Ridgeline: From the author of The Revenant, the bestselling book that inspired the award-winning movie: Richard Punke

I stumbled across Punke's earlier historical fiction, The Revenant, and absolutely loved it, and so was excited for his latest. It's a fictionalized account of the so-called "Fetterman Massacre" in present-day Wyoming, just after the end of the Civil War. Three hundred Federal troops were sent into Montana Territory to build Fort Phil Kearney (not to be confused with the established Fort Kearney in Nebraska), in an attempt to project America's power and protect the Bozeman Trail. This disrupted negotiations with various Native American tribes, and the Lakota Chief Red Cloud left these, vowing to fight the army's incursion into the Powder River Basin.Drawing upon many histories and first-hand accounts, the book alternates perspectives between that of various army officers based at the Fort, a few of their wives, hired scouts Jim Bridger and James Beckwourth, and various Native Americans, including Red Cloud and Crazy Horse. Indeed the book is so jam-packed with historical personages, that it could have used a slightly bolder editor to excise the more extraneous ones. For example, the legendary entrepreneurial cattleman, Nelson Story, wanders into the picture -- and while I'm sure his cattle drive via the fort did happen as described, it adds nothing to the narrative. There's another odd moment, where the story suddenly leaps to Washington, DC for a moment to show the President's secretary drafting a statement about the Indian Wars. I suppose it does the job of showing how the deeply tragic human affairs on the ground can be easily sanitized by a few lines on paper, but at no other point does the story leave the Fort area, and it's a jarring departure that would have best been left on the cutting room floor.The heart of the story is how the tactics and mentality of the two sides interacted with the geography over a series of months, culminating in the decisive ambush and Native American victory. There's a lot of detail in the portrayal of the federal army of the time that I don't recall ever coming across in other fictional or film accounts, for example, the extent to which the army included a large number of ex-Confederate soldiers, or the large number of immigrant non-English speakers, or even that officers would have held higher ranks during the Civil War and the ill-feelings that could lead to. There's also plenty of care taken to explain the relationships of different tribes, and bands within tribes, and how that had to be carefully managed in order to unite against the invading army forces with superior technology. All in all, definitely worth reading by those with an interest in American historical fiction that leans hard into the history over the fiction.

Ridgeline is an engrossing fictional narrative of one of the lesser-known battles in American history - the Battle of Little Big Horn in which Punke’s pitch-perfect depiction of the time and place bring the Old West to life. In December 1866, tensions were rising in Wyoming, between the Native American tribes who had lived on the land for generations and the settlers who would destroy their home. Crazy Horse and his fellow Lakota hunters had been watching for months as Colonel Carrington and his army set up camp on one of the most crucial swaths of hunting ground in hundreds of miles, and began to build forts. More disconcertingly, the settlers had brought women and children, which meant they planned to stay. As the Lakota and neighbouring tribes set forth with repeated attacks to discourage the settlers, Captain William J. Fetterman, anxious and arrogant, claimed that he could take offence and rid the area of Native American people with only a small army of 80 men.And he would--unless Crazy Horse could find a way to lure the army to their doom. This is a compelling, evocative and richly atmospheric story in which the battle is vividly depicted in delightful detail with a steadily rising tension becoming increasingly more palpable with each turn of the page. Punke’s characterisation is incredible as he paints the main characters up brushstroke by brushstroke into complex, multilayered individuals. Crazy Horse is an admirable fighter who battles for the right reasons and this novel gives an authentic look into his mind and thought processes, which were fascinating. A story of protection and betrayal, of courage, wit, and perseverance against unfathomable odds, this tale grapples with essential questions about who owns land: those who are born on it, or those who would kill to claim it? Questions still being asked until this day. This is historical fiction at its absolute finest. Highly recommended.

“Ridgeline” by Michael Punke is an interesting, fast-paced read. The ridgelines of the area featured in this novel set in 1866 played a vital role in the development of events; they were high lookout points for both the American soldiers and the Native Americans. They were also useful for hiding behind!The novel, based on historical events, tells the story of how Colonel Henry Carrington was tasked with building a fort which would protect a new road to be used by settlers and gold miners. Colonel Carrington and his force arrive in the Powder River Valley and begin to strip the area of trees to build the fort. However, these were the hunting grounds of the Lakota people.Red Cloud, the chief of the Lakota, and a young man called Crazy Horse share their feelings about this encroachment. They are horrified at the prospect of their land being taken and after a series of skirmishes with soldiers, they plan something much more drastic.“Ridgeline” is a brutal novel, but if you are interested in American history, it should be read.My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for enabling me to read this book.

A breathtaking, enthralling and gripping saga based on historical facts.It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last as I think he's a great storyteller and I love his style of writing.A tightly knitted plot that flows, great characters, great storytelling.The mix of fiction and historical facts works very well.Highly recommended.Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine