"Blue Sky replied. 'Somebody had to do it. And it was my responsibility. I started the damned war.'"
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Promised Valley Peace by Ron Fritsch CreateSpace
book review by Michael Radon
In this fourth title and conclusion to the Promised Valley series, Blue Sky, Rose Leaf, Wandering Star, and Long Arm are looking for their opportunity to strike and either overthrow the reign of King Lightning Spear or dismantle his alliance with the warmongering chieftain War Cloud. These youths are left with little room to maneuver after the events of the third title, but take advantage of the autumn hunting trip to travel unsupervised to their farmer allies of the upper valley. Learning from them how to tame and ride horses, they feel confident that they have a rare and narrow opportunity to end the war. What follows is perhaps the last chance these primitive peoples have of ridding their land of violence by starting one final, bloody battle.
Readers who are unfamiliar with this series will no doubt want to start earlier in the story's progression, but the end of the book features a list of characters that are featured in the entire saga and their accomplishments. This story ties up all the loose ends and leaves the reader with closure and satisfaction as they turn the last page, assuring devotees of this tale a pleasing ending. The friendship and affection between these youths is heartwarming, the sweeping action of the battles and combat is breathtaking, and the pacing is rapid-fire and wastes none of the readers' time. While perhaps being a little graphic for younger readers, teenagers and adults will be swept away by the details that bring this saga to life and to its close.