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Black Hills: A Novel
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Black Hills: A Novel
Unavailable
Black Hills: A Novel
Audiobook20 hours

Black Hills: A Novel

Written by Dan Simmons

Narrated by Michael McConnohie and Erik Davies

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

Paha Sapa, a young Sioux warrior, first encounters General George Armstrong Custer as Custer lies dying on the battlefield at Little Bighorn. He believes--as do the holy men of his tribe--that the legendary general's ghost entered him at that moment and will remain with him until Sapa convinces him to leave.

In BLACK HILLS, Dan Simmons weaves the stories of Paha Sapa and Custer together seamlessly, depicting a violent and tumultuous time in the history of Native Americans and the United States Army. Haunted by the voice of the general his people called "Long Hair," Paha Sapa lives a long life, driven by a dramatic vision he experiences in the Black Hills that are his tribe's homeland. As an explosives worker on the massive Mount Rushmore project, he may finally be rid of his ghosts--on the very day FDR comes to South Dakota to dedicate the Jefferson face.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateFeb 24, 2010
ISBN9781600247873
Unavailable
Black Hills: A Novel
Author

Dan Simmons

Dan Simmons is the Hugo Award-winning author of Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion, and their sequels, Endymion and The Rise of Endymion. He has written the critically acclaimed suspense novels Darwin's Blade and The Crook Factory, as well as other highly respected works, including Summer of Night and its sequel A Winter Haunting, Song of Kali, Carrion Comfort, and Worlds Enough & Time. Simmons makes his home in Colorado.

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Reviews for Black Hills

Rating: 3.6697870855614974 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

374 ratings35 reviews

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This was a run of the mill Nora Roberts, with the same old kind of banter between hero and heroine, smooth, witty and not without the odd tantrum.That stated, the build up towards the climax was tense and had me hooked till the end.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Not thrilled with this one. Roberts last few "summer hardcovers" - the romance/thrillers feel very formulaic; I felt like I could insert the characters from "High Noon" (or even the Blood Brothers trilogy, perhaps even the Chesapeake series) into this one and you'd have the same basic book. Tough, independent yet wounded female heroine, tough yet tender male hero, everyone's got baggage, you're supposed to feel bad for the female and just want her to Give In and Be Saved but I'm just not feeling it after fifteen years of reading Roberts. (The Bridal Quartet, on the other hand, is fabulous.)
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Nora Roberts books are like reality television, I know I'm not going to like most of it and wish I had done something more productive with my time and yet I read her anyway.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Having grown up in the Black Hills kind of ruined some of my enjoyment. Though I think NR handled certain aspects of it well, overall I was unimpressed with her knowledge. Mostly little things bothered me, things people unfamiliar with the area wouldn't understand.

    The suspense was done well (as it usually is with her) and I really enjoyed the relationships between the characters. The choices the hero made when he was younger bothered me, but I was able to move past it (eventually) and enjoy the romance.

    Overall not a bad book, but not the best I've read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Good story line. The setting is great.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    It looks like 2009 is the year Nora Roberts's writing started to go wrong for me. It's like the spark has gone out of her writing, as if her heart is not entirely in it anymore. Also too much research went into the books from here on and not enough thought into the relationships. Luckily, the protagonists in this book still have some problems to solve between them, so I did enjoy this. But some of the background information was presented awkwardly IMO, the writing seemed forced, especially at the start of the book.
    Somewhere between 3 and 4 stars, so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    an interesting read, the supernatural elements all seeming very matter of fact and the story flowed. You got to find out about Paha Sapa from his childhood, through to his descendants, you got a sense of place, both in the Indian days and in the 30's America days. It all felt a bit dreamlike, I can't say that I really know why Paha Sapa set his goal to be the blowing up of the Rushmore heads or (spolier alert) why he failed to do so in the end, but the story was intersting nevertheless.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I’m not sure what happened with these reviews. They seem to be for a book from Nora Roberts that was set in the Black Hills, but the book info above the comments was actually for a book called Black Hills from Dan Simmons! I’m not sure if people either didn’t read this book or the reviews got misplaced somehow. I didn’t actually read either book, just wanted to point out the mistake.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I wasn't really expecting much from this book, and that's mostly what I got. I ventured outside my usual preferred genres because I am a Black Hills resident, and wondered what Roberts would do with my home. To her credit, she certainly did her research, and I can't find anything in her setting to pick on (except that locals really don't use the word "cougar" - they're mountain lions when we talk about them).

    The story was unexciting and could have been half as long. The following is a rough summary of the middle 15 chapters:

    Coop: Look, I came back for you.
    Lil: But you broke my heart and I don't want you back.
    Coop: But some crazy guy is trying to kill you and I must protect you.
    Lil: I don't need to be protected.
    Coop: You don't get a vote.
    Lil: Oh, okay.
    (Sex)

    It was just silly. And the bad guy was a rather unfortunate caricature. I'm afraid the book isn't left with much to recommend it.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I tried reading a few months ago, but couldn't get into it. Reread it and really enjoyed it. Animal sanctuary owner? Nora, you're going to run out of careers for your protagonists.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    I was lookin’ for gold in them thar hills — but all I found was pyrite. After a brisk start, Black Hills flounders without a story problem. Initially reminiscent of the coming-of-age genre, it morphs into a murder mystery, but lacks the quality of suspects that make a good whodunit. The motive is implausible: Who can really object to a refuge for discarded exotic pets? There’s no conflict between the leading characters — only a circular argument about their relationship. After they fall into bed the fight should be over, but they just keep banging on about it.
    Character development is weak. As juveniles, the protagonists are a precocious nine-year-old and a potty-mouthed eleven-year-old who, unbelievably, doesn’t want to go west and play with horses all summer. After everybody grows up, Roberts puts too much back story and job-related exposition into the mouths of her characters: If they’re all expert professionals, why do they have to explain everything to each other? Late in the story there’s a new viewpoint character — the villain — whose ruminations give away the suspense. And he’s inconsistently evil: He gleefully commits several gruesome murders and threatens another character with mutilation, but fails to make good on his threat. Moreover, the heredity of this delusional psychotic slanders a particular ethnic group.
    Roberts tries to flog the reader’s flagging interest with frequent graphic intimacy, and halfway through the book it’s obvious how the bad guy’s gonna get his comeuppance. Pack your mule and keep prospectin’, stranger — no mother lode here.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I read everything Nora writes. This one really leaves a lot to be desired. I got it on Kindle the day it came out...and I just finished it today. That tells me more than anything else. The time elapsed was MONTHS. I usually finish in ONE DAY.

    Will I keep reading everything she writes? Heck yes. Did I like this one? Not really.

    I liked Coop as a character. Hated the names Lil and Farley, got sick of descriptions of Ethan's motivation for killing, and thought the ending was rather cliche.

  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I couldn't finish this.I was reading along, thinking, "How the HELL can she be writing a book about South Dakota and the Black Hills and not have Lakota in here?" I didn't have long to wait: the noble white people, out to save the wildlife of the planet, are being murdered by a Native American with excellent tracking and hunting skills. Yep. But that's okay, because he's crazy.DISGUSTED. Just disgusted. There's a black female character in the book who's dating a white guy. I didn't finish, but I bet at least one of that pair gets killed off.Really? Really?

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Black Hills
    4 Stars

    Synopsis:
    While visiting his grandparents on a ranch in North Dakota, Cooper Sullivan meets Lily Chance and they begin a friendship that develops into romance years later. After circumstances drive them apart, Lil fulfills her childhood dream of establishing a refuge for large cats and Coop becomes a detective and then a PI. Now, Coop has returned and they rekindle their romance. However, their path is not without obstacles for they must get past Lil’s trust issues as well as the threat of a serial killer who has decided to make Lil his next victim.

    Review:
    The backstory regarding the animal refuge and the large cats is very enjoyable as are the descriptions of the scenery. While the book begins very well, I found that the middle dragged on a bit until the build-up of tension at the very end. While I did like the main characters and the development of their relationship, I felt that Lil’s trust issues were a bit unfounded and did not warrant her coldness toward Coop.
    Farley is definitely my favorite character in the book. His loyalty, honesty and ability to love despite the circumstances of his upbringing make him one of the best characters Nora has ever written.
    Recommendation: A enjoyable read overall and I recommend it to Nora fans without hesitation.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    As I think I've mentioned recently, I've been reading a lot of Nora Roberts lately and have definitely found that I like the full-length, standalone novels better than the straight and shorter romances. This falls in the latter category and is definitely one that made me come to that conclusion. Like some other Roberts novels, this one starts out with the two main characters (Lil and Cooper) as kids, 9 and 11 to be specific. She builds their story gradually and believably, and she does so while expertly laying a foundation of strong family connections on both parts. When we finally get to present-day, Lil and Cooper have of course become estranged, but are now back in each other's lives. In what I've read of her, Roberts seems to have certain patterns, and this falls under the one where they'd been deeply connected, the ties broke, then they reconnect and the male lead (Cooper, in this case) is adamant that they'll be partnering up again whereas the female lead (Lil) is resistant. Other reviewers have indicated that they found Cooper to be too assertive and not very appealing; I didn't find that to be the case at all. I liked him, and I thought that, though adamant, he was entirely respectful of where she was coming from. I enjoyed the way they came back together (also part of the pattern) and I thought it was true to the characters and the story. My only real issue with this book came towards the end. At a certain point, the whole suspense story arc stopped working for me. I just didn't buy it in the way I've bought into other Roberts story lines; it didn't feel quite as cohesive. (Thus the 3.5 rather than 4 stars.) Several of the chapters just made me think, "Huh??" But once I decided to just suspend my disbelief and go with the writing, I was a lot happier. The only other complaint I had was that, after brilliantly building the suspense for a couple hundred pages, the final scene(s) between Lil, Cooper, and Lil's stalker were a bit of a let-down. I would have liked a little bit more of a one-on-one(-on-one?) chase to fully play out the tease. All in all, however, this is one that I'll probably come back to when I'm in the mood for a good, solid, romance with a cowboy thrown in.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Coop and Lil were childhood sweethearts, but their paths diverged. Coop became a cop, then private investigator, and Lil realized her dream of founding a wildlife refuge on her parents land. When Coop's grandfather takes a fall and breaks his leg, Coop comes back to help out. He and Lil have a lot to work out, which is complicated by the fact that a psycho serial killer is stalking her. I don't know why, but I was really emotionally connected to the characters in this book. Every time any of them went off by themselves, I was so scared for them, thinking something was going to happen to them. It's a testament to the skill of Nora Roberts that she can not only write romance with crackling chemistry, but also an extremely suspenseful mystery/thriller all at the same time. It's difficult to do both; usually one or the other suffers, but, again, Roberts is a champion at both. It makes me sad that this genre gets a bad rap, because writing this beautiful deserves to be more lauded.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The begining of the story was so unexpected that it took me a few chapters to gather my bearings. Not my favorite NR's novel, but still recommended for a rainy day.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    That first year Cooper Sullivan didn’t want to visit his grandparents in South Dakota. After an encounter with a big cat in the field, he started to enjoy his times there, year after year. Life had gotten in the way and he hadn’t been back for several years, so showing up surprised himself and his Black Hills best friend, Lil Chance. The hadn’t seen each other in so long but the feelings Lil had for him came rushing back as soon as she had seen him. Their lives had changed so much, she had finally started doing exactly what she had always wanted to do, working and owning a wildlife persevere in the Black Hills. He had been a cop, a private detective and now had returned to live with his grandparents and try his hand as a rancher. To be able to pick up where they left off was an impossible dream that neither of them were willing to hope for. A cross between a contemporary romance and a romantic suspense, simply put, another touching and action packed Nora Roberts novel. The chemistry between these two are felt a mile away from their first meeting but letting them travel their separate road before coming back to each other helped build the suspense. Not that it needed more of that. Really enjoyed the wildlife refuge and all it’s connected people, places and parts. The description of the country is almost like another character in this story, fabulous - makes me want to go see it for myself.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I enjoyed this story - a "Mills&Boon" on steroids as most of Robert's books are. A wonderful setting, richly described, interesting relationships between well drawn characters, an issue or two to think about, good supense and entertaining. Can't askk for much more from a light and easy read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Not great but not bad either. Probably perfect as a weekend/beach read. Characters and storyline are believable while reading but completely forgettable once finished.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Let me just start this review by saying that Nora Roberts amazes me time and time again. No matter how many of her books I read, and I've read most of them, each and every story is unique, well written, and majorly entertaining. I don't know how she does it!Now on to the review....I just finished reading "Black Hills" by Nora Roberts. I have read the book twice but this is the first time I have reviewed it. "Black Hills" follows Lillian Chance and Cooper Sullivan from early adolescents into adulthood. This book concentrates on the development and then loss of young love. "Black Hill" is richly peppered with love, both romantic and a love of wildlife.As Lil and Coop are reunited after years apart, a madman targets Lil and her wildlife preserve to wreak his havoc. While Lil is pushing Coop away, Coop is trying to keep her safe. Each and every plot twist in this story will keep you hooked. You will be sucked in and enjoy every last minute of it!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was a good book, the story started with the characters as children and then grew from there. I loved the romance and the description of the black hills and the people who live there. Great story.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I love reading Nora Roberts. Some of her books are fantastic and I could read and reread them. This ended up in the ok but not memorable pile. The childhoods of Lil and Cooper started out very sweet but took too long. Lil could have been a fascinating character but her silly bitterness got in the way. I liked the secondary story line of Farley and Tansy. The humor I love in her books came out there. The serial killer story line was very good and it finally picked up in the middle. I've read so many of her books that I love though, it doesn't matter. I'll just go on to the next one.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Lil and Coop were just children when they meet at a barbecue and bonded over tossing a baseball. They grew to be best friends during the summer Cooper lived at his grandparents farm until he had to go back east to his parents. The childhood crushes turn to teenage love when Cooper returns to South Dakota and to Lil eight years later. After giving everything to each other Coop leaves for college and its twelve years later. . . This is the one part of the book that really bothered me. I felt that the story was flowing smooth, the reader is getting the backgrounds of Lil and Cooper fairly well. Then the next thing you know, they are both adults, haven't spoken in twelve years and I just felt I missed a decent chunk of the story. I understand that's not the main focus but I still feel "unfulfilled" (for a lack of a better word(: ) by the book. There are so many unanswered questions!But anyways from there on to the end the story was amazing! A typical Nora. Lil's life, dedication, and work is being threatened by a man whom she had limited contact with before but he does not believe in her wildlife rescue. Then Coop comes to protect and make Lil fall back into love with him, which is no easy task after he mutilated Lil's heart twelve years before. The dynamics between Lil and Coop and the other well defined characters make an entertaining read (minus the confusing with the missing decade) and once I started I couldn't stop.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was alright, but not the best Nora Roberts I’ve read. Lil holds on to her broken heart a little too long to be truly likable. I wanted to tell her to just suck it up and get on with things, either forgive Coop or get off the pot. So to speak. The setting is good, and as always, Roberts does a great job of making a place come alive. I also liked the concept of the animal sanctuary. It’s nice to have a character with a job that’s a little out of the norm. We read about so many cops, investigators, lawyers, journalists, and ranchers. The formula here is a little different — we find out "whodunit" quite early on in the story — and I’m not sure how I feel about that. The bad guy’s reasons for doing what he’s doing seem a little forced, and I’m not sure it all holds together in the end. Still, Roberts manages to give us at least a few characters we care about, and an interesting climax.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is a great book and the first Nora Roberts book I have read. I am very much a paranormal/fantasy book type of girl but every now and then I want a good cowboy romance.This book had everything for me. sex scenes that were not over the top and left it up to me to fill in the blanks. It was an easy read and well I learn about big cats as well. Nora did a great job in having me feel the passion of the leads. and while I had a feeling I knew what was going to happen at the end I was happy it ended the way I wanted it to.Only thing I wish is that it went a little more into the wedding afterwards and life of the leads afterwards but I am always wanting more and that's a good thing.I will pick this book up again I know and I am thinking of sending it to my Aunt who is a huge Nora Roberts fan.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    As a Nora Roberts fan, I looked forward to this book and I was not disapointed. It's rich and entertaining, a nice blend of suspence and contemporary romance. Lil is the owner of a wild-life refuge who's heart and soul are dedicated to the protection and preservation of wild animals. Cooper is her first love, come back after ten years apart to win his way back into her life and her heart. Lil's life and occupation are threatened by a deranged killer with a grudge.The characters are well-fleshed out and compelling. We are given their basic histories, attitudes, flaws, etc--and I enjoyed learning about them. Lil was especially interesting--motivated, self-assured, and independent. She's an adventurer and a care-taker. Cooper is a strong match for her as a determined protector and lover. The romance between them is both realistic and sweet. Additionally, the cast of secondary characters add fun and depth to the story. Even the villian, a lone killer seeking imaginary revenge, is a well-written and complex character.The plot is admitedly slow in points, perhaps a bit predictable. It's the people and their thoughts and emotions that really take center stage, and I felt that was for the better. The inclusion of the animals and their stories also help to fill in the slower bits. Wild life lovers will really enjoy this book. Furthermore, fans of Nora Roberts, and romance in general, will find this story satisfying.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Lil and Cooper were once childhood sweethearts but have since gone their separate ways after college. Now, having spent over ten years in New York, Cooper is back home in South Dakota to help his grandparents. Lil has followed her dream of creating a wildlife refuge in the Black Hills. When a hiker is murdered and vandalism occurs at the refuge, Lil must ask Cooper for help. Will this rekindle their lost love? Another winner by the author with just enough suspense and action added to the romance to make this a quick, enjoyable read! The story grabs the reader on the very first page and keeps the reader engrossed until the very last page. Lil and Coop make a great couple. Highly recommend.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Very good but lengthy and repetitive in places.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Suspenseful romance that kept me turning pages. However, the female protagonist, Lil Chance, reminded me of Eve in the J.D. Robb in both her thinking and speaking patterns. Roberts has a tendency to deliberately drop a word off the end of a sentence where it is clear what they word would be. She does this in both female characters. I did like that there was a lot of family in this book. Too often, romantic novels have a lack of parents, grandparents, etc, so the protagonist seems alone in the world and lacks family connections. Roberts doesn't do that, at least, not in this novel.