Andrew Huebner
American by Blood (2000)
Author: Andrew Huebner
Genre (and subgenre): Western (Military)
Plot Summary:
This is the story of three Army scouts who arrived at the battle of Little Bighorn a day late and were the first (outside the 7th Cavalry) to discover the death of Custer and some of his men. The book follows the men through their adventures over the next year, as they track down various Indians, including Chief Joseph and Crazy Horse. It also includes a bunch of tracking missions, dialogue amongst the soldiers and their fights against the Native Americans. One of the scouts finds himself coming to feel a relationship with the Indians, another faces the moral quandaries of going up against the Indians and the sometimes inhumane way by which the government dealt with them and one of the scouts was the author’s great-great-grandfather, who was trying to escape the industrialized East Coast.
Geographical Setting: Montana, the Dakotas
Time Period: 1870s
Appeal Characteristics:
While American by Blood certainly had elements of historical fiction, it also seemed to contain aspects of the Western, primarily in regards to the redemption, revenge and loner hero aspects. They weren’t overriding themes by any means, but they were definitely noticeable. The story was certainly action-oriented and driven by multiple characters. It was also quite character descriptive, told from the point of view of the soldiers, but definitely sympathetic towards the Indians as well. For a first novel, it was a good start.
Similar Authors: Jeff & Michael Shaara
Red Flags: some language, some rather graphic decsriptions of wounds
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