Ridgeline

Michael Punke,the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The RevenantΓÇöthe basis for the Academy AwardΓÇôwinning film starring Leonardo DiCaprioΓÇöreturns to the nineteenth-century western frontier with a story of the plains wars. In 1866the country barely recovered from the Civil Warnew war breaks out on the western frontierΓÇöa clash of cultures between a youngambitious nation intent on fulfilling what it perceives as its destiny and the Native tribes who have lived on the land for centuries. Colonel Henry Carrington arrives in MontanaΓÇÖs Powder River Valley to lead the U.S. Army in defending the opening of a new road for gold miners and settlers Carrington intends to build a fort in the middle of critical hunting groundsthe home of the Lakota. Red Cloudone of the LakotaΓÇÖs most respected chiefsand Crazy Horsea young but visionary warriorunderstand full well the implications of this invasion. For the Lakotathe stakes are their hometheir culturetheir lives. As fall bleeds into winterCrazy Horse leads a small war party that confronts Colonel CarringtonΓÇÖs soldiers with near constant attacks. Red Cloudmeanwhileseeks to build the tribal alliances that he knows will be necessary to defeat the soldiers. Colonel Carringtonintent on building his fortseeks to hold together a U.S. Army beset with internal discord. CarringtonΓÇÖs officersexperienced veterans of the Civil Warare skeptical of their commanderΓÇÖs strategynone more so than Lieutenant George Washington Grummondwho longs to fight a foe he dismisses as inferior in all ways. And the rank-and-file soldiers are still divided by the residue of civil warand tempted to desertion by the nearby gold fields. Throughout this fascinating sagaΓÇöbased on real people and events–Punke brings the same immersivevivid storytelling and historical insight that made his breakthrough debut so memorable. As Ridgeline builds to its epic conclusionit grapples with essential questions of conquest and justice that still echo todayall without ever losing sight of the livingbreathing human beings who make our history so rich.