Mystic Warriors

Rising Eagle and Buffalo Dreamer knew their visions of the future regarding their tribe were destined to come true no matter how disturbing they were. There would be no stopping the migration of the white settlers into their lands, and they both knew something had to be done and soon. As a Lakota holy man, Rising Eagle had been told to take Buffalo Dreamer as his wife because she was the Chosen One that he had dreamt about. Together, they had seen over thirty years of their visions come true one by one. They had raised their children to be strong and true. Even now, their oldest, Brave Horse, rode with his best friend Crazy Horse to keep the Lakota lands peaceful and free of the white settlers who were constantly coming onto their lands looking for gold. Mystic Warriors is the final chapter of the saga of Rising Eagle and Buffalo Dreamer. Ms. Bittner weaves a tale around historical fact that explains the battle the Lakota Nation went though to preserve their sacred tribal lands better than any history book ever did. She brings out, in story form, the treachery and hatefulness that was practiced against the Lakota while, at the same time, preserving the beauty and dignity of the tribal rituals and beliefs. An excellent saga from start to finish!

In 1855 in a remote part of the Lakota Nation, four white buffalo hunters see the skin of a white buffalo for the first time near a single Indian teepee. Though fearful, the quartet decides to steal the pelt. Causing a diversion, they filch the hide. Responsible for protecting the hide, Buffalo Dreamer and Rising Eagle are stunned at the loss of one of the People's most sacred talismans. They know that as long as the Lakota possessed the white buffalo, fortune would be their companion. Now the tribe faces hard times as the whites led by their cavalry seem greater than the sands and no treaty is sacred. As the people starve, MYSTIC WARRIORS try to regain what was lost in land and more significantly the white buffalo even though they face impossible odds. MYSTIC WARRIORS, the third tale in Rosanne Bittner's "Mystic Dreams" series, is a tremendous ending to an incredible historical fiction trilogy. The story line is exciting, poignant, and dramatic as the audience sees the intrusion of whites on the Lakota mostly through the eyes of the Indians. The cast including real persona like Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull. The fictionalized characters seem genuine as well which adds to the feel of observing a great people's struggle to survive. Ms. Bittner shows she is one of the genre's best as her audience will seek the previous two novels (MYSTIC DREAMERS and MYSTIC VISIONS).Harriet Klausner

***** This is the best Historical Romance trilogy I have read in my life! Stop everything and read this book. It makes perfect sense if you have not read the first two (Mystic Dreamers and Mystic Vision); however, if read in order you will understand even more! The author's main characters in this book are the same as the previous. They are Buffalo Dreamer, a Lakota holy woman, and Rising Eagle, her husband. Their children are now grown. Rising Eagle still did not know he had a son in the white world, from a previous captive, that was raised by Florence, whose Lakota name was Fall Leaf Woman. That son was William, a "blue coat" for the Whites. Buffalo Dreamer had been told long ago that as long as the Lakota had the skin of the sacred white buffalo, all would be well. But white trappers stole it from her. Until it made its way back to her, all who owned it would have bad luck! The author followed history as she wrote too! And as in real life, many battles are shown. I saw several characters from the previous books slain in battle or massacred during Army raids. This book makes the reader see and feel all the love, hope, and pain that the brave people did in the past. Rosanne Bittner makes history come alive through her fiction! I cannot recommend this highly enough! *****