The Outlander by Gil Adamson, a Mysterious Review.
Review: The International Association of Crime-Writers 2008 winner of The Hammett Prize for Crime-Writing by a U.S. or Canadian author, The Outlander is Toronto writer Gil Adamson's powerful debut novel of a twenty-year old widow's incredible struggle to survive against overwhelming odds - the pursuit of twin vengeance-mad redheaded brothers-in-law, the unforgiving wilderness of the 1900s northwest mountains and forests, and the all-consuming ravages of the Frank slide, one of North America's worst ever natural disasters. From the opening line of, "It was night, and dogs came through the trees, unleashed and howling," to the final words, "Find me," on the last page of the story, and with all of the exactly right words in between, the novel grabs and holds from first to last.
For readers who want a cracking good story with unforgettable characters engaged in tension-filled activities, and told with a superlative richness of language and a lushness of imagery, Gil Adamson's novel, The Outlander, is it. Her widow, Mary Boulton, and "Bonny", her Reverend, are the ideal stuff and stuffings of legends.
Special thanks to M. Wayne Cunningham (mw_cunningham@telus.net) for contributing his review of The Outlander.
