This was a quick read that ultimately did nothing for me. I didn't love it, I didn't hate it ... it was completely middle of the road. Ultimately, I think it suffered from a number of small flaws that, when strung together, made it a forgettable title. It took forever to get into the actual procedural plot of the book with a lot of exposition that didn't feel necessary. The climax was disappointing after what the author had implicitly promised in the lead up to it. There were a lot of cliches in the characterizations and especially the dialogue.

I will admit the author did a great job with the setting; New Mexico and its indigenous peoples are clearly something that the author is passionate about and I appreciated that aspect of the story, the same way I can appreciate Taylor Sheridan's work on Yellowstone. It's not a world I'd ever want to live in, but I do appreciate someone who can make their world come alive. I just wish it had come alive with better characters and a better plot.

I do have to point out this absolutely incredible review the book received on Amazon:


I know some people are real sticklers for details (as was this person who criticized everything from proper characterization of indigenous peoples to law enforcement practices to the mechanical features of guns), but someone jabbing an author for "ignorance of how wolves behave regarding cattle" (to a degree that left the reader incredulous!) is a new one for me. I didn't think it was that bad...

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Created Apr 06, 2024 at 12:13pm • Submit your own review...