Panther in the Sky (Mass Market Paperback)

~ JAMES ALEXANDER Thom (Author) "TURTLE MOTHER SQUATTED, NAKED AND SWEATY, IN THE center of the birth hut..." (more)
Key Phrases: walking soldiers, holy town, thick water, Star Watcher, Black Fish, Black Hoof (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"What particularly distinguishes this splendidly vigorous and imaginative recreation of the life of the great Shawnee chief Tecumseh (1768-1813) is its bid to capture the spirit of Midwestern Indian culture from within," commented PW.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

"Thom shows how, in honest, capable hands, fictionalized biography can add verisimilitude to the life and times of this extraordinary America....The dialogue has the ring of reality about it....Thom is able to get into the thoughts and emotions of his characters...."
DEE BROWN
LOS ANGELES TIMES
Rich, colorful and bursting with excitment, this remarkable story turns James Alexander Thom's power and passion for American history to the epic story of Tecumseh's life and give us a heart-thumping novel of one man's magnificent destiny--to unite his people in the struggle to save their land and their way of life from the relentless press of the white settlers.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 704 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (February 13, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345366387
• ISBN-13: 978-0345366382
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #32,285 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful, exciting, and moving novel , August 31, 2006

By	Elizabeth Clare "author, To the Ends of the E... (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This novel is about the life and works of Tecumseh, the Shawnee chief who was at the center of Indian resistance to American expansion from the 1790s until the War of 1812.

Like other great Indian leaders before him (Pontiac, Joseph Brandt) and after (Crazy Horse), Tecumseh dreamed of uniting the Indian tribes and throwing back the white encroachment, carving out the space for the Indians to continue to practice their traditional way of life. He had many obstacles to overcome, not all of which were caused by the whites. In general, Indian societies were plagued by short-term thinking and an inability to grasp the big picture of what was really happening to their world. A number of Indian leaders were great tacticians, scoring big victories and then scattering while the whites regrouped and came relentlessly on. Only a few leaders were able to think strategically enough to actually slow the white advance. Tecumseh was one of these military geniuses.

The novel works as history, but it also works as a great story. Thom creates a sense of grief and regret about the loss of the Indians' world, but he doesn't whitewash the Indians. Tecumseh's brother, The Prophet, is depicted as a charlatan, and there are some brutal scenes of the torture that the Indians inflicted on their white captives. This low and cowardly behavior is a source of great despair for Tecumseh, who wants to elevate his people to a higher spiritual plane.

In a few spots in the book, Tecumseh appears too good to be true. I had a hard time believing that his goodness would have caused his arch-enemy, William Henry Harrison, to question the righteousness of his own cause. But overall the character of Tecumseh comes off as admirable but very human as he wrestles with spiritual questions, doubts, and vulnerabilites.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The great American novel?, December 10, 2000

By	Jim Hofbauer (Toledo, OH) - See all my reviews

I have read extensively on the life of Tecumseh and this is the defintive novel. I feel it is best to read last, or reread once one feels he or she understands the settling of the Northwest. It takes knowledge to respct this novel. This is the book that tells the tale of Tecumseh, but one must understand the tale of Tecumseh before one appreciates this book. Thom is a thoughtful and dedicated writer. Outstanding.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb!, May 30, 2003

By A Customer

Panther In The Sky is historical fiction at its absolute finest. It details the life and times of the famous Shawnee war chief in a compelling and realistic fashion. The descriptions of the native American way of life, spirituality and bloody battles with the encroaching white man are riviting. This is an epic that I found impossible to put down. This was my first Thom book--I intend to read all of his work. A truly great book.