Stone Song
Originally published in 1995, this is a novel of the life of Crazy Horse, a Lakota Sioux Indian who helped lead his people against General Custer at the Battle of the Little Big Horn. Winner of the coveted Spur award for Best Novel of the West, the author portrays Crazy Horse as a loner, almost an outcast of his tribe. He believed the spirits would guide him to future greatness. Crazy Horse could only find peace within by fighting and killing his enemies.
With this well-researched novel, the author demonstrates that he knows the American Indian culture. My main complaint about the story was the lack of depth in Crazy Horse’s character; I couldn’t really feel any compassion for him. With little emotion expressed by the protagonist, it felt more like reading a biography of his life. I also thought the book portrayed too much of the spirit world of the Sioux. My eyes glazed over as I read yet another page concerning Crazy Horse and his visions. There are also few action and dialog scenes.
