Mark Wildyr

Set during the Civil War, River Otter is an amazing historical novel. The book can be read as a stand alone but I would suggest reading Cut Hand first so that any holes are filled in. A gay Yanube Indian, River Otter becomes involved with an Major James Morrow. Their romance is basically a sub-plot as the story is mainly focused on the awful hatred the whites had for all Native Americans and how the man River Otter learned to walk a tightrope between holding onto his heritage and fitting into the white man's world. The story is beautifully written and flowed well. All of the characters were fleshed out well with their individual personalities developed nicely. Highly recommended.… (altro)

This was a beautiful and well written story. I won't retell the background of Billy and Cut Hand as many reviewers have already. The story is really a combination of love stories all wrapped into one book. The love between Billy and his Native American husband, Cut Hand, flows through the book. Seeing the trust and respect Billy earned as The Red Win-tay was both funny and heart warming even though I believe that Billy was all man and not a flaming win-tay. Being a cross cultural story, there was also the unique love story of Billy and the Yanube tribe that adopted him. These loves never ran smoothly but what love does. The third love story was between the Indian people and the land. Mr. Wildyr did a tremendous job of giving the reader a close look into Native American culture. The huge cast of characters that Billy and Cut Hand deal with are all so very real that you get to know them well. The entire story was well developed and read easily and quickly. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a great historical read.
Reviewed on Hearts On Fire... http://heartsonfirereviews.com/… (altro)

Firmly based in Native American legends, thinking, and perspective, ‘Shifter” is a unique story that provides both entertainment and a thought-provoking idea about shifting. In this story, it is the kind of transformation I have only read about very rarely – that of changing genders. It is written much like a fable and has the “moral” at the end of the story to go with it. I think it’s a very refreshing interpretation of what shifting means and I am very glad this story is part of the 2016 Daily Dose collection. It’s definitely a “Walk on the Wild Side”!

Gray Fox is eighteen and on his way to visit Elk Horn, the childhood friend who moved away two years previously. But on his way across the lake, a strange mist makes it impossible for him to continue the trip in his canoe, and strands him on Black Island. An androgynous creature that initially appears as a woman seduces Fox, and when she changes into a young man in the middle of their activities, Fox is far less shocked than he believes he should be. He finds he likes being intimate with a young man, and it makes him rethink his relationship with his friend, Elk. What follows is the sweet, sometimes funny, beginning of an entirely different relationship between Fox and Elk than either of them would have thought possible were it not for the mysterious gender shifter.

If you like fables with human main characters, if you enjoy exploring the legends of different cultures, and if you’re looking for a creative, thought-provoking read, then you will probably like this short story.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.… (altro)