The Blessing Way (Leaphorn & Chee, #1) in Crazy Challenge Connection

Jan 30, 2024 Olivermagnus rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2024, mystery, zjan-2024

Last year I watched a great TV series called Dark Winds, which was based on Tony Hillerman's Leaphorn and Chee book series. I decided to check out one of Hillerman's books to compare how they differed.

The story begins when Bergen McKee comes to the Navajo Reservation with an anthropologist colleague for a summer research project to investigate reports of witchcraft in the area. In a parallel thread Leaphorn is working the case of a young man, Luis Horseman, who fled into the desert under the bel Last year I watched a great TV series called Dark Winds, which was based on Tony Hillerman's Leaphorn and Chee book series. I decided to check out one of Hillerman's books to compare how they differed.

The story begins when Bergen McKee comes to the Navajo Reservation with an anthropologist colleague for a summer research project to investigate reports of witchcraft in the area. In a parallel thread Leaphorn is working the case of a young man, Luis Horseman, who fled into the desert under the belief that he had killed someone in a fight. Leaphorn is looking for him and soon receives the news that his body has been found with his mouth full of sand. Though the narrative separates Bergen and Leaphorn, it will be clear to the reader that their efforts are linked.

After I finished the book I read that McKee was originally the main character and Leaphorn’s role was expanded later. That made some sense to me since McKee spends a lot of time without Leaphorn for much of the book. Meanwhile, the other lead character of the series, Jim Chee, is still a few books away from showing up.

I had a very hard time getting involved in this book because the narrative is told in multiple POV's. Once I figured out all the speakers, however, the unique Navaho culture and the eerie mystery drew me in. The book was originally published in 1970, which means some elements are dated. It also means that the characters are missing some technology we take for granted now, which made it feel somewhat dated.

I had read that Blessing Way wasn't the best book in the series. Like many first in series books, the author is still trying to find the best way to tell the story and as such, the story’s focus isn’t always as tight as it should be. But I always like to start at the beginning of a series.

It's very rare that the dramatization of a book gets a higher rating from me than the actual book, but this is true for me this time. I don't know if I will continue the series but I'll definitely be anxious to watch Season 3 of Dark Winds. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Sep 06, 2017 Susan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: re-read, mystery, historical-fiction, set-in-north-america, 2017, cultural-usa

I read many of the books of this series years ago and enjoyed them. I enjoyed this re-read too.

For me this one is between three and four stars but it is the first book of a series and I tend to be more forgiving of first books as they generally have bumps to work out. Plus, it is a good, solid read that deserves the rating.

I appreciated the natural history and cultural history aspects of the book, and generally liked the characters, including Joe Leaphorn who makes surprisingly little appearan ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Sep 03, 2020 Angie rated it really liked it

Shelves: mystery-crime, aty20

I've been wanting to read this for a long while. It was a pretty good mystery, and though I figured out bits of the outcome, there were some curve balls. I didn't care for the portrayal of the one significant female character (can you say annoying?), but overall I'm definitely interested in reading more in the series. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Oct 16, 2022 Genevieve rated it really liked it

This was a reread of a series that I hadn't read in a long time and I found I was just as enthralled with it as I was the first time.
I love Joe Leaphorn and in this first book we don't have Chee and this book is so well written. I love the description of the scenery and the information about the Navajo way of life including customs, rituals and beliefs. I always learn something new each time I read one of these books.

A really well written book and a series I will have to continue to read again. ...more

Like · see review