The River and the Horsemen: A Novel of the Little Bighorn [Hardcover]

Robert Skimin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1999

The River and the Horsement is the most compelling account of the Little Bighorn ever written, this powerfully detailed historical novel vividly recreates the lives of two of the most celebrated military leaders of nineteenth-century North America, General George Armstrong Custer and Chief Sitting Bull.

Capturing in rich detail native Sioux spirituality and culture, as well as the history and politics of post-Civil War America, the Battle of the Little Bighorn itself, described in all of its frightening detail, is the riveting climax to an artfully portrayed collision of two civilizations: one reaching for its manifest destiny, one struggling for survival.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Since most people already know what happened at the Little Big Horn, anyone writing a fictional account of the famous battle must do more than recount the details of Custer's last stand. By bold invention and skillful adaptation of the diverse threads of legend, lore, and history, Skimin (Ulysses S. Grant: A Novel) has woven a surprisingly unified account of events leading up to the climactic battle. The story is virtually plotless; Skimin spends the bulk of the book developing individual charactersACuster; his wife, Libbie; Sitting Bull; and Crazy HorseAadding flesh and blood, frailties and foibles to familiar names and making three-dimensional historical figures most of us only know from school textbooks. Bound to be popular with fans of historical fiction; recommended for public libraries.AA.J. Anderson, GSLIS, Simmons Coll., Boston
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

By bold invention and skillful adaptation of the diverse threads of legend, lore, and history, Skimin surprisingly unified account of events leading up to the climactic battle, adding flesh and blood, frailties and foibles to familiar names and making three-dimensional historical figures most of us only know from school textbooks. Bound to be popular with fans of historical fiction; recommended for public libraries. . . . truly distinguished historical fiction. --Book Reviewer Library Journal --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Herodias; 1st edition (October 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1928746004
• ISBN-13: 978-1928746003
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,959,452 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

For over 25 years, I've written compelling novels, mostly historical and played on the world's stage, have made bestseller lists around the globe. Some of my book's avid readers consider one or another of my works among the best they've ever read. A literary agent once said, "He may not be a literary darling, but he's one hell of a storyteller!"
Lately, I have created a children's book series which develops the
entire history of America wrapped around its heroes.

My thanks in this endeavor to Nacho Garcia the extraordinary illustrator and Josph Lorentzen who helps with all matters technical.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very moving historical novel on the famous "Last Stand", November 4, 1999

By 

Charles R. Kennedy (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The River and the Horsemen: A Novel of the Little Bighorn (Hardcover)

Having read a number of Custer books, and visited the sight twice anything on the bookshelf about this subject is an immediate purchase.The character development in the first half of the book took a while ( thus 4 rather than 5 stars) but once that was over the story was unraveled in very readable, interesting and fascinating style. The explanation of the deployment of the troops before the Last Stand was really well done and as good an explanation and description as I have read on the subject. This will not be the last book on the subject but it will surely rank as one of the best. Thanks for the epilogue. Great to know what happened to the people involved.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CUSTER AND CRAZY HORSE, June 30, 2007

By 

David Steenhoek "Dave Steenhoek" (LA, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The River and the Horsemen: A Novel of the Little Bighorn (Paperback)

Two of the greatest figures in historical history are put under the microscope. Not only do we learn and walk in the lives of George Armstrong Custer but with General Crazy Horse, an almost Christ-like figure of humility and master of warfare. Crazy Horse fought for his people and their right to their land. Custer was a very complex character who loved his wife and his country, however, he believed he could never be defeated, a modern day warrior with Caesar complex. Robert Skimin has the skill and ability to present these two great leaders warts and all.

What exactly led to the Battle of the Little Bighorn. It's inside these pages.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Lacking, June 11, 2000

By 

John (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The River and the Horsemen: A Novel of the Little Bighorn (Hardcover)

I was compelled to buy this book because of my long-standing interest in the conflicts between the whites and the Indians. This fictional novel, based on historical events, was found to be extremely light. Robert Skimin fleshed out characters, at times, in odd ways. I especially disliked the way real people were saddled with sexual, sadistic, and/or prejudicial characteristics. At times characters seemed to be introduced in a helter skelter manner just to add to the list of real people that he included in the novel. In places, I felt, he mixed combinations of traits just to add a new twist. For example, he had a former Jewish Russian solder, who was a black belt in Judo, defend himself against a sadistic, bigoted and not too bright sargent. Robert Skimin did stay with the historical facts surrounding General Custer and the events that led up to his defeat at the Little Bighorn but as a whole any grade school history student could have easily gotten the same information about the Sioux, Cheyenne, and the 7th Calvary.

Also recommended: Custer's Luck, Crazy Horse: The Strange Man of the Oglalas, Killing Custer, Black Elk Speaks, The Road to the Little Big Horn-and Beyond,