“Reid Lance Rosenthal outdid himself with this novel. His settings and descriptions are stunning.

 I survived that snowstorm - felt the cold wet damp of the snow creep into the bones.

The heat of the sun, warming a back, slashing through branches. The smell of a campfire, the tang of raw game, the stench of battle. I was there, traveling with that train every step of the way. What a trek!

The plot is excellent. The weaving of the stories together and apart flows easily, creating an incredible depth of experience for the reader..

.But it's Reid's people that just blew me away. (I hesitate to call them characters -They are as real - if not more so - as most of the people I have ever met.

 I know Rebecca better than most people I have ever gone to school with. People I worked with for years have never solidified in my memory the way Sarah and Zeb have...Maps of Fate flowed perfectly, without having to stop and think about where everyone was and when... I love that - running into people I know. 

I felt a surprising sense of appreciation for the diversity of the author's people and plots. Every group - cultural, religious, racial..

Following Eagle Talon's journey, Israel's escape, Black Feather's tragedy, as well as the wagon train's travelers, all of whom come from even more layers of origin, makes for a rich blend of experience, perspective, and understanding.

 Ironically, it is this attention to our differences that magnifies so greatly the similarities between us all.

Americans may have started out on a million different paths, but it's the strength, determination, and perseverance that all American ancestors had in common, regardless of where they came from and how, that created your purpose.  Rosenthal says it beautifully.”

As a Canadian, and a proud one, I know that we have a similar heritage. But whereas we describe our country as a mosaic, we see yours as more of a melting pot. There's a lot to be said for that. And Rosenthal says it beautifully.”

-- 

Alexandra Brown