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C. S. Boyack
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Once Upon a Time in the Swamp Kindle Edition

by C. S. Boyack (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.9 out of 5 stars 17 ratings
Mari and her husband opted for a simple life as farmers. It's been decades since the world tore itself apart, pitting neighbor against neighbor and family against each other. They were happy in this re-emerging world, until disaster struck.

Mari sets out on a solo quest to avenge the deaths of her family and loss of everything she holds dear. She's ill equipped for the task, but seems to have time on her hands. Time alone in the wilderness to deal with her personal demons along the way.

She is helped by a few sympathetic elders and a couple of animal companions with lessons Mari can use if she pays attention. Can Mari find justice for her family?

Set in a post apocalyptic, Gulf Coast world, this is a story for fans of the old Spaghetti Westerns.
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  1. Reading age
    12 - 18 years
  2. Print length
    245 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    April 21, 2023
  5. Page Flip
    Enabled
  6. Word Wise
    Enabled
  7. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C39CF2J9
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 21, 2023
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.1 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 245 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 12 - 18 years
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.9 out of 5 stars 17 ratings

About the author

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C. S. Boyack

C. S. Boyack

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I was born in a town called Elko, Nevada. I like to tell everyone I was born in a small town in the 1940s. I'm not quite that old, but Elko has always been a little behind the times. This gives me a unique perspective of earlier times, and other ways of getting by. Some of this bleeds through into my fiction.

I moved to Idaho right after the turn of the century, and never looked back. My writing career was born here, with access to other writers and critique groups I jumped in with both feet.

I like to write about things that have something unusual. My works are in the realm of science fiction, paranormal, and fantasy. The goal is to entertain you for a few hours. I hope you enjoy the ride.

Craig

Customer reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars
17 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers praise the book's writing quality, with one review highlighting its well-crafted post-apocalyptic world. Moreover, the book features fascinating characters, and customers find the storytelling engaging, with one noting how it draws readers in from the first page. Additionally, customers appreciate the animal content, with one review mentioning the amazing creatures in the story.

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7 customers mention "Writing quality"7 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, with one customer noting its well-crafted post-apocalyptic world and another highlighting its gritty descriptions.

"...looking for a book that delivers adventure, amazing characters, gritty descriptions, and settings that ooze texture, don’t pass this up...." Read more

"...out of the old West with colorful and fascinating characters, plenty of world-building, and a page-turner, this is the book for you." Read more

"With every Boyack novel I read, I’ve come to expect exceptional creativity, characters who get under my skin, and often pets (even an ox) that steal..." Read more

"...His characters are strong and believable, including animals in the story...." Read more

5 customers mention "Character development"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the characters in the book, with one review specifically highlighting the determined female characters and another noting the fearless heroine.

"...If you’re looking for a book that delivers adventure, amazing characters, gritty descriptions, and settings that ooze texture, don’t pass this up...." Read more

"...Of course, on the road, there are interesting characters to meet and suspense to deal with when the perpetrators have just left one town or another...." Read more

"...novel I read, I’ve come to expect exceptional creativity, characters who get under my skin, and often pets (even an ox) that steal my heart...." Read more

"...His characters are strong and believable, including animals in the story...." Read more

4 customers mention "Storytelling"4 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the storytelling of the book, finding it engaging and well-paced, with one customer noting how it draws readers in from the first page.

"...If you’re looking for a book that delivers adventure, amazing characters, gritty descriptions, and settings that ooze texture, don’t pass this up...." Read more

"...The ending is very satisfying, but going into it would invite spoilers. Let’s just say there is a twist or two...." Read more

"...It is a fitting ending to a fascinating story." Read more

"...The story is engaging, but just as importantly, the writing is impressive. Skillfully captured scenes made me want more...." Read more

3 customers mention "Animal content"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the animal content in the book, with one mentioning the amazing creatures and another noting how often pets are featured.

"...imaginative worlds populated by colorful characters, and amazing creatures...." Read more

"...expect exceptional creativity, characters who get under my skin, and often pets (even an ox) that steal my heart...." Read more

"...His characters are strong and believable, including animals in the story...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Mae Clair
    5.0 out of 5 stars Welcome to an amazing world!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    C. S. Boyack is known for creating imaginative worlds populated by colorful characters, and amazing creatures. This time, he transfers his inventive paintbrush to the Golf Coast of the U.S., in a post-apocalyptic world. The area is riddled with fledgling towns and outposts, much like the scattered cow towns of the Old West.

    Raiders attack the farm Mari shares with her husband and young son, killing both while she is off hunting turkey. When the local sheriff brushes her off, too busy to help, Mari sets out on her own in a quest for vengeance. Her trek is long and arduous, fraught with danger. Victimized by the raiders, she’s left for dead—until assisted by Miss Kelilah, who offers friendship and wisdom along with her aid.

    If you’re squeamish, no worries. Boyack kept the violence against Mari “off screen” and it was only referenced after the fact, something I truly appreciated.

    Next, we meet Mr. Vance, my favorite secondary character. Kelilah teaches Mari knife-fighting and throwing, while Vance teaches her the nitty-gritty about handguns. All of this plays wonderfully, as Mari is tough and determined, eager to learn. Though vengeance is her driving goal, there are splashes of humor throughout. I Loved (with a capital “L”!!) Worthless, the dog, and Dirt, the ox. Boyack always delivers amazing animal characters, but he outdid himself this time around.

    If you’re looking for a book that delivers adventure, amazing characters, gritty descriptions, and settings that ooze texture, don’t pass this up. I’ve read many works by this author, but consider Once Upon a Time in the Swamp Boyack’s best. He's created a strong, relatable character in Mari and a good vs. evil tale that delivers frontier justice. The ending couldn’t have been better. I would love to see more stories with Mari’s ongoing adventures. Bravo, Mr. Boyack!
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  • John W. Howell
    5.0 out of 5 stars An Amazing Post Apocalyptic Story
    Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    C.S. Boyack can create a world like no other author. Once Upon a Time in the Swamp is a perfect example of his work. He has paired a farmer’s wife with an ox named Dirt and wagon in a post-apocalyptic coastal world. He sends this woman on an epic trip of revenge to find justice by killing the men who murdered her husband and son. They also raped her and killed the ox’s sibling, so nothing short of killing them will do.
    Along the way, the woman saves a dog she names worthless and learns how to shoot to kill with a vintage 45 revolver. Of course, on the road, there are interesting characters to meet and suspense to deal with when the perpetrators have just left one town or another. The ménage includes the skeleton of an old lady left in a cabin. Who takes on a personality of her own
    Mari is the woman’s name and is my kind of person. She hunts for her food, is resourceful, doesn’t cry over spilled milk, and has a taste for moonshine.
    The ending is very satisfying, but going into it would invite spoilers. Let’s just say there is a twist or two. If you want a story that reads like it is out of the old West with colorful and fascinating characters, plenty of world-building, and a page-turner, this is the book for you.
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  • tpolen
    5.0 out of 5 stars Revenge Tale
    Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    With every Boyack novel I read, I’ve come to expect exceptional creativity, characters who get under my skin, and often pets (even an ox) that steal my heart.

    Mari suffers losses I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. After hunting turkeys, she returns to the farm to find her husband and son brutally murdered. Naturally she seeks help from the local sheriff, but he’s a useless, poor excuse for law enforcement and sends her back to what’s left of her home. Determined to avenge the deaths of her family, Mari sets out on her own with Dirt, her stubborn ox.

    I’m a fan of revenge tales, and I wanted to climb through the pages and help Mari track down the murderers. Along the way she encounters other people who help in various ways or teach her skills she’ll need for her quest (it was a tie between Mr. Vance and Kalilah for my favorite). Mari takes in Worthless, a dog who offers unconditional love, and I’m not sure who needs the other the most. During one of the end scenes, Dirt plays a big part that gave me (and I’m sure him) quite a bit of satisfaction.

    Other stories I’ve read by this author offer lighter tales and humor, but this is for fans of a darker, grittier world. Speaking of the world, I was initially unsure of the time period, but the author skillfully reveals the state of this post-apocalyptic setting without an info dump. I honestly wasn’t sure how the story would end, and it’s one I could never have imagined. But it was perfect.

    Highly recommended for fans of strong, determined female characters, revenge tales, and darker settings.
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  • T. W. Dittmer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing post-apocalyptic thriller
    Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I was drawn into the story from the very beginning. Mr. Boyack did an amazing job of describing what America would be like after a second Civil War, one much more destructive than the first. His characters are strong and believable, including animals in the story.

    When the lead character, Mari's husband and son are murdered by raiders taking advantage of the post-war situation, she is heartbroken. She goes to the local sheriff to report the tragedy, but he says he can do nothing about it. She pushes through her grief and sets out to avenge the deaths of her family herself.

    The ensuing story is captivating. As Mari hunts down the killers, her transportation is a makeshift trailer made from the bed of a pickup truck, towed by an ox named Dirt. The hunt is trying and dangerous, and she would be slain, but is assisted by caring and respectful people she meets.

    When she finally comes face-to-face with the killers, she uses the training given to her by one of the kind people who helped her. It is an exceedingly violent meeting, a shoot-out that is excellently described by Mr. Boyack. After the finale of Mari versus the killer raiders, the tale takes a twist that kept me intrigued.

    It is a fitting ending to a fascinating story.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Harmony Kent
    5.0 out of 5 stars An engrossing post-apocalyptic tale with a wonderful wild-west twist
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 17, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This, by far, is the best Boyack book I've read, and that's saying something! While all of his books are filled with humour and fantastic imagination, as well as true-to-life characters and amazing creatures and hugely entertaining animals who are characters in their own right, Once Upon a Time in the Swamp takes the gold medal.

    The world building, plot, pacing, and characterisation are all done brilliantly, and this read kept me engrossed. While it deals with heavy topics and covers tragic and violent events, the author deals with these sensitively and the horrors happen off-page, thus sparing the reader. The POV is told from the main character's perspective, and her courage, strength, and determination are inspiring. I love the kindness of strangers we are shown, which helps offset the rough world of post 2nd civil war America.

    Here are some lines I loved ...

    'Several hours are lost to me, and I may never get ... I don't want them back.' ... Oh, the truth in this!

    And ...

    'Must be a sight; a widow woman covered with mud, blood, and snot bawling her eyes out in the moonlight beside a fresh grave.'

    And ...

    (Talking about a gorgeous puppy) 'Maybe that was her job. My personal emotional sponge.'

    My favourite characters were many, ranging from Dirt the obstinate Ox and Worthless the cute puppy dog to Kalilah and Mr Vance. The villains were thoroughly hatable, which takes writing skill, and all the characters came to full-bloodied life.

    Once Upon a Time in the Swamp gets a resounding 5 stars from me. Go and buy this book!

    ***

    NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.

    5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
    4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
    3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
    2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
    1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.
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  • MacTrish
    5.0 out of 5 stars A remarkable story of one woman’s search for justice
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 14, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Once Upon a Time in the Swamp is a story set in the near future where a world war has knocked out modern facilities and caused people to revert to more old-fashioned methods of living. This is not a tale of mutants or zombies. This is a moving novel about Mari White whose husband and young son have been brutally slain. No one locally is in a position to help her and so she sets off in pursuit of the killers on her own. She has a tough time of things but her indomitable spirit keeps her pushing on, helped by kind people she meets along the way. I think this is going to be one of my top reads of the year.
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