Rathuun: King of the Prairie

by

David Fitz-Gerald

Riveting saga of the last days of the massive buffalo herds of the American West told from the viewpoint of the buffalo.

Rathuun: King of the Prairie by David Fitz-Gerald is the surprisingly riveting saga of the final days of the massive buffalo herds that roamed the plains of the American West as told through the eyes of a herd's leader. Rathuun was born at a time when his kind still migrated seasonally unimpeded by man across the vast continental grasslands. Only hours old, he was separated from his mother when the herd stampedes because of a bear attack on his twin. Young Rathuun, frozen in fright, is a witness to the huge creature killing and eating his twin brother, but he is reunited with his herd through the efforts of two young Native American boys. From this tragic and unusual start, Rathuun narrates the rest of his life and the experiences of the herd as their home, the open prairies, change as human population begins its unrelenting westward expansion. 

Rathuun and his fellow herd members live a full existence, always on the move, searching for the buffalo version of "The Promised Land" as passed down through generations from their ancestors' stories of the great mammoths that once shared the same grazing lands. The buffalo include many different characters, some good, some bad, some wise, and many gullible. Rathuun's life is dedicated to keeping the herd safe, first as a young bull assigned to the perimeter as lookout and later as the leader of the great herd. The author incorporated actual herd behavior and mentality into the plot as they migrate from one point to another, following hidden trails by instinct. 

As humans make their way into the buffaloes' traditional grazing lands, the encounters become dangerous for all, as the creatures are mercilessly hunted for their hides, tails, and tongues. On occasion, the herd runs across a human who is content to let them just be, but it is rare, as the animals represent value and opportunity for gain to the human population. 

Besides their encounters with deadly humans, there is drama internal to the herd as alliances to the old lead buffalo wane and a new leader emerges. Rival herd leaders offer some competition to Rathuun, but he proves over and over that he's a worthy fighter and capable leader. 

The language used in the story includes buffalo terms for common items important to their existence. The herd is a brum, the lead bull is the grath. They depend on hruun (grass) for sustenance and head to the tukk (river or other water body) to drink. There is a link to a Buffalo language guide on the author's website along with other helpful and interesting items. The audiobook version is ably narrated by John McClain, who absolutely breezes through the unusual terminology and gives different, contrasting voices to the buffalo characters. His performance as Rathuun is perfect and his portrayals of the other male buffaloes are especially notable. 

The story is compelling reading, full of tragedy as the impact of human expansion on the buffalo is ultimately devastating. However, the tale does end on a hopeful note as efforts to safeguard the last of the herd begin to show positive results, but I cried my heart out as Rathuun's story came to its expected conclusion. 

I recommend RATHUUN: KING OF THE PRAIRIE to readers of western fiction who are looking for something a little bit different. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy through RABT Book Tours and PR.