So Wild a Dream is, as described by Blevins in his afterword, "the first of the (six-part) Rendezvous series, which tells the tale of the fur trade of the American West from its optimistic beginning in the early 1820s to its fading in the late 1830s, when westward immigration began."

So, wow, between Voss and Wilderness Trek and now this book, I've read three books this year that take place on journeys across the wilderness, the first two in Australia and now west of St. Louis in the early 19th century. Plus I finished up last year reading about 19th century travels in the mountains of Washington State via Jonathan Evison's West of Here.

Well, anyway, So Wild a Dream is detailed and well written, if a bit slow getting going. Young Sam Morgan leaves his family's Pennsylvania farm to follow his dream of seeing the wild country of the continent. He soon falls in with an assortment of colorful characters who help him learn the ways of the world. A few chapters later, Sam is, indeed, off on a trapping expedition deep into Indian territory.

Throughout, Blevins' narrative is detailed and engaging, with action galore and quite vivid accounts of the lifestyles of both the trappers and the Indian tribe they encounter. Gratifying descriptions of the physical environment complete the experience. In all, we believe we are in the hands of a writer who knows what he's talking about. On the books's inside back cover, Blevins is described as "an authority on the Plains Indians and fur trade era of the West." This seems a believable claim, given the depth of the writing, here. Blevins is not the greatest at creating a full-dimensioned protagonist, but Morgan's character is well enough drawn to carry the action. ( )