A story teeming with suspense, action, mystery, and lore.
“I ran from them once. I ain’t running again.” Oshke Mennit has strong feelings about the wild nomad population, and it isn’t just their bizarre rituals, their cunning, or their cruelty. No, for him it’s personal. When he was young, a band of nomad raiders blazed through his hometown and left the brutalized remains of his family in their wake. After years of surviving on his own, an ambitious stranger shatters Oshke’s circumstantial isolation and sets him on a path toward a new life. Stripped of everything save his naivety, he ventures into the unknown, where his trading route leads him to an outpost filled with weary soldiers.
As soldiers, the men stationed on the spreading edge of a new frontier are not thrilled when the Captain returns to camp with a captive nomad, a young woman peculiar in countenance and bearing. As though the universe wasn’t sure what to make of this girl, her complexion is split down the middle of her face. Her presence might be the end of order at this outpost, so when Oshke arrives, the Captain strikes an uneasy bargain and places the enigmatic girl in Oshke’s charge with the promise of a hefty reward. The catch? Traverse an untamed land filled with dangerous thieves, ruthless nomads, and treacherous predators and deliver the captive to a city sheriff. Several twists of fate leave this ostracized girl as the only connection orphaned Oshke has left of his family. Dangers and destinations are of little concern to Oshke, so long as he finds freedom from the weight of his past. It doesn’t take long before shared trials and mutual respect slowly erode their initial animosity.
In Westerns, the power of omission can be particularly effective, relying upon stark landscapes and primal instincts to create a gritty atmosphere. Mango’s careful restraint in depicting nomadic culture and withholding the most graphic details enhances the scenes, sparking the imagination while ensuring the book remains approachable for a broad audience. Vivid, natural prose engages the senses, giving this book a depth and weight that belies its modest page count, while clever wordplay and entertaining dialogue pull audiences into each savage moment. Against a rugged backdrop emerges a story teeming with suspense, action, mystery, and lore. Themes of isolation, survival, and the search for meaning in a harsh and unforgiving world are woven into a tale of forgiveness, personal growth, and loyalty. Outcasts find improbable kinship in Burt Mango’s Wild-West adventure, Half Moon.
