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Reviewed by Dave Eisenstark for Readers' Favorite
In South of Rising Sun, author J.D. McCall tells the story of a US Marshall, Al Taggart, and his efforts to solve Kansas rancher James Harper's trouble with some highly resourceful cattle rustlers. In attempting to solve the mystery of the missing cattle, Taggart is sidetracked by a Missouri slave-owner whose slave has run off. It's Kansas, and although a free state, Federal law requires Taggart to find and return the slave. But Taggart can't bring himself to do that. Being part Cherokee, he has been mistaken for a slave in the past. Against his oath of office, obeying his conscience, Taggart helps the slave escape and befriends the bright young black man, who eventually helps bring the cattle thieves to justice.
South of Rising Sun is a pleasant, leisurely journey, with time to relish good conversation and thoughtful observation. The characters are great company and the relationships rich and thick. Author J.D. McCall's pace may be a bit slow if you like things more action-packed, but to me, except for a few repetitions, the trip was perfect, and included a couple dozen good "yarns," some solid back-story, and serious ruminations about the state of the world which apply as easily to the present as the 1860s. In particular, the dialogue sparkled with a "Cowboy Shakespeare" style I found highly entertaining. The background of the story is "Bleeding Kansas," where the Civil War was fought guerrilla-style and, like fellow-Kansan McCall, I find the period fascinating.
