Review of Chancy

Please use this forum to discuss historical fiction books. Common definitions define historical fiction as novels written at least 25-50 years after the book's setting.
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Seetha E
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Re: Review of Chancy

Post by Seetha E »

Chancy sounds like a captivating story about the Wild West and the construction of mining towns in Nevada in 1867. The story follows well-developed characters and a lot of chaos. That was a comprehensive review. Thanks.
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NetMassimo
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Post by NetMassimo »

I've watched many western movies and occasionally TV shows in my life but I read very few stories of that genre. Probably I was more into the visuals of western scenarios, also due to the influece of Italian movie director Sergio Leone. A western novel makes me curious, as this one seems like a lot of fun. Thank you for your great review!
Ciao :)
Massimo
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Post by Laney K »

This sounds like such an exciting book! Your review brought the Wild West setting to life, excellent job as always!
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Post by Creole »

Stories and movies about the Wild West were among my favourites when I was younger. I have not read one in a while, so this is an opportunity to revive my interest in this type of narrative. Your engaging review has whet my appetite. I do want to find out what happened to Chancy.
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Post by Rafael Nascimento 1 »

My Forum Post – Critique of Chancy by Charles Sanford:

I really enjoyed how Chancy brought the Old West to life with such vivid and energetic storytelling. From the intense stagecoach ambush to the bustling, chaotic town of Royce, this book had everything I’d hope for in a historical western.

The variety of characters, like Chancy, Amos, and Renee, each with their own background and purpose, made the story feel rich and layered. I especially appreciated how the author used phonetic spelling to reflect the characters' accents—it made them feel authentic and memorable.

While there were a few minor typos, they didn’t take away from my experience at all. The pace was great, the action was exciting, and the setting was wonderfully described. This is definitely a western worth reading. Thanks for the great review that led me here!
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Post by Gerry Steen »

Rafael Nascimento 1 wrote: 01 Apr 2025, 19:07 My Forum Post – Critique of Chancy by Charles Sanford:

I really enjoyed how Chancy brought the Old West to life with such vivid and energetic storytelling. From the intense stagecoach ambush to the bustling, chaotic town of Royce, this book had everything I’d hope for in a historical western.

The variety of characters, like Chancy, Amos, and Renee, each with their own background and purpose, made the story feel rich and layered. I especially appreciated how the author used phonetic spelling to reflect the characters' accents—it made them feel authentic and memorable.

While there were a few minor typos, they didn’t take away from my experience at all. The pace was great, the action was exciting, and the setting was wonderfully described. This is definitely a western worth reading. Thanks for the great review that led me here!
Thank you for your comments, Rafael.
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Victor Nwabuisi
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Post by Victor Nwabuisi »

A story about the Wild West sounds intriguing and it seems this is an action-packed story. Thank you for the captivating review.
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Post by Mark Lazarus »

The Wild West setting sounds incredibly immersive, and the diverse group of characters adds so much depth to the story. The action and historical details about mining towns in Nevada really bring the era to life, even with a few minor editing issues. It seems like a fun and engaging read for anyone interested in Western history and adventure.
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Post by Arshadq »

This sounds like an intense and immersive read! I like that the author’s writing brings the setting and accents to life. I do think that with so many characters I might be lost, but I believe if the story is amazing, then it wouldn't be something I worry about. The minor typos are a downside, but it still seems like a book worth reading! Thank you for the review. Until next time...
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Post by Macel A »

Great review the truth is that I've never read any historical fiction book but Chancy seem like it will be my first one id really like to know how every character coexisted with one another despite being from different ethnic, country and cultural background and if they all became successful in the Wild West.
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Post by Magdalyne chebet »

"Chancy" by Charles Sanford sounds like a vivid and gripping ride through the Wild West. I’m intrigued by the dynamic mix of characters, the raw realism of the era, and the intense action that brings the mining town of Royce to life. Thanks for the informative review!
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Post by Catarina Luciane Silva »

Your review looks as good as the book sounds. I like that you mentioned how the characters' accents are portrayed in a way that's both comprehensible and unique. That’s such a hard thing to pull off, especially since we can’t actually hear them. Representing accents phonetically had never occurred to me, but now that you mentioned it, I’m almost sure I’ve read a book that did something similar. I think the book I read used local expressions to differentiate where a character was from.
Thanks for the great review, I loved it :mrgreen2:
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Post by RJ Reviews »

I am sure your review read more enjoyable than the actual book! The plot sounds intriguing and there seems to be a lot of actions. A fast-paced plot is good. Books on Wild West isn't common so this one stands out. I may give it a chance. Thank you.
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Post by Martina Sette »

Nice review. I like the Wild West as a theme, so I think I’ll give this book a chance.
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Post by Yasmine Zaki Muhieddine »

Chancy sounds very interesting. And indeed, I replied "yes" to many of the opening questions if not all. I like well-written stories about the Wild West. People lived on edge back in those days. The interesting part is that they were building a new country.
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