Boy Made of Dawn (A Navajo Nation Mystery Book 2)

A lovely title, very evocative. This is the second book by R.Allen Chappell, and the stories are engorssing, the characters are very well written. He is in a class with Tony Hillerman, and that is saying a great deal. I impatiently await the next installment -- I hope you are busily writing it, Mr. Chappell.
The two books are a great read, and be sure to read them in order so you don't miss anything!

Loved this book. It had a very intricate plot and I love trying to think the way this culture or person thinks. Not so demanding that I couldn't get other things done. It builds respect for the American Indian culture.

I read this two days after reading the first book "Navaho Autumn". I couldn't put either of them down until I was finished reading them. It was interesting to see how the old traditions were sometimes bridged by the new culture. I was happy to read that there will be a third book, completing the trilogy.

I love stories about the 4 corners and the geology and mystery of that area. It is so interesting to learn about the differences in culture between the Indian tribes and the long memory that each can have about slights in the past. The characters are likable and real and the story was griping and I loved the first chapter that grabbed me and took me into the book wondering what and why and how things would work out.

The story telling reminds me of Tony Hillerman, a reverence for the Navajo people, their beliefs and how they live in the modern world. This is the first book I have read in the trilogy, although the afterward says it is the second. It would be appreciated that future offerings listed all works and when written, to be able to follow the storyline.

Like "Navaho Autumn", "Boy Made of Dawn" is a good read, especially if you miss hanging out in Tony Hillerman country. The stories keep one interested, but also at time the writing itself is pure pleasure to read. Please keep it up, Mr. Chappell !

The characters were believable and some were even lovable. The author does a wonderful job with sense of place and pacing. I would recommend this book to anyone fascinated with the desert southwest and the Navajo culture.
I gave it 5 stars because Mr. Chappell is one smooth storyteller whose characters I can't stop thinking about even when I have moved on to other books. I just wish his books were longer and there were more of them.
So when is the next Charlie Yazzie and Thomas Begay book coming out?

Well written, tight story line. Endearing, believable characters. Plenty of humor mixed in with lots of Navajo lore. Reminds me a lot of Tony Hillerman, now deceased. So am very glad I have discovered Chappell.

This novel(ette) is generally a pleasant reading experience. The characters are interesting, with the old Navajo father and the young boy Caleb the most intriguing, and the setting is wonderfully described. It's another book, like many of Tony Hillerman's, which allows the reader to follow the events using a good road map of the Four Corners area. That's always fun. However, this could have been a much better book if the plot as well as the overall development of the characters had been given more attention. For instance, Charlie and Sue seemed more like whites to me. I did not get a sense of their being Navajo as I did with most of the other key characters. Lucy, her father, Thomas, young Caleb, and Thomas's uncle are undoubtedly Navajo and fascinating. I also wish more attention had been given to the neighboring white woman who seemed like an honest, unusual, and tough survivor. The villainous uncle, who started out as a believable although questionable character, became almost a stereotype. As for Fish, well, that was a shocking conclusion, totally unexpected although the reader could guess he had problems. He also needed to be fleshed out to be truly believable. Chappell has wonderful characters to work with and should give them wings, so to speak. He also has an unsurpassable setting. Now he just needs to work on his plots and try to write a full novel. And, alas, he should also pay close attention to punctuation. The missing periods at the ends of sentences, the missing apostrophes or the incorrect use of them (it's for its, for example) become annoying, frustrating and certainly distracting. I thought the novel made for a pleasant experience but do think far more could have been made of it. Perhaps the next novel?

A great continuation of Thomas and Charlie. I love the nice clean lines to these stories and look forward to the continuation of the saga. Charlie has learned to handle his gun in this one. The tongue in cheek humor in the story is a joy to read. Highly recommend these novels. The Tribes are a good back drop. Mr. Chappell knows his stuff!

The reviews said this was very much like Tony Hillerman and I really do like his books. I still think I prefer Tony Hillerman but I did like this book which was a continuation of Navajo Autumn. I believe I will like the series and will buy others.

excellent, fast read, with an "authentic" feel to the narrative. for those of us who are more accustomed to the grittier, mean city streets kind of crime novel this book, like Hillerman's, makes a refreshing change of place and pace.

Excellent book. I love the four corner area and my son married a girl from there. I love all the history I can share with my grandchildren from books like yours. It also helps me understand Navajo behavior and traditions much better which is a good thing.

I enjoyed this followup to Navajo Autumn. I like the stories using the Navajo environment and people. This was also a good thriller. The climax Chappell writes is often less detailed than some, and I like that also.

R. Allen Chappell is my new favorite mystery writer for stories woven around the Navajo and Native American culture. Set in the stark, rugged Four Corners area, the stories come alive with characters I want to know personally (or am glad I don't). There are chuckles and tears along with a plot that keeps me guessing. An easy read, not terribly complicated, yet peppered with the complexities of a culture caught between two worlds, two centuries, and a fascinating, sometimes superstitious spiritual life that reaches far back in time. I am working my way through his Navajo Nation series far too fast for my budget!

Follow up to Navajo Summer. This story ties up the loose ends of previous novel which I thought had ended too abruptly.
I like all the info the author gives on the UTE Indians, and the contrasts of cultures with the Navajo. The story entices you in
quickly and it is a fast read because you can't put book down.

R. Allen Chappell is my new favorite mystery writer for stories woven around the Navajo and Native American culture. Set in the stark, rugged Four Corners area, the stories come alive with characters I want to know personally (or am glad I don't). There are chuckles and tears along with a plot that keeps me guessing. An easy read, not terribly complicated, yet peppered with the complexities of a culture caught between two worlds, two centuries, and a fascinating, sometimes superstitious spiritual life that reaches far back in time. I am working my way through his Navajo Nation series far too fast for my budget!

Follow up to Navajo Summer. This story ties up the loose ends of previous novel which I thought had ended too abruptly.
I like all the info the author gives on the UTE Indians, and the contrasts of cultures with the Navajo. The story entices you in
quickly and it is a fast read because you can't put book down.

This is a book, much like Tony Hillerman's, which brings to life the land and culture of the Dine. One can picture the hogans, the land and relationships of the people. Once I started reading it, it was difficult to put down.

Well another good book like the Hillerman books. In this one, Charlie and Thomas finish what was started in the first book, and get their families together. New people ate introduced. I hope there will be other stories with these characters.

I like the characters in these books and there is a spot of humor in them, as well. He weaves the Navajo traditions into the stories pretty well and gives insight into the lives of these people and how they have lived.

Tony Hillerman would be proud of this author. After reading the first book in this series I immediately read this one. The character s quickly became my friends and I was eager to read about them. I hope that Mr Chappell will continue this series.

If you like Tony Hillerman or Margaret Coel you will like this. It will be interesting how the characters develop in future books. Easy to follow. It was great having the glossary in the back. I may have changed some. of the wording slightly, but it was a good mystery.

Since reading all the Longmire books on my kindle, I wanted another western story. This came up and I really like Chappell's storytelling. Great mystery - subtle - blended with cultural information about life amongst modern Navajos.

This is an enjoyable read for a rainy afternoon. The book is well written, with interesting characters. But it seemed to me there was a little something lacking as far as the plot was concerned. If you like not knowing "whodunit" or why until the end of a book, this is probably not the book for you.

This author's writing just improves by leaps & bounds. Book 2 much more in depth than the first. I'll love following this author's progress. Love finding a new upcoming writer with skill that keeps getting better. I've been so disappointed with some writers' lack of progress when book six is exactly like book one. Boring!

I've long had an interest in stories about Indians, but it's been awhile since I've taken time to read about them again. Needless to say, this one has been filled with intrigue and a good bit of sadness. However, Chappell's story captured my interest right away, and I couldn't stop reading. Obviously, he is very knowledgeable about his subject, and I will most likely continue to read more of his work. If you have an interest in the subject, I encourage you to join me.