Review by CaptainPhoton -- Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon
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Review by CaptainPhoton -- Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon

4 out of 4 stars
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Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon is a complex story told in two time periods. Interesting characters find themselves in flowing challenges and conflicts in the beautiful and rugged environment of the Olympic Peninsula wilderness.
One of the stories starts with Tom Olsen preparing to hike deep into the wilderness to visit his grandfather’s grave and to return an ancient artifact he found after his grandfather’s death in the forest form a sudden heart attack. He plans to travel with his native American friends William and William’s daughter, Myra.
He is surprised by an unexpected visit from his ex-wife who brings a granddaughter he wasn’t aware existed. His granddaughter, Sarah Cooley, is a rebellious 12-year-old whose mother has died and who’s stepfather has decided that Sarah needs a time out from his family. As a result, she will spend time with her grandparents.
Tom’s friends suggest that they bring Sarah on their hike. Tom is initially not in favor of this but agrees with some reservation to have his granddaughter come along.
This first story, set in the present, explores the conflict between a large company seeking to mine on public land and the desire of the native Americans to preserve the sacred lands of their ancestors.
The second story begins after Sarah sees a huge bear. Sarah Is a talented artist and sketches the bear. The bear is one that was thought to have become extinct thousand of years ago. There is skepticism among the group as to the truthfulness of Sarah’s story.
Soon after this, Sarah becomes lost and isn’t found for several days. During the time she is lost, she has a vision of a detailed journey of her ancestors. Sarah retells the story to the group. This is a fascinating tale of the struggle of ancient Indians to survive in a hostile environment. A great deal of interesting speculation about the early American Indian culture is presented in an interesting tale.
I particularly enjoy the characters in this book. The development of their various relationships is part of what kept me turning the pages. I was a little disappointed that the ending didn’t seem to explain how the conflict between the corporation seeking to mine in the wilderness versus the native American’s interest in preserving historical lands. I think readers interested in archaeology, sociology, and the preservation of natural resources would find this book attractive.
I gave the book 4 out of 4 stars. In addition to the great story telling, interesting characters, and a variety of facts the book was edited very well without any distracting punctuation or grammatical errors.
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Strong Heart
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