Bird in the Hand -- Spearfish Lake Tales - Wes Boyd's Message Board

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Subject: Bird in the Hand

Author:
Dang Fool

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Date Posted: 14:15:13 10/22/14 Wed

I immediately enjoyed Bird in the Hand and over time my opinion has firmed into the belief that it is my favorite story from Wes.

Part of my enjoyment comes from the multiple characters. I have nothing against stories like Blanche Tickle that concentrate on a couple, but I was delighted to have the story weave between characters and have them tied together in unexpected ways. While there's joy in having known characters reappear, like seeing Emily and Kevin in Bullring Days, I was especially tickled to watch a minor character like Ashley Kielhorn add her voice to the story.

If asked before this, I would have answered "Next Generation" as my favorite, but now I'm re-evaluating. I'm trying to objectively measure how much of TNG's appeal was from being my first.

Well, it's a good excuse to re-read all the stories, eh?

Who else has an opinion?

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Replies:

[> Subject: Re: Bird in the Hand
Author: Leo Kerr [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 20:31:17 10/23/14 Thu I guess that in general, as a "favorite series," I point to the Bradford Exiles. But as a favorite book, I lean toward Blue Beauty. I think I identify (perhaps too well) with Trey. (Although to make things really weird, my own "first" was The Girl in the Mirror.) Leo

[> Subject: Re: Bird in the Hand

Author:
Boyd Percy
[ Edit | View ]

Date Posted: 23:42:46 10/23/14 Thu

>I immediately enjoyed Bird in the Hand and over time
>my opinion has firmed into the belief that it is my
>favorite story from Wes.
>
>Part of my enjoyment comes from the multiple
>characters. I have nothing against stories like
>Blanche Tickle that concentrate on a couple, but I was
>delighted to have the story weave between characters
>and have them tied together in unexpected ways. While
>there's joy in having known characters reappear, like
>seeing Emily and Kevin in Bullring Days, I was
>especially tickled to watch a minor character like
>Ashley Kielhorn add her voice to the story.
>
>If asked before this, I would have answered "Next
>Generation" as my favorite, but now I'm re-evaluating.
>I'm trying to objectively measure how much of TNG's
>appeal was from being my first.
>
>Well, it's a good excuse to re-read all the stories,
>eh?
>
>Who else has an opinion?

I agree that this is a good story. I wouldn't call it my favorite; maybe in the middle of the pack. Since Wes doesn't write any stinkers, I don't think you can go wrong in reading any of his books. I also like to go back and read some of the old books again.

Thank goodness he's chosen to share his talent with us.

[> Subject: Re: Bird in the Hand
Author: Andrew [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 11:40:10 11/01/14 Sat The Next Generation was my first as well, it is up there with the best of them. When Dawnwalker started, "chaotic" and "confusing were the words I first thought of. After a couple of weeks of Wes posting I went back to it and now there was enough there that the story made sense. It is still the best one for me.

[> Subject: Re: Bird in the Hand

Author:
Ian
[ Edit | View ]

Date Posted: 14:43:36 11/02/14 Sun

>I immediately enjoyed Bird in the Hand and over time
>my opinion has firmed into the belief that it is my
>favorite story from Wes.
>
...
>
>Well, it's a good excuse to re-read all the stories,
>eh?
>
>Who else has an opinion?

My favourite used to be Next Generation, but is now Stray Kitten.

At the end of Stray Kitten, my impression is that Bryson Payne is not likely to be keeping his job for long. It seems to me that the time frame of Bird in Hand is following the end of Stray Kitten (but I might be wrong) and it appears he is still in the job. Comments, anyone ?

Ian

[> [> Subject: Re: Bird in the Hand

Author:
Boyd Percy
[ Edit | View ]

Date Posted: 17:32:17 11/02/14 Sun

>
>My favourite used to be Next Generation, but is now
>Stray Kitten.
>
>At the end of Stray Kitten, my impression is that
>Bryson Payne is not likely to be keeping his job for
>long. It seems to me that the time frame of Bird in
>Hand is following the end of Stray Kitten (but I might
>be wrong) and it appears he is still in the job.
>Comments, anyone ?

I've read this book twice. Send me a private email and I'll share what I know.

Boyd Percy
>
>Ian

[> [> [> Subject: Re: Bird in the Hand
Author: Ian [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 17:42:32 11/03/14 Mon >I've read this book twice. Send me a private email and >I'll share what I know. > >Boyd Percy Thanks for the offer, but I'll wait to see what unfolds :-) Ian

[> [> Subject: Re: Bird in the Hand

Author:
Mike
[ Edit | View ]

Date Posted: 16:18:12 12/12/14 Fri

>At the end of Stray Kitten, my impression is that
>Bryson Payne is not likely to be keeping his job for
>long. It seems to me that the time frame of Bird in
>Hand is following the end of Stray Kitten (but I might
>be wrong) and it appears he is still in the job.
>Comments, anyone ?
>
>Ian

My opinion: 99% of SK takes place about two years before BitH.

Note that the entire story of BitH starts and finishes in less than two weeks.

The very last chapter of SK (#39) is divided into two time frames that are 21 months apart. The last part has Cody pulling Payne over for DUI, and then transporting him to the jail in the back seat of the patrol car.

The last chapter of BitH has the Chief Wexler saying " I know you�ve got some votes on the school board even after that DUI you had a few weeks ago, but once the stories get around you won�t have a single one.�

Assuming that the DUI at the end of SK is the same one as the DUI mentioned by the Chief (the one he mentions could have been the second - or more?), this tells me that BitH happens after SK. Not much, but after.

Mike

[> Subject: Re: Bird in the Hand
Author: Ian [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 01:56:29 12/12/14 Fri >I immediately enjoyed Bird in the Hand and over time >my opinion has firmed into the belief that it is my >favorite story from Wes. > >Who else has an opinion? Well, I've now read it to the end. Not my favourite story from Wes, pretty much middle of the pack. Stray Kitten is still my favourite. Ian

[> Subject: Re: Bird in the Hand

Author:
Reinhard
[ Edit | View ]

Date Posted: 16:27:03 12/12/14 Fri

>I immediately enjoyed Bird in the Hand and over time
>my opinion has firmed into the belief that it is my
>favorite story from Wes.

Most of the story was fine but with a tenth of the swearing it would still have been convincing. And the description of Ashley Kielhorn's slutty dressing on her porch got boring at the second and annoying at the third repetition.

[> Subject: Re: Bird in the Hand

Author:
grandpa john
[ Edit | View ]

Date Posted: 23:07:56 12/14/14 Sun

>I immediately enjoyed Bird in the Hand and over time
>my opinion has firmed into the belief that it is my
>favorite story from Wes.
>
>Part of my enjoyment comes from the multiple
>characters. I have nothing against stories like
>Blanche Tickle that concentrate on a couple, but I was
>delighted to have the story weave between characters
>and have them tied together in unexpected ways. While
>there's joy in having known characters reappear, like
>seeing Emily and Kevin in Bullring Days, I was
>especially tickled to watch a minor character like
>Ashley Kielhorn add her voice to the story.
>
>If asked before this, I would have answered "Next
>Generation" as my favorite, but now I'm re-evaluating.
>I'm trying to objectively measure how much of TNG's
>appeal was from being my first.
>
>Well, it's a good excuse to re-read all the stories,
>eh?
>
>Who else has an opinion?

Hard to pick just one. My first was Rocinante and I had to wait a while before another came along, I guess I have read all of them as they were published here. I first started reading on Storiesonline and then realized that the postings here was ahead of the posting schedule there.
As a group I guess I would have to pick the Dawnwalker story arc as my favorites especially the Grand Canyon stories. I have read them all 4 or 5 times