Customer Reviews

Winter of the Holy Iron

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Marshall provides a deep insight into the Native American world through the medium of the novel. The tale describes a society's reaction to agents of change and the means by which the changes are assimilated into culture.

Winter of the Holy Iron describes the affects of the "white man" and the new technologies used by the "white man" on Native American culture. Rather than being a simple comparitive novel, Marshall weaves a tale of conflict, understanding, and uncertainty from the perspective of a Native American but does not come to conclusions. According to the story, these types of change face us all -- across time and across cultures. This universal treatment makes Marshall's novel interesting reading and a compelling analysis of Native American and White cultures.

Marshall portrays the Native American as far more than a passive character in history or the blood-thirsty savage. Marshall's works define the Native American as an active participant in history. This refreshing perspective, along with his oral-storytelling-tradition-on-paper writing style, define the the Native American as active and not necessarily reactionary. Even today, Marshall's tale still accurately describes the issues between acceptance of foreign ideas and goods (assimilation) and the rejection of such ideas.

I have read Marshall's two other works in book form (I found his works by chance). Winter of the Holy Iron is different from his essays but embodies the best of his short essay narratives and descriptions (like those from Dance House : Stories from Rosebud). The novel is very well written and allows Marshall to develop characters that are unforgettable -- something he also masters in his short essays. This book is a true 5 star work.

If you like stories of the west and native Americans, you will love this book and his others too. Bias, yes. But, not overly so. Historically correct, yes, but remember it is fiction. He is Lokota! I recommend the book and the author's other works.

This book like others by Marshall is excellent. The writing is superb. He reminds me of Steinbeck. A very enjoyable story written from the perspective of the Indian. Marshall's writing tends to be filled with insights and just plain fun reading.

When dealing with mankind - the only dealings we know - only the names, dates and places = and 'toys' - change, not, unfortunately, the nature of man.
In this book, all that it would require to be a story set in Afghanistan today, would be to change the names of the good guys and bad guys, the location and the date.
The never-ending battle between the bad apples and those whose lives are guided by an innate decency, high principles and true bravery have and are being replayed down through the annals of history. It may ever be so, that man never really progresses as to it's dealings with other men. We may never 'grow up' as a species on the whole, but only as one indivual at a time. Maybe that's by design?
This timessness of theme - and being set, not in the struggles between Native Americans and whites, but pre-white Native American civilization, is a great example of the 'forever' battle between the good, the bad and the ugly.
And for me, an avid reader/researcher/admirer of any and all things "Indian", this book is a keeper in my permanant library and on the gift list to family.