Sioux Dawn (The Plainsmen Series) [Import] [Paperback]

Terry C. Johnston (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books (June 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 033033798X
• ISBN-13: 978-0330337984
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,671,933 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

By 

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

By 

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

By 

[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.