Product Description

At the outbreak of World War II, the Royal Canadian Navy consisted of just 13 warships and about 3000 permanent and reserve members. By the war's end, however, it had grown into the third largest navy in the world, with 365 warships and more than 100,000 personnel. The men and women of the Royal Canadian Navy came from all corners of Canada to fight in the sea war against the enemy. Together, they exceeded even the highest expectations of their allies.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2517942 in Books
• Published on: 2005-05-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 133 pages

From the Inside Flap
A harsh and deadly land...

Rye Tyler was twelve when he saw his father cut down in an Indian raid. Taken in by a mysterious stranger with a taste for Shakespeare and an instinct for survival, Rye is schooled in the lessons of a hard country. Then tragedy forces him to live a loner's life in a wild land of canyons and buttes, and on dust-choked cattle trails.

But his skill with a gun has earned Rye a bloody reputation he can't escape. Though he's become the law in a lawless town, he had hoped for a better life with the beautiful Liza Hetrick. When Liza is taken away and held in a mountain-girded outlaw fortress, Rye must face his deadliest enemy--the very man who taught Rye about manhood, friendship...and the ways of a gunman.


From the Paperback edition.

About the Author
A mother of three, Cynthia J. Faryon is an internationally published author and freelance writer residing in Richer, Manitoba. Canadian born, she focuses her writing on Canadian content, covering topics such as travel, family issues, biography and history.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
The great ship stands quietly in the morning sun, anxious to find the waves beneath her hull and thirsty for the company of the saltys who will man her. This great Tribal Class Destroyer was built for war. Adopting the tenacity and stubborn pride of the mateys who took two long years to give her life, she stands proudly in front of the men who will take her into battle. The commissioning ceremony is a brief and simple affair, filled with naval tradition and quiet dignity. At the spoken command the new crew stands at ease in the shadow of the destroyer waiting patiently alongside the dock. All eyes are reverent during the prayer of dedication. The crew stands, heads bowed, arms crossed at the wrists, respectfully holding their caps. And, with a few words from the new captain, they remember their fallen comrades and swear to do this great ship justice in the world's fight for freedom. Downwind, the staccato sounds of shipbuilding remind them that their fight is far from over. For this crew and their ship, it is only the beginning. Not only will this destroyer be their weapon and their protector, it will be their home and their friend. Clustered on the top of old barrels, piles of lumber, and the other vantage points along the dockside, the mateys (the men and women who built her) watch in solemn stillness as the finality of their labours settles on them. They are not officially part of this ceremony, but with pride and sadness they watch from a distance. Quietly, they say their goodbyes as the Canadian naval crew (the saltys), who had arrived just before the ceremony, lay claim to the mateys' creation. This morning is the end of more than two years of emotional labour for the mateys. From thoughts to blueprints, from steel to ship, her building had been a grim yet proud chapter in their lives. Throughout the long months in which she had grown from an idea to a lethal weapon of war, they had been touched by the death and destruction that threatened the night skies. The mateys had seen the newsreels of the bombings in Europe, had witnessed the destruction, and had welcomed home their dead to their final resting places. They worked diligently day after day, knowing that many more Canadian boys would sacrifice their lives before this fight was finished. If they could have fought they would have, but we can't all go to war. Some are needed here at home. So, fuelled by familial stories of loss, the mateys' own incensed spirits entered the steel they forged as they built their ship, fighting back the only way they knew how. From where they are gathered they can't hear the words with which the captain charges the crew. But when the hat is thrown into the air and the crew cheers, the mateys cheer, too, with shouts of "Godspeed!" "Make 'em pay!" "Bring her home safely!" Then reluctantly, and more than a little sadly, the mateys leave their newborn in the hands of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). This new "lady" they have created from steel and iron is theirs no longer. She now belongs to the strong young hands of the navy crew who will take her from berth into the vast ocean beyond. They know that as long as there are memories of this great ship and stories shared of her exploits, she, like the lads on board, will never be forgotten. And all the battles, the deaths, the victories, will be remembered with awe and thankfulness for all who served and lived and fought to make this country free.

Customer Reviews

Favorite Louis
When I was just a little boy... My cousin gave me a box set of five Louis L'Amour books and To Tame a Land was the first one I read. It was also the first book I remember reading that was not written for children and it hooked me. Completely.

An epic story with a moral but deadly hero, To Tame a Land tells the story of a boy orphaned on a wagon train headed west. With natural skill and the luck of Raggedy Andy he grows into a gunfighter as fast as John Wesley Hardin, a bronc buster, a gold miner, a card sharp and a cattle driver. The story starts with a sad little boy and ends with man fighting for the woman he loves. Corny Cliches - sure - but this book captures the language and feel of the old west. Scratch that - it DEFINES the old west as we all know it. I re-read the book recently and twenty years later it still works (although it seemed awfully short the second time around...).

From Boyhood to Manhood....A tale of revenge and romance
Ryan Tyler was a boy when his father got killed by marauding indians and was then left alone, without a father or family. In steps Logan Pollard, a loner and a drifter without ties to anyone or anybody. The moment they meet their lives change forever. To Tame a Land has got to be one of the best books L'Amour wrote. The plot is tight and fast moving and the chapters are woven seemlessly together. The characters are diverse and complicated, while Ryan Tyler's character is tough, hard, and sad all at once. If you are a person who loves action and adventure, then pick this one up. As soon as you open the book, you will be transported to a time where a romance was pure and danger was real. A time when good prevailed against evil and your friends are what stood between you and death. If you have nothing to do on a weekend, or are longing to be transported from the day to day grind of life in the new millenium, then pick this one up amigo, you will not regret the time spent reading this book. So, cinch up your saddle and reload your pistol because you are on your way to a fast paced ride through the west.

To Tame A Land
This book had one of the best plots of any Louis L'Amour books you'll ever read. Louis L'Amour does a graet job of getting the readers attention and keeping it throughout the book. The author discribes the setting so well, it feels like you are there. My only dislike of this book would be that the author skips around from subject to subject, but it did make the story make sence. I think anyone with a sense of adventure or anyone that likes western books would like this book.