Learned a lot - a little dry. ( )

I found it really interesting to read this book, to get to experience the American history, happenings and the West through the Lakota Native American's perspective.

We get to follow Cloud, a Young Lakota warrior and his and his comrades experiences with the White Americans, or the Long Knives. We get to meet Young warriors, shamans and the well known Lakota warrior leader Crazy Horse.

I listened to this book and greatly appreciated that it was the authour himself Reading Cloud's parts of the book. Having it read by the author makes the story come to alive even more, as Marshall III knows how to read his own work, with pace, breaks, tones etcetera. His dialect made the story even more alive. I also liked that when we got to follow the American Soldier that it was read differently (by someone else than the author, I didn't pick up on that) and with heavy accent as well.

Maybe the book deserves more closer to a 4, but it took me a while to get through it. ( )

This one started off slowly, and I wasn't sure if I'd get through it. However, it got better and better as I read it. By the time I was done, I was hoping a next book was out there. The story follows Lakota and white characters up to and through a battle. It's clearly told from the perspective of the Lakota for the most part, but seems to fairly represent different perspectives. It shows people all around as generally thoughtful, mindful, and respectful. While the story left me feeling good about humanity, it also left me with questions about how realistic that perspective is.

An enjoyable read that I'd recommend! ( )

John Richard Cloud lives in the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. In 1920 he, his two daughters and his grandson traveled to visit the battle site of the Fetterman Massacre of 1866. This battle is known to the Lakota people as the Battle of the Hundred in the Hand. As they stand at the memorial his grandson Justin and daughters ask him to share with them his recollections.

From Cloud we learn the riveting story of what life for the Lakota was like at that time on their lands and the intrusion of the whites. Their daily lives in the village and of hunting. The insight into the life of the Lakota people and their point of view is enlightening. The energy of this historical fiction can be felt through the bravery and honor of Cloud. As well as the perspective of anger and racism shared by both the young Lakota warrior Rabbit and the Blacksmith Hornsby. Hornsby came to the Lakota lands from east of the Hudson River.

The clash of the two cultures as it builds up to the aforementioned battle is well told. The tension starts too build as their enemy goes about invading their land even while pretending to ask permission to build forts. The Lakota start to scout and defend their land that leads up to the climatic battle. The sections that deal with Cloud telling us his story read as if we are there and listening to this wonderful tale. This was an enjoyable read and would have been perfect if told only from the Lakota perspective. I look forward to reading more books from the Lakota Western series. ( )