| Abstract |
The year is 1740. The place is the wilderness mountains of western North Carolina. Taken there by a father fleeing justice, young Ben Holt suddenly finds himself alone, thrust by violence into an approaching winter that threatens death by starvation, exposure, or hostile Indians. Struggling to survive and to become a man, Ben taps into the secrets held by the forests and rivers. He loves and loses Willow, a Cherokee girl whose unique allure becomes the source of Ben's strength and perseverance. To have her, he must defeat a blood-seeking Mingo warrior whose tribal pride bolsters his selfish motivations to destroy Ben and the woman he loves. The accurate historical detail in Call of the Whippoorwill, and the sins, mistakes, and compassion of the characters, places the reader perhaps too close to the realities of living during a time when harsh circumstances often required harsher remedies. |
