A brand new epic Mountain Man adventure from Mike Mackessy that spans across the frontier!
In the time between Lewis & Clark’s trek, and the first Mountain Men and Trappers, the West calls. Hearty and fearless men and women answer the Siren’s Call. Those chosen few brave the unknown to head west. Leaving the settled East Coast, they tread through Virginia to Kentucky. Singles, pairs, and trios gather, held together by an inexorable hand; their aim is always west. They meet at forts, blockhouses, and communities on Kentucky’s frontier. Carried on the wind are the names of trailblazers: Simon Kenton, Daniel Boone, Lewis & Clark, and Finn.
At the lowest point in Finn’s life, he hears the Siren’s Call. The Fates gather. Webs are woven. Human spirit answers Destiny’s Call. The nucleus gathers on the banks of the Ohio River, except the King of England has forbidden his loyal subjects from traveling past this point.
A brief clash with the King’s men spurs Finn to lead his band farther west. Despite the spirit of the treaty held so righteously and hallowed by the King, Finn leads the company toward the Mississippi River. Along the way they hear the whispered name of a special land. They learn the name of ground where your work and effort results in your future. This is what they desire. Their aim, The Yellowstone. But first…
They meet a French Black Robe and free him from the Indians holding him captive. They meet and fight French men still seething over a lost war. The meet several bands of dissimilar Indian warriors. They pay penance for Lewis & Clark killing a Blackfoot warrior. The greatest gift of this new land, The Great Stoney Mountains, grant them, meeting the friendly and helpful people of the Crow who teach them how to survive a very different winter.
They see herds of buffalo extending for miles. They meet the fabled Ursus arctos horribilis, the grizzly bear, extinct in the east, now king of the western lands. They discover themselves. Relationships expand into new friends, the Crow, and into new enemies, the Blackfoot. Old ideas of land and animals fall fallow. Work and change are hard, yet before understanding arrives, they all realize something is different, something is new.
PRAISE FOR WILDERNESS COURAGE:
‘Mike Mackessy has done it again! Wilderness Courage is a raw, gripping journey into the heart of the early West—full of courage, hardship, and the unbreakable spirit that built America. Finn’s call to destiny feels real and urgent, and the trail to Yellowstone is packed with action and heart.’ – Robert Hanlon, bestselling author of TIMBER U.S. MARSHAL
‘What a thrilling ride! Mackessy captures the Siren’s Call of the frontier with vivid detail and relentless drive. From clashes with the King’s men to grizzly encounters and Crow alliances, this tale of pioneers answering destiny is pure Western fire. Finn and his band come alive on the page—don’t miss this one!’ – J.W. Masterson, bestselling author of TEXAS RANGER: PHARAOH SMITH
‘Wilderness Courage: Answering Destiny’s Call is a masterpiece of early frontier grit! Mike Mackessy weaves history, bravery, and human spirit into a story that pulls you west with every page. The journey from the Ohio River to the Yellowstone, facing Blackfoot, French foes, and grizzlies, is unforgettable. This is the kind of Western that makes you proud to be American—outstanding!’ – Fred Staff, bestselling author of JUSTICE RIDES AGAIN
Genre: Western
In the time between Lewis & Clark’s trek, and the first Mountain Men and Trappers, the West calls. Hearty and fearless men and women answer the Siren’s Call. Those chosen few brave the unknown to head west. Leaving the settled East Coast, they tread through Virginia to Kentucky. Singles, pairs, and trios gather, held together by an inexorable hand; their aim is always west. They meet at forts, blockhouses, and communities on Kentucky’s frontier. Carried on the wind are the names of trailblazers: Simon Kenton, Daniel Boone, Lewis & Clark, and Finn.
At the lowest point in Finn’s life, he hears the Siren’s Call. The Fates gather. Webs are woven. Human spirit answers Destiny’s Call. The nucleus gathers on the banks of the Ohio River, except the King of England has forbidden his loyal subjects from traveling past this point.
A brief clash with the King’s men spurs Finn to lead his band farther west. Despite the spirit of the treaty held so righteously and hallowed by the King, Finn leads the company toward the Mississippi River. Along the way they hear the whispered name of a special land. They learn the name of ground where your work and effort results in your future. This is what they desire. Their aim, The Yellowstone. But first…
They meet a French Black Robe and free him from the Indians holding him captive. They meet and fight French men still seething over a lost war. The meet several bands of dissimilar Indian warriors. They pay penance for Lewis & Clark killing a Blackfoot warrior. The greatest gift of this new land, The Great Stoney Mountains, grant them, meeting the friendly and helpful people of the Crow who teach them how to survive a very different winter.
They see herds of buffalo extending for miles. They meet the fabled Ursus arctos horribilis, the grizzly bear, extinct in the east, now king of the western lands. They discover themselves. Relationships expand into new friends, the Crow, and into new enemies, the Blackfoot. Old ideas of land and animals fall fallow. Work and change are hard, yet before understanding arrives, they all realize something is different, something is new.
PRAISE FOR WILDERNESS COURAGE:
‘Mike Mackessy has done it again! Wilderness Courage is a raw, gripping journey into the heart of the early West—full of courage, hardship, and the unbreakable spirit that built America. Finn’s call to destiny feels real and urgent, and the trail to Yellowstone is packed with action and heart.’ – Robert Hanlon, bestselling author of TIMBER U.S. MARSHAL
‘What a thrilling ride! Mackessy captures the Siren’s Call of the frontier with vivid detail and relentless drive. From clashes with the King’s men to grizzly encounters and Crow alliances, this tale of pioneers answering destiny is pure Western fire. Finn and his band come alive on the page—don’t miss this one!’ – J.W. Masterson, bestselling author of TEXAS RANGER: PHARAOH SMITH
‘Wilderness Courage: Answering Destiny’s Call is a masterpiece of early frontier grit! Mike Mackessy weaves history, bravery, and human spirit into a story that pulls you west with every page. The journey from the Ohio River to the Yellowstone, facing Blackfoot, French foes, and grizzlies, is unforgettable. This is the kind of Western that makes you proud to be American—outstanding!’ – Fred Staff, bestselling author of JUSTICE RIDES AGAIN
Genre: Western