Comanche Dawn: A Novel

If you love Horses, you've got to read "Comanche Dawn"! MIke Blakely has done a tremendous job researching and developing and "causing to come to life" Comanche History. I normaly don't care for western novels. However, as a horselover, Blakely had me totally mesmarized. First, because he has accurately portrayed the appearance of the Spanish Horse in America. Second, because he masterfully developed and integrated history and characters so well that I just couldn't put the book down. Finally, as a natural horseman he has me wanting to ride like the Comanche, with war bridle, Comanche loops, et al. I can hardly wait for his sequel to see how the Comanche and the Spanish Horse continue to write early American History!

This book is a tremendous coup by an author who already has a lot of notches in his gun. Blakely started out writing more traditional westerns, and all of them were very good. This isn't a traditional western, so I was veering from what I normally read, but this is just as good and enthralling from beginning to end. Give Blakely a chance, whether you read westerns or not. If you like this book, also try Kirby Jonas's Death of an Eagle. These two make a great pair, one on the Shoshones, one on their cousins the Comanches.

I just finished this book and think it is one of the best. This is a good insight into the evolution of the Indian from ground fighter to mounted light cavalry. Mr. Blakely obviously did some thorough research into how the Comanche came to be feared and respected as horse warriors. It is written in a style that garners your attention early in the book and keeps you interested to the end. This book is written from the Comanche's point of view which is the antilog of most western works. This side of the story needs more exposure and I for one, am glad that Mr. Blakely wrote this book. Read it and you will enjoy the story while being introduced to an untold facet of history. Rex Fields

This novel focuses on the moment in time when what were then Shoshone came across the horse. Very quickly, these two different spirits combined to form one soul, and a new race--the horse Indian--was born. Author Blakely focuses on this unique and magnificent relationship between man and animal that forged one of the most powerful American Indian nations in history. COMANCHE DAWN is a novel of a horse culture by a horseman, who possesses an uncanny understanding of the Comanche mind and experience. This novel is a remarkable achievement by a writer who knows his craft. I highly recommend it.