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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
37 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I agree...it's great,
By Matthew S. Schweitzer "zohoe" (Columbus, OH United States) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: That Dark and Bloody River (Historical Fiction) (Paperback)
By far the best and most engaging chronicle of the border wars of the Ohio River Valley, Dark and Bloody River takes us back to the time and place first encountered in Eckert's other great book, The Frontiersmen. This was the first Eckert novel I read and it hooked me from the start. It begins with a description of the ancient Indians to first settle the land that would later become known to some as Kentucky and the Ohio Valley, and to others as "That Dark and Bloody Ground". It ends with the closing of the eastern frontier in Ohio in the early 19th century and the twilight of the Indian way of life. What comes in between is a classic tale of historic adventure and horror. Eckert is known for his great historical novels and this is one of the best. Here we again encounter some familiar characters like Daniel Boone, Simon kenton, and Simon Girty. Eckert gives one of the most sympathetic interpretations of the white renegade Girty to date, portraying him here as a troubled frontiersman who was more a victim of years of character assasination than the satanic monster he was remembered as. Here we also meet Lewis Wetzel and Eckert makes clear that Wetzel, though hailed as a frontier hero in his time and for decades to come, was most surely a cold-hearted killer, intent upon exterminating the Indian race from the face of North America. This is really a great book and despite being some 600 pages, has often been reread.
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unbelievable!,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: That Dark and Bloody River (Historical Fiction) (Paperback)
I am an unabashed fan of Allen W. Eckert so if you seek an impartial review, best mosey on. This is one terrific book, possibly his very best.
Focusing on the first serious push west of the Appalachian Mountains and down the Ohio River by colonials after the Treaty of Fort Stanwix in 1764, the book details the continuing settlement efforts through the Revolutionary War and on to the early 1800's. As in any migration in US history, this one was seriously contested in a most deadly manner. Literally, thousands upon thousands of people were scalped, butchered, skinned alive, impaled on stakes and tortured in the most unbelievably sadistic manner. There are no nice guys here. Both sides, the early American colonists and subsequent American citizens as protagonists and the Native Americans and their subsequent British allies, mounted military campaigns, patrols, ambuscades and battles that are quite shocking in their intensity and deadly intent. Even more stunning by today's standards, both sides paid for scalps. No sweetheart contest here, Eckert details a long, 30 + year bloody campaign, fought with ingenuity and hate. It is a continuous campaign fought over fur and land and Eckert puts you smack in the middle of it. This fine book chronicles the major western migration route which settled and wrested control of the Trans Appalachian territory from Britain, France and Spain. It helped me understand, for the first time, just how serious the threat was of the possible separation of the Trans Appalachian west from the eastern seaboard comprising the original 13 States. By 1800 1 milliom people, 20% of our population, lived west of the Applachians. Easterners were totally unsympathetic to the plight of their fellow over-the-mountain citizens and were totally unconcerned with the butchery continually faced by the Westerners. When the East finally woke up to the seriousness of the situation and understood that the territorial gains secured by the Revolutionary War were at stake, the response was nothing less than the permanent establishment of the United States Army! This is an awesome and successful literary undertaking which examines in detail the Nation's very first steps at what would, in later generations, become known as Manifest Destiny. You will not be disappointed.
22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not his most engaging writing, but excellent non-the-less,
By
This review is from: That Dark and Bloody River (Historical Fiction) (Paperback)
This is an excellent history of the Ohio River Valley during the time period covered. However, this book is written more along the lines of a typical history book than his "Winning of America" series (The Frontiermens, Wilderness Empire, etc.) That isn't bad, it just means that it is less of the narrative style than one is used to in Eckert's books. Also, I found some of the events and happenings covered in this book to be more engaging in his other books. Eckert mentions in his introduction that he didn't want to just repeat things in this book that he had already covered in other books, but I think this is a "stand alone" book and he should have used all his best stuff for this book instead of worring about repeating what he wrote in his other books. In any case, this is an excellent book that keeps one interested; it just doesn't have as much of the "being part of the action" that is displayed in some of his other writings. With this book one is more of the outsider looking in on history instead of being involved in it; although it is still better written that most books concerning history. Also, there are a few instances of possible errors of history. For example, concerning Braddock's defeat at the Monongahela in 1755, Eckert states that Braddock was shot purposely by one of his own men. I can't think of any other historian who has no doubt on that matter. While it can not be proven that he wasn't shot by one of his own men, there is also not concrete evidence that he was. In fact, most evidence points to the opposite. Eckert, however, states it as fact. Every other historian seems to believe it not to be true, or at the most, doubtful. Eckert should have pointed this out. Also, dealing with the same battle, Eckert claims that the great Indian leader Pontiac was present. Now, there is no concrete proof that he wasn't, there also is not concrete proof that he was. So why state it as a fact? Or for another example, Eckert states that Blue Jacket, another great Indian leader was a white, captured as a boy and raised by the Indians. This is apparently not true either, as proven by DNA testing of the family's descendents involved. So why state that as a truth, when it really doesn't matter as far as Blue Jacket's activities in history are concerned? In any case, Eckert's possible errors are of the minor nature and do not distract one from the generally excellent writing and history telling; it just makes one wonder what else Eckert may be in error about. In the end, however, I don't think there is any other book concerning this area and time period that is better. Were is not for the possible historical errors, I would have given it a 4 or 5.
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