Review by Daniel Muky -- Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon

[Daniel Muky]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Strong Heart" by Charlie Sheldon.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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For mystery, argument and adventure lovers this is the book; a faceoff between legend and scientific evidence and inquisitiveness.

Srong Heart starts when one rainy morning Ruth, Tom Olsen's ex-wife shows up at his doorstep with his previously unknown granddaughter Sarah Cooley.

Sarah, Ruth describes as a problematic child and the moment she enters Tom's house he immediately knows he has to cancel his hiking trip to visit his grandfather Bob Olsen's grave. But his friends and would be companions on the trip, William and his native daughter Myra advice him to take Sarah along on the trip that, though unknown to them then, might change all their lives.

While on the hike Sarah goes missing for 8 days only to reappear bruised, disoriented and with mysterious adventures of a months long journey in what might have been a prehistoric era.

Charlie Sheldon did a great job merging story and argument in this book.
Strong Heart on one hand is two enjoyable stories in one and on the other a valid argument between scientific evidence and oral history's validity.
Throughout the book Myra, a native American, tries to argue, based on oral history and legend, that they have always been there in America; while Sergei a Russian scientist and a native that side tries to disprove her basing on available scientific data.
The author then continues to show us through Sarah's dreamlike adventures one of the many possible prehistoric pasts that may support legend and then through Sergei's data another in support of science.

Many of us can relate to this type of argument which is in many ways akin to that between religion and science.
Even better you are bound to like it's story-like nature while it still loses no credibility as an argument valid enough to have you thinking hard.

Then there was the story itself (or stories).
First the story is set in present day Olympic peninsula describing with at most detail its beauty and charm to the reader.
Sarah, Tom, William and Myra had set out to see Bob-Bob's grave deep in a valley and to return a strange item Tom had picked up many years back.
Then mid journey Tom had changed his mind about returning the item opting instead to take it out as evidence that the place is an archeological site so as to stop a company planning to destroy it with mining.

This story alone carried enough of its own intrigue and mystery but the author opted to spice it up even more with Sarah's adventures with the 'Skin boat people' and 'The people' set in a dangerous prehistoric era.

Sarah had been described as a problematic child, and sure she hinted at being one, but she was so likable.
In particular I liked her naming of people according to their appearance and ways; 'Weeps a lot' and Weeps alot more', 'Thin hair' and 'Pretty face' and so many other funny names.

Myra was annoying, at least according to me, she seemed to be always arguing only for the sake of arguing and never wanted to listen.
As a person who leans more to the side of scientific evidence that didn't go well with me.

Then there was the attention the author paid to detail. One can almost feel William's swollen feet hit the hard ground and then smell the entire flora of the place like you were there with the hikers.
Surely, the author's knowledge of the place shined through.

I found some whole sentences with no spaces between words. But apart from this the book seemed well edited.
I will give it a 4 out of 4 because I really enjoyed it and think it is well thought.

I don't know what to say about the profanity in the book though. Because although Sarah is just 13 she seemed to have a boxful.

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Strong Heart
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