Eight stars
Joseph Flynn has impressed me greatly with the John Tall Wolf series. A long-time member of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Tall Wolf has also seen his fair share of tragedy and loss. After his great-grandfather's passing a few years ago, Tall Wolf turned to his own family and the birth of young Alan Tall Wolf. Alongside his wife, Rebecca, John is looking for a better life and more meaningful connections. A plan to remember Alan White River is devised, though others with immense wealth and power try to get in on the game. Flynn weaves one of his great stories here and leave the reader hungering for more.
Even after the death of his great-grandfather, John Tall Wolf cannot escape him. With a family of his own now, inclduing three-year-old Little Alan, Tall Wolf is visited by his great-grandmother in a dream. She wants her husband, Alan White River, to be memorialised in a giant monument carved in the side of a mountain. John has some ideas, but this will not be a simple project.
While the funding and artistry are not an issue, the secret soon spills out, as many others with the financial means begin buying up mountains around the United States for their own personal monuments. Thi includes a multi-billionaire in New York and a wily televangelist who has his eye on making sure no one tops him. The rush to succeed is met with firm opposition at the highest levels, with the US president chiming in and threatening massive penalties to anyone who turns nature into their own personal shrine.
While Tall Wolf wants to ensure the Alan White River monument moves forward, he will have to work with some old friends to allay any opposition or snipers from ending the dream. All the while, John and his wife, Rebecca, look back on their lives and wonder if they have done enough to help others an how they will keep raising Alan in their likeness. Tall Wolf also has to contend with his ongoing feud with Marlene Flower Moon, his former boss and the woman who calls herself Coyote. They must find a way to bury past animosity and unite behind this project. All this comes together in a riveting story that allows Joseph Flynn to show off his abilities once more. What's next for John Tall Wolf and many others around him is still a mystery, but I will be queueing up to see when news arrives.
Joseph Flynn's writing kept me enthralled throughout this series and some of the others that have influenced this collection. Flynn uses his abilities not only to create stories, but connects these ideas with other series effectively, thereby presenting an 'as a whole' reading experience. There is a strong narrative that keeps maturing with each novel, letting each book stand alone but also as a part of the larger whole. The momentum gained within this series helps create an adventure for all who partake, adding great vignettes related to Native American culture and ideas, as well as how society accepts it all. Characters are essential in the series' success, particularly when they pop up throughout the book and prove recognisable by fans. The continuity offered makes things easily understood and digestible for those who take the time to learn about the various names and faces that appear repeatedly.
Plot development is another key to Joseph Flynn's writing success. This series possesses twists and surprises at every turn, adding depth and a great flavouring to the story. Multiple plot lines in this novel keep the reader on their toes and force a great deal of attention to be given in order to comprehend every moving piece. There are no novels awaiting me with this series or any by Joseph Flynn, so I will have to wait and hope that something is on the horizon.
Kudos, Mr. Flynn, for another strong novel!
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