Apr 20, 2009

Where the Rain Is Made - Review

Where The Rain Is Made
by K. Celeste Bryan
Wild Rose Press, 2008.

While the novel Where The Rain Is Made has a lot of passion it also has a gripping, original plot not to mention well wrought characters. Ethan Gray is a time wanderer chosen by the Sacred Council of the modern world to take the knowledge he has gained in his studies of the Cheyenne and return to the mid 1800s when his people faced so much danger from the whites and had suffered so much at their hands.

That was a difficult, often brutal world. In graphic prose the author shows the difficult, tenuous life of the Cheyenne, demonstrates their point of view and the reasons for their hatred of whites. She does this without blinking. The brutality whites and Cheyenne are capable of is not ignored.

In a raid by Meko (Ethan's name in the past) and his fearsome Dog Soldiers where many are slaughtered, he captures two prisoners, the beautiful Cesca and her young brother Marsh. It is through the lives of these three characters that the story is told. Cesca balks at becoming one with the tribe, but eventually acquiesces to her new life. Young Marsh finds the transition easier and wishes to go through the grueling ordeal that will allow him to join the Dog Soldiers.

Meko faces a conundrum. His stay in the past can end at any time the Council decides, but he has fallen deeply in love with Cesca, and she eventually returns those feelings. Meko has vowed to find a way for them to be together although the odds against two people from different time periods is all but impossible.

Where the Rain Is Made is an edgy,compelling story. It tells a very solid tale - one rooted in history.


A personal note from Patricia: After reading this book I wrote to the author and asked if this was a story dear to her heart. I also asked how she did her research.

This is her answer: "Yes, Where The Rain Is Made is a story dear to my heart. For whatever reason when my youngest boy was 12, he took an insane interest in the Cheyenne Dog Soldiers. He must have read a snippet somewhere. For months, we lived, ate and breathed Dog Soldiers. Dylan was fascinated with them. We went to the library countless time and checked out every book we could find on them. Several years later, I asked myself what I was going to do with all this knowledge know that I had it; and of course, by then, I had also fallen in love with their customs and beliefs. Their true life story was very sad, however. At the end when all the Plains tribes gathered to sign the last treaty, the Dog Soldiers refused to sign. But they rode in and a photographer wrote an account about them, stating he'd never seen anything so magnificent in his entire life. There they were, atop their mounts on a hill in the distance, their whistles and shields gleaming beneath the bright sun. Painted up like ghouls in the colors war, as were their horses. They hadn't come to cause trouble, but rather to make a statement that as long as one of them still breathed, they would never sign the treaty and would fight to the death.

"Sadly, they did until the last Dog Soldier was killed by the US cavalry. So, yes, I thought a lot about that while writing the book."

20 comments:

WELCOME TO KAT'S BLOG! said...

Hi Patricia,

Needless to say, I'm thrilled with your well thought-out, compelling review of Where The Rain Is Made.

I'm also now following your intriguing blog.

I hope some of your visitors will read WTRIS and enjoy it as much as you did. It was very kind of you to take time from your busy life, read and review it.

Namaste, Kat Bryan
http://kcelestebryan.blogspot.com
http://katskwipsandrants.blogspot.com

WELCOME TO KAT'S BLOG! said...

OOPS! I mean to leave a link where you can purchase the ebook version if you like:

The Wild Rose Press:
http://tinyurl.com/b62s58

Thanks again, Kat

Vickie said...

WOW! This is added to the wishlist. It's obviously struck a chord in your soul and I trust your instincts.

Patricia Altner said...

Hi Kat

I meant every word!

Patricia Altner said...

Hi Vickie

The deep understanding of the Cheyenne people came across very strongly! It certainly did strike a chord.

And thanks for your wonderful support!

Bridget said...

Just a note to say I've posted about this on Win A Book.

Marie said...

I've added this to my list of books to look for, it sounds wonderful!

marielay@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I'd love to be entered for this. It looks very interesting :P

jaam121388 at yahoo dot com

Unknown said...

I'd like to read this.

nhertel85ATyahooDOTcom

Unknown said...

Sounds like a good read.

bjhopper(at)me(dot)com

Allison said...

This book sounds right up my alley..I love time travel, historical romance, American Indian history and mid 1800's!!! Loved your review and the author's comments of how she came about writing the story...very interesdting. Sign me up for the contest!!!! Hope I win!! :-)

Allison said...

Oops..you should get my email with my login..but in case you don't here it is

allisonsattic at gmail dot com....

Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Hi there, I would love a chance at winning this book!

pattirose4(at)yahoo(dot)com

Kat Bryan said...

Please don't confuse me with the author. I would love to read her book.

http://kat-bryanscorner.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

This book sounds wonderful. Please do enter me.
elizascott2005 at yahoo dot co dot in

Liyana said...

I'd love this!

loony_balooga_91@hotmail.com

SarahBear said...

YES!! This book sounds more than magnificent! I think I would squeal if I won a copy... :D

sarah_bear_38@yahoo.com

Debs Desk said...

Please include me in your giveaway.
Thanks
Debbie
debdesk9(at)verizon.net

Kytaira said...

This sounds like a wonderful book. I love hearing why author's write what they do. A little background info makes the story extra meaningful.

lynda98662 at yahoo dot com

KR said...

I'd love to read the book and find out more about the Dog Soldiers.

Thanks!

mj.coward[at]gmail.com