The Gates of the Alamo Reviews

• "A Work of historical fiction which reads like a thriller"

  
  By on 2000-03-06
  After publishing two wonderful, critically acclaimed novels in the `80s ("Aransas" and "Jacob's Well"), Stephen Harrigan seemed to drop off of the literary map. But his time was well spent, writing books of essays ("Commanche Night") and teleplays ("The Last of His Tribe," "Cleopatra") while researching his latest and third novel, "At the Gates of the Alamo," a work of historical fiction which reads like thriller and will have thousands of Americans glued to their seats as they reevaluate that legendary event in our history. Harrigan frames his story with a 1911 parade in San Antonio, as former Mayor Terrell Mott, the last surviving "hero" of the Alamo, takes a place of honor in the procession. Terrell's recollections of that time lead into the main story, featuring Terrell his mother Mary, and a botanist named Ed McGowan as protagonists. Beginning in the months before the citizens of Texas begin their fight for independence, Harrigan's narrative sets the stage for the coming siege with descriptions of violence that were almost commonplace during the time. An attack by Karankawa Indians is rendered in prose that mixes matter-of-fact detail with nearly poetic description: "He raised his war club, and in a strange suspension of time she studied him as if he were a subject sitting for a portrait: the shell gorget at his beautiful neck, the blue circles tattooed over his cheekbones, the rattlesnake rattles whirring at the end of his braid." After meeting up briefly with Mary Mott and her son Terrell (not to mention Jim Bowie) along the Texas coast, McGowan heads to Mexico City in order to secure more money to complete his _Flora Texana_, a journal identifying the various species of plants and flowers throughout Mexico. At the same time, Bowie and his followers head north in order to join brief skirmishes against the Mexican Army (Steven Austin, the founder of the independence movement, has been jailed in Mexico City). McGowan's journey brings him full circle, just in time to inadvertently get involved with the defenders of the Alamo - among them, Terrell Mott. Although the story of the Alamo is a familiar one, Harrigan lends it new importance by including recently discovered facts in his narrative, such as Crockett's leaving the Alamo during the siege to enlist more defenders. What's more, historical figures are presented in a realistic light: Jim Bowie comes off as a schemer always in search of a quick fortune; Col. Travis is brash and full of bravado; former congressman David Crockett can't seem to shake the habit of politicking; and Sam Houston is a scheming, devious man of questionable fortitude. Mary Mott's observations of Houston, after the Alamo, are telling: "In order to help the `forted up' men in the Alamo, Houston would have had to abandon his own plans and subvert his own ambition, and men such as he did not do such things, no matter the cost in lives." Harrigan intermingles his fictional characters with the historical creating a work of seamless beauty. The Mexican characters - like Sgt. Blas Montoya, or Lt. Telesforo Villasenor - are handled with the same amount of care, so that when the battle comes the reader is equally moved by deaths on both sides. And the ongoing (on and off) relationship between Mary Mott and Ed McGowan never slides into maudlin territory. Great historical novels should present their revelations about the past within the context of a story that is both riveting and believable. Harrigan's "At the Gates of the Alamo" does all that and more. (copyright 2000, DTS/St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
  
  

• A wide audience will enjoy this book.

  
  By A1S5730H97QOLG on 2000-03-02
  From the first page this large and satisfying book, you know you are in the hands of a master. Stephen Harrigan not only knows his Texas history like nobody's business, but he knows how to create characters we immediately care about, and finds the trick of building suspense around an historical event with a well-known outcome.

  Using a mix of Northamerican, Mexican and Tejano characters both real and imagined, we see what life in Mexican Texas was like. One major character, Edmund McGowan, is a naturalist in the employ of the Mexican government who sees no reason to break away. The mysterious end to that income sends him to Mexico City to find out what's happened. The possible breakaway of Texas is the talk of the town, and although Edmund insists that many of Mexico's Texas citizens are perfectly happy (settlers had to become Mexican citizens and Catholics in order to own land) a Mexico City barber sets him straight: "Ah, but these days one can only be a Mexican in one's soul. It is very difficult to be a citizen when one's government is so inconstant." Also on this trip he meets Stephen Austin, fresh from prison following his latest attempt to have a rational dialogue with Mexican president Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, and Juan Almonte, an intelligent and powerful Mexican nobleman, all of whom will play major parts later in the book. McGowan's relationship with widow Mary Mott, who runs an inn on the Texas coast, adds a deep personal note to their troubled times, as does the tie between the Mexican sergeant Blas and a mysteries Maya girl.

  The roster of character is large, but each one is sharply drawn and memorable. The siege of the Alamo is exciting and unromantic. Some of its heroes emerge as quite heroic, others portrayed as regular people fighting for their lives. The heroism is not confined to the defenders of the Alamo: many Mexican officers were horrified at Santa Anna's insistence on killing everyone in the fort.

  I'm not sure I agree with that familiar bookending device of using a 1911 Alamo parade to encase the story, but what the heck, I was glad the book went on that much longer. Unlike the work of many journalists who turn to fiction, every page of Harrigan's novel is alive and vibrant.
  
  

• A very good read

  
  By A38MHB5UE57DJD on 2000-03-01
  The Gates of the Alamo is a work of fiction set against the turbulent Texas Revolution and the Alamo in particular. While I am not normally a fan of ficticious works dealing with Texas history this book is the exception. Mr. Harrigan has done his research and taken us into the thirteen day siege in ways few have imagained. This is not Walt Disneys version. The characters are well thought out and human, their decisions are not always the right ones and life does not always have a happy ending. Seen through the eyes of both men and women, Anglo and Hispanic, soldiers and civilians Harrigan takes us through the horrors of war and lets us see that while the Alamo was heroic it wasn't antisceptic and battles really do bring out the worst in its participants. The author has taken the time to understand the different mind sets and attitudes concerning the Texas independence movement and has interwoven them into an interesting story that can be depended on to keep a readers interest and actually inform on many points. Mr. Harrigan has incorporated into his book recently discovered information about the battle that until now only serious researchers and Alamo historians have been aware of adding a deeper understanding of the siege to the casual reader. All in all a very good read that is enjoyable, disturbing, informative and highly recommended
  
  

• Finest novel of the Battle of the Alamo

  
  By A2EA9L8XJ5VLMW on 2000-03-02
  Stephen Harrigan's The Gates of the Alamo is simply the best novel ever written about the Battle of the Alamo, and it is immediately on this reader's shortlist of favorite books. Harrigan works from a deep well of background research, and he displays a sound understanding of the time, the place, and the people of Texas during the turbulent years of 1835 and 1836. In every possible respect this book has the ring of truth and authenticity, and it abounds with thoughtful insight. The author's powers of description rank high, and the reader will feel the sights, sounds, and smells of a bygone world. The central characters include Texans and Mexicans, and both sides are portrayed fairly and with sympathy. Without a doubt, the author's narration of the final battle for the Alamo probably comes as close as is possible to the stark truth of what that savage contest must have been like. As a delightful bonus, the endpapers feature Gary Zaboly's two excellent aerial perspectives of the Alamo compound and San Antonio de Bexar. I recommend this book in the highest terms and without reservation and hope it will be a bestseller!
  
  

• A Must Read

  
  By A2R6Z67JX2T5TQ on 2000-05-13
  This is the BEST novel about Texas history. The majority of characters are based on actual people of the time, David Crockett, William Travis, Santa Anna, Gail Borden and more. Harrigan brings them to life, gives them breath, gives them hopes and dreams, and makes them human.

  I'm originally from Texas and have visited the real Alamo in San Antonio many times. Most people, during their first visit, are amazed to find that the Alamo stands in the middle of the city. At the time of the battle it was across the river from the town. One cannot get a good sense of just how big the Alamo compound was, in 1836, by visiting the actual place. The plaza, where most of the fighting took place, is now covered by a street, shops and the U.S. Post Office (where Travis was killed). But, when you read GATES OF THE ALAMO you believe you are there; you can visualize the place, the smells, the cold, the pain, and the hunger. You find yourself totally immersed in the characters of the book with their desperate attempts to survive a very brutal and bloody battle.

  The battle, as written by Harrigan, comes to life. Even though this book is a novel, what Harrigan has written about the battle is based on the most recent research. His interpretation of the battle is mesmerizing and moving.

  The story is told from the perspectives of Mexican officers and soldiers and the Texans. Harrigan is fair in his portrayal of these characters and, because of that, one has a deeper understanding of what motivated these people to fight and die before dawn on March 6, 1836.
  
  

• Remember the Alamo!
  By on 2000-03-05
  Ranks way up there with "Gates of Fire" and "The Triumph and the Glory" at the summit of recently released historical fiction novels. In fact it is the best of the three. "The Gates of the Alamo" brings history to life as only the best novels of this fascinating genre can, the characters are vividly drawn, the setting and action portrayed with authenticity, and the valor and heroic nature of the siege at the Alamo brought home to the reader with stunning power. A great book!
  
  
• Outstanding (Historical) Novel!
  By A3NYUO2NPTX1E5 on 2000-03-28
  Stephen Harrigan wrote a wonderful novel several years ago entitled "Aransas." Now he has written another outstanding novel, "Gates of the Alamo." For those interested in history it is especially appealing because it deals with one of America's most powerful icons, the Alamo. However, it is not just a historical novel. Harrigan has told a brilliant tale full of characters that demand your attention. Characters from both sides of the conflict grip you and carry you all the way to the last page of the story. I highly recommend this book to any one who loves to read a great story, well told.
  
  
• Worthwhile, a bit revisionist, but great historical fiction
  By A27WFYW9ZJ5DN1 on 2000-04-13
  This is an intriguing and somewhat revisionist novel about the battle of the Alamo and the tensions which led up to it. It takes three fictional characters (a mother, her son, and a botanist) and uses their personalities and vantage points to develop a human size story within the saga of Texas Independence. It also deftly portrays both Mexican and Texan viewpoints and emotions. A worthwhile novel for those interested in history as seen through fiction.
  
  
• A gem in literature of fact
  By A12AN7TOF9TCG8 on 2000-04-18
  The Alamo is the holiest of Texas shrines, a haunted little mission built at the crossroads of fact and fiction, and in the gospel of Texas, perhaps a vestige of Creation itself.

  With characteristic hubris, Texans can trace this new millennial world to the blood spilled at the Alamo, a game of six degrees of historical separation: Without the Alamo, they say, there could have been no Battle of San Jacinto. Without the Battle of San Jacinto, Texas could not have existed. Without Texas, westward expansion would have been stymied. Without the West, the U.S. would merely be an Atlantic power, at best, and would not likely have risen to a world power. And without the U.S. as a world power, the world as we know it today would not exist.

  So there is no surprise that a gifted Texas writer such as Stephen Harrigan would return to the touchstone of this single, epochal event to tell a riveting new story, in much the same way writers have so often returned to the story of Creation.

  This book is a new masterpiece in the literature of fact. The strength of Harrigan's extraordinarily authentic novel is in its superior storytelling, no small thing when staring down the hot barrel of history.
  
  

• A truly fine historical novel
  By A9ANMVCEOQ8P7 on 2001-03-07
  This past weekend I was in a local bookstore, seeking something interesting to read. Nothing really caught my fancy, and then I happened to notice a thick novel: "The Gates of the Alamo" by Stephen Harrigan. I must admit that at first impulse I was skeptical; after all, the Alamo is one of those topics which lends itself to paeans filled with noble, square-jawed heroes who die nobly and heroically, with rifle in hand and a patriotic sentiment on their lips. But, a glance at the large number of very favorable comments from reviewers (and not all from Texas, which is important since many Texans tend not to be entirely rational when discussing the Alamo) convinced me that the book might be worth a try.

  "The Gates of the Alamo" is told from the viewpoint of half a dozen characters, both Mexican and "norteamericano". All of these characters are fictional, except for Joe, Colonel Travis's slave (about whom we actually know very little from history), so we see the familiar central figures of the Alamo story -- Travis, Bowie, Crockett, Santa Ana, Sam Houston -- from a distance. This allows Harrigan to hold firm to his stated goal of "absolute fidelity to the truth of the events" without having to resort to invented motivations and thoughts of historical figures. And he does an excellent job of constructing his story on a sturdy framework of genuine history. Certainly there are many elements of Alamo history which are open to varying interpretations, but Harrigan stays close to those events for which there is persuasive evidence. Undoubtedly, there are those who will not be happy with some of Harrigan's depictions of some of the traditional Alamo heroes. No, none are presented as villains, but they may be a little less than twelve feet tall. Unquestionably the most attractive of them is David Crockett, drawn as a genial man instinctively drawn to practicing personal politics with everyone he meets, but underneath all that, a man who is both goodhearted and, well, heroic.

  "The Gates of the Alamo" is more than a recounting of a famous battle, however. Indeed, the Alamo is not even seen until the halfway mark of the novel. Before the first Mexican soldier rides into San Antonio de Bexar, we are already deeply involved with the personal stories of the viewpoint characters and, through them, we have come to understand much about the "Texian" settlers and the Mexican army. And the attraction of those personal stories cannot be discounted either; they are complex, very real people walking through the pages of the novel. They include a character as unexpected as Edmund McGowan, a natural scientist who has spent the past ten years as a botanist under contract to the Mexican government to study the plants of Texas; he frequently finds himself distracted by the sight of some flower as yet undescribed in scientific literature or by the flight of magnificent flocks of birds overhead.

  When the final battle of the Alamo does come, Harrigan provides a powerful, intense picture of desperate combat, a battle deeply involving people with whom we have become intimately familiar. Neither glamorous nor a simplistic "war is terrible" diatribe, it is a realistic portrait of what happened that morning.

  "The Gates of the Alamo" stands head and shoulders above most historical novels.
  
  

• Girl finds battle book great
  By on 2000-04-07
  Having nearly all of my family in San Antonio, I visited the Alamo many times in my childhood, often because my dad wanted to go. Now, as an adult about to visit again, I wanted to find out much more about the area. When my dad suggested this book, I bought it right away, and I was not disappointed. The first two thirds of the book familiarizes the reader with all the characters, both real and fictional, so that when they finally all reach the Alamo, you wish good things for both sides!

  My husband, a Marine, was pleased with my fascination at what the various troops endured in order to reach the battle site - frostbite, hunger, stench, weariness, just to name a few. On our upcoming trip, I'll be the one asking to go to the Alamo, and maybe on side trips to Gonzales and Goliad, too. Thank you, Steven Harrington, for re-introducing me to my hometown.
  
  

• You'll Remember the Alamo
  By on 2000-06-25
  Although a native Texan, I confess that I never really understood or valued the mystique of the Alamo. In fact, I was a teenager before I realized that the Texans were defeated in San Antonio. But after reading Harrigan's powerful account my imagination has been captured by the power, the horror, and the beauty of the epic struggle. Surprisingly the account of the siege and ensuing battle consume only a small part of Harrigan's book. All that preceeds and follows gives the reader an understanding of the complex relationship between the Mexican government and the settlers from the north. Harrigan's characters, even the heroes of the Alamo like Crockett, Bowie, and Travis, are depicted as men and women of both human frailty and heroic courage. Mary Mott's character was especially powerful, and as a woman I could identify with her overpowering need to find her son and the despair and grief that the hardships of pioneer life held for women. After Harrigan's book, I now understand why Texans should remember the Alamo.
  
  
• The best of its kind.
  By A2WAGFNNS0GAGN on 2000-04-12
  I'd confess that I'm addicted to historical fiction. I think that when it is well written, the result can be staggering, not only taking a reader inside a character's mind, but inside a different time and world. This happens to be one of those books. Harrigan retells that old story of the Alamo we all know so well, slipping in enough historical detail to be absolutely convincing, yet never halting the momentum of his book. It reminded me of another piece of historical fiction I'd just finished, The Requiem Shark, both books dealing with hackneyed subjects (the Alamo and Piracy) and yet they're almost as well written as my number one author, Patrick O'Brian. I say almost, because O'Brian is the true king of historical fiction. It doesn't hurt that he wrote for over fifty years, and hopefully Harrigan will be around at least as long.
  
  
• The Gates of the Alamo
  By on 2001-02-09
  A mostly excellent, obviously well-researched historical novel, though it gets off to a somewhat slow start.The book's centerpiece, the battle of the Alamo, is -- once you finally get to it -- extremely effective and compelling. Because of Harrigan's approach to laying the historical background and developing his fictional characters, the novel does get off to a rather slow start. I did have a couple of my personal quibbles. First, I'd hoped and expected -- largely because of the book's sheer length -- for a bit more of an epic look at the whole Texas Revolution. Instead, the battle of Gonzales barely gets mentioned, the first siege of San Antonio happens offstage and the reader only encounters the aftermath -- albeit very effectively presented -- of Goliad. (The battle of San Jacinto is also given fairly brisk treatment, but that's not wholly inappropriate, given that it was a quite brief battle.) I don't think this should deter anyone from reading the book;I mention it mainly because knowing this in advance might head off any disappointment with the novel's scope. My second quibble is that I really felt Harrigan was much too negative in his depiction of one of it's nonfictional characters: Sam Houston. I think Houston was a smarter and braver man than depicted in this book (though I admit it probably gets his degree of personal vanity about right).
  
  
• Historical Novel at its Best
  By A1GSBNUW9QMEM9 on 2000-08-01
  The Gates of the Alamo represents the telling of a period of history known only for the bravery of the men associated with their death at the Alamo. This book puts a human dimension to that bravery as well as the bravery and hardships of the Mexican troops under the ever political Santa Anna. It brings to life the conflicts of the time as well as documented facts about the battle itself that normally escapes the average person who focuses only on the glory and the sanitized John Wayne version. I for one learned more than I had anticipated by reading the book.
  
  
• Gates of the Alamo
  By on 2001-02-02
  Along with The Holy Sabbath Morning by Bob W Dunbar (actually I think it does just about beat Dunbars novel into second place because of this novel's epic scope, and I didn't think that would be possible), this is the novel I have most enjoyed concerning the Alamo (and the Texas War of Independance). I myself am planning to write a novel about this very same period, but from a different angle and I hope it will be as good! This novel is wonderfully evocative of both time and place and the author has obviously done his research. Yet at the same time there is a very strong plot and well rounded characters. He refuses to take side in the conflict (Mexican versus Texian!)and presents an objective viewpoint - letting the characters - both historical and fictional speak for themselves. I have learnt a lot just by reading this novel, yet have been thoroughly entertained as well. The author obviously has a great knowledge of the times, and of diverse other subjects as well - including botany! An interesting caste of characters feature the historical ones of Jim Bowie, Davy Crockett & Travis vs Santa Anna, the fictional characters of Edward McGowan (the botanist!) and Mary Mott (and the subtle relationship which develops between them), and of course Mary's son Terrell whose first experience of love leads him to war. This book is a great page turner and the plot keeps you in suspense until the climactice finale (the Alamo!). I rate this book five stars and would thoroughly recommend it as THE NOVEL on the Alamo!
  
  
• Powerful historical epic on a human scale
  By A1ALOEZ4NXHUT on 2002-05-07
  Brother Alamo Society member Stephen Harrigan set himself a daunting task when he undertook to retell the story of the Alamo in a way that would please general readers and historians and literary critics alike. It has taken me almost two years to work up the nerve to read his long-awaited, painstakingly researched book. It is a pleasure, and a relief, to discover that "The Gates of the Alamo" fully deserves all the praise it has received.

  As much as the Alamo siege serves to anchor and highlight the story, it is not the sole focus of the plot (and, indeed, only occupies a bare third or so of the book). Harrigan strolls leisurely through the year leading up to the Texas revolution, concentrating on his fictional characters and restricting most of the historical players to walk-on scenes. This is war as seen from ground level, and the primary players are not generals and politicians, but the innocents, bystanders, and journeymen swept up by events set in motion by men who cannot see the end results of what they are doing. One main character, unexpectedly, is an apolitical frontier botanist (Edmund McGowan); another is a widowed Refugio innkeeper, the sensible and resourceful Mary Mott, who is full of scorn for the grandstanding postures of men like the self-mythologizing Travis or Houston. Yet she, too, is carried away by their actions, as is her troubled son Terrell and the quietly courageous McGowan. Their fates remain linked throughout the simmering course of 1835 and, when the Mexican despot Santa Anna arrives with his army to crush the rebel Texians, they find themselves by design or happenstance together at the gates of the Alamo.

  We experience the hardships of Santa Anna's private soldiers, too, in a way seldom explored by previous writers. Although el Presidente himself and several of his real-life subordinates appear (in brief but memorable scenes), the most finely drawn portraits are those of fictional soldados mexicanos, struggling to survive a brutal campaign and used as pawns by a leader who regards their lives as of no more value than "chickens". In this way, Santa Anna is perhaps uncomfortably close to some of the more blustering Texian commanders, agitating for an independence that will allow them unfettered pursuit of wealth and land. Harrigan would not be the first to make a subtle point about the common lament (put into these words during the Civil War), "rich man's war; poor man's fight." We see this most clearly through the eyes of Joe, Travis' slave, a survivalist who suspects his lot is not likely to improve no matter which side prevails.

  If Alamo commander Travis is inclined to stoke his delusions of Walter Scott-inspired heroics, famous knife-fighter Bowie is occasionally little better than a pirate, albeit a mannered one. Their redeeming virtues are fortitude and courage, and a basic, dogged respect for a rough sort of democracy. The historical figure to come out looking the best to the modern reader is ex-Congressman David Crockett, whose legend is downplayed but whose quick wit and natural leadership qualities are key to holding the beleagured Alamo garrison together.

  The attention to detail in this novel is tremendous, if perhaps overpowering to some casual readers, and it will reward those who already are familiar with this period and who will recognize many little touches and nuances. Even though much about the Alamo battle itself will forever remain unknown, there is little sense of the invented or the anachronistic in Harrigan's reconstruction. Almost everything rings true, although I wonder if some of the invective is too jarringly contemporary for the 1830s, and Mary Mott may strike some as being a singularly liberated woman for a relatively unliberated time (but not unbelieveably so, since it took toughness to survive on the frontier, something amply demonstrated in Mary's first appearance). I would personally have liked to see some native Bexareno characters, too, for another unique vantage point, or a chapter detailing the Texian attack on Bexar. Some historical events are handled almost *too* casually, as if the author was fearful of invoking cliches badly handled by Hollywood filmmakers: hence no dramatic Crockett arrival at the Alamo, no *deguello* played by the massed Mexican bands during the attack, no line in the sand drawn by Travis (but as Terrell Mott grumbles, "that never happened").

  These are minor quibbles, and do little to detract from Harrigan's remarkable accomplishment. The final Mexican assault on the battered San Antonio mission is as powerful as anything ever written about war. The battle of San Jacinto sequence, where the Texians gain their terrible revenge for the massacres of the Alamo and Goliad, is maybe too abbreviated, but can hardly have been anything more than anticlimactic anyway. The book's coda wraps up loose ends and scrolls into the introduction, lending a suitably circular effect. The overall impression it left with me is one of profound sadness; there is a melancholy that suffuses "The gates of the Alamo," not martial clamor. It is ultimately a book about loss. When Terrell gazes at the facade of the ruined Alamo church, with its empty windows and gaping doorway, he doesn't see the "cradle of Texas liberty"; he pointedly sees the face of a grinning skull. It is a telling moment, and marks this book as a significant contribution to Texas literature.
  
  

• Moving reconstruction of the historical Alamo
  By A2MJ3CEJK05HO8 on 2002-05-13
  When I want pure history, I look for a history book packed with the hard facts as they are known about an event. What I look for in historical fiction is a work that remains faithful to the hard facts, but allows me to enter an earlier world at a more emotional level. History books give me an amber-tinted photograph while historical fiction brings those static faces to life. The best historical fiction bring voices and colors to a lost time and that is what Stephen Harrigan's Gates of the Alamo did for me.

  It took a little time to warm to, but in the end, I became engrossed in the lives of the 'Texians' and Mexicans whom Harrigan brings to the forefront of his story. His interpretations of the various reasons for different people to be at the Alamo had a ring of truth to them that cut through the myths surrounding the event. By the end of the book, I felt that I had a better grasp on the historical Alamo, but perhaps more tellingly, I cared about the fates of Harrigan's people.

  Harrigan artfully recreates that lost time in a moving work of historical fiction. I recommend it highly whether you are interested in the history of Texas, in an adventurous tale of the Old West, or simply in subtly textured tales of love and devotion.
  
  

• Powerful(cliche but true)
  By AKM5X760TQ8SK on 2004-01-09
  POP QUIZ!
  The purpose of a Good Novel is to:
  A) Provide reader into insight into themselves, and/or the world around them
  B) Educate the reader, and pique their curiousity about learning more about a certain subject.
  C) Allow the reader a temporary escape hatch from the mundaneness world in which they live
  D) Entertain the reader
  E) All of the Above

  If you answered E) All of the above, THE GATES OF THE ALAMO may be the title for you to read. Harrington's novel is an historical novel, set in Texas during the period leading up to the (in)famous Battle of The Alamo. Harrington aptly populates his version of events with an eclectic mixture of realistically portrayed Historical figures such as Jim Bowie, David Crockett, and Santa Ana of Mexico, and characters drawn purely from his rich imagination. He breathes so much life into his fictional characters mainly the widow Mary Mott, her son Terrell and botonist Edmund MgGovern that they are as real as the historical figures on the pages in the readers' eyes.

  This novel is an excellent character study. The ending is obvious, for anyone familiar enough with history to know what happened at the Alamo, but Harrington keeps the reader glued to the pages, by making them care enough about the fates of the Motts and Edmund to be eager to read this epic tome until the dramatic conclussion. Yet it is also more than a character study, in describing his characters so richly Harrington provides insight into many motivations of the human race thus providing insight into the readers' and others psyche. On top of successfully doing this he also details lush descriptions of landscape, and settings transporting whoever reads this novel into Texas at the battle for the Alamo.

  Powerful storytelling is bandied about way too frequently, but it applies to THE GATES OF THE ALAMO.
  
  

• Tops in Texas Historical Novels !!!!
  By A1CN9HTYXZNR12 on 2000-09-08
  Brilliant handling of detail, without the taste of a text book. You'll be amazed at what you will learn. Harrigan is absolutely expert at weaving historical fact with the handful of fictitious characters and their lives. Historical participants are not deified -- but I am an even PROUDER Texan from this reading experience. Note also that the Texas Independence movement is given a very fair analysis -- but this is not an "in your face revision" of history -- you will definitely ponder some issues. Rate it R for very graphic descriptions of battle and non-battle wounds and suffering, as well as some sexual encounters. In fact Harrigan's literature is an excercise in contrast: portions are almost poetic, while other portions are painfully explicit and rough. Surprising passion among some of the main characters. You will experience emotion on several levels, unless you are made of stone. And believe it or not, the story's ending is quite unpredictable...I promise. My favorite Texas History story until now was "Come to the Bower" which spanned more years.
  
  
• Not your father's Battle of the Alamo
  By A2B1GZIRD6W646 on 2004-02-01
  All history is subject to interpretation, and reinterpretation. Historical fiction is more amorphous than that: not only is it reinterpreted when the evidence requires it, it's also reinvented when our view of things changes. Fifty or a hundred years ago, the Alamo was defended by universally brave and hardy characters who only wanted freedom for themselves, and they were mercilessly slaughtered by the evil Santa Ana, for no good reason other than that he was bloodthirsty and vicious. Think Disney movie, with John Wayne playing Davy Crockett, dying heroically.

  Things change, though, and in recent years, the legend of the Alamo has changed somewhat. In some ways, this makes the defenders of the place more heroic: we're much more aware now of the horrors of war than we were in the fifties. On the other hand, the issues that led to the Texas War of Independance are a great deal murkier now than they were back then. The leaders at the battle itself have been revealed elsewhere to be less-than-lily-white, and this of course leads you to question everything else.

  The present novel is a retelling of the story of this battle, primarily from the point of view of several fictional characters who interact with the various historical personages who really participated in the events. The narrative follows five main characters: the widow innkeeper Mary Mott, and her teenaged son Terrell, a friend of theirs, a botanist named Edwin McGowan, and a pair of Mexican soldiers, a sergeant named Blas and an officer named Telesforo. The novel begins with a very elderly Terrell, late mayor of San Antonio and local hero, attending a celebration of the anniversary of the battle in 1911.

  The narratives of the Americans involved in the battle are interesting, for the most part, and provide most of the strength for the book. Following Edwin MacGowan and his dog Professor, and Mary and Terrell, is fun, and the descriptions of the other men involved, Crockett (always "David" in the narrative, "Davy" was an invention of the newspapers), Bowie, Travis, and Sam Houston, come across reasonably well, though the author apparently doesn't think much of Houston. There are other, less well-known characters from history, including Travis' slave, a manservant named Joe. The author spends a good deal of time dealing with Joe's dilemma, fighting for "freedom" when Mexico has outlawed slavery. Joe of course wonders if Mexico wins, will he be free, and his eventual decision is interesting.

  I enjoyed this book, though it was marred by the Mexican half of things. I'm not a racist, I assure you (my wife is half Mexican-American), but the narrative seemed more burdened by the characters than helped by them. The American characters have a connection to the main story and the main historical characters, but Blas (the sergeant) has no connection to any of the other characters in the narrative until the very end of the book and that's only incidental. Telesforo is somewhat more connected to the rest of the plot, but not that much. Also, while there's a considerable build up to the climactic scene, the author seems unsure how to end the book. As a result, after three dozen chapters which are an average of say fifteen pages, there are a bunch of very short ones where he's apparently doing housework, cleaning up after his plot. It's almost as if he got tired of writing, and just concluded things abruptly.

  While I enjoyed this book, I will agree that the suspense in the plot isn't as strong as it might have been. It's very literary though: the writing is quite good. I agree that it bears comparison with McMurtry, but Harrigan at least pays some attention to history (I've become rather annoyed with McMurtry's indifference to even making events vaguely resemble historical fact) and the book is much the better for it. My comparison would be to Thomas Flanagan's fine novel, The Year of the French. It's not quite as good as Flanagan, but it's still pretty good, and readable.
  
  

• Excellent and haunting, a true novel and a good one.
  By A30D5H4OBT333O on 2004-02-19
  I saw some reviews of this book that made me laugh out loud. One of them literally started with something like "When I consider the glory that is the Lone Star State..." You might imagine this fella did not like this book. He was looking for larger than life legends and myths about fighting for freedom.

  It is ironic that the chief freedom they fought for at the Alamo was the freedom to own slaves. The Mexican constitution did not allow slavery and the future cotton barons knew they had to gain independence if they were to prosper. This is not dealt with in the novel at all. What is dealt with is the individual fight for freedom inside of the main characters. Those who cannot free themselves from their own inner chains perish tragically. The survivors live on with a new collection of scars and ultimately for those who last long enough the Alamo loses all relevance and becomes the icon of myth that we have still with us today. But before it is all over the reader gets the best account what actually happened at the Alamo that I have seen to date.

  This book has drawn greatly upon the discoveries and scholarly evidence concerning those fateful events in 1836 that led to Texas breaking away from Mexico. But more than that, it is a book that uses these events leading up to the famous siege as the setting of a truly human novel about the relationship between fictitious characters - characters whose desires and needs, virtues and foibles resonate far beyond their particular surroundings or time. Yes, we are introduced to all the famous characters we have all read about in the history books. They and their fictitious companions are presented with all the imperfections of real people. But they also reveal a down to earth courage that was required to survive on the frontier. And once we get to the Alamo itself the battle is very real and harrowing.

  When I read this book I had mixed feelings. I had mixed feelings about the fact so much of the story takes place outside of the historical events that made me buy the book. I had mixed feelings about the fact the main plot concerned a widow and her teenage son and the inapproachable naturalist who were all invented by the author. But by the end of the novel these people were as real to me as my own friends. And weeks later I was still thinking about them and haunted by what became of them. That is why I call it a true novel, as it affected me on many levels, some I was completely unaware of until after the experience was over. Years later I still feel that same way about the people that book brought to life.

  I would recommend this book for anyone who wants some idea of what it would have been like to live on the frontier in the 1830s and for anyone with an interest in what actually happened at the Alamo.
  
  

• Historical fiction at its best
  By A2CLQREY1XL3FM on 2000-04-02
  Harrigan's book is as good as historically based fiction can be, and that statement is meant to evoke comparisons with any of O'Brian's books. Just as O'Brian simultaneously demythologizes and humanizes the Nelson era, Harrigan does the same for an event in Texas history that has become iconic and mythical. His account of the battle, far removed from what we learned in "Texas Comics" (literally a comic-book format pamphlet traditionally used in the Texas history course that, believe it or not, was required by law of the public schools when I was an eighth-grader), is no less heroic, far more believable and as bloody as it must have really been. His treatment of the best known figures of Texas history--Houston, Austin, Bowie, Travis, and Crocket--and many more of the lesser lights is balanced and knowing. This is a great book.
  
  
• A Great Read
  By on 2000-04-10
  This is a wonderful period story. I found myself marveling at the quiet courage of the fictional characters, as well as the larger than life failings, courage and characteristics of the legendary Texas personalities. I found Davy Crockett to be an exceptionally moving "real" character. My only complaint about the book is the inclusion of so many Spanish terms without the benefit of a glossary to aid in clarity. In spite of that small complaint, a great read all around.
  
  
• Move over Larry McMurtry....
  By A219C39GG4WI4G on 2000-04-21
  Stephen Harrigan expertly captures a time in history that fascinates to this day. The bonus is the point of view of the Mexican attackers of the shrine. The blend of history and fiction is seamless. A great read, start thinking about the casting for the movie.......
  
  
• Plodding through history
  By A2K28JHMIY3XKZ on 2000-06-04
  Stephen Harrigans's book takes longer to read than it did for Santa Anna's troops thomarch to Bexar and lay siege before the brief but galvanizing battle. Harrigan chooses to show all the heroes of Texas with all their warts and in the end fails to acknowledge what a loosely organized band of malcontents managed to accomplish.

  I'm not a native Texan but I have taken the time to learn the history of the state. While everything Harrigan says about Bowie, Crockett, Travis, Houston and Austin is correct, it is incomplete. These were men of great courage and vision. Did Houston fight a different war than Washington did against the Brisish? No. Washington knew the only important battle to win was the last one and if he could stretch the enemies supply lines then cut them off he would eventually win. Houston's "reluctance" to engage Santa Anna until the Mexicans were demoralized and had no supply lines is the same battle.

  The fact that Bowie was a drunken philanderer doesn't change the fact that he was a brilliant motivator of men. The fact that Crockett was more politian than warrior doesn't detract from the spirit he brought to the battle. Travis was young but he inspired men to follow him to a hell called the Alamo and make a stand for independence.

  Harrigan does Texas history a grave injustice. Let us not forget names like Lee, Jefferson, Hamilton, Lafite without whom we would still be british citizen. They were as far from perfect as the Texas heroes were.

  As a book I found the plot drawn out and overly complicated. Too many subplots that failed to tie in with the story or add to character development. Most disappointing were the characters themselves. I found I cared little for Mary, McGown, Terrell, or any of the other minor fictious characters. Beyond destroying the reputations of some great men because of their human weaknesses, he fails to develop one sympathetic character except maybe the parrot.
  
  

• The Alamo from both sides of the fence
  By A1IS9TY9PIF1C5 on 2000-09-01
  Although not an in depth look at the historical characters, the author's use of fictional characters shows not only the emotions of anglo Texas, but of Mexican soldiers and officers as well. Descriptions of harsh circumstances on both sides tell a story by itself. I have never read any better description of how conditions must have been for the Alamo defenders. Very easy book to read, recommended for anyone interested in Texas history.
  
  
• Travels in Time
  By A3LXXWK5XMZGJA on 2000-10-12
  I had not found a book to compare to "Lonesome Dove" until this year. Suddenly, two came into the stores: "Borderland" and "Gates of the Alamo". The reader doesn't have to be familiar with Texas history (which is truly unique among the 50 states), but only needs to have time for a book that reads well from cover to cover. Don't miss this one.
  
  
• Historical! Who's he kidding!
  By AB7WTDNA5XIQV on 2001-09-04
  I've just recently finished reading Harrigan's "The Gates of the Alamo" and was very disappointed. After reading some of the reviews on ... I thought that I would be reading a much better book. How this book ever made it onto the New York Times Bestseller list is beyond me! I suppose it was monkey see, monkey read! Anyway, I found this book to be pretty boring at times. Although Harrigan did a good job of developing his main characters, I thought that he went into way too much detail about trivial things or about things that had no basis on the overall story. At times I found Harrigan to be brilliant - in his description of the Indian attack on Mary Mott, and in his description of the snowstorm that struck the Mexican Army on it's way to Texas. And, Harrigan can certainly depict action. His description of the March 6 attack on the Alamo was very, very well done - especially his death of Crockett. Still, I disliked this book mainly because of the way Harrigan played fast and loose with history! In the "Author's Note" section at the back of the book Harrigan states that although "Gates" is a work of fiction, he "made a pledge of absolute fidelity to the truth of the events." Nothing could be further from the truth! Harrigan's description of the discovery of the Mexican force outside of San Antonio on February 23 is as far from the truth as you can get! It is well documented that John Smith and Dr. John Sutherland rode out and discovered the Mexican troops. As they returned at a gallop, the sentry in the San Fernando bell tower began ringing the bell and everyone fled towards the Alamo. In Harrigan's book he has one of his character's ride out and discover the Mexicans. If he is trying to be true to history, why didn't he leave Smith and Sutherland to find the Mexican army and place his character in the bell tower since nobody really knows who the sentry was that day! And Harrigan has Travis's slave Joe confront two Mexican soldiers that break into Travis's headquarters building during the February 24 attack on the Alamo by about 350 men! As Harrigan tells it, while the 350 Mexicans were attacking the south wall, two soldiers snuck around to the west wall, pried some bricks from the window of the headquarters and climbed inside! If it was so easy for these two Mexicans to get into the Alamo - why did it take the other 3,000 another eleven days! And don't get me started on Travis' slave Joe! Historical! It's more like hysterical! the real-life Joe survived the siege and gave numerous interviews about what he did and what happened while he was there. In Joe's own words he described the death of Travis and then stated that he ran to the headquarters room and hid for his dear life. Yet, Harrigan has him fighting with the others and eventually getting stuck in one of the east barracks rooms! Historical! I think not! And then, what about James Butler Bonham? Bonham is perhaps one of the most heroic figures in Texas history. He had a chance to save his life and remain outside of the Alamo, yet he decided to return to Travis and report the results of his futile mission to Fannin! Harrigan gives Bonham the brush off with one line. He deserves better!
  If you want a novel that sticks much closer to the historical truth, read "Holy Sabbath Morning" by Bob W. Dunbar. The book was published by a fly-by-night "DotCom" publisher and has numerous grammatical mistakes and spelling errors but at least it is much more accurate to history. And, while Dunbar seems to steal many lines and situations from John Wayne's "The Alamo," at least the book moves along briskly and does not bog down with descriptions of flowers and scenery. If you want a boring, non-historic novel about the Alamo with great character development, read Harrigan's "The Gates of the Alamo." If you want an entertaining, historically acccurate story of the Alamo, read Bob W. Dunbar's "Holy Sabbath Morning." It's only too bad someone didn't edit Dunbar's book a bit more!
  
  
• A spectacular book
  By A1R8AO9XASQ15C on 2004-01-14
  "The Gates of the Alamo" represents the first in a long line of books that I will no doubt read concerning the events of 1836 in San Antonio de Bexar. An Arkansas transplant to North Texas, I've developed a hunger for historical narratives pertaining to my adopted state, and Stephen Harrigan's robust, bloody, entertaining, deeply moving book is my first step into that body of literature.

  Harrigan has obviously researched the time period thoroughly, and I was transfixed by the amount of political, emotional and topographic detail contained in these pages. Like "Lonesome Dove" and "The Killer Angels," "Gates" transports the reader to another time and place, not simply through historic details, but with characters that live in the heart.

  A great book in every way. I defy you to put it down once the siege begins. And does anyone else see Tom Hanks in the movie role of Edmund McGowan?
  
  

• A Time to Stand
• Three Roads to the Alamo: The Lives and Fortunes of David Crockett, James Bowie, and William Barret Travis
• Borderland, The: A Novel of Texas
• Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History
• The Alamo And The Texas War For Independence