Shadow of the Moon
Nolan leaves Chicago seeking adventure in Colorado but quickly discovers that the Wild West can be just as fierce and dangerous as described in dime novels. Disillusioned with cowboy life and mourning the loss of a friend killed in an ambush, he takes a job hauling freight across the desert. The work isn’t particularly exciting until one day, he meets four unusual women getting off a train.
Among them is an astronomer and professor at Vassar College, her artist sister, and two students studying astronomy. The four women are headed to meet with scientists and spectators to watch the July 1878 total solar eclipse. Due to railroad disputes, they can’t take their original train to their destination. They hire Nolan’s company to get their telescopes and two of the women to Denver while the other two find passage on another train. It sounds like a simple enough job, but multiple mishaps threaten to spoil their plans and potentially endanger their lives.
McSweegan’s story is packed full of adventure, though sometimes is a bit cliché. Using Mexican vaqueros and Native Americans as the “bad guys” who attack without provocation and are easily defeated is disappointing, especially considering the character development given to the African American and female characters. The four women from Boston are especially refreshing, depicted as well-respected by all in the book, particularly Cora, who garners Nolan’s attention, and later affection, with her intelligence and bravery rather than just her looks. But, despite some flaws, the novel will satisfy Western and non-Western fans alike with plenty of high-stakes action and a women-centered focus.
