Sagebrush

by William Wayne Dicksion

Still half asleep, Michael looked up at his parents sitting on the buckboard of their covered wagon and saw an arrow penetrate his father's chest. Then he saw his mother being dragged from the wagon by two Indians. She was fighting them with all her might. He watched as one of the Indians hit her with his stone ax. His mother fell from the wagon and disappeared from his sight and from his life forever. Now he was alone. "Sagebrush" tells of how Michael survived the Indian attack and then endures alone in the vast and hostile land.

Genres: Westerns, Fiction, Historical, Romance, Adventure

336 pages, Paperback

First published February 20, 2008

About the author

William Wayne "Bill" Dicksion's ancestors migrated to the American frontier in the seventeenth century. As a boy, he loved the stories his grandparents told about that great adventure. Writing is his way of sharing those stories. He is educated in science and literature. His other interests are geography, history, philosophy, and anthropology. His writing reflects these interests. He and his wife live in Honolulu, Hawaii.
(From amazon)

Reviews

[Garth Mailman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disingenuous of Amazon to simultaneously have for sale a paid and free edition of the same book especially when you have to scroll down to find the free edition. Since 12-year-old Michael is orphaned and isolated from other human contact for 6 years in hostile Indian Territory during pre-settlement times the story needs-must be told from his point of view at least in the opening chapters. But as others have complained the writing style is highly clinical much as one would expect if one were reading about a modern-day atrocity in the New York Times or Wall Street Journal. The author reports that a 12-year-old boy witnessed the murder of both his parents and their wagon train party, felt 18-year-old lust when he meets his first pretty Indian Girl, and precedes with the revenge killing of the four braves who butchered his parents with little or no emotional involvement in the experience. This detachment from his own life leaves the reader feeling detached as well.

It is difficult to believe that anyone, especially a 12-year-old, could survive 6 years of solitary confinement without irreparable emotional harm. The only literary equivalent would be Ayla in Clan of the Cave Bears. As the book progresses it becomes more a typical Western Oater with certain striking similarities to Carmac McCarthy’s Border Trilogy. The story has an all too typical happily ever after Hollywood ending.

[bex · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are so many editions of this book that it's hard to know whether I picked the right one. At least they are merged here in terms of reviews, unlike Amazon, where there are several separately rated variants and it took me forever to find the one it actually recognized I had downloaded.

I gave up at 34% and no way I am wasting another moment on it.

I started this one late at night when I couldn't sleep. And it made me mad so many times. First off, the writing is awkward. Then we get the absolute ridiculousness of the story line and the excessive repetitiveness of the way it is presented. The boy is made into some sort of superhero for whom nothing every goes wrong. His successes are all a little too convenient.

How ridiculous it was got really obvious when it had him tanning an entire mountain line hide (including using the head as a hat) and turning it into a wearable garment IN A FEW DAYS! Then he gets out amongst a friendly tribe of Indians and it keeps saying he was better than them at everything. It had him teaching an Indian maiden how to forage for food and her admiring him for being better than her entire tribe.... It is just so insanely idiotic to think that a boy after 6 years ALONE in the wilderness has learned techniques that exceed the natives--techniques that aren't reliant on technology Indians didn't have (he used STICKS). He also managed to stumble onto a tribe that had never seen whites and never seen metal? It also acts like the entire concept of a knife is new, although they would have had flint knives that are plenty effective tools for what he is doing with the metal one.

And he MAKES a wagon spring into a fancy sharp knife for her in his cave.... Nope, I didn't fall for it. It mostly just made me mad about how offensively it treated Native Americans. Then he manages to kill 4 notorious Comanche warriors, whom he was able to recognize easily despite only seeing them briefly 6 years earlier (and all of whom had ridiculously obvious identifying marks that he found as a kid...).

I should also mention that he didn't consider himself an adult until he was 18?? How modern is that idea!! It was quite normal then for boys to be considered a man significantly younger, especially if managing on their own. He'd have been considered a man after only a year or two. So why would he continue to hide out for 6 YEARS before doing anything?? And I'm supposed to believe that the granddaughter is losing her land and his father was supposed to go save her in a hurry and yet it's still going to be there for him to save more 6 years later?

I wanted to throw the book away several times while reading. And now that it's a new day, there is NO way I am forcing myself to go back and read more. I don't recommend this book to anyone. I really doubt the "newer" versions managed to edit out all these issues! It would be an entirely different book in that case, so why would the author rerelease it with the same name (knowing he had scathing reviews already) if he made it into a new book?

[Jill Bragg · Rating 2 out of 5]

No spelling or glaring grammar errors in the part I managed to get through

The front cover art was great, but that's about it for the positives. Judging by the cover, I was hoping for a Louis L'Amour-esque story, but it became painfully obvious early on that the author was unable to deliver a story that was realistic or remotely believable.

The story reminded me of Edgar Rice Burroughs's superhuman hero Tarzan, initially, but where ERB was entertaining with his grand vistas and exotic adventures, this was little more than a poorly written juvenile fantasy.

One star for the book, plus one more star for the cover art. Am now deleting this book from my Kindle library.

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Since the premise is a little far-fetched, it's hard to read. Past that, it becomes a little predictable. The descriptions and voice are pretty good though.

[Jemima Pett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sagebrush follows the adventures of Michael McBraid after his parents and all the rest of the people in their wagon train are killed in an Indian attack. His father was a sea-captain before they decided to up sticks and go west, and taught 12 year-old Michael all sorts of useful things, like carpentry, metalwork and cooking. Well he found his mother’s cookbook for pioneers, which helped. Actually, I can imagine he would have been taught all that by 12. Kids were treated as intelligent beings in those days.

It was just as well though, as he had to hide from the Indians tracking him, and survive. He not only survived, but thrived, for six years, when he stumbled across some native women in a fix, and helped out.

That led into the coming-of-age type tale, how to handle local customs, yet also how to fulfil a promise his father had made to another man, to protect his daughter. It’s an interesting set-up, and leads to many twists before all is resolved.

The impression I gained was that the author is well skilled in bushcraft, and could look after himself if needs must. He writes a good tale, with due deference to the different cultures of the various Native American groups involved, and also to their plight in the fight for their own lands. But history wins, and Mr Dicksion spins a good yarn to show a side of it, mixing in the Mexican wars into the bargain.

[Walker G · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is excellent. An outstanding 4.9 stars. It has an excellent plot, it's very well written and it held my interest from the first paragraph until the very last. Not only does the plot have a few twists, the story is very easy to read and a lot of fun. Add that to the fact that it is currently FREE from Kindle and the only reason I would say four point nine instead of the perfect 5.0 is the lead character seems a little unbelievable at times, and, I wanted the story to go on just a little bit longer. Take me through one more summer, Mr. William Wayne Dicksion.

...oh WAIT. I guess that one more summer, and perhaps more, is in a follow up book. I will see you in "Puma, Son of Mountain Lion."

******************************************************************
*** Help ? *** ...if anyone has a copy of Dicksion's, "Puma Son of Mountain Lion," that they are willing to part with, please message me and let me know. THANKS !!!
******************************************************************

....as always, comments are welcome... wlg

[Patricia Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cowboys and Indians.....the story starts out with a wagon train being ambushed by the Indians and a father and mother being killed. The young son was hidden and escaped. He made a life for himself in the wilderness and learned many skills living like the animals.

Second half of the saga is the youth as a grown man heading further west with two mountain men to fulfill the promise of his father to help out a woman in Santa Fe.

First half of the book was great...second half was a little drawn out; but it was an entertaining story.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second time I read this book. Michael McBain is a young boy whose parents are killed by the Comanche while they are part of a small wagon train. He escapes and lives in a cave for 6 years until he reaches adulthood. He lives alone, as he trusts no Indians. He watches the animals and learns their ways, so he can hunt effectively. He also vows vengeance on the Indians that killed his parents. This book follows him until young adulthood, when he becomes a successful rancher. A good read.

[Blas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good. Really enjoyed it.

I chose this rating because of the detailed description of the surroundings making it enjoyable for me to place myself within the story, as well, and really feel how it plays through. I didn't dislike any part of the book because it kept my attention throughout. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading because it would be difficult to put the book down.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick response on this book is nothing bad, easy reading and a complete story. Zane Gray quality? Not quite, more like Tarzan of the plains. Abandoned child grew up imitating animals to survive and is above average in strength and knowledge. Good for kids and lite reading as the vocabulary is non strenuous and the romantic parts are not descriptive. Great for between books of a series when you need a break but don't want to start a new collection.

[Jeffrey Craig Wilcox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty good read, enjoyed thoroughly. Good to learn about living, surviving in the outdoors. From s historical side, good rendition of "the way things were ".


The author took great pains to be accurate to the times. Would recommend to anyone wanting to relax with a good book and to learn about the first half of the 19th century.

[Susan Beasley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

I have had this book on my I pad for several years. It is so good I don’t want to remove it. I just finished reading it for the 3ed time, I read a lot and this it one of the best books I have ever read. I’m going to look for more of his books. This is good reading for anyone!!!!

[Florence Primrose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still half asleep, 12-year-old Michael looks up to see his mother being hauled off their wagon by Indians and his father is dead with an arrow sticking from his chest. After the wagon overturns Michael is hidden. After six years surviving in a cave he found and living alone, Michael heads to Santa Fe to fulfill an obligation his father had had.

[Elaine Hummel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting prjotrail of th he west and how survival of then fitest and intelligent cojuldd survive ad learn how to win. Loved the story,lines. Very smart to includeleearning as many language was he could,

Fascinat inn g how sage could switch from. Mountain man to. A high Spanish individual so vfastthankds exception story that I e enjoy e d. Very muchh.

[Pat Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book but

I thought this book had a pretty good story line I actually enjoyed reading it. My only problem with it is that the authors English has no flow. His writing is very choppy because his sentences are all one length. Plus he uses words like Furious mess when he should have used just Fury.

[Isobel B Peden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

Having grown up in southern New Mexico and lived in Albuquerque this was a very interesting read. As a history teacher I enjoyed the development of the Spanish/Mexican, Indian and Anglo cultures. There were a couple of instances when the Spanish responses were not grammatically correct. That being said it was a wonderful story

[JUDY C WISE · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little long

I liked the book but felt like it was almost two books in one. Impossible to tell the story without a lot of preparation, however. Never boring but I found myself wanting to hurry up and get an ending

[John Flick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sagebrush

An excellent book. The author was quite good in explaining how life was in the wilderness for a young man. Also he was able to capture how Indians lived and how life was in New Mexico prior to it joining the U.S. Look forward reading other books by this author.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

This is a good read. Most oF it could be realistic, but it Does get a little far fetched at times. The author was very discriptive at times and obviously put a lot of study inTo this work. I would recommend this book.

[Marlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

My husband thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[Alicia Stinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

This book had everything I love . Action, adventure, clean romance and very little foul language. I give this book 5 stars

[Jeffrey Lake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable reading

Interesting and different from most westerns. Kept my interest to the very end. Good story for bedtime reading to relax.

[Darel Krieger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I agree with other reviews that said the story was predictable I felt the author did a good job on taking you on an adventure in the old west.

[David Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. I didn't want to put my kindle down. The story was so lively and I could imagine the scenery as if I were there.

[Ervin Habeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

I enjoyed this story. Hard to put down the book. It had so many interesting aspects of was fun to read

[Ernest A.Schnuriger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real characters

Good read and kept my attention though at times situations had too much explanation
I do plan to read Puma Son of Mountain Lion

[Michele King · Rating 1 out of 5]

I out it down. I was able to get through the first chapter, but that was it. No creativity, characters are all stereotyped. It was just bad.

[john r. reeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Johnboy

Good book it has been a long time since I have read a western. The story line was very good, and it was full of very colorful characters.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read

I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the characters, the background, though the repetition of various details became a bit much. I don't you will be disappointed.

[Linda Rae Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story

Interesting characters. I love books set in history and this was no exception. Well developed, with some interesting battles and outcomes