2024 the best ridgeline review

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This program includes supplemental material read by the author.

The thrilling, long-awaited return of the number-one New York Times best-selling author of The Revenant.

In 1866, with the country barely recovered from the Civil War, new war breaks out on the western frontier - a clash of cultures between a young, ambitious nation and the Native tribes who have lived on the land for centuries. Colonel Henry Carrington arrives in Wyoming’s Powder River Valley to lead the US Army in defending the opening of a new road for gold miners and settlers. Carrington intends to build a fort in the middle of critical hunting grounds, the home of the Lakota. Red Cloud, one of the Lakota’s most respected chiefs, and Crazy Horse, a young but visionary warrior, understand full well the implications of this invasion. For the Lakota, the stakes are their home, their culture, their lives.

As fall bleeds into winter, Crazy Horse leads a small war party that confronts Colonel Carrington’s soldiers with near constant attacks. Red Cloud, meanwhile, seeks to build the tribal alliances that he knows will be necessary to defeat the soldiers. Colonel Carrington seeks to hold together a US Army beset with internal discord. Carrington’s officers are skeptical of their commander’s strategy, none more so than Lieutenant George Washington Grummond, who longs to fight a foe he dismisses as inferior in all ways. The rank-and-file soldiers, meanwhile, are still divided by the residue of civil war, and tempted to desertion by the nearby goldfields.

Throughout this taut saga - based on real people and events - Michael Punke brings the same immersive, vivid storytelling and historical insight that made his breakthrough debut so memorable. As Ridgeline builds to its epic conclusion, it grapples with essential questions of conquest and justice that still echo today.

A Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt and Company

Reviewer: Daniel O’Dowd
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Definitely read this
Review: Decided to give it a try after reading The Revenant. This book is amazing and very well written.

Reviewer: Texascatbird
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: History of Fetterman’s Massacre
Review: History can be eye opening, jarring, soul searching, and worth investigating. Ridgeline, is history forthrightly told from multiple points of view. The author provides exquisite descriptions of characters, Montana’s physical environment, U.S. military versus Indian tactics for fighting, and opens questions or visions for the reader’s pursuit. This book is not for the faint of heart but for those who seriously pursue truths from all avenues of thought.

Reviewer: M D Tuch
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Historical fiction is still fiction
Review: Michael Punke’s ‘Ridgeline’ is a fine historical fiction novel about the westward expansion of early settlers, particularly in 1866. Many were on their way to the Montana goldfields to get rich quick. In support of these settlers and miners, Fort Philip Kearney was established by the US Army. Never mind that the Lakota Sioux, Oglala and Northern Cheyenne and several other tribes had made their homes here for hundreds of years. The clash of cultures was inevitable, and as usual, results were tragic.Historical fiction is still fiction. Although the main characters, Crazy Horse, Big Nose and Red Cloud (on the Indian side), Col. Carrington, Capt. Fetterman, Lt. Grummond, Jim Bridger and Frances Grummond (on the white side), these characters are in fact based on real people and the broad events of this time are also based on reality. I am sure Punke embellished some items in order to fill in the blanks and make a more enjoyable novel. This is not a documentary.Although the first 50% of the story in rather mundane, the reader gets to know the participants, not as flat and one-dimensional characters, but as real people. The Indians repeatedly debate how they should deal with the soldiers as they decimate the Powder River Valley for materials to build their fort. In the beginning they only skirmish with the Army as timber is cut for building materials.The commander of the fort has no battlefield experience. He has trouble procuring needed supplies. Even his uniform doesn’t fit. None of the senior officers have any knowledge of Indians prior to landing at Fort Philip Kearney. And there seems to exist an overwhelming arrogance among them as well as a basic contempt for the Natives’ abilities. The Army did employ the expertise of Jim Bridger, famous scout and Indian expert, but seldom takes his adviceon matters. Punke strays off topic a few times, as with the cattle drivers and a short return to Washington’s POV. In what seems to be a bland part of the book, Punke effectively imparts the overall attitude of the two sides. The battle is the next and the best part of the book by far.The Indian POV is represented very thoroughly through Crazy Horse and Red Cloud and their tribe. Their resolve to resist the abuse of the land and the slaughter of the buffalo finally yields rare results as an immense fighting force, consisting of many tribes for a common cause, is gathered. With no other obvious way to preserve their society, they massed in unheard of numbers for a battle to drive the whites from their lands. Crazy Horse plays a key part in the scheme to entrap a large number of soldiers.The resulting clash is told very well, as the many moving parts to the battle were logically put forth. This is no small feat for the author. His extensive research and attention to detail is obvious in this part and throughout the book.

Reviewer: Book Lover
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A great story
Review: This story has been told several times over so everybody has some idea what it is about. However this time we get a picture of the events from both sides: the US Army and the Lakotas. The people in the story are well developed and there are some you will like and some you won't. As to where the blame lies for the Fetterman Massacre I will let you decide after you have read this book. Just trust me this is a book to read. if you like stories of the Old West.

Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great book
Review: I really liked this book because it had taught me a ton about the natives perspective on when the whites came to there territory. When the whites thought they were making improvements to the world and how the natives had been living in peace for hundreds of years. Overall an amazing book would definitely recommend!

Reviewer: Chewbdu
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Love this book
Review: I love reading about history that involves the northern plains tribes. This is an interesting chronicle about an event that took place involving Red Cloud, Crazy Horse, and several different tribes. Red Cloud is a very intelligent military strategist. He studied how the cavalry fought and used their practices against them. I’m looking forward to visiting the site of this battle. Good book!

Reviewer: Daniel Richards
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A Fantastic Read
Review: I grew up in Buffalo Wyoming, and was taught a lot of this history in school. Now that I’m much older, I actually appreciate it for what it is. Wyoming had a HUGE impact on the western push of the United Stares.I was struck by the fascinating characters in Ridgeline, but the Native American perspective was my favorite part. I need to find some fiction or non-fiction from the Native American perspective.Michael Punke is a fantastic author. He writes well and his research is impeccable. I cannot recommend this book enough.

Reviewer: VBoz
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Fair historical fiction
Review: This is a well-written historical fiction depicting the early development of the US Cavalry and the opening of US territories in the northwestern US. Punke is obviously talented but lacking in literary balance. He tends to lean heavily on the display of brutality as a filler rather than develop real literary content. The brutal fighting actions of the American Indian tribes could just as well be conveyed indirectly in conversational discourse, for example. This is a good try at solid, educational, fact-teaching, American history. However, I would only recommend this book for mature adults, certainly not for children or young adults. I hope that the author grows and continues to write with the good mental health of his readers in view, as well as his literary success. Thank you.

Reviewer: John Wright
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Well paced narrative, with wide cast of excellently drawn characters, both real and imagined. Build up to final confrontation very believable, with horror and suffering written with compassion for both sides. Even though the incident is well documented, writer kept the tension throughout.

Reviewer: Glyn Matthews
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Most of all, his book provided insight for me into a period I know comparatively little about. It (along with a previous read of The Revenant) prompted me to read other books about the period and led me to my best read of the year - Lonesome Dove. So, I learned a lot and was entertained at the same time.

Reviewer: Kindle Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: As a Brit, raised in the 1950s watching TV series made in the USA, there were a plethora of 'Westerns' hence my historical interest. Although I had heard of the Fetterman Massacre I new very little until reading this book that, IMO, although fiction gives a believable account and is well worth reading.Unlike my childhood support for the US forces fighting the indigenous peoples I, like any thoughtful person, feel great sadness for the latter. Though they may find that sentiment patronising.

Reviewer: Simon Misra
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Another great book from Mr Punke. He has a great ability to write a variety of different characters & the tension builds up throughout the book to its gut wrenching conclusion. Great work.

Reviewer: Chris Mc
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Excellent