In the Season of the Sun

by Kerry Newcomb

Separated during a bloody encounter with Indians during which their parents are killed, Tom and Jacob Milam grow up in two different worlds--Tom becomes an outlaw and Jacob, a Blackfeet warrior--until fate brings them together again

Genres: Fiction, Westerns, Native American

368 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Kerry Newcomb was raised in Texas. He has served in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and taught at the St. Labre Mission School on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Montana. Mr. Newcomb has written plays, film scripts, commercials, liturgical dramas, and over thirty novels under both his own name and a variety of pseudonyms. He lives with his family in Ft. Worth, Texas.

Reviews

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just happen to pick this up on a whim at the Goodwill, so glad I did!! Has everything I enjoy in a good frontier/western novel, engrossing story, great characters, and violence galore.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many historically based novels are set during the years of westward expansion; Indian's fighting for tribal lands, and pioneers striking their claims. This book is multi-dimensional in that you get both side's viewpoints due to the background plot of a tale of two brothers separated as children. One brother being adopted into a Blackfoot family, the other raised by some of the outlaws who had a hand in the slaughter of the caravan carrying the boys, as well as many other families heading west. It is a test of blood being thicker than water as the brothers meet as adults and their ways of life clash. I enjoyed this book maybe a little more than 3 stars, but started to tire of the story near the end, thinking that the outcome was pretty clear by the last 100 pages.

[Dafydd · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know what exactly my problem was as the description of the book was just perfect for me. But something was missing (what?). It might be the fact that at the very beginning the boys were children (10 and 13 y.o.) and in the second part they were adults already (21 and 24 y.o.). How did they adapt to their new life without family? How did they became who they were? However, that is a small bit which should not take two stars off. Unfortunately, I can't say what actually did take those stars off.

[HornFan2 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing better than a novel, you pick out of your own library and from the huge Western section of it.

Did like the book, but a better story is to have had Newcomb just focus on Jacob Sun Gift, add the 10 years of the story of him, growing up, mentored by his father Lone Walker, and being accepted by the Blackfeet tribe. All he wants is revenge against the Coyote Kilhenney led renegade's who killed his family, been easy to do and been a better read verse flipping the story back and forth between the brothers.

[Aleta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve always been a fan of good Westerns: Louis L’Amour, Tony Hillerman, Craig Johnson, Don Coldsmith and now I’ve found one more, Kerry Newcomb. I will certainly be reading more of this author’s work.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I stumbled across this historical fiction published in 2003, while I was wandering around in Audible.com looking for something different to read. Technically this book would be classified as a western.

The story starts in 1829 when four families left Virginia for St. Louis and a voyage up the Platte River to the land of the big sky. Their guide was a half breed named Coyote Kilhenny. Kilhenny was part of a renegade band that ambushes them. Only two boys survived the ambush. This book is about the lives of these two boys, one was taken by the renegade band that ambushed them; the other was raised by a shaman of the Blackfeet nation.

This book is well written and substantially researched. The book is multidimensional as you are exposed to both viewpoints. The bother’s fates are credibly related, though Newcomb burdens the story with subplots that are unnecessary. The Indian lore is handled respectfully and intelligently. Unfortunately the ending was predictable. The book was a nice change of pace from what I have been reading recently. I read this as an audio book downloaded from Audible. Joel Richards narrated the book.

[Steven · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just didn't care for it. The story was too heavy on the romance. This will sound sexist, I know, but honestly, the romance was such an important element of the story that I thought Kerry was a woman. Yeah, sue me. Whatever.

The writing is competent. The story isn't horrible, if it's the kind of thing you're into. I was looking for more Western-style action. I found the story to be pretty predictable and the characters one dimensional. Your mileage may vary.

If you like Dana Fuller Ross, you will probably like this. Again, not horrible, just not what I enjoy.

[Alex Holiday · Rating 5 out of 5]

didnt want the story to end it was that good

[Charles Coburn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Predictable but fun.