Death Rattle: A Novel: 8

Death Rattle, the eighth of nine volumes in the life journey of Titus Bass (ol Scratch) is a wonderful book. With the life of the beaver trapper a thing of the past Titus sees old friends turn back east, move on to Oregon country and with their departure the code of the mountain men crumbles. Titus decides to leave his Crow family up north in the mountains and joins a motley crew of old trappers venturing out to California to steal horses from the Mexicans. Crossing the Mohave Desert and returning to the mountain country is a harrowing journey through scorching heat, lack of food and fierce battles with Mexican soldiers and murderous Digger Indians. Once back in the mountains Titus terns north to reunite with his family he has desperately missed all these long months and vows to never leave them again. As time goes by he reflects on his past life and decides to take his family along on a journey to Taos New Mexico to reunite with an old friend of his. Once there they get caught up in the Mexican Rebellion against the Americans that have ceased their land. This book is good in so many ways from the savage way of life of the mountain man, to the tender love of family Titus has for his family to the wonderful descriptions of the land and the passing of a way of life that is no more. Titus Bass is an old man now feeling that he neither belongs in the white mans world or that of the Indian either and bemoans the loss of the life and freedom he has lived for so many years. One wonders where his wandering will take him next of his life's journey. I look forward to reading the final book in the series call Wind Walker. It is sad to see the wonderful series coming to the end but I am glad about the fact the one day I will go back and read the whole series all over again. It is that damn good!!!

If you are a student of history and the development of American western frontier all 9 of these books are very good, informative and a great story of a young man as he grows older and wiser. Johnston, in my opinion is a master of early American western history and storytelling with facts. They must be read in the following order to get the full story: 1. Dance on the wind – 1794-1824 2. Buffalo palace – 1825 3. Crack in the sky 4. Carry the wind 5. Borderlords 6. One-eyed dream 7. Ride the moon down – 1830 -1833 8. Death rattle 9. Wind walkers - 1847 – 1853

YOU WILL WANT TO READ ALL 9 OF THIS AUTHORS MOUNTAIN MAN SERIES

THIS BOOK IS VERY VERY GOOD AND IT IS GETTING MORE EXCITING AS I GET IN TO THIS BOOK READING IT AS IT IS VERY HARD TO PUT IT DOWN !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please refer to the statement I made on work "long winter gone", for the same applies. I am proud to have, with the help of Amazon, the collection..