Sioux Dawn: The Fetterman Massacre, 1866 (Plainsmen) [Mass Market Paperback]

Terry C. Johnston (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1991 | Series: Plainsmen (Book 1)

No one captures the glory, adventure and drama of the courageous men and women who tamed the America West like award-winning author Terry Johnston. His Plainsmen series brims with colorful characters, fierce battles and compelling historical lore.

The Civil War was over, and a great westward march began. Settlers and soldiers poured out of the East along the Bozeman Trail, cutting deep into sacred Sioux hunting grounds. For Red Cloud and his warriors, there would be no choice but to fight for their ancestral rights.

Seen through the eyes of gruff Sergeant Seamus Donegan, here is the historically accurate tale of a tragic opening to the war between two great civilization: the Fetterman Massacre of 1866.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Johnston's (Titus Bass trilogy) historical novel focuses on the Indian Wars of the latter half of the 19th century. Hero Seamus Donegan is an outsider from Ireland who transcends unjust charges of cowardice to earn the respect and admiration of his comrades-in-arms as they struggle to establish a fort in hostile Sioux country. His heart as big as Montana, Donegan is the only likable character in this strangely schizophrenic chronicle, in which the author's allegiance switches confusingly between the white man and the red man. Readers will find Johnston's account narrow-minded, the action disjointed and badly paced. The self-righteous army officers lack vision; they are motivated only by the desire for personal advancement. The Indians are portrayed as bloodthirsty freaks who delight in mutilation and murder, rather than as a race of men and women battling to save their cultural identity. The author's preoccupation with gory details and his penchant for schmaltzy dialogue make this a queasy read indeed.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Johnston knows his material!"--Washington Post Book World

"The author's attention to detail and authenticity, coupled with his ability to spin a darned good yarn, makes it easy to see why Johnston is today's best-selling frontier novelist. He's one of a handful that truly knows the territory." --Chicago Tribune

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks (January 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312927320
• ISBN-13: 978-0312927325
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #268,144 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent series filled with fact, characters and adventure, February 15, 2011

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Ironmike (California) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Sioux Dawn: The Fetterman Massacre, 1866 (Plainsmen) (Mass Market Paperback)

The late Mr Johnston has written a splendid series about the Old West, peopled with actual characters and several fictional ones, blending into some relentless and exciting adventures. Plenty of real events and people, the research is top notch and the characters compelling and fleshed out. One minor complaint, a bit too much heavy breathing which is not needed for the quality of writing.

4.0 out of 5 stars A fine historical novel with an unappealing hero, May 25, 2010

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New England Pat (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sioux Dawn: The Fetterman Massacre, 1866 (Plainsmen) (Mass Market Paperback)

Terry Johnston's tale of the events leading up to and including the Fetterman Massacre seeks to explain both the red man and the white man at the same time. The narrative is well-meaning but ponderous and sluggish before eventually hitting its stride and results in a nice piece of work. Too much time is devoted to fictional character Seamus Donegan, a brawler and a drunkard who somehow evolves into an experienced frontier scout and Indian fighter. The author knows how to tell a story but his hero weighs down the flow and pace of his storytelling. Donegan's romancing of Jennifer Wheatley doesn't ring true and too much time is devoted to explaining this fictional dalliance that has nothing to do with the events of the tragedy of December 21, 1866. Colonel Henry Carrington's authority is openly flouted by his junior officers which plays no small part in the battle on the other side of Lodge Trail Ridge. If the Irishman Donegan played a smaller part in Johnston's tales of the old west his books would much more interesting.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A highlreadable historical account of the Fetterman Massacre, May 4, 1999

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[e-mail] (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sioux Dawn: The Fetterman Massacre, 1866 (Plainsmen) (Mass Market Paperback)

The work bears all the earmarks of "good history". As a fictionalized account of the Sioux uprising of the 1866 period it is a quick read and a very pleasant "page-turner". If you are interested in the history of the opening of the west, but don't want to plow through the more dry versions offered by history books, this is the work for you. If the book has any faults, it is that the central character, an Irish immigrant, by the name of Donegan, is presented as larger than life. This is a small criticism as Donegan does not terribly often dominate center stage and the rest of the characters are more "realistic" in their presentation. After reading this work you will probably want to purchase more of Johnston's books. He is a fine writer and does write good history.