The Scout: A Novel

This is an excellent book telling how the Indian wars were fought through the eyes of a rugged individualist, Cat Broule. No punches are pulled. The fighting is brutal and if you are squeamish, then this would be a difficult story to read. The Indian wars were way more vicious than conventional wars. I have totally enjoyed reading this book because I felt I was actually there.

This is a good book but not as good as Brules by Harry Combs. Brules was the best western Iv'e ever read

While this book does not move with the pace of "Brules" it is, never-the-less an excellent story from start to finish. The part that I found interesting was why Mitch Bouyer chose to accompany Custer at the Little Big Horn. I have not read extensively about that battle, but have long wondered why, when Custer dismissed the scouts (Bouyer was the favorite scout), Bouyer chose to stay with Custer. Combs provides a credible scenario for Bouyer's role in the battle. Whether this is original research or not I do not know, but it fits well with what I have read.

After Brules, which was spectacular, The Scout was somewhat of a let-down. It should have been a continuation of the magnificent Brules, but it was not. Harry Combs just didn't seem to write with the same flare. In parts I had to fight boredom, as the story became monotonous. It was just "Brules the soldier" for a long time. The Scout was good, but it just didn't seem like the the same book as Brules, which I thought it should have been.