The Legend of See Bird: Kiamichi

by Karl L. Stewart

Zoom Into Books AuthorNew York Book Festival Honorable MentionParis Book Festival Honorable MentionSan Francisco Book Festival Honorable MentionIt's the dawn of the Twentieth Century, and in Washington DC the youngest man ever to serve as President of the United States prepares for a tour of the West that will shape his future and America's destiny. A man born with the proverbial 'silver spoon in his mouth', he seeks to find room to breathe and discovers instead a people and a land to cherish and protect. Meanwhile, from the hills and hollers of West Virginia another man, Choctaw by birth, caught between two worlds, sets out astride the gallant Kiamichi. Together they follow a course of self-discovery and adventure, riding and 'rodeoing.' See Bird and Teddy Roosevelt, two men from opposite ends of the American experience, but with much more in common than anyone could have expected, cast their fortunes together on this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

181 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 18, 2021

About the author

Karl Stewart draws on his eclectic background to shape his writing. Raised in the hills of post-WWII West Virginia, he proceeded to study for the Catholic priesthood. Having been expelled from the seminary for excessive individualism, he joined the US Army in the late 1960s and became a communication sergeant in the elite Green Beret Special Forces.

Stewart later entered the University of Wisconsin, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science. He went on to complete his Master’s in Education. He taught, coached, and advised for thirty years in the Wisconsin public school system. Twice selected for the Philip Lehner Teacher of the Year Award, Stewart was also honored by the Wisconsin Association of School Councils with its Leadership award as well as its Region III Advisor of the Year Award.

Recently, Stewart retired from teaching to devote himself to the two things for which he has always had an overriding passion – writing and his family. He lives in rural Wisconsin on a pine-lined ridge with a stunnng view to the south that echoes his childhood playgrounds in West Virginia.

Reviews

[Thomas Cannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Legend of See Bird: Kiamichi, by Karl Stewart
Historical fiction/western, 255 pages
Headline Books, 2020
Editor: Cathy Teets

See Bird, a Native American making the rounds of the rodeo circuit at the turn of the century, is perhaps the hero we should have had instead of The Lone Ranger. I say that as a fan growing up. Like Tonto, See Bird does heroic deeds without wearing a mask and while dealing with racism.
In the book The Legend of See Bird: Kiamichi (Book 3), Author Karl Stewart transports his readers to a time when the west was still the frontier but with horseless carriage and telephones slowly changing the landscape. He then has us follow along as See Bird goes on an epic journey with adventures that lead him to fight horse thieves, racists, and mountain lions.
Just as I settled in to see what befalls See Bird next, Stewart gave me a twist that I welcomed as See Bird befriends Teddy Roosevelt. Infused with real history, Stewart gives us a story befitting our most heroic president.
While this book is where I joined the Legend of See Bird (In that I did not read the other books in the series first), I found the story easy to slip into. With a minimum of exposition, I was able to learn who See Bird was, the challenges he faced, and the world he lived in.
It has been a long time since I’ve read a western, but I was pleasantly surprised how much I got immersed in this time period. It allowed me to revisit a world where the good guy fights for what is right and is best friends with his horse.
The characters are memorable while maintaining their authenticity. The action scenes were well set out and exciting. Stewart adds twists and turns to the story without artificial devices. I recommend reading this book all the way through to the afterword.