I received a free copy of this ebook as an early reviewer on the LibraryThing website.

When I requested this book, I thought I might get a decent easy-read western story. A time filler until I found something more interesting, like The British Are Coming by Rick Atkinson (another Rick!). It is an easy read and the story is simple enough. Young western man falls into a gold mine, fights Comanches, (a lot of people end up dead in this story) fights thieves and murderers, keeps gold, shares gold with family and friends, gets the girl! A straight forward yarn and would be a great yarn except that the author couldn’t decide whether to tell a yarn or give us a Texas history lesson. Is this book a history trying to be a story or a story trying be a history? The author clearly did a lot of research as indicated by the footnotes, (most of which I did not read so I could keep to the story.) And that is part of the problem. The story gets going and then halts to tell us all the details about the dimensions of the house, and a too long discussion about the difference between percussion and flint lock firearms. We aren’t even allowed to keep the myth about Jim Bowie’s knife being made from a meteorite. Readers of history and westerns, who I imagine are the intended audience of this story, know this stuff. It is okay to assume that your audience knows things (or can look them up.) I found myself wondering how much research material did not get into the final book.
The good news about the story is that the main characters are well imagined. I can see Rye. I can see his horse, for that matter. One of the best chapters is the one where our heroes chase down the Comanches to get back their adopted daughter and find other captives. The descriptions of the landscape are great, particularly later in the story. They are almost poetic. The landscape becomes a character. The land influences who you are, what you can do. The landscape of Texas in particular will affect you. I’ve been there. I had family members live there, and reading this story I could see that land again. The author is Texan and has paid attention to his land and delivered it to us well. ( )

This was a free book I was asked to do a review on. The book was easy to read, making me wonder if it was intended for a YA reader.
It was more a historical novel rather than an adventure story, centering on building a homestead and later a ranch. I was impressed with
the information given. After each chapter were references and additional information which I found helpful. With some omissions the book
would be suitable for school reading. I enjoyed the book. ( )

I was given a free copy of Lost Maples: A Texas Western by Rick L Campise and Black Rose Writing. This book reminded me of "Swiss Family Robinson" as far as writing style. The actual book is only 176 pages. So, it is an easy read. I found this book very interesting, and I liked the author's writing style. If you like Historic Fiction, you should like this book. I look forward to reading other books by Rick L Campise. ( )

Thanks to LibraryThing Eearly Reveiwers for providing me a free copy. This is clearly a book and an author still trying to determine what they want to be.
From the cover and the dedication - which refers to Louis L'Amour, Zane Grey, Luke Short, and Max Brand - one expects a straightforward Western novel where a hero emerges to challenge injustice. Which it does. And that hero is RIcky Lee 'Rye' Campise who while fighting injustice with the help of a.o. Captain Eldridge falls in love with Mary Elizabeth 'Tib' O'Shay. Have we been wrong footed. Is this an old family story, given the dedication refers to the author's grandmother, Rosa "Ma" Eldridge and gives thanks to the author's wife Tib for giving him the time ans space to write.
Or is it a paper covering certain aspects of the history of the Republic of Texas after the War of Texas Independence. The 59 footnotes, the bibliography and the timeline are very extensive for a mere novel. Is it really necessary to go into details like 'Though guns existed that could get off more than one shot, the 1836 Colt Paterson was the first mass-produced pistol where a revolving cylinder rotated around a barrel that did not move. My 1839 Colt was the .36 caliber model, a version many people were starting to refer to as the Texas Paterson. With a reloading lever and a capping window, reloads were mercifully shorter . The two-and-a-half pound pistol felt like it had been made for my hand. With my old friend, I could hit targets at sixty-five yards but was much more comfortable at half that distance. (p. 17 of 299) or 'The head of all households present in Texas before March 4, 1836, were eligible for First Class Headright land grants of 4.605 acres, while single men received 1,476 acres. All volunteers who served honorably in the Army of the Republic of Texas, were entitled to a Bounty grant of 320 acres for every three months served with a maximum total of 1.280acres. If a man died defending Texas, his heirs received a Bounty grant of 640 acres. There were also Donation grants of 640 acres for fighting in specific battles such as San Jacinto, Bexar, Harrisburg, and others. I had a 1.280-acre Bounty grant for serving, 1.280 acres in Donation grants for two specific battles, the 640-acre Bounty grant because my father died during the war, and my 1.476 First Class Headright acres for a total of 4.676. I kept the land certificates in a secret compartment in my saddelbags for the past three years. Having my papers close was a comfort. (p. 38 of 299) Etc... etc... etc...
Take them away and what's left is a fairly simple story of someone who litteraly falls in a goldmine, is almost swindled out if it by the proverbial scheming Western banker but is utlimately saved by General Sam Houston. Nevertheless two stars for the extensive research and one for the story! ( )