19739286Tirley O’Malley came from a long line of explorers and men of temper. By the time, he was born, his father had become mostly ‘civilized’ and had a farm. Tirley was the youngest of four boys and, at eight, was indentured for a ten year contract to learn silversmithing.

For four years, Tirley was mostly a slave, suffering almost daily beatings and missed meals. The smith’s boy, a few years older, was an irritant, a soft, pudgy boy who Tirley called ‘Old Satchel Butt,” When the O’Malley temper overcame Tirley. the boy went whining to father who came after Tirley with a buggy whip. Not about to stand for that, he conked the man on the head with a pitchfork handle, ‘Old Satchel Butt’ fainted, and Tirley cleared out.

The only place to go was west.

And there the boy grew into a man, adopted by the Pawnee where he earned the name Thunder Hawk from killing a Sioux about to kill his Pawnee brother just as a bolt of lightning . accompanied by a thunderclap, struck near while a red hawk was overhead.

Over the years, he partners with Old Bill Williams, a young and green Jim Bridger, and forges a reputation as a fierce warrior, his legend growing with almost every incident.

Quite good. The fourth book in the O’Malley saga. The first three have already been ordered and are on the way.