Some people have a knack for throwing events. Fremont Rosenbloom has a knack for ruining them. Want a very public revenge on someone, that involves complete embarrassment? Fremont is your man! I thought it was clever that Michael Bast mentions the fact that his main character is a little rough around the edges. Truth be told, it's not easy to like Fremont at first. Trust me though, he'll grow on you. I honestly couldn't believe how much depth there ended up being in this story. Color me impressed!

In fact, the family aspect of this book was really what struck me. While Fremont's parents are no longer in the picture, this story builds a new kind of family for him. One that, in fact, he at first doesn't even notice exists. I love stories like this. Where a character builds their own tight knit group of people who genuinely care for them. Between Addy and Modesto, Fremont was definitely covered in the love department. Oh sure, it was a little crass at times (manly bonding and all that) but the love was there just the same.

I think my favorite part was watching Fremont grow as a character. It's extremely important to me that the protagonist I'm following gains some insight. Michael Bast delivered on this. I watched as Fremont grew and learned, cheering him on every step of the way. He definitely didn't always make the best decisions, but don't we all have those moments? I was happy to see that he was genuine. A bit flawed, but with a heart of gold underneath it all.

While this book could use a quick polish in the editing department, I definitely think that it's worthy of a four star rating! If you're looking for something that steps a bit out of the box, and has likable characters, then this is for you.

One of the focuses of this book is the examination of the archaeological record of the peoples who once occupied the Southwestern United States. Around 1300 AD the Fremont people seemingly disappeared from the region and the reasons for this have never fully been explained. David Roberts is a climber (mountaineer? scrambler?) who also happens to be a writer for such publications as National Geographic. This is the second book that he has written which focuses on this particular area of the world but according to the preface this book delves more into the why and the how of the Fremont peoples lives and 'disappearance'. His fascination and passion for the topic are evident in his attention to detail (and sometimes his dreamy prose). You probably won't be surprised to learn that I plan on doing more research on this topic by checking out some of the books he referenced as source material (especially Steve Lekson's groundbreaking work The Chaco Meridian which caused significant backlash among the archaeological elite). If you have an interest in archaeology or simply want to learn more about the wonders of the Southwest (of which there are many) then I recommend you give this book a try. It's made me want to go hiking of all things! O_O