Author: Michael Jensen
Publisher: Buddha Kitty Books
Length: 307 Pages
Category: Historical, Fantasy
At a Glance: The Savage Land is a must-read series.
Reviewed By: Maryann
Blurb: A monster stalks the ancient forests…
It’s 1799, and Cole Seavey is a trapper running from a guilty past, seeking refuge on the vast American frontier. Lost in a raging storm, he finds himself face to face with a terrifying, otherworldly creature that seems to have emerged from a nightmare.
Cole is saved from certain death by a handsome Delaware Indian named Pakim. Together they learn that the monster is the fearsome Wendigo from native legends: a creature with a heart of ice, drawn to the evil of men.
Soon the Wendigo is terrorizing the frontier — settler and Indian alike — and Cole and Pakim join together to defeat the mysterious monster. In the process, Cole finds himself falling for the strapping brave and the promise of a new life together.
Unfortunately, the legends say that the Wendigo can only be killed by another creature with a heart of ice. But how can Cole hope to defeat the monster if it means denying the love he’s finally allowed himself to feel?
Review: Man & Monster is the second installment in the Savage Land series; it will take you on a journey into the unsettled territory of western Ohio, in 1799, with pioneers and Indians trying to build a better world. But, it’s not so easy, what with the beliefs and prejudices in both cultures.
Cole “Cold-Blooded” Seavey is on a journey to find his brother and only living relative, Gerard, and is also avoiding a marriage he never wanted. He has a plan that will enable him to find a new place to settle and become a trapper. Cole finds himself facing a fierce storm, and finding an injured girl and an angry panther. When the panther attempts to attack him again, he faces a creature that is beyond terrifying. Cole is lost, without weapons, injured and exhausted, but continues to face the elements and an unknown the likes of which he could never imagine.
In all his exhaustion, delirium and wandering, Cole runs into an Indian, coming to grips with the fact that this intriguing man would put an end to his life. When he wakes, he finds himself in the home of John Chapman, and meets Palmer, Gwennie, and his rescuer, Pakim. Pakim is a Delaware Indian and has brought Cole to John’s home for aide in healing, since his own medicine wasn’t strong enough. When Cole meets all these different people, he is curious about how they’re related to one another. He feels as if there’s some type of connection between him and Pakim, but doesn’t want to believe it. Cole also keeps many secrets to himself, especially the terrifying truth about what he saw, for fear he won’t be believed. Every step along the way, secrets come out and make for a mystical, folkloric, romantic adventure.
Michael Jensen brings us a story of an American pioneer and some Native American folklore to make for an eerie, action packed, suspenseful and intriguing mystery. The 1700s and the undeveloped land are amazingly descriptive, and I was especially taken with Pakim himself. He was such a great character, elusive and mythical. This novel also poses the question, who is more dangerous, man or monster?
The first book in this fantastic series, Man & Beast, is a must read, introducing readers to John “Johnny Appleseed” Chapman. I am so looking forward to the next novel from Michael Jensen.
You can buy Man &Monster here:
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