Hawk's Valley
 Arvid L. Williams
 (Reviewer - Kate Holmes)
 2003 Evergreen Publishing
 ISBN: 0963348078

A Good Place To Die. Hawk Owen had always marveled at the natural beauty of his home in northern Minnesota.

He longed to explore the countryside & live off the land, just as his Uncle Robert taught him as a boy. That same curiousity is what gave Hawk the courage he needed to walk away from his pa's farm on that fateful day in August of 1861.

Associate Reviewer Kate Holmes writes:

Hawk's Valley: A Good Place To Die is a story told from the perspective of three men. Hawk, the elder son, & main character, has had enough of his pa's abuse, & sets off on his own, secure in the knowledge that the days of Indian attacks in Otter Tail County are long over.

Little does he know that his confidence is premature. Unaware of circumstances back at home, Hawk travels with a group of Metis, learning new skills, & coming into his own as a man. His backward ways & honesty stand him in good stead with Renard, a Metis man who takes Hawk under his wing.

Meanwhile, back in Hawk's Valley, while Hawk's younger brother Jake is away from the farm, a tragedy strikes. This sees both the Owen brothers on the road, Hawk oblivious to the fact that Jake is on his trail or to the news from his home. Lessons on survival that the two received from their Uncle Robert, keep them safe & fed on their way.

By contrast, their father John Owen continues his cowardly existence, using everyone he meets, lying, cheating & worse, as unwittingly makes his way closer to his sons -- sons who hate him passionately!

This three-fold tale recalls not only the journeys of these three men, but the history of Minnesota. It is the first Historical Fiction Novel in a series being written by this Minnesota native.

Although Westerns have never been of interest to me, I found Hawk's Valley to be a wonderful adventure. I would suggest this book as a gift for any man, as it is for my own husband. The second book, Sophie's Hawk will be available soon.

Hawk has an interesting web site at: www.evergreenpublish.com/hawk
(08/03/03)

Kate Holmes
2003©Kate Holmes
A RebeccasReads.Com Associate Reviewer

Reviewer's Bio
She is a Canadian wife, mother, grandmother, & avid reader. She has hungered for knowledge her whole life which has led her to haunt her local library & used book stores, looking for “old friends.” She has several bookshelves over which presides a print of Amergin, an ancient wizard from Celtic myth.

A welcome addition to her study, Della, her computer (named for its maker), has become a large part of her world. For some time Kate Holmes reviewed for another ezine, & as a means of giving herself a more varied reading experience, has joined RebeccasReads as a Associate Reviewer.