Customer Reviews:
 WINTER KILL February 17, 2005
Jason Locke has but one dream, and that is to have his own ranch in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming. He has plotted, and planned, replotted, and replanned each and every nook, cranny, and nail that would go into building his ranch. He has worked hard, for many years, to get the money together to make this dream come true, on the land that he had placed a claim to many years before. Finally he has it all together, and can now join his friend, Wiley Carr, at the ranch. Wiley has worked with Jason pulling together the plans, over the years, to make this dream come true.
As Jason travels over the mountains to get to his ranch, a gang of thugs, who inform him that they work for The Green River Cattle Company, overtake him. Jason is told that his ranch is no longer his, one of the workers is dead, and that Wiley was shot and ran off with another worker. They are either dead, or soon will be. Green River offers him two hundred dollars for the buildings that have been built on the property. Jason declines the offer, and is then beat up and left in the snow. They also run off his horses, and destroy all of his provisions. When Jason finally manages to come to, he gathers what is left of his provisions, and finds his horse, which for some reason had been saddled. His guns and bedroll also put in place on the horse.
Winter is starting to show it's savage brutality. But Jason decides that he is not going to give up his ranch without a fight. Before he can start fighting for his ranch, however, he must find Wiley, or at least his body, and the other worker who took off. Snow is falling and the cold is getting bitter. If Jason doesn't find Wiley, and the other worker soon, he won't be able to.
While gathering provisions, to replace the ones that were destroyed, Jason meets the brother of the worker that had been killed by Green River. He also befriends an old Buffalo hunter, Kinnon, who once knew his uncle. Jason and Swede track across the mountains, in the heavy snow, to hopefully regain Jason's ranch. Kinnon will follow later to help the men.
Along the way they come across a father and his daughter, Avram and Sarah Kleinfeld, who are stranded in the snow. They were on their way to San Francisco, to escape the atrocities of Eastern European persecution of the Jews, when the wheel on their pushcart broke. Jason can't leave them behind to die, and so, reluctantly, they take them along with them.
What happens from here is both frustrating, terrifying, and an adventure into the human spirit. A trip that will both engage your imagination, and leave you breathless.
Ms. Parker has woven a story of intrigue, adventure, and heroism that will take you on a breathtaking trip through the High Mountains of Montana. Her descriptions of the mountains, and their beauty are awesome. She uses words to describe the treachery and danger in this beauty in such a way that you feel that you are actually right there.
WINTER KILL is a study in humanity, and the love of a people for their culture, as well as the adventure of man against the elements. WINTER KILL is a masterpiece of emotions, desires, and true love of a country that only someone who actually felt these could convey.
I absolutely loved WINTER KILL, and recommend that everyone read it. You will be in awe of the beauty that Ms. Parker so aptly describes, as well as the hidden danger that lies beneath this beauty. You will cheer Jason on as he fights for his dream. You will find that there are indeed people who have compassion, and tolerance even when they don't understand another's culture or religion.
WINTER KILL is fast paced, and absolutely brilliantly written, full of intrigue, and true courage. I could not put it down, and know that you will not be able to either.
Review by: Sue Hartigan
Member of RIO
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