Blood and Thunder
by Hampton Sides
Published by Doubleday
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Reviewed by Muhammed Hassanali
Subtitled: An Epic of the American West
Blood and Thunder, like the dime novels it is named after, is about Kit Carson--an illiterate trapper, soldier and scout. Unlike the dime novels that portray Carson as a superhero, Sides presents a historical Carson. It is the 1800s and most of the events center in and around Santa Fe, the old Spanish territorial capital now practically functioning under self-government. While the book's main focus is Carson's life and the American campaign against the Navajo, Sides also portrays the Mexican War and its aftermath, United States westward expansion to the Pacific Ocean, President Polk's military action under the concept of Manifest Destiny, and the coming of the Civil War to the Southwest.
The author draws from a colorful cast of supporting characters to tell his story. These include Stephen Kearny, John Fremont, Charles Brent, Major Chivington, General Carleton, Senator Thomas Hart Benton, President Polk, the Navajo leaders Narbona, Manuelito and Barboncito. Apart from the Navajo, Sides also explores the diverse cultures of the Arapaho, Comanche, Ute, Kiowa, Apache, Hopi and others, narrating the intense rivalry and brutality among the tribes as well as the white invaders.
The author tells a tale of many heroes and villains, and some playing both roles--especially Kit Carson. He depicts a constant current of outrage and barbarity among all principal parties: Americans, Spanish, Mexican, and Indian. He throws in a number of explorers, fortune seekers, scoundrels, politicians, and soldiers and advances an epic story across an equally vast landscape.
Like contemporary popular writers of history, Sides dispenses with footnotes but offers an extensive bibliography that underscores the scope of this undertaking. He has a keen ability to explain the cultural roots of both sides in the conflict. The reader finds the Navajo not so lovable, and the Americans not so honorable.
My only real criticism is that Sides pushes the envelope of what is historically known a little too far. When Narbona meets the Americans he asks himself "What fickle spirits drove these men?" The book is peppered with other examples like this one. While the conjectures may make the characters more human, they leave open the door for historical debate.
Armchair Interviews says: Blood and Thunder transports the reader to another time and place, and bequeaths the majestic history of the Old West.
Author's Web site: http://www.bloodandthunderbook.com