Flight of the Hawk: The River

A Novel of the American West

By: W. Michael Gear

Narrated by: Richard Lee Jones

Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

International best-selling author W. Michael Gear turns his master’s hand to the frontier west.

1812 Missouri fur trade - An intimate of the Burr conspiracy, the condemned and hounded John Tylor signs on as boatman with Manuel Lisa’s expedition. But the river is now contested as the British, Spanish, and other fur companies prepare to break Lisa’s hold. As the expedition battles its way up the violent river, Fenway McKeever lurks in Tylor’s shadow. Not only is the half-mad McKeever paid to kill Tylor, but he’s convinced himself that by destroying Lisa’s expedition, he can sell his services to the highest bidder.

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Exciting re-immersion into the story

Flight of the Hawk: The River (A Novel of the American West #1) Audible
by W. Michael Gear
Narrated by Richard Jones
This is a beautiful addition to the bibliography of W. Michael Gear. I found Richard Jones voice amazingly wonderful, varied and so much like a cast of characters then a single reader to the book. He has great voices, from the native voices, to deep brogue of a Scottish assassin. He draws the reader into the book, until you are so lost in the story that is left in the middle.

Flight of the Hawk is the first book in a trilogy that will lead those fans that favor the Michael Gear’s Richard Hamilton books on another Manifest Destiny/ Frontier adventure. They will have an intellectual immersion into American History and the past they dream about. All the aspects of the original Coyote Summer and Morning River are present.
Michael Gear has a way to describing that would astound most readers, you not only see but feel the muck and detritus that the characters slog through in the opening pages of the book. You can almost smell the city of St Louis. Not a smell I would recommend. You will deeply understand the danger and adventure of the characters as they engage on a trading adventure.
The book shows the struggles of the rivermen from the engages to the leaders of the trading empire. The engages are light hearted men who sings brawny songs, and finds peace in pole and rope like, Baptiste Latoulipe.
Then there is Manuel Lisa the leader of the Missouri Fur Company. The Missouri Fur Company was the American trading company that built a trading empire along the Missouri river in the early 1800’s. Manuel Lisa many dreams and aspirations that are being challenged or encroached upon by many sides.
John Taylor the lead character is a learned man finds little delight in songs, and thoughts of simple things. The past haunts John Taylor, Hallie, his estranged wife is the focus of his dreams, and she is who haunts him because of his mistakes of the past. All his love spurred because of his rival. He has backed the wrong horse, and has nothing to show for it, just the ashes of the empire he dreamed about in his hands.
Grey Bear is a brave of the Shoshoni that is struggling to save his people. He has a dream about a way to save his people, but he has to risk everything to save them.
Setting up the intrigue who is John Taylor? What is his motivation for joining the expedition that might be the last hope of the Missouri Fur Company? Will they control the river? Or will they find a way to connect to the native population for trading? This book makes all the important character descriptions that will hook the audience. Fabulous Job Michael Gear as always.