Jacob Tender

When I was in elementary school, our student library’s available material was very dated. During my first and second grade years, I exhausted the westerns section on Native American stories several times over.

I don’t remember the names of any of those tattered library-bound books today, but I remember the feeling. I was totally drawn into the mysticism and cultural traditions described on the page, mostly by white men in the 40s and 50s.

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter attracted me from shelves in bookstores around the Midwest this year. My assumptions kept me from the plot summaries on its dust jacket, making my jump into its text completely cold. The experience is better for it, I think.

With the exception of the story wrapping the story which wraps the story, I loved this. It shines during Cold Stab’s telling of events—particularly with Shane Ghostkeeper’s narration in the audiobook. But its themes and roots in genuine history make it great.

The mirrored inner conflict between a Lutheran Pastor and a cursed Blackfoot was threaded expertly through the tale. It’s not dictated to the reader, but my observation of Takes No Scalps’ hypocrisy made his actions that much more horrific. There are no heroes in this tale, only victims.

Excellent book. I’ll be seeking out more from Jones as well as Fools Crow, a reference for the historical events mentioned in this tale.

I wasn’t immediately sold on Psalm for the Wild-Built but grew to really appreciate it for what it is—a thoughtful meditation on consciousness, purpose, and the meaning of things.

I can tell that Becky Chambers put a lot of thought into questioning the tropes that accompany most stories in settings like these. Resulting are scattered subversions of convention that give me pause to think deeper about the limitations science fiction applies to droids or how much reality we obscure in mundane things to make them more “welcoming” to a reader looking to escape.

And I suppose that’s what sets this book apart. As short as it is, it’s chock-full of reminders about life outside of it. It’s sweet, funny, and instructive. Moderately challenging to start but, once our protagonists meet, it’s a wildly engrossing read.