Talking White Owl


Fiction - Thriller - Conspiracy
679 Pages
Reviewed on 05/22/2025
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Author Biography

I spent years working in other fields before trying my hand at writing, having studied filmmaking at Ohio State University and later veterinary technology at the University of Cincinnati. My husband and I raised our two daughters in Ohio and Illinois, then relocated to Arizona for my husband’s job. I taught in the local school district before retiring, writing Talking White Owl on the side.
Viktor Talking White Owl's background was undoubtedly shaped by the superhero comics I consumed as a kid in the late 50s and early 60s, with plots that incorporated parallel universes and secret organizations, including subjects from growing developments in science. Readers drawn to the topics of evolutionary biology and cybersecurity will hopefully find my characters' circumstances engaging. It should be noted that although Viktor's talents are exceptional, they are not supernatural.

    Book Review

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

Talking White Owl by Valerie Hagenbush is an expansive and powerful literary novel. Viktor Talking White Owl is a young Lakota man growing up near South Dakota’s Black Hills. Initially unaware of the deep and transformative history that surrounds him, Viktor comes of age under the watchful eyes of the Rawakota, a secretive Native nation whose influence spans from ancient traditions to modern-day political power. As Viktor matures, he uncovers the profound legacy of his mother, Constance Howling Wind, an Air Force pilot who helped shape a bold vision to reclaim Native sovereignty. Spanning generations and unfolding against the stark beauty of tribal lands, the novel examines the cost of progress, the burden of heritage, and what it means to belong. Viktor must ultimately face the question: Can he honor both his ambitions and his roots?

Author Valerie Hagenbush has a holistic sense to her storytelling, and this makes for a confident tale where history, identity, and suspense all fuel the central theme of cultural resilience naturally. A novel with such a specific message at its core could run the risk of becoming preachy, but the characters and the emotional drama of this tale make it so entertaining and engaging that you get lost in the multilayered narrative and vivid descriptions. This is a work that shines a light on contemporary Native experiences rarely explored in fiction, but makes reading feel like an exciting voyage of discovery into a new world. There is a compelling element of political intrigue that keeps things tense and suspenseful throughout. Questions lingered with me long after I’d set the book down because of its ambitious and emotive scope and soul, asking what we owe our ancestors and ourselves as we move into the future. Overall, I would certainly recommend Talking White Owl for fans of in-depth fiction that explores culture and representation in highly engaging and interesting ways.

Asher Syed

Talking White Owl by Valerie Hagenbush follows the titular character, Viktor Talking White Owl, a teenager raised near his tribal homeland who is wholly unaware of his deeper connection to political forces shaping the region’s future. As he grows into adulthood, he gradually uncovers the role his mother, a military pilot, played in a covert initiative tied to Indigenous sovereignty. Behind the scenes, the Rawakota, an Indigenous group long assumed to be gone, has spent decades embedding itself in powerful institutions, building the capability to counter global powers and recover land taken under false promises. As Viktor builds a life within mainstream society, he is drawn back to unresolved questions about cultural identity, self-determination, and inherited duty, forced to consider how his path intersects with a broader struggle for his people's future.

“A day of reckoning is inescapable, but it won't be Indians who are caught off-guard; the Rawakota will see to that.” Talking White Owl by Valerie Hagenbush is a fantastic novel that goes a long way in maintaining the delicate balance between powerful storytelling and ethical, cultural responsibility. Hagenbush offers a depiction of life on a reservation and the weight of generational trauma, systemic neglect, and identity conflict that comes along with it. The linking of past atrocities to modern analogies taps into a huge range of injustices, referencing MK-Ultra, government-sanctioned experiments, and abuses. The writing is tight, and while the book is lengthy, there's little that slows it down. Viktor is the clear protagonist, but I love the strong female representation, particularly Lt. Col. Howling Wind, whose proactive responses and critical leadership roles defy stereotypical gender roles, with rapid and capable mobilization. Overall, an excellent read. Very highly recommended.

Grant Leishman

Talking White Owl by Valerie Hagenbush is a modern-day thriller that sees Native Americans organizing to take back the world of their ancestors that was stolen by the arrival of Europeans. Wars, treaties, and endless lies have seen the once proud and self-sufficient tribes reduced to government handouts and an often meaningless existence on marginal land in remote reservations. Fifteen-year-old Viktor Talking White Owl is unaware of the future mapped out for him by his Air Force mother, Constance Howling Wind, and a long-forgotten Native American tribe. The Rawakota were thought to be assimilated into the Lakota tribe over a century earlier, but they had a plan. Viktor, gifted both academically and physically, will be the lynchpin of an audacious plan to reclaim the tribes’ long-lost lands. The Rawakota have infiltrated the highest levels of American politics, the military, and business. They have the power to defy anyone once their plan is put into operation. 

Talking White Owl is a monumental exposition of what makes Native American tradition, culture, and folklore important and compelling. Author Valerie Hagenbush has created a deeply likable and commanding character in Viktor Talking White Owl. I particularly appreciated the character’s self-effacing and humble demeanor and attitude. Viktor certainly is a stunningly talented young man, but he was also able to rise above his obvious talents and show empathy, compassion, and love for those less gifted or successful. I loved that the depth of this book allowed the author to fully explore Native American rituals, lifestyle, and their complete reverence for their ancestors. The story arcs revolving around Viktor's great-grandparents, their lives, and their deaths were deeply poignant and sad but equally triumphal. Although the theme is based around gaining back the land and dignity of their forebears, ultimately, this story is about family, love, and maintaining those deep historical connections no matter the current circumstances. It is clear that Talking White Owl’s story is far from complete, and I hope the author is working on the next book. I loved this solid, powerful read and highly recommend it.