The Lost Band

I have read all the Spanish Bit series. In several of the books there was talk of the lost band. A place was left for it when all the other bands got together. I am glad to finally get a story about what happened to it. Don Coldsmith writes good books about "The People". A fictional account but is based losely on events of long ago. The lost band was nearly wiped out by Shaved-heads. This is the story of the few that were left and how they taught the customs, language and other aspects of "The People" to their children and on down for several generations. Many thought they would be the one to get back and find the original group but it was not to be until a special child was born to lead a small band back to their special place. A good quick read that is enjoyable if you like stories of people of long ago and how they lived and died. It will hold you attention and you will hope someone finally leads the lost band back.

The Lost Band is the newest addition to Coldsmith's Trail of the Spanish bit series; but to read this story, it is not necessary to have read the prior books. The entire series is easy to read and enjoyable saga of the changes to a Plains Indian tribe throughout the history of the frontier. Several of the earlier books have mentioned a vacant place at the annual gathering of the tribe; the vacant place is held for a band of the tribe that disappeared generations ago. The Lost Band traces the history of the missing band, from the time the few survivors of a violent raid were captured by another tribe until their reunion with their people many generations later. The novel is actually several inter-related stories following descendents of one woman who in secret kept alive the language, stories and traditions of her people while she was a captive. Very readable (even for those of us who don't read many Westerns!)