π·πππππ π€ππ‘β ππππ£ππ . Michael Blake. 1988.
Revisionist Western and historical fiction told primarily from the perspective of indigenous characters. The story is about a forgotten US soldier on the frontier who is befriended by a Comanche tribe and eventually adopts their way of life.
Originally written as a screenplay, Kevin Costner convinced Michael Blake to rewrite it and publish it as a novel. It was rewritten, picked up by a publisher, and released with little fanfare. It became a bestseller only after π·πππππ π€ππ‘β ππππ£ππ won Best Picture in 1990.
The novel is interesting for a number of reasons, but its craft is certainly not one of them. The fact that it is a converted screenplay is immediately obvious. It lacks many of the common attributes of a novel.
What makes this novel Western revisionist is also what makes it controversial. On one hand, it is sympathetic to indigenous people. On the other, it romanticizes and sentimentalizes.
Some have also labeled this story as tainted by a white saviour trope. While I understand the point these critics are making, I donβt think their argument is ultimately valid. The fact that it is the Comanche who βsaveβ the white protagonistβnot the reverseβis enough to convince that, of this charge, Blake is not guilty.