Title: The Quest: A Lakota Legend
Author: Charles Richard Latona
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 978-1643612324
Pages: 300
Genre: Fiction
Reviewed By: Dan MacIntosh
Hollywood Book Reviews
Charles Richard Latona’s story about a Native American’s journey to find and prepare the shaman that is to soon take his place, is an otherworldly tale. It’s not otherworldly in the sci-fi way such a description might suggest, though. Rather, it’s a world altogether different from our contemporary society. The reader is dropped into a realm where there is no timeline to tell you exactly what year the story takes place. The only sure clue is that this is a pre-modern-technology story, back when men and women were required to coexist peacefully with nature, because they couldn’t yet dominate it.
Such a setting can be a little disorienting, at first. After all, even if it’s a work of fiction, we innately want (need?) to know the year our story takes place, right? No such information is provided here, however. The plot centers around a character named White Wolf, who must rely upon his survivalist skills and a vision from the Grand Father, to find his people’s next sage.
What this story lacks in relatable timeline signposts, however, it more than makes up for with keen insight into Native American life. It’s so refreshing to follow Latona’s character study of a man with so much dignity and responsibility. This one man’s life so starkly contrasts with our modern notion of ‘finding one’s self.’ Self-help advice is far too often focused upon advising people to do whatever makes them happy. If a pursuit doesn’t make you happy, simply stop doing it. White Wolf, though, lives for a bigger purpose. A tribe’s shaman is an essential necessity for its existence. It’s his responsibility to find his replacement. This is not to somehow carry on and advance his own legacy, though, but for the overall good of the group. He’s focused on what’s best for his people, rather than merely doing what makes him feel good.
Also, the way this book’s characters interact with wildlife is so different from the way many of us have been taught. Scary animals, like wolves, are treated like enemies by most moderns. Not so with these Native Americans, though. As crazy as it may sound to some, their approach to nature was to share the Earth with all other creatures on it. This can’t help but make one wonder what the world would be like today, if such a philosophy had prevailed. Latona also does a wonderful job in describing nature with his story. He clearly loves the outdoors, and this comes through loud and clear as he tells his story.
While this stereotype may be going back a long way, many of us grew up with the incorrect impression that Native Americans were vicious savages. This was likely due to too many simplistic cowboy movies, where the cowboys were portrayed as the good guys, and Native Americans the bad guys. This story puts Native Americans in their proper, dignified perspective. White Wolf was focused on doing what was right for his people, the same way all reasonable people live their lives.
This story ultimately speaks to the beauty of passing down traditions, from one generation to another. White Wolf’s successor, Flaming Eagle, ponders in the book’s epilogue: “Soon, it will be my turn to make an everyday pipe for Crowfoot, whom I have chosen to follow me as a shaman.” Reading about how long held traditions are dutifully passed down the line, will be of comfort to those that are troubled by so much modern-day cultural upheaval. The world, it seems, is changing drastically from day to day. Traditions of yesterday, are quickly replaced by the new traditions of tomorrow. Therefore, The Quest: A Lakota Legend, may just satisfy your quest for a little consistency and normalcy.