advanced adversary, knowing death was a matter of when and not if.

Even if you visited the Alamo and/or studied its rich history in the past, your edification is incomplete. Max L. Knight, through the old man in Ghostly Bugles, reminds us that the Alamo will always remain a dynamic historical landmark: Exhibits go on display (sometimes briefly), reenactments occur, statues are erected, and artifacts are unearthed. As with all history lessons and portrayals of the Alamo, long after the cannon smoke cleared and the bugles were silenced, the storytelling will never be truly finished.

Enter the giveaway below on or before May 25, 2023, for a chance to win a signed autographed copy of Ghostly Bugles by Max L. Knight.

I received a free copy of this book from Lone Star Book Blog Tours in exchange for my honest review.