In 1879, Irish-born rogues, Sean Mulcahy and Michael Lonergan, two of the last surviving members of the St. Patrick’s Battalion, better known as the San Patricios, elite artillery unit in the Mexican Army during the Mexican-American War, made up of mostly of Irish and Catholic deserters from the American Army, wander through Northern Mexico and the American West, looking after and taking care of one another, until they come across an eight year old Chinese girl, left on a sand dune south of the crumbling Spanish mission situated along the Carmel River. They take the girl to nearby Monterey, California, where their colorful past makes their futures uncertain. What a fascinating read! Few things in life can compare to a good book, and if reading is your thing, then Terry Hagerty's Last of the San Patricios is a book you'll find hard to put down. Hagerty clearly knows his history and, combined with just the right amount of humour, makes it a thoroughly entertaining story, an exciting journey back through time, exploring a little known period in the Historyy of the United States. Anyone studying or interested in this period will really enjoy this well-researched and historically accutrate novel. The two lovable rogues embark on an action-packed adventure teeming with history. Hagerty makes you feel as if you were actually there, living their experiences as you lose yourself in the story. I won't divulge too much, as I don't want to spoil it, but take my word for it. Last of the San Patricios is a book not to missed. |
 Terry Hagerty is a talented storyteller with a rare ability to really set the scene and fire the imagination. His vivid descriptions of the period add to the appeal of the book, and I, for one, didn''t want to put it down. The book chronicles the adventures of Sean and Michael, Irish refugees who wind up in the American West, where it appears Saint Patrick sent all the snakes he banished from Ireland. Review by Jag Singh |
