SLEEPY HOLLOW: Rise Headless and Ride (Jason Crane Book 1)

Each chapter and side story was entertaining and had a definite purpose toward the plot and character building. There really isn't any down time here, and this led to a quick read. Utilized the Legend and Setting Appropriately: Although I was not a fan of the legend before reading, I would expect anyone who is to appreciate how the author uses it throughout, quoting short passages and basing supernatural powers on it.

I becamse interested in the Legend after, and even answered a Jeopardy question on good ol' Ichabod while reading true story, ha. As for the setting, if I travel to the New York area where the book takes place, I look forward to visiting the real landmarks used throughout the book to bring Jason's adventure more life. Entertaining and Clever Style: I found myself laughing out loud during multiple passages. Maybe they weren't specifically meant to be a laugh out load part, but Jason, his friends, and Grandmother are witty and have a great sense of humor that I found to be an awesome part of the book.

The author also uses clever metaphors and some cool ways of letting you into the mysteries as they are revealed. Given my review, I am of course excited for the following books in the series, but I was very happy on how this book ended. I thought the author did an excellent job of concluding some mysteries, leaving enough open, while leaving massive potential for the rest of the books. Book one ended as a great story in itself, and Book two will have the potential to start as its own, building on the characters and plot from book one. My gripe with some series is that the success and even proper conclusion of one book depends heavily on following books in the series.

That is not the case, at least with book one. On the good side, the proofing and editing was excellent, I don't think I saw any errors. The plotting was fine, and there certainly was a lot of action. I imagine it was a YA book I didn't check that out when I purchased it , so there was a lot of teen-age angst to shift through, and I did not fail to notice that although there were teen characters who weren't painted as being goody goody, the r Rise Headless and Ride, Jason Crane, Book 1 by Richard Gleaves I'm a little conflicted by this novel. I imagine it was a YA book I didn't check that out when I purchased it , so there was a lot of teen-age angst to shift through, and I did not fail to notice that although there were teen characters who weren't painted as being goody goody, the real villains were all adults.

However, the characters were well drawn. You disliked the baddies instinctively and liked the good guys immediately. Creative treatment of a modern telling of a well-known story. Lots of spookiness befitting a novel based on Irving's Legend of Sleepy Hollow. On the bad side, I thought the novel was a bit over-dramatic in places, especially in Jason's escape from the Horseman.

The result of that escape was almost anti-climactic, leading to that most hated of my complaints, the non-ending ending.

Very frustrating to read a book just to discover that the ending isn't that at all, that there is no resolution, but that if you want to know how one of the main storylines play out, you have read the next book. It feels like the author decided the book was getting too long, so better stop and make it two books. And why introduce the grandfather character and then have him play no real role in this novel. Perhaps he will in the next, although in what capacity I cannot imagine. As I can read the next book for free as a Prime member, I will -- if I had to pay even a penny for it, I wouldn't, simply on the principle of a novel needing to be stand alone, even if it is in a series.

Sleepy Hollow: Rise Headless and Ride by Richard Gleaves

Certainly if that second novel also has a non-ending, I will not be reading any more in the series that the author may decide to write. So, conflicted to say the least.

1. Little Women Series (Illustrated) (Fiction Classics Book 10).
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3. Sleepy Hollow: Rise Headless and Ride!
4. by Richard Gleaves.
5. The Enemy Within (Joseph Medical Mysteries)!
6. Book Review - Sleepy Hollow: Rise Headless and Ride | Ettria.

Oct 25, Karen B. I was looking for a good book to read during the week of Halloween and this one was perfect! It kept me in suspense with an update of the old Sleepy Hallow legend by Washington Irving. This book takes place in the modern day and Jason Crane is a descendant of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman still rides.

Of course he's going to be after Ichabod's descendant! This was a long book but fast read for the number of pages because it was so intense and riveting. Upon finishing this I immediately I was looking for a good book to read during the week of Halloween and this one was perfect! Upon finishing this I immediately purchased book 2 in the series and am reading that which is adding even more to the season. Yes, it is full of horror but not too bloody and gory; I think because I was very aware that I was reading a continuation of a legend very aware that it was fiction.

Jason Crane and his grandmother are two lovable characters in opposition of the descendants of Brom Bones. Of course the battle of the Cranes and the Van Brunts continues. I really "could not put this down" and had to force myself to go to bed. Jan 21, B. This was one of those books that I loved but I can't put my finger on exactly why I loved it.

The characters were certainly memorable and sympathetic. I could really connect with both Jason Crane and his grandmother, the heroine, the sidekick.

I even saw where the villains were coming from The writing was certainly good, as was the editing. The premise was intriguing - naturally, or I wouldn't have picked up this unknown-to-me author. I couldn't put this book down! Except when I h This was one of those books that I loved but I can't put my finger on exactly why I loved it. Except when I had to for life stuff, which is why it took me 5 days to read. A gal's gotta eat and sleep and work, ya know. Anyway, this is a YA story that I think would be enjoyed by anyone from 13 on up.

The only small niggle - the story wasn't finished in this book, so I have to buy the next book to see what happens. Too much was left hanging to stop now. Apr 11, Yassemin rated it it was amazing Shelves: Horror is my favourite genre of all and Stephen King my favourite author but I've not read too much of it recently. I've been sidetracked with quite a lot of paranormal romance fiction so when I picked this book up, it felt good to be back reading what I love most.

This book was a solid 4. It was absolutely fantastic and another great example of self published work. I'm starting to love self published authors more and more each day! The book has its roots in the lore of Sleepy Hollow, wh Horror is my favourite genre of all and Stephen King my favourite author but I've not read too much of it recently. The book has its roots in the lore of Sleepy Hollow, which I'm sure most horror fans are well aware of but then introduces an entirely new story and adds it to the mix.

I felt this was a page turner literally as I couldn't put it down and finished it in two solid days. It was my book of choice of three I have on the go and it just got better and better. I will definitely be continuing with this series and I'm sure it won't disappoint! Jun 17, Jayne dArcy rated it it was amazing.

I am giving all 3 books by Richard Gleaves a 5-star rating but not because I entirely enjoyed the series. I did read those, though, and I do understand their part in the books. My personal feeling at the time was to concentrate on Jason, Kate, Zef and Joey. The other thing that I really objected to was the piling on of gross tragedy after gross tragedy; there was too much.

Still and all, this was a well written series. T I am giving all 3 books by Richard Gleaves a 5-star rating but not because I entirely enjoyed the series. The characters are all painted well from the evil Horseman to the hero of the books, Jason Crane. I "know" how all of them look and I wish I could draw and show them to everyone. I strongly believe that there are readers who will find these books more entertaining than I did and it is for them I give the 5-stars.

If you enjoy the Washington Irving story you will enjoy this. However I feel the author forced subjects such as homosexuality, just so he could say he had it in his book. There was really no point to it. I have the next 3 books in the series and I am looking forward to what Richard has in store f If you enjoy the Washington Irving story you will enjoy this. I have the next 3 books in the series and I am looking forward to what Richard has in store for Jason.

Jun 29, Brandon Troxell rated it it was amazing. I read this novel, thinking of my visit to Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown, and how much I miss the place! Gleaves does an amazing job transporting you to the Hollow, and gives you such an extreme hate for the villain of this tale. View all 3 comments. I think if I saw my child browsing this one in the Sleepy Hollow gift shop I would spy an opportunity.

At last, no more supernatural mumbo-jumbo. Okay, there are certainly ghosts and gore and tarot cards, but that is not what the spirit of the book is a about. It is about the kind of values you want your son to be raised with.

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Jason Crane is a sensible rational boy, well raised to appreciate the people in his life and is eager to live it well. He knows he must one day face life alone. He approach I think if I saw my child browsing this one in the Sleepy Hollow gift shop I would spy an opportunity. He approaches the supernatural as a scientific mystery and does not believe it until his visions are tested against the specific and verifiable, though artistic licence allows some supernatural things to be "real".

The villain is lazy and entitled, the heroes hardworking and independent with a proper respect for money. All things that a traditional conservative father could respect. The homosexual crush between secondary characters is completely okay by the hero who becomes immediate best friends with openly gay Joey and who seems destined for a difficult reconciliation with troubled Zef, the villain's son. Life in the closet for Zef is a minor theme that can be enjoyed with sympathy by straight readers as part of the build-up to the main events.

Meanwhile the complex love triangle between Jason, Zef and Kate provides an opportunity for the author to portray a likable independent female, aware of her beauty and the trouble it causes but neither hostile nor available. You can let your daughter read this too, if she dares. The author is obviously opinionated, in his own way, but the subtle way he incorporates his values into the text is technically impressive and respectful to any reader who just wants to pick up and read a great ghost thriller.

And this is a great ghost thriller. The pace is enticing and the reader is drawn in. The horror is horrific, the gore is gory, the violence is violent yet not gratuitous, and the emotion is raw and convincing - I was moved by Jason's recollection of loss. You will certainly get what you paid for. If this is not made into a five part blockbusting Hollywood franchise then there is something wrong with the world. Dec 11, J. This is the first book in a series, and although I am not very fond of series, I will delightedly submit to this one!

Richard Gleaves has created a terrific character and his name is Jason Crane. Since that day, his grandmother has rai This is the first book in a series, and although I am not very fond of series, I will delightedly submit to this one! These two characters are so well written that we easily become invested in them and their story.

The most intriguing aspect of what Gleaves has done is the fact that he has taken pages from a beloved literary work The Legend of Sleepy Hollow , and wrapped it into a fascinating story that all ages will love. How enticing is that!? Rogers, Author The Sword of Demelza, a middle grade fantasy where endangered animals roam the pages. Finally, a Headless Horseman with a sense of pace With everyone from Disney to Fox TV doing their versions of Sleepy Hollow, it's a pleasure to find a writer who keeps his own head on his shoulders yes, I said it and gives us a slower tale.

Rise Headless and Ride gives us teenage Jason Crane and his globetrotting grandmother, the descendants of Brom Bones poking around family tombs and secrets, and a tourist-chasing Sleepy Hollow that's hostile enough to misfit boys even without a mysterious ki Finally, a Headless Horseman with a sense of pace With everyone from Disney to Fox TV doing their versions of Sleepy Hollow, it's a pleasure to find a writer who keeps his own head on his shoulders yes, I said it and gives us a slower tale.

Rise Headless and Ride gives us teenage Jason Crane and his globetrotting grandmother, the descendants of Brom Bones poking around family tombs and secrets, and a tourist-chasing Sleepy Hollow that's hostile enough to misfit boys even without a mysterious killing or two.

Jason Crane

Picture a budding Anne Rice hijacking Scooby-Doo, digging through the YA pangs of football rallies and colorful locals and then edging on to a boy starting to see the shadows slowly rising Characters are solid, with Jason untested but appealing and others different mixes of good intentions and darker secrets.

And now and then Richard Gleaves gives us lines like "the wind found a dancing-partner," so whenever the story goes to high gear it's the well-earned immersion a true spook-fan can love. It doesn't hurt that it also includes the original Washington Irving story, plus Tarrytown maps to show how historically accurate the settings are. If you want this to be more than a book, it's that too.

I would have liked the story to cover its complete adventure in one grand package, but as the copy tells us, it's only the first half. And yes, there are other literary revisitations in the wings for Jason Crane after this. Well, the story never denied pushing its share of commercial buttons. It's just the least hollow Sleepy Hollow since the legend began. But every now and then, a book comes along and I am able to read with little trouble. This book was one of them. Keeping track of characters can be especially difficult for me, but not with this one.

These characters became real to me, in my head, and I kept track of each of them with little effort. I got to know them, care for them, and be there with them in Sleepy Hollow. It was the story that really drew me in, and this author's writing style speaks to me somehow. I felt this book, physically, as I read. The fear, the terror, the love, the joy, the teen awkwardness I came away feeling like I'd lived in Sleepy Hollow, that I am now familiar with its layout, buildings, surroundings, and people.

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The story swept me along, and I happily gave in to the flowing currents of this author's wonderful prose. The story took me on a journey that I will not soon forget. I don't believe I've read such a well-written, vividly described novel in years; certainly nothing that left me as breathless as this novel did.

Young adult or adult, this is a ride you won't want to miss! I look forward to the official release of Book Two as I strap myself in for what's sure to be another wonderful, unforgettable, and wild ride. At first, I had a hard time getting into this book, but after the third chapter it had me completely hooked. I couldn't put it down - just ask my kids who were completely ignored for an entire day while I read this wonderful work from Richard Gleaves. I discovered the Jason Crane series when the second book, Bridge of Bones, was offered as a free download.

Sleepy Hollow: Rise Headless and Ride

Since I like order, I had to read the first book in the series before the second. I am so glad I did! Richard Gleaves is a wonderful writer. H At first, I had a hard time getting into this book, but after the third chapter it had me completely hooked. He gives each of his characters their due - fully developing them so that the reader gets to know them, warts and all. Beyond the character development, the story is well-written and fully developed. I have read many books that start off great, but end up wrapping everything up so quickly and neatly that I feel that I've been cheated.

Gleaves doesn't do that. He weaves a complete story, allowing each of the sub-plots to fully play out. After finishing "Rise Headless and Ride," I dove right into "Bridge of Bones" - it was equally good and just as well-written as the first book. Thank you Richard Gleaves! I can't wait to read "General of the Dead" this fall. I will miss Jason, Joey, Kate, and even Zef until then! The author did a great job of reviving this legend with the creation of great characters. The story was well written. It would make you experience a mix emotion of joy, anger, and sadness. On the contrary, I was a bit overwhelmed with the genealogy of Van Brunt and Crane.

It was a major information that I needed to jot down in order to cope with the story. Otherwise, This book was a page-turner. Looking forward to read the next installment and unravel more mysteries of this legend. It's a beautifully researched and packaged story, mixing fast and two fictions, and although it's YA it just felt like a cracking yarn.

Also, excellent proof reading for an e book, which makes a nice change. So good, I went and bought Part II and tread the sequel in one sitting. First of all, it has the best title ever. So I decided it would be a good book to read for Halloween. And boy was it ever! The writing is absolutely stellar. And the plot is mind-boggling, particularly for a book that is based on another book. There are so many layers here. There is the town of Sleepy Hollow, which apparently used to be known as North Tarrytown but changed its name after its General Motors plant shut down to generate a tourist industry based on the Legend so the people would have something to do.

And boy, do they go all out with their Legend promoting, especially at Halloween! All you haunted house fans need to pay attention to how they do this one, as it sounds like it is outstanding. But in the middle of all this, there is something else going on. Our main character, Jason Crane, is the most recent descendant of Ichabod Crane. Book One of the Jason Crane Series. Your email address will not be published. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.