The Lost Band: A Novel (Spanish Bit) [Hardcover]

Don Coldsmith (Author)

Book Description

Series: Spanish Bit | Publication Date: April 15, 2000

A continuation of Don Coldsmith’s Spanish Bit series, The Lost Band traces the sage of the People, a fictional nation of American Plains Indians in the late eighteenth century. Annually the People celebrate the Sun Dance, and each year the Council circle leaves an empty place of honor for the Lost Band, whose members disappeared and are presumed killed in a genocidal raid in the Great Plains two hundred years earlier. This group is the Lost Band, their fate an ongoing mystery in the history of the People.

In The Lost Band, Story Keeper, chief of the Forest Band, unravels the puzzle when he makes a sudden and dramatic appearance. To claim the empty place at the Council table, Story Keeper must recount the fate of the Lost Band. The story begins as White Moon and her adopted child are gradually embraced by a childless couple whose people have abducted the last of the Band. At the same time, White Moon’s friend Turkey Hen becomes the Second Wife of her captor. Turkey Hen enjoys her status and is willing to sacrifice her heritage for security. White Moon, however, is determined to return the Lost Band to their seat in the Council circle. She secretly struggles to keep the traditions of the Forest Band alive.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Noted western writer Coldsmith adds yet another chapter to his already lengthy Spanish Bit Saga (28 books), taking up the story in the late 18th century, shortly after the events of the previous installment, Medicine Hat. In a different turn, his ongoing exploration of a fictional Plains Indian tribe here becomes a crackerjack mystery novel. The People have gathered all their clans for their annual religious rite, the Sun Dance. At the tribal council that accompanies the ritual, an empty place is left for the Forest Band, now considered the Lost Band, who disappeared 200 years earlier, even before the coming of the Spaniards. The Forest Band was presumed eradicated when, one year, they failed to arrive for the Sun Dance; no one knows what happened to them. This year the ritual is thrown into confusion by the arrival of Story Keeper, who claims to be chief of the Lost Band. He moves to assume his seat at the council, but in order to do so, he must reveal the fate of his people. The story he unfolds is the complete history of the People from their Creation myth to the coming of the Europeans, to the domestication of the horse, which revolutionized the People's way of life. The Lost Band has been a fixture in Coldsmith's Spanish Bit Saga, a recurrent but unexplained piece of the People's history. The writer blends various tribal traditions (Kiowa, Arapaho, Comanche, Cheyenne) to shape the culture of his People, and so readers may be misled into thinking they are getting accurate information about Native Americans in his homogenized account. Even so, the author spins a compelling yarn. In revealing the fate of the Lost Band, he gives a broad overview of the entire Saga, which will serve new readers by providing an entr e into the world of the People. (Apr.)

Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

Don't miss any of the novels by Don Coldsmith:

Runestone
Tallgrass
Trail of the Spanish Bit
Song of the Rock
Walks in the Sun
Track of the Bear
Child of the Dead
Bearer of the Pipe
Medicine Hat
The Changing Wind
South Wind --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press (April 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806132264
• ISBN-13: 978-0806132266
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #782,068 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #51 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Special Groups > Native American Studies

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable easy read, July 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Lost Band: A Novel (Spanish Bit) (Hardcover)

The Lost Band is the newest addition to Coldsmith's Trail of the Spanish bit series; but to read this story, it is not necessary to have read the prior books. The entire series is easy to read and enjoyable saga of the changes to a Plains Indian tribe throughout the history of the frontier. Several of the earlier books have mentioned a vacant place at the annual gathering of the tribe; the vacant place is held for a band of the tribe that disappeared generations ago. The Lost Band traces the history of the missing band, from the time the few survivors of a violent raid were captured by another tribe until their reunion with their people many generations later. The novel is actually several inter-related stories following descendents of one woman who in secret kept alive the language, stories and traditions of her people while she was a captive. Very readable (even for those of us who don't read many Westerns!)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars SOLVES A MYSTERY!!, September 15, 2001

By 

Mac Blair "Mac Blair" (Huntingdon, TN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lost Band (Mass Market Paperback)

I have read all the Spanish Bit series. In several of the books there was talk of the lost band. A place was left for it when all the other bands got together. I am glad to finally get a story about what happened to it. Don Coldsmith writes good books about "The People". A fictional account but is based losely on events of long ago. The lost band was nearly wiped out by Shaved-heads. This is the story of the few that were left and how they taught the customs, language and other aspects of "The People" to their children and on down for several generations. Many thought they would be the one to get back and find the original group but it was not to be until a special child was born to lead a small band back to their special place. A good quick read that is enjoyable if you like stories of people of long ago and how they lived and died. It will hold you attention and you will hope someone finally leads the lost band back.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable easy read, July 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Lost Band: A Novel (Spanish Bit) (Hardcover)

The Lost Band is the newest addition to Coldsmith's Trail of the Spanish bit series; but to read this story, it is not necessary to have read the prior books. The entire series is easy to read and enjoyable saga of the changes to a Plains Indian tribe throughout the history of the frontier. Several of the earlier books have mentioned a vacant place at the annual gathering of the tribe; the vacant place is held for a band of the tribe that disappeared generations ago. The Lost Band traces the history of the missing band, from the time the few survivors of a violent raid were captured by another tribe until their reunion with their people many generations later. The novel is actually several inter-related stories following descendents of one woman who in secret kept alive the language, stories and traditions of her people while she was a captive. Very readable (even for those of us who don't read many Westerns!)