Fiction

Lejana estrella brillante

Lejana estrella brillante

  • Downloads：8287
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2022-02-21 00:17:55
  • Update Date：2025-09-23
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Robert Olmstead
  • ISBN：8412455401
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
  • Download

Summary

El oficial Napoleón Childs parte al desierto de Sierra Madre con una patrulla a caballo en busca de los guerrilleros rebeldes。 Anteriormente han perdido su rastro innumerables veces: por un día， por una hora， en el siguiente valle， en el siguiente pico de montaña， en cuevas que no existen。 Poco a poco， bajo el sol abrasador， los soldados norteamericanos empiezan a comprender que deberán enfrentarse no sólo a un enemigo casi invisible， sino también a una tierra violenta， despiadada， y， lo peor de todo， a sí mismos。

Ambientada en 1916， durante los días de la expedición de castigo del general Pershing， que pretendía capturar a Pancho Villa en su propio terreno， Far bright star relata los estertores de un mundo en pleno cambio: el de los últimos soldados de caballería， en vísperas de que la guerra se volviera mecánica y tecnológica y， naturalmente， aún más mortífera。 Con un estilo convulso， lleno de cruda poesía， Robert Olmstead dibuja una serie de personajes atrapados por su propio destino de violencia y destrucción durante los años más agitados de la Revolución mexicana。 Una novela que Booklist ha incluido entre los diez mejores westerns de la década。

Download

Reviews

K Rae ，

The writing is good， but it was a bit too violent for me。 I guess I should know not to read Westerns。

Ashley ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 Judging by the inside cover description alone， I was expecting some sort of action-filled， desparation-driven， epic escape across the country。 Instead， what I got was one measly little torture scene， with Napoleon fleeing the premises and never seeing the Yaqui ever again。 The ending was awfully anticlimactic， and the details of what dastardly deed that Preston had done revealed in a one-page-long flashback towards the end。 Overall， a miserable waste of time。

Elaine ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 This is a very violent book that may be hard for some to take。 And that’s ok。 Because we aren’t supposed to like battle， or the people who perpetuate it。 We aren’t supposed to be cool with a horse kicking a guy’s nuts off as a way to torture him。 So， if this bothers you， I’d say you are well adjusted。

Madison B ，

It was。。。。good？ Nothing really happens but still powerfully written。 Reminds me of Cormac McCarthy。 Sparse and yet overwhelming at the same time。

Tom Wile ，

Don’t be fooled by the Pancho Villa reference。 Some pretty great action in this story but I don’t get it。 A very short book about a weathered cowboy in 1916 chasing down Pancho Villa but has a problem in the Mexican desert with some bad characters。 I never got the story。 Never got the point。 The author had a Jack London-esque appreciation of the great outdoors but the story lacked substance。

Jean ，

1916 the enemy Pancho Villa Mexico。 Napoleon， an aging cavalry man leads an expedition of inexperienced horse soldiers that goes terribly wrong。

Brian Fagan ，

Are you a fan of symbolism and metaphor？ I remember writing a paper in high school on symbolism in Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath。 I feel like I don't see a lot of it in modern writing。 I'm sure I miss it at times。 Maybe I'm reading the wrong kinds of books。 Whenever I do recognize it， I feel that it enhances the work。 The "Far Bright Star" in Robert Olmstead's book of that title seems to be a metaphor for home。 I give the book Five Bright Stars。 Napoleon Childs is an officer in the U。 S。 Army Are you a fan of symbolism and metaphor？ I remember writing a paper in high school on symbolism in Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath。 I feel like I don't see a lot of it in modern writing。 I'm sure I miss it at times。 Maybe I'm reading the wrong kinds of books。 Whenever I do recognize it， I feel that it enhances the work。 The "Far Bright Star" in Robert Olmstead's book of that title seems to be a metaphor for home。 I give the book Five Bright Stars。 Napoleon Childs is an officer in the U。 S。 Army of 1916， but he is not in France。 He is in Mexico， on a patrol searching for Pancho Villa， who's men have killed American civilians in a border town raid。 Most of their days are spent wandering in a furnace-like wilderness， with little to show for their efforts。 At one point， back in the supply camp， even his General admits the folly of the exercise:"This god damn goose chase is a discredit to war。"But suddenly， Napoleon's six-man unit is trapped in a side canyon by enemies， and boredom turns to a life and death battle。 A major theme is the interplay between a leader and his men。 Apparently， many enlisted men involved in the Army's "lesser" actions were from the dregs of society。 Olmstead explores ideas of leadership， honor， valor and love。 Napoleon addresses his men as they have mere minutes to prepare for the greatest danger they've ever faced:"'We have some work to do today，' he told them。。。 'It will require some courage。'He felt the heat flow emanating from his belly and a blood thrill traveling his arteries and returning veins。 He called down his darker nature and was contemptuous of the awes and terrors of his history。Then he told them， 'I wouldn't have no other company for it， not for all the tea in China，' and their spirits soared and they smiled and laughed for how businesslike he'd suddenly become and how much in that moment they loved him。。。"Far Bright Star looks at the feelings we have about those who've died in battle。 Olmstead doesn't glorify war。 He details the brutality graphically。 Except those who believe that war is never the lesser of evils， we feel tenderness for people who must die in war。The novel is a survival epic， in the vein of Jack London's To Build a Fire。 As others have commented， there is a similarity to the writing of Cormac McCarthy， poetic and lyrical:"The Apache used no map， no compass， no star to guide them。 He could not figure it out for the longest time until he began to understand they were never lost because they never came from anywhere in the first place and were never going anywhere in the end。 They were the place they were in。 。。。 If you were in a place where you did not belong， then you died， and after thousands of years the only ones who were left alive were the ones who were always where they belonged。 He'd asked the Apache before and every time he did they only laughed。 So complete were they in their being they did not even understand the questions。。。 In their language， they possessed no equivalent for the word lost。""He suddenly felt the presence of a stranger beside him and avoided his gaze， turning his head， not looking into his eyes。 The stranger was beside him， or behind him and only his shadow was cast to prove his presence。 But to turn to him， to look at him would mean death。 It would mean to be taken in his embrace and gentled from this place， this earth and into another。 He did not know how he knew this。 He just did。'I'd rather not go just yet，' he said to the stranger。"I'm going to defend Olmstead's writing choices against some criticism leveled at him for Far Bright Star。 Someone questioned the topic - why write at all about such a horrific battle？ Unfortunately， the horrors of war are part of life。 There are no parts of life not worth examining in the arts。 Those uncomfortable and sad and heinous things include the brutality of men to other men。 Olmstead's writing style has been dismissed as affected。 We all have preferences for certain styles， that's great。 But keep in mind that as a group， readers benefit from diversity of style。 。。。more

Cathy Jaskiewicz ，

This is one of the most atmospheric books I've ever read - really skillful use of language to make us experience what this world - the southwestern desert in the days of Pancho Villa - was like to the horse-soldiers who went out on patrol to track down the famed outlaw。 It's also a study of the changing times as we ended the horse-soldier era and began WWI， settled farming， etc。 The downside is that the book is graphically violent。 However， Olmstead is truly gifted as a writer！ This is one of the most atmospheric books I've ever read - really skillful use of language to make us experience what this world - the southwestern desert in the days of Pancho Villa - was like to the horse-soldiers who went out on patrol to track down the famed outlaw。 It's also a study of the changing times as we ended the horse-soldier era and began WWI， settled farming， etc。 The downside is that the book is graphically violent。 However， Olmstead is truly gifted as a writer！ 。。。more

Dan Ruff ，

Best Western I have read in some time。 In a fruitless search for Pancho Villa -- no spoiler there -- Napolean Childs encounters a far more brutal enemy。 With some echoes of McCarthy's Blood Meridian， this violent， grim story ends on a hopeful note。 Astonishing descriptions of desert violence at the opening， the novel concludes with a wonderful pastoral journey home。 Want to read more Olmstead。 Best Western I have read in some time。 In a fruitless search for Pancho Villa -- no spoiler there -- Napolean Childs encounters a far more brutal enemy。 With some echoes of McCarthy's Blood Meridian， this violent， grim story ends on a hopeful note。 Astonishing descriptions of desert violence at the opening， the novel concludes with a wonderful pastoral journey home。 Want to read more Olmstead。 。。。more

John ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 I liked it。The story goes through stages。 I became impatient during the middle。 Moving through this period it became evident that PTSD was being discribed， at least I believe so。 Having never been in the military or been exposed to serious trauma I have no first hand knowledge。 It seemed sincere to me。I believe this book could have stood another 100 pages or so。 The gradual psychological recovery could have a little more added。 Also the end， I would have liked Napoleon's father to have been invo I liked it。The story goes through stages。 I became impatient during the middle。 Moving through this period it became evident that PTSD was being discribed， at least I believe so。 Having never been in the military or been exposed to serious trauma I have no first hand knowledge。 It seemed sincere to me。I believe this book could have stood another 100 pages or so。 The gradual psychological recovery could have a little more added。 Also the end， I would have liked Napoleon's father to have been involved in his recovery。 That's what father's are for。The book begins and ends w war per Olmstead's observation of the human condition。A graphic story but gentler than McCarthy's novels。 I don't particularly care for Cormac McCarthy's harshness。 Personally I think he is mentally disturbed。 Worth the time spent。 Engaging descriptions of the SW desert。 The storm was wonderful。 The desert is a harsh and unforgiving environment that kills quickly。 There is nothing like the vistas and beauty across and into the horizon。 。。。more

Bob Brinkmeyer ，

3。5 starsIn the author’s afterword to Far Bright Star， Robert Olmstead observes: “It seems we have never not been at war—our world， our country， our people—and there are those among us when the solemn call is made who are willing to answer。 It seems to constitute the blood that flows through us。 It is our inheritance。” Such is the primary subject of Far Bright Star， told through the exploits of an expedition of American horse soldiers hunting Pancho Villa in Mexico in 1916。 And such is the reaso 3。5 starsIn the author’s afterword to Far Bright Star， Robert Olmstead observes: “It seems we have never not been at war—our world， our country， our people—and there are those among us when the solemn call is made who are willing to answer。 It seems to constitute the blood that flows through us。 It is our inheritance。” Such is the primary subject of Far Bright Star， told through the exploits of an expedition of American horse soldiers hunting Pancho Villa in Mexico in 1916。 And such is the reason why Olmstead names the pair of brothers at the center of his narrative Napoleon and Xenophon， a rather bold move （and， excuse me， one of overkill） to drive his point home。Napoleon takes center stage， once he sets out leading a patrol seeking signs of Villa。 It’s a fateful， disastrous journey， not because the patrol comes across its prey but because it becomes the prey of an armed militia， seemingly straight out of hell—or at least， straight out of Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian¬—the militia being part of a larger rag-tag itinerant community led by a mysterious woman on a magnificent white horse。 There’s a ferocious battle and a ferocious aftermath involving captivity and ordeal。 As with McCarthy， the violence is graphic and extreme。 For me， much of the novel’s interest （besides it being a Western， a genre I’m much interested in and enjoy） centers on how Napoleon changes because of his experiences in battle and captivity。 I’m not sure he experiences a full-blown case of what we now call PTSD， but he certainly comes to realize that that no one remains the same after a terrifying ordeal （I can attest to this—I once had a gun leveled at me for 15 minutes during a home invasion， and my experience is nothing compared with what Napoleon endures）。 And yet， as Olmstead underscores， Napoleon may have changed but the world hasn’t， and so in a sense he is right back where he started from。 At one point Napoleon reflects on the death of his old self and the world he now faces: “He knew he died out there and when he died the old world died with him， but it made no difference because the new world would likewise be a world of killing and in most ways indistinguishable from the old world。” Or as elsewhere observes: “After the war was before the war。”While not possessing the richness and complexity of Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian （the influence is extensive， far beyond my comments earlier）， nor the stark beauty of McCarthy’s prose （but whose does？）， Far Bright Star is a solid， well-paced novel vividly describing the terror and cruelty of war and the means that soldiers survive—or don’t。 。。。more

Tyler Cole ，

What a great read！ Olmstead kept me mesmerized with beautiful prose and detailed description。

Jimmywhat ，

Best Western since Blood Meridian。 Brutal。

Paul Wood ，

I’d liked to have rated this one 3 1/2 stars， but figured that， given the available choices， it was closer to 4 than 3。。。 here you have a well written， at times brutally violent， and somber piece of work。 I enjoyed it， and think that， if you’ve stumbled upon the book or it’s author， there’s a good chance you might like it too。

Alex Dimaio ，

Brutal

Lucy ，

This review is based on an audio version of the novel， narrated by Ed Sala。 In the early 1900’s， a group of American men who are in Mexico trying to find Pancho Villa are attacked by a group on horseback。 The story is told from the perspective of the American’s leader who is named， of all things， Napoleon。 Gruesome， but well narrated by Sala。 The story builds slowly， with no hints as to where things are headed next。 You want to continue so that you can find out does happen next， but it’s not a h This review is based on an audio version of the novel， narrated by Ed Sala。 In the early 1900’s， a group of American men who are in Mexico trying to find Pancho Villa are attacked by a group on horseback。 The story is told from the perspective of the American’s leader who is named， of all things， Napoleon。 Gruesome， but well narrated by Sala。 The story builds slowly， with no hints as to where things are headed next。 You want to continue so that you can find out does happen next， but it’s not a happy outcome。 。。。more

Valarie ，

Masterful， spare novel about a horseman's grueling pursuit of hero/villain Pancho Villa over the dry Mexican countryside。 "Less is More" is a one way to describe this writer's style。 The reflective nature of the prose will seem outdated to some， and timeless to others。 My first time reading Olmstead and very glad I did。 Hope the movie in production will be half as good as the book。 Masterful， spare novel about a horseman's grueling pursuit of hero/villain Pancho Villa over the dry Mexican countryside。 "Less is More" is a one way to describe this writer's style。 The reflective nature of the prose will seem outdated to some， and timeless to others。 My first time reading Olmstead and very glad I did。 Hope the movie in production will be half as good as the book。 。。。more

Captain Sir Roddy， R。N。 （Ret。） ，

This was an excellent novel！ I really like the books that Mr。 Olmstead has written。 They are powerful， gutwrenching， and superbly crafted。 This focuses on the relationship between the U。S。 and Mexico during the first part of the 20th Century in the midst of the Mexican revolution。 This is the story of a small group of U。S。 Army troopers who have entered into Mexico in pursuit of Pancho Villa。 In some respects， Mr。 Olmstead outdoes Cormac McCarthy in visceral storytelling。

Mary ，

Full disclosure: Robert Olmstead was my professor and mentor in college。 This is my favorite of his books。 It is the second book in a trilogy （the other two are Coal Black Horse and The Coldest Night）。 The aspect of this book I enjoyed most was the raw， spare prose。 Olmstead can break open powerful emotions with a few words。 His narrative depicts brutality and death without flinching but also without being exploitative。 It's interesting how he does it。 If this were made into a movie， I would be Full disclosure: Robert Olmstead was my professor and mentor in college。 This is my favorite of his books。 It is the second book in a trilogy （the other two are Coal Black Horse and The Coldest Night）。 The aspect of this book I enjoyed most was the raw， spare prose。 Olmstead can break open powerful emotions with a few words。 His narrative depicts brutality and death without flinching but also without being exploitative。 It's interesting how he does it。 If this were made into a movie， I would be worried the filmmakers would equate gore with bravery or something。 Olmstead gets it right in his prose though。 He shows the truth of how we suffer and how human beings treat each other， and yet at the end of all of it， there is still the sense that life has meaning and the characters' lives mattered。 。。。more

John of Canada ，

Cowboys，horses，shoot em up，what's not to like？Olmstead is a very good writer。the history，is very interesting，there are even airplanes。Fans of Cormac McCarthy and William Carlos Blake should find this right up their alley。 Cowboys，horses，shoot em up，what's not to like？Olmstead is a very good writer。the history，is very interesting，there are even airplanes。Fans of Cormac McCarthy and William Carlos Blake should find this right up their alley。 。。。more

Jean ，

This is a story of the last horse soldiers and their quest to capture/kill Pancho Villa。 It was interesting how they described the attitudes of the men with their horses and the courage of some of their mounts。 Also interesting how the author showed that this was a time military/combat changed from soldiers and horses to automatic weapons and vehicles。I did not like the writing and tired quickly of the author say "and then they。。。。" He spent way to much time describing the injuries and torture， This is a story of the last horse soldiers and their quest to capture/kill Pancho Villa。 It was interesting how they described the attitudes of the men with their horses and the courage of some of their mounts。 Also interesting how the author showed that this was a time military/combat changed from soldiers and horses to automatic weapons and vehicles。I did not like the writing and tired quickly of the author say "and then they。。。。" He spent way to much time describing the injuries and torture， and no time saying who the enemy they were chasing was。 。。。more

Pablo ，

Well written， exciting and brutal story in the McCarthy mode。 I liked it but I wanted more and this was barely more than a short story。 A good 3 star read。

Douglass w。 Cann ，

ExtraordinaryWonderful writing of a time in America， still in its infancy but expanding westward at a lightning pace。 Last of the horse soldiers。

Lloyd Fassett ，

11/26/17 Found it browsing at Dudley's。。。card said the author was like Cormac Mccarthy 11/26/17 Found it browsing at Dudley's。。。card said the author was like Cormac Mccarthy 。。。more

Jack ，

A great western thriller， set in the Mexican - American borderlands of the early 20th Century。 Poncho Villa。 Shootouts。 Shadows of WWI and the beginnings of mechanized warfare。 Fantastic writing。

Mitchell ，

"After the war is before the war。" - Robert OlmsteadFirst off， this book was fantastic， though not for the faint of heart。 Plenty of other reviews speak to the author's skill and virtuosic execution。 Suffice it to say， these are sentiments to which I wholeheartedly subscribe。 Despite coming in at a lithe 207 pages， Far Bright Star packs a wallop and in the process， poses a number of difficult questions。Napoleon and company are implements of a war which seems devoid of object or purpose。 What com "After the war is before the war。" - Robert OlmsteadFirst off， this book was fantastic， though not for the faint of heart。 Plenty of other reviews speak to the author's skill and virtuosic execution。 Suffice it to say， these are sentiments to which I wholeheartedly subscribe。 Despite coming in at a lithe 207 pages， Far Bright Star packs a wallop and in the process， poses a number of difficult questions。Napoleon and company are implements of a war which seems devoid of object or purpose。 What compels them to freely submit to this utility？ The answer to that question， while absolutely subjective in terms of the individual reader， becomes far more complex when considering society at large and our tendency towards collectivism。This novel is brutal in content and equally fierce in its examination that which is intrinsic to our nature， both good and bad。 Exceptional on all fronts！ 。。。more

Tomas！ ，

Some really good writing here if you like Cormac McCarthy novels。 Despite all the brutality， I really enjoyed this book through the torture scenes。 The rest of the book was dull and in the end sentimental in a corny way that's been done and overdone by too many other writers。 Some really good writing here if you like Cormac McCarthy novels。 Despite all the brutality， I really enjoyed this book through the torture scenes。 The rest of the book was dull and in the end sentimental in a corny way that's been done and overdone by too many other writers。 。。。more

Quiltgranny ，

No rating。 This is far too dark， brutal and cruel for me。 It might be， or might have been "true life"， but I won't subject myself to it willingly。 No rating。 This is far too dark， brutal and cruel for me。 It might be， or might have been "true life"， but I won't subject myself to it willingly。 。。。more

Mathew Vela ，

Honestly， it is like reading a Clint Eastwood movie。

Victoria ，

THIS IS NOT THE BOOK YOU ARE LOOKING FOR。 MOVE ALONG。I don't know what to say about a book about the ramblings of a crazy man。 None of it made any sense。 In some areas there is great detail and in others there isn't much said and you're left wondering "So。。 did he actually find water？ Or。。。 did he just dream it？"I'm sorry， real people don't have conversations like that which are found in the book。 Not even people of 1916。 There is talk of war， but what war？ Or rather: which war？ Aren't we alread THIS IS NOT THE BOOK YOU ARE LOOKING FOR。 MOVE ALONG。I don't know what to say about a book about the ramblings of a crazy man。 None of it made any sense。 In some areas there is great detail and in others there isn't much said and you're left wondering "So。。 did he actually find water？ Or。。。 did he just dream it？"I'm sorry， real people don't have conversations like that which are found in the book。 Not even people of 1916。 There is talk of war， but what war？ Or rather: which war？ Aren't we already in The Great War in 1916？ So why are Americans asking if "he" thinks we'll "go to war"？！Descriptions of the terrain are as jumpy and vague as the rambling thoughts portrayed as the main character's。 I really think Olmstead was on something when he wrote this story。 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Lejana estrella brillante

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Lejana estrella brillante&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Lejana estrella brillante&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0