Power in the Blood

I have nothing but admiration for Greg Matthews and his story telling ability and this book is no exception. It concerns 2 brothers, Drew and Clay and their sister , Zoe who are separated on an "Orphan Train" back in the days of the Old West.The three of them are all determined to be reunited with one another but their hopes are dashed as Life "continually gets in the way" as a famous author once wrote.As they grow older Clay gets a job as a Town Sherrif, Drew becomes a Bounty Hunter and Zoe finds work in a Dance Hall.This is a novel about the enduring power of unrealized dreams(hence the title) and I consider it to be a Modern Day Classic. The author is an Australian who has recently returned back home and I say "Welcome home Greg!!!"

I first heard of Greg Matthews in a Stephen King book (he mentions him in the introduction of "Nightmares & Dreamscapes), curious, I found "Power in the Blood" at a local used bookstore. This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. Full of twists and turns you never see coming as you read along. This book is brutal, funny, surprising and always engaging. I saw an earlier review that warns of not reading the synopsis that is on the book...GOOD ADVICE! All you need to know (if you must) is that it is about three orphaned siblings who go west. The book follows thier seperate lives as they each experience the American West. A great read.

It's been 5 years since I read this book and I still think about it often. Impossible to put down! I'm so happy I did not get rid of my copy as it is now out of print.

This is a superb novel--original, compelling, fast-paced, and guaranteed to please. Mathews is the most underrated novelist on the planet. "Heart of the Country" is equally good, which is saying a lot! I have had three people read this novel and all rated it "incredibly good" or words to that effect. If Stephen King and Ed McBain got together to write the epic 1,000 page Western, it might be "Power in the Blood." Warning: don't read the inside dust jacket, as it tells way, way, way, too much of the story.