The Fallen Man

Tony Hillerman began writing his Navajo mysteries way back in 1970 (The Blessing Way) when he first introduced readers to the Legendary Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn. Ten years later Hillerman introduced Navajo Tribal Police Officer Jim Chee (People of Darkness (Jim Chee Novels)). In 1986, Hillerman brought Leaphorn and Chee together in his bestselling book Skinwalkers that won that year's Western Writers of America Spur Award. Hillerman's familiar recipe keeps bringing us back again and again: usually a death in the Navajo Four Corners country, Leaphorn and Chee working independently to gather clues, the hauntingly beautiful scenery of the American Southwest, the often brutal weather of that land, and always, always, the Navajo culture often in conflict with white culture. Hillerman has now written eighteen Navajo mysteries and while they all contain those compelling elements, he has been guilty of some sloppy efforts or been the victim of poor editing or both at times (Hunting Badger (Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee Novels)). `The Fallen Man', however, is one of his gems. Hillerman seamlessly develops two separate mysteries, one involving cattle heists and the other involving the discovery of a body of man who died some 11 years ago. The exact timing of that death is critical to the lives of several characters and the future of a beautiful valley near Cortez - will it be mined? Hillerman also furthers the larger story by developing the deteriorating relationship of Chee and part-Navajo attorney Janet Pete and by introducing officer Bernie Manuelito - she's all Navajo and works for Chee. The Fallen Man will delight old Hillerman fans and should make new fans too. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a good mystery, Navajo culture, or the American Southwest .

Another great Joe Leaphorn novel by Hillerman. Hillerman's books follow Leaphorn and Chee into many mysteries and conflicts with Chee and his heritage. This is a book to put on your to read list.

"The Fallen Man" by Tony Hillerman, Harper Audio, 1996. Tony Hillerman has another great mystery novel, with the obligatory dead man being discovered on the mountain known to Whites as Ship Rock. The author traces back eleven years to when the accident occurred, and then develops the reasons why the death could have been premeditated murder. While he is dealing with this murder mystery, Hillerman also develops the characters, so that you feel the sorrow of the widower, the retired Leaphorn, and then understand the anxiety of Acting Lt. Jim Chee as he deals with hard choices of his once and future fiancé (who wants a citified life while Jim wants a Navajo life). I think that Mr. Hillerman develops the Navajo characters better than the white characters, who, really, are just bit-players in the drama being presented. Interestingly, I think that the author truly has presented a romance novel on three levels: the lost love of the widower, Leaphorn; the mixed-up choices of Lt. Chee and the love story of Hal Breedlove and his wife (who remains true to him as a widow for eleven years). I found this book to be well written and to contain a wealth of information on the Four Corners regions of the United States. All the distance mistakes, etc., that the other reviewers alluded to are hard to discover if you are listening to the book on tape and can not easily refer back to different pages. This book helped me in the traffic, on the trip back and forth, from Plymouth, Massachusetts to Quincy, Massachusetts.

Fallen Man is a real page turner that invites thoughts about man's place in nature and our society's use and misuse of our natural world, the source of our economy. The contrast between the way our society interacts with nature and the way that Native American culture viewed and treated the earth is marked and thought provoking. The characters are interesting and fun to spend time with. The sense of place is strong. I will be giving this book to my father ( a resident of the Southwest) for a Father's Day gift.

I read The Fallen Man with great anticipation and was not disappointed. Hillerman's new developments with Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn brought great satisfaction. The unique style of writing takes me back to the southwest so vividly. Great plot, great characters and a very exciting conclusion.