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Bone Rattler A Mystery of Colonial America Eliot Pattison 9781593761851 Books

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Bone Rattler A Mystery of Colonial America Eliot Pattison 9781593761851 Books

I had mixed feelings about this book. Like many others, I found myself confused about what was going on for a good deal of the book. Even now, I couldn't tell you exactly what the mystery was about. It was like the first couple chapters were missing and I was always one step behind. I couldn't figure out why everyone was so interested in Duncan McCallum, a young Scottish medical student who had been arrested for no greater crime than hiding his Jacobite uncle. It took me a long time to realize the Ramsey Company was a financial venture and not a military one. And who were all these characters?

However, I loved the historical aspects of the book. Pattison did a wonderful job of bringing the era of the French and Indian War to life. The characters felt authentic. There were good and bad whites and Natives that made them more well rounded and believable. The Native American lore was especially interesting Because of this, I continued reading the book and hoped I'd figure out what was going on by the end (I did... sorta).

I have since read the next three books in the series and have enjoyed them immensely. Pattison's stories are multi-layered and more complex than many historical mysteries, and I found myself fully engaged in the adventures of McCallum and his friends. I'll be sad when I finish the last one.
However, I do have one complaint (and this is really more of a Pet Peeve of mine that others might not be bothered by in the slightest) and that is all the characters seem to experience the Instantaneous Recovery Syndrome. These are violent books (they were violent times) but no matter how many times McCallum is knocked unconscious, tortured, beaten, wounded, etc. he doesn't seem inconvenienced in the slightest. He hops right back up and continues on as if nothing happened. If it's important enough for your character to experience serious physical pain or injury, then there should be some repercussions. A guy who is knocked unconscious is not to going to wake up all alert and ready to go without even a slight headache. Men who are flogged aren't going to be running around pain-free. Granted, you don't want to incapcitate your MC to the point it stops the story, but if the physical adversity is not going to have any affect on the person at all, then what's the point? McCallum should at least have some serious brain trauma by now!

Ok, enough of that! If you are looking for a fascinating series about pre-Revolutionary America, and are willing to deal with a complex story with great historical atmosphere, I suggest you try this series, even if the first one is a bit difficult.


Tags : Bone Rattler: A Mystery of Colonial America [Eliot Pattison] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <DIV>Aboard a British convict ship bound for the New World, Duncan McCallum witnesses a series of murders and seeming suicides among his fellow Scottish prisoners that thrusts him into the bloody maw of the French and Indian War. As the only man aboard with any medical training,Eliot Pattison,Bone Rattler: A Mystery of Colonial America,Counterpoint,1593761856,FIC022000,Historical - General,Mystery & Detective - General,Historical fiction,Historical fiction.,Mystery fiction.,Scots - United States,Scots;United States;Fiction.,AMERICAN HISTORICAL FICTION,FICTION Historical General,FICTION Mystery & Detective General,FICTION Mystery & Detective Historical,Fiction,Fiction - Mystery Detective,Fiction-Coming of Age,Fiction-Mystery & Detective,GENERAL,General Adult,MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE FICTION,Mystery & Detective - Historical,MysterySuspense,Scots,United States

Bone Rattler A Mystery of Colonial America Eliot Pattison 9781593761851 Books Reviews

Some of the most interesting aspects of history involve the clashes of cultures; this is an ideal example. It is a three-cornered clash, involving the Scots, English and Iroquois. It is set during the 1750s as the French and English war over much of the world over their colonial empires. In US History this is described as the French and Indian War, battles between the French and their Indian allies against the English and theirs. What is introduced into this scenario is the Scots, who constitute part of the English Army, but also harbor considerable resentments toward their English overlords, who have recently defeated their efforts to be an independent nation. Two things need to be settled in this review. First, I admit a bias toward this story because the time it covers is about the same time that my Scottish ancestors came to America. Second, in spite of the title it is not your traditional murder mystery. It owes more to James Fennimore Cooper than to Agatha Christie. And I always loved the frontier stories. The descriptions of life in early America in this book are a major point of interest for me.
This is a tale told from the Scottish and Indian perspective. It is ultimately a tale of greed and arrogance and perfidy, and finally redemption. Two aspects stand out. The first is the relationship and similarities between the Iroquois and the Scots. The second is the notion that those kidnapped by Indian tribes sometimes become adapted to tribal life and do not want to return to their former lives. Maybe this is an extreme example of Stockholm Syndrome, but it has been described in many other contexts and plays a major role in this story. Although a series of murders forms the context of this story, the solution unfolds slowly as the full extent of the culture clashes are revealed. I thought the drumhead trial that reveals and reconciles the mysteries was a stroke of genius, but I am a sucker for trial stories a la Grisham.
The protagonist Duncan McCallum is a truly interesting character, as is his Indian companion. I look forward to seeing more of their trials and tribulations in this perplexing and dangerous new land.
Pros- Takes on eighteenth-century history such as alliances between the Six Nations and Scottish Highlanders . A brave effort to present a mystery during that time period...an effort not often made. Also the perspective from the outcast groups is interesting. A strong female character.
Cons- The mysteries Dominate the narrative to the exclusion of characterization and clarity. The reader is faced with seemingly millions of artifacts and phrases that are clues but incomprehensible through most of the extensive narrative, until finally the protagonist begins to understand their meaning and hence the reader as well.

The book is quite confusing. Perhaps a greater emphasis on developing Duncan's character, knowledge and background and a deeper characterization of some of the other main characters, and perhaps fewer 'clues' ...or sequential clues, might help the reader follow what's happening. Of course one theme is Duncan's inability to understand the clues...as he's new to the New World colonies and all their elements and cultures. Unfortunately both the reader and Duncan must very patiently wade through the bulk of events getting very little clearer about what is happening. All is made clear at the end ..fyi,..I am a Melville scholar and have a PhD. in nineteenth-century American literature so I'm used to long complex narratives.
I had mixed feelings about this book. Like many others, I found myself confused about what was going on for a good deal of the book. Even now, I couldn't tell you exactly what the mystery was about. It was like the first couple chapters were missing and I was always one step behind. I couldn't figure out why everyone was so interested in Duncan McCallum, a young Scottish medical student who had been arrested for no greater crime than hiding his Jacobite uncle. It took me a long time to realize the Ramsey Company was a financial venture and not a military one. And who were all these characters?

However, I loved the historical aspects of the book. Pattison did a wonderful job of bringing the era of the French and Indian War to life. The characters felt authentic. There were good and bad whites and Natives that made them more well rounded and believable. The Native American lore was especially interesting Because of this, I continued reading the book and hoped I'd figure out what was going on by the end (I did... sorta).

I have since read the next three books in the series and have enjoyed them immensely. Pattison's stories are multi-layered and more complex than many historical mysteries, and I found myself fully engaged in the adventures of McCallum and his friends. I'll be sad when I finish the last one.
However, I do have one complaint (and this is really more of a Pet Peeve of mine that others might not be bothered by in the slightest) and that is all the characters seem to experience the Instantaneous Recovery Syndrome. These are violent books (they were violent times) but no matter how many times McCallum is knocked unconscious, tortured, beaten, wounded, etc. he doesn't seem inconvenienced in the slightest. He hops right back up and continues on as if nothing happened. If it's important enough for your character to experience serious physical pain or injury, then there should be some repercussions. A guy who is knocked unconscious is not to going to wake up all alert and ready to go without even a slight headache. Men who are flogged aren't going to be running around pain-free. Granted, you don't want to incapcitate your MC to the point it stops the story, but if the physical adversity is not going to have any affect on the person at all, then what's the point? McCallum should at least have some serious brain trauma by now!

Ok, enough of that! If you are looking for a fascinating series about pre-Revolutionary America, and are willing to deal with a complex story with great historical atmosphere, I suggest you try this series, even if the first one is a bit difficult.