by Michael Ross
THE SEARCH by Michael Ross
Every footstep Kentuckian Will Crump takes on his arduous journey out West in post-Civil War America reminded me of exactly how precarious such travel had been in that period of history. Literally on his own in the wilderness, whoever he comes upon could be a friend or foe.
Suffering from severe PTSD after serving in the Confederate Army and somehow surviving in a POW camp, Will eschews life back home on his sister’s farm in Indiana. Instead he seeks a quiet place in the mountains where he can reclaim a small amount of peace.
He comes upon a Shoshone woman named Dove who’s been badly hurt in a bear attack while the prisoner of a warrior from a rival tribe. Out of a sense of obligation, Will decides to help her get home to her people in the Wind River area of current day Wyoming.
Out of necessity, the two quickly form a strong bond as they make their way from fort to fort, enduring one obstacle after another in a land where chaos and violence thrive as white soldiers and members of various Native American tribes clash.
Majestic, yet threatening in every respect, the author paints a fabulous portrait of the landscape in a story where tenuous human ties and the smallest details can save — or end — a human life.
___
For updates about Martha’s forthcoming books, news and giveaways, subscribe to her website: MarthaEngber.com.
THE FALCON, THE WOLF AND THE HUMMINGBIRD a historical novel
BLISS ROAD, a memoir
WINTER LIGHT, a novel
THE WIND THIEF, a novel
GROWING GREAT CHARACTERS, a resource for writers
Comments