My latest free book from Amazon.com's Vine program, to read and review.

From the back cover: "Cloud looked down at the blood on his horse's withers, already turning dark as it dried in the heat of the afternoon. Then he felt a cold anger rising in him. Who, he wondered, created white men?"

First in a series of groundbreaking fiction about the American West from the Native American perspective, this riviting novel takes place during the Battle of the Hundred in the Hand, otherwise known as the Fetterman Massacre of 1866. The story is told through the eyes of Cloud, a dedicated warrior who fights alongside a young Crazy Horse, as well as the white soldiers who mistake Cloud's redheaded wife for a captive. Beautifully written and reminescent of the oral tradition, Hundred in the Hand brings new depth to the story of the battle and the Lakota people.

This novel provides us more than just a sympathetic retelling of the conflict between the tribes of the northern plains and the white settlers. Written by a Lakota descendant, it is a detailed and careful glimpse into the lifestyle of the Lakota Indians during the second half of the 19th century. The Lakota are feeling threatened by the ever increasing encroachment of the white men on their territory. When the Long Knives (i.e., the US Cavalry) builds a new fort along the Bozeman Trail, this represents yet another in a long string of broken promises. The Lakota conclude that they must fight to protect their land and their way of life. With interesting characters, multiple viewpoints and nice pacing, this story draws the reader into the Lakota way of life, and builds inexorably to the final battle. I'm looking forward to reading more from this series.

RELEASE NOTES:

Left on a ledge next to the stairs from the main entrance in The Potomac hall.