4 out of 4 stars
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The book Sharpshooter by Dave Lloyd is the exciting story of Ben Hite, a Civil War veteran who has ventured west to take on the frontier life. Hite faces challenges all around, from his colleagues looking to rob his fortune made from hard work to the Native Americans all around who want their land back. Ben encounters a family of four children in the woods and saves their lives from freezing to death. Their parents have recently died in the cholera epidemic, and cling to Ben for dear life as determines how to keep them safe. Ben brings home a local Native American woman to help care for the children, and they eventually end up marrying. This story is the journey of the newfound Hite family as they venture to Nebraska, Montana, Nevada, and Utah encountering excitement along the way.
This book is a real deal western, with an excellent writing flow, exciting storyline, likable protagonists, and objectionable antagonists. This book could also be classified as a historical fiction novel, as facts are littered throughout the book. For example, the Civil War battles that are discussed are all real, and Mormon leader and Utah Governor Brigham Young plays a role as an antagonist through the book. This mix of fiction and nonfiction made for an amazing book.
I loved this book. The dialogue was on point, the action was fast-paced, and I enjoyed reading every word. This book reads at around 250 pages, which means it can not be read in one sitting, which I cursed about every time I had to put the book down. This book is the first of a trilogy, which I cannot wait to continue reading. This book had the typical violence of a Western but done with such a fast-paced writing style that I didn't feel anything was grotesque in nature.
The most interesting part of the book is when the Hite family settles in Southwestern Utah and has a series of unfortunate encounters with the Mormons. The Mormon people had just begun settling in Utah, having been driven out of New York, Illinois, and Missouri. The author portrays the Mormon people has villains but does so in a way without personal offense. One of the most exciting parts of the book is when Ben Hite faces off with Brigham Young himself and makes for an excellent storyline.
I give Sharpshooter 4 out of 4 stars, for its excellent writing flow, wonderful storyline, professional editing, and interesting characters. I recommend this book to any mature reader (due to graphic violence, profanity, and sex) looking for the next great western.
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Sharpshooter
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