Wrath of the Savage

By Charles G. West

Signet, March 2014

When a vicious band of Blackfeet Indians attacks two homesteads along the Yellowstone River, they leave behind nothing but wreckage and blood. Though what’s even more disturbing is what they’ve taken with them…

Second Lieutenant Bret Hollister is charged with finding two women who were taken hostage and bringing those responsible to justice. But when an unfortunate mishap results in the massacre of almost his entire patrol, he’s forced to return to Fort Ellis a failure.

Betrayed by the survivors of his unit, Bret is stripped of his rank and resigns from the army in shame. But he hasn’t forgotten about the two women whose lives are at stake. So with the help of old trapper and army scout Nate Coldiron, Bret resolves to go after them on his own – no matter who stands in his way.

Charles G. West paints his landscapes with such vivid descriptive prose that you’ll find yourself right there with his heroes, Hollister and Coldiron. You’ll share their despair at finding the two missing women in such as vast land. The hunt is frustrating and slow but eventually the clues to their whereabouts begin to reveal the trail they must follow, and in doing so the two men will become hunted themselves.

There is plenty of action scenes within this story but it’s more the study of emotions and how people deal with the feelings of anger, hate, despair, fear, and elation that comes across so well. Witness thoughts of suicide, terror at every shadow, and the joy of hope of a new life that makes this book such a satisfying read.

Charles G. West has a large back catalogue and many of these books sit on my shelves and after reading this one I’ve realised that I’ve read far too few of them and must rectify this as soon as possible.

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