Book Review: Thunder in the Wind by Curt Orloff

Inside the Book:

Title: Thunder in the Wind

Author: Curt Orloff

Publisher: AuthorHouse

Genre: Fiction/Westerns

Format: Ebook

Purchase Here

Thunder in the Wind is a historical novel concerning the assimilation reservation American Indians underwent at the turn of the twentieth century. The first part of the work describes how the Assiniboine, and one family in particular, deal with the onslaught of a society that not only was technologically superior, but also thought itself so morally superior it treats the tribe as if it was a hopeless dependent. The second part follows the exploits of the main character as he tries to unite the Plains, Great Basin, and Southwestern tribes in revolt, not to defeat the whites, but to scare them so badly they would restore to the Indians the selfhood they had stolen. Miskaw deals with the same trials Tecumseh experienced early in the previous century while uniting the tribes east of the Mississippi and, in dealing with them learns several truths about himself and the human condition. If not for hubris, the outcome of his endeavor may have been dramatically different.

My Review:

Historical novels used to be my least favorite, but over the years I have really warmed up to them. I have to be honest though, I have never read much about the American Indians so I was pretty excited to read this book. What a fascinating read this was. It was great to immerse myself into indian culture and try and see how things must have looked from their point of view. Tragic for sure. 

I would highly recommend this read to anyone who is looking for a little insight into the US culture, and how things came to be. 

I'm a Yankee who became a damn Yankee when I wouldn't leave the South. When I did leave it, was for overseas where I comfortably acquired the moniker of "yank". I have two bachelor degrees. The one in geology I use to support myself, the one in history just showed I am curious about human nature. This curiosity culminated in Thunder in the Wind after I found out about a Cree named Almighty Voice while I was engaged in geologic fieldwork in Montana. His revolt almost united the tribes. I was an Army 1st Lieutenant, lived for golf as a youth and got to play on the University of Houston golf team, and was an Eagle Boy Scout. I've been writing books for over two decades, getting only to the agent level. At present, one agent is peddling a novel I wrote about the oilfield. I was a well-site geologist for fourteen years and a petroleum engineer, mostly overseas, for seven years.