Child of the Dead

Spanish Bit Saga #23

by Don Coldsmith

On the eve of the annual Sun Dance, Singing Wolf, a holy man, discovers that an entire village has been wiped out by a smallpox epidemic, and Singing Wolf must care for the lone survivor and leave his tribe to prevent spreading the disease. Reprint.

Genres: Westerns, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Native American

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Don Coldsmith was an American author of primarily Western fiction. A past president of Western Writers of America, Coldsmith wrote more than 40 books, as well as and hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles. His “Spanish Bit Saga,” a series of related novels, helped to re-define the Western novel by adopting the point of view of the Native Americans, rather than the European immigrants.

Reviews

[Abi Grey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the flow of this book. It was beautifully told from a point of view I'd not read the likes of before, and this was refreshing.
I was generally pleased with the book, just disappointed in such a flat ending to the grand story.

[Kathy KS · Rating 3 out of 5]

The next volume in Don Coldsmith's series tracing a family of native Americans, which began with the first contact with a Spanish conquistador and their acquisition of horses. The volume begins with smallpox breaking out in some bands. It seemed very appropriate to read as we try to struggle back from our own struggles with Covid-19.

This pleasant read is especially strong in showing how grief can affect people and how having responsibility of another person can help restore a sense of purpose and love. Running Deer, a widow, is overcome with the loss of her husband and becomes an aging woman plotting her own demise. But when she decides to take care of an orphan with smallpox, thinking this will lead to her own death, circumstances present another path that will benefit everyone involved. Her life changes and vitality returns when she discovers a new lease on life.

There's a low-key romance in the background that also satisfying.

[Kathi Olsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of an historical fiction abouut Indian tribes and their differing cultures. Story starts with a tribe going to a destination and they come upon an encampment of another tribe where everybody has died from the poch (smallpox). They get ready to leave the area as as possible when a small sick child is found. They are in some turmoil about leaving her to die all alone when an older woman who has standing in the tribe decides to stay and nurse the little girl because the old woman wants to die anyway. She has been sad and lonely since her husband has died and doesn't really want to go on living. Searching for family becomes an issue later in the book and has a good resolution

[SBC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set on the Great Plains of America in the early 16thc. Part of the Spanish bit saga. Quite an interesting read about a native American tribe decimated by illness. An old woman who is bitter about being old and losing her husband stays, as she wants to die, but a child survives so she cares for her and grows her spirit back. They travel together through the winter to find the rest of the tribe, who had left them for dead. The girl is actually of a different tribe and the old woman volunteered to stay and care for her when her own tribe was passing by and no one wanted to help or take the little girl with them since her village was dead around her. Read early 2010.

[Eliel Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read all the way to the end !

[Timothy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Danielle Palmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first 2/3 of this book were fairly slow and a bit repetitive. An older woman of the tribe (who no longer wishes to live) stays behind to care for a child (Grey mouse) from another village with smallpox. She assumes they will both die. They do not. They make it through the winter and join with her tribe again. Then the story switches to the now grown Mouse seeking her original tribe and running into danger while doing so. 3 stars.

[Cws]

W Col

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Running Deer cares for a child who has small pox. Female hero. Not historically accurate. Historical fiction.

[TOTO from Kansas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great way to learn history

[Gail Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

interesting aspect of a child that has been raised by a people of a different culture and how she comes to terms with it as she grows up

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good "Western" story. It's actually not like your normal American Western tale. Lots of nicely developed characters and a nice continuing storyline. Recommended

[Advie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting western based on the indian view of what the gift of blankets brought