Play Book Tag discussion

Last year I watched a great TV series called Dark Winds, which was based on Tony Hillerman's Leaphorn and Chee book series. I decided to check out one of Hillerman's books to compare how they differed.

The story begins when Bergen McKee comes to the Navajo Reservation with an anthropologist colleague for a summer research project to investigate reports of witchcraft in the area. In a parallel thread Leaphorn is working the case of a young man, Luis Horseman, who fled into the desert under the belief that he had killed someone in a fight. Leaphorn is looking for him and soon receives the news that his body has been found with his mouth full of sand. Though the narrative separates Bergen and Leaphorn, it will be clear to the reader that their efforts are linked.

After I finished the book I read that McKee was originally the main character and Leaphorn’s role was expanded later. That made some sense to me since McKee spends a lot of time without Leaphorn for much of the book. Meanwhile, the other lead character of the series, Jim Chee, is still a few books away from showing up.

I had a very hard time getting involved in this book because the narrative is told in multiple POV's. Once I figured out all the speakers, however, the unique Navaho culture and the eerie mystery drew me in. The book was originally published in 1970, which means some elements are dated. It also means that the characters are missing some technology we take for granted now, which made it feel somewhat dated.

I had read that Blessing Way wasn't the best book in the series. Like many first in series books, the author is still trying to find the best way to tell the story and as such, the story’s focus isn’t always as tight as it should be. But I always like to start at the beginning of a series.

It's very rare that the dramatization of a book gets a higher rating from me than the actual book, but this is true for me this time. I don't know if I will continue the series but I'll definitely be anxious to watch Season 3 of Dark Winds.

Thanks, for the review. I watched the series as well and remembered some of the books. I read Blessing Way so long ago and did not remember Mckee at all.