Hawk's Tale: Uprising on the Texas Plains by D. Allen Henry
“He was more interested in being on the tip of the arrow, out there on the edge, where the excitement was. Texas was now on the edge.”
Dive into the historical battle of the Alamo in this fact-based fictional account of revolution on the plains of the Midwest. Told with the vivid imagery and literary eloquence of historic writers such as David Grann and Erik Larson, author D. Allen Henry plunges readers into an account that provides a firsthand look at the courageous men and women who defended the frontier in numerous battles, paving the way for Texas to become a new territory of our growing nation.
Unforgettable Heroes and the Frontier’s Call to Battle
“Folks is stockin’ up, sayin’ war is comin’.”
Hawk’s Tale follows a number of unforgettable, fictional characters into the real-life, historic battles that resulted in the emancipation of Texas from the dictatorship of Mexico under General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna.
The primary personality of this novel is a young Scottish immigrant, Hank MacAllen, who has secured a humble tract of land on the vast plains of Texas territory. Hank wants more than anything to support his wife, Julie, and their son Auggey. Venturing into town one day, they are beset by rumors of an imminent war with the forces of General Santa Anna. Hank encounters the fearless Hawk Banks, who is in town to gather forces to fight for freedom. Hawk’s intrepid courage becomes an inspiration to Hank, who makes the sacrifice to leave his family to fight for their secure future on the frontier. Hank represents the everyday citizen, happy to remain in their comfort zone, but acted upon by mounting threats to their freedom. Hawk is an unflinching, heroic figure that many of us aspire to be, but he is also beset by hidden weaknesses and fear.
Hawk’s Tale follows the duo through the turmoil and fear of the historic era that moved so many to take up arms against their oppressors.
The Reality of War
As the invading forces of the Mexican army swarm the region, multiple resistance movements are brutally crushed in their wake. Hawk’s Tale allows us a glimpse into the mentality of the attacking force, rarely portrayed in literature about this period. D. Allen Henry introduces us to the infamous figure of Santa Anna, hailed in Mexico as a liberator from the oppression of Spain, but willing to commit horrible atrocities to secure and maintain the power that he had so recently obtained. Far from a sympathetic portrait, we see the internal struggles for power and the lack of mercy that Santa Anna wields within his own government.
Alternatively, one of the most fascinating, fictional characters that Henry writes into this story is a conscripted Mexican soldier by the name of Francisco de la Garza. This young man, devoted to religion and his family, is suddenly thrust into the violent atrocities of war. Francisco provides a unique perspective as a combatant on the other side of the battle lines, drawn into the atrocities of war against his wishes.
A particularly powerful moment in Hawk’s Tale unfolds as Francisco marches with a captive from the Texan forces and is suddenly ordered to execute the man. Francisco faces a situation where he must comply, or certainly be put to death himself.
“… His comrades all along the line abruptly turned on their captives. The soldier on Francisco’s left fired, as did the one on his right. Raising his musket to fire, Francisco gazed squarely into the eyes of his intended victim. The man stared at back him, horror creasing his features.”
A simulated first-hand account of both heroism and horror of the revolutionary war will keep readers turning pages in this gripping novel. The author creates a setting so immersive and realistic that it’s virtually impossible to distinguish the historic figures from the invented participants. Fortunately, Hawk’s Tale includes both a timeline of historic events and a delineated list of Fictional characters and those from the pages of history to help readers keep everything straight.
D. Allen Henry writes with an intent to both inform and entertain. There is action and drama within these pages, but it’s generated entirely from the true-to-life tumult of the setting and the affection that we develop for the main characters. Readers will find themselves genuinely invested in the lives of the people encountered herein. While Hank, Hawk, and Francisco may be fictional, they are more accurately described as representative of the thousands of real people who were engulfed in this confrontation.
Texas Revolution Reimagined
Hawk’s Tale by D. Allen Henry brings the gravity and emotional depth of a Ken Burns documentary to the pages of this novel. Readers will find a greater appreciation and understanding of the historical events and context of the Texas Revolutionary War. The roller coaster of action and drama found in this book will bring history to life with that special spark that helps us fully understand how understanding the past is of vital importance as we face the future.
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About D. Allen Henry:
D. Allen Henry obtained his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering at Texas A&M University in 1980. In his more than 40 years in academia, he has been on faculty at four major universities, including two as Dean of Engineering. Over the past 28 years, he has taught 39 study abroad courses across the world in 20 countries on four continents. He is also multilingual (French and Italian), and he has lived in Italy, France, Australia, and Brazil. He has embarked on many travels with his wife, Claudia.
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