The Legend of Thunder Moon

Rating:
Summary: An excellent Native American Western from a great talent
Review: Max Band, penname of Frederick "Heinie" Faust, wrote over 500 books in his career, and it is amazing how much of this landslide of material is still highly enjoyable. THE LEGEND OF THUNDER MOON is the first in Brand's series of stories about a white boy adopted by Native Americans who becomes part of their culture and then faces the pressure of being caught between the settlers and his adopted family. At the time this was published, in 1927, this was daring and unusual material. Brand's sympathetic but not pandering treatement of the Cheyenne still holds up well today.

This first book focuses on Thunder Moon's growth and his life with the tribe, and his fight against his fear of undergoing the painful Sun-Ceremony while he tries to prove his worth at a warrior. He comes into contact with whites for the first time, but the book is mainly about his life with the Cheyenne. Brand shows remarkable knowledge of plains Indian life and delves deeply into it. This is one of the books most enjoyable aspects, and again, was unusual at the time. But, as usual for a Brand book, there is plenty of action and excitment.

This volume also contains an insightful introduction by Edgar L. Chapman that looks at Brand's attachment to the Native American way of life and gives an overview of the sometimes complicated publishing history of the Thunder Moon saga.

If you wish to follow more of Thunder Moon's adventures, the story continues in RED WIND AND THUNDER MOON.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent Native American Western from a great talent
Review: Max Band, penname of Frederick "Heinie" Faust, wrote over 500 books in his career, and it is amazing how much of this landslide of material is still highly enjoyable. THE LEGEND OF THUNDER MOON is the first in Brand's series of stories about a white boy adopted by Native Americans who becomes part of their culture and then faces the pressure of being caught between the settlers and his adopted family. At the time this was published, in 1927, this was daring and unusual material. Brand's sympathetic but not pandering treatement of the Cheyenne still holds up well today.

This first book focuses on Thunder Moon's growth and his life with the tribe, and his fight against his fear of undergoing the painful Sun-Ceremony while he tries to prove his worth at a warrior. He comes into contact with whites for the first time, but the book is mainly about his life with the Cheyenne. Brand shows remarkable knowledge of plains Indian life and delves deeply into it. This is one of the books most enjoyable aspects, and again, was unusual at the time. But, as usual for a Brand book, there is plenty of action and excitment.

This volume also contains an insightful introduction by Edgar L. Chapman that looks at Brand's attachment to the Native American way of life and gives an overview of the sometimes complicated publishing history of the Thunder Moon saga.

If you wish to follow more of Thunder Moon's adventures, the story continues in RED WIND AND THUNDER MOON.