The Platte River Waltz, Chapters 1-4 - Kindle Fiction

The Platte River Waltz, Chapters 1-4 
by Ken Consaul

Set in a panorama of the American West as its portrait is first being painted, The Platte River Waltz is the initial stroke in the unfolding of Josh Bonner’s tale. In 1848, only seventeen years old, on the Oregon Trail and suddenly orphaned, Josh begins a journey through the unsettled frontier of a wild continent. Just making first acquaintance with manhood, he quickly finds his future linked to Elizabeth Hampton, a coquette from his old hometown. Together they resolve to venture into an uncertain and dangerous future. Accompanied by Jubilee, an escaped slave, Josh and Elizabeth join a wagon train of Missouri emigrants led by a voyageur scout and a town constable turned captain. The couple commences a lusty exploration of the lands they pass and of each other.

The scout is the first to recognize the mettle of Josh Bonner, taking the novitiate under his wing. Others in the party, a missionary couple, an adventurous sawbones, and a clan of farmers, quickly recognize the newcomers as a formidable alliance that drives the expedition across the wild prairie. The land, the weather, and human frailty threaten, but cannot daunt their resolve. Populated with compelling characters, colorful dialog, intriguing subplots, and thrilling encounters, The Platte River Waltz explores a period of American history largely bypassed by contemporary historical fiction.

This first installment contains the initial chapters and introduces the characters, settings, and style of the overall work painting them into the backdrop of the western plains at the commencement of the great migration from the civilized East.
AT THE SUGGESTION OF READERS, ‘Bonner’s Road West, the serialized version, has been consolidated into two volumes and a sample. The book has also been graced with a new title, ‘The Platte River Waltz’.


Please note the language and vernacular of the mid-1800s is used throughout and some references might be considered offensive but is incorporated for historical fidelity. The content is for the mature reader, not recommended for children.

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