Buff Tea

by Edward M. Erdelac

In 1874 a boy leaves a comfortable life in Chicago and heads west to work on the burgeoning railroad, quickly finding the labor not to his liking. He joins a disparate group of itinerant buffalo hunters led by a tough old ex-Indian fighter named War Bag Tyler and they pass into Texas to participate in the great slaughter. The season draws to a close and death strikes the outfit. War Bag swears a Cheyenne Dog Soldier from his past is responsible. As War Bag plots a new hunt, a hunt for the Cheyenne, the boy must choose between life and death.

280 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2011

About the author

Edward M. Erdelac is the author of thirteen novels including the acclaimed Judeocentric/Lovecraftian weird western series Merkabah Rider, Rainbringer: Zora Neale Hurston Against The Lovecraftian Mythos, Conquer, Monstrumfuhrer from Comet Press, Terovolas from JournalStone Publishing, and Andersonville from Random House/Hydra.

Born in Indiana, educated in Chicago, he lives in the Los Angeles area with his wife and a bona fide slew of kids and cats.

Reviews

[Alexandria K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked Buff Tea. It was full of adventure and action. There were horses, buffalo, indians, and a bunch of other exciting characters in the story. Sometimes it was really funny and sometimes it was really gross and scary. And, sometimes it was really sad like when War Bag, Jack, Whisper, the bear, and Fuke died. I was surprised a lot when I was reading it. I never imagined I would read about Shakespeare, or a bear in an old west story about a boy nicknamed Stretch/Juniper who ran away from his home in Chicago in search of adventure. I really like that Juniper got to be a writer like he dreamt of becoming. I am also happy that he shared his adventures with Roam and War Bag and all the others. I thought it was really cool about the seashell that was a fossil that Juniper tells his grandson he found in the plains. I have one that was found in the desert!

[Christopher Gadomski · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read that had great storytelling combined with thorough historical research to give you an accurate portrayal of life on the plains as a bison hunter in the old west.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Buff Tea, Edward M. Erdelac does a wonderful job presenting the story of Juniper/Stretch, who as a young boy runs away from his well-off home in Chicago to head out west during the era of the great buffalo hunts, so that he can live and feel life on his road to become a writer. In the process, Juniper meets and is befriended by a lot of interesting characters like Roam, the former buffalo soldier, War Bag--leader extraordinaire, and many others. Juniper quickly learns that the romance of the Old West is not the reality he comes to know and really grows up quick out on the plains of Colorado, Kansas and Texas.

Buff Tea really kept my interest and was paced very well. I really came to like Juniper. Erdelac also does a wonderful job of putting you in the midst of the novel. His way of describing the surroundings, feelings and actions of the character are superb and you find yourself right in the story sights, smells and all moreso than in many other books I have read....sometimes Erdelac is too good! I will just add that the next time I make buffalo burgers it will not be the same! Still, I am fine with it, in Buff Tea, I wanted adventure, action and maybe a little bit of learning how that time frame was and how the buffalo runners experienced their calling in life.

Erdelac's writing style makes for a wonderful story. It is easy to read and has wonderful flow. The language is wonderful and the story is interesting. I read in in just a couple of sittings. Thanks for the recommendation Alexandria, I really enjoyed BUFF TEA!