The Lonesome Gods
Summary
The story begins on a single wagon traveling alone from Santa Fe to Los Angeles. There we are introduced to the protagonist, Johannes Verne, who is about six years old when the story begins. He is traveling with his father with a small group of "Anglo" settlers from the States. His father is sick and is expected to shortly pass away. Subsequently, they are returning to family in California to find an established home for Johannes-- whom his father calls Hannes. Not surprisingly, the only family, his grandfather, holds enmity against Hannes and his father in regard to the latter eloping with his daughter.
Most of the characters that Hannes meets on this journey West enter the story again. But before the two of them can conclude the trek to Los Angeles, they take up an empty house near a Cahuilla tribal village secluded at a base of a mountain. From there, time begins to pass relatively to his experience similiar to chronicles. He begins to grow and learn. Soon his grandfather discovers their presence and sends men to kill them. They survive the first mob of vaqueros, but the second (rightfully attended by his grandfather himself) successfully murders Johannes father. The individual who shoots him is described in great detail and is encountered many times throughout the novel.
After his father's passing, Johannes goes through a long series of events leading up to and preparing for a confrontation with that same man. He spends much of his childhood with Native Americans before being called upon by Miss Nesselrode, who traveled with them West. There, he attends school. During this time an emphasis is made on the learning he does not only in school but from his experiences. This is also when he meets his love interest, Meghan. By adolescence, he is working as a cowboy breaking wild horses for Miss Nesselrode. He travels the desert and has a myriad of encounters with horse thieves, bandits, and thugs. He has several confrontations with his grandfather, whose land, we discover, will go to him unless a distant relative successfully murders him. He survives. But, altogether, really, he learns. He grows in experience and skill. It is essentially a proving ground to prepare him to meet the man who murdered his father. Finally, at the conclusion of the story, he does just that. Painted in a blatantly picturesque scene, he vengefully attains retribution with the death of 'the scarred man' with Meghan at his side.
Most of the characters that Hannes meets on this journey West enter the story again. But before the two of them can conclude the trek to Los Angeles, they take up an empty house near a Cahuilla tribal village secluded at a base of a mountain. From there, time begins to pass relatively to his experience similiar to chronicles. He begins to grow and learn. Soon his grandfather discovers their presence and sends men to kill them. They survive the first mob of vaqueros, but the second (rightfully attended by his grandfather himself) successfully murders Johannes father. The individual who shoots him is described in great detail and is encountered many times throughout the novel.
After his father's passing, Johannes goes through a long series of events leading up to and preparing for a confrontation with that same man. He spends much of his childhood with Native Americans before being called upon by Miss Nesselrode, who traveled with them West. There, he attends school. During this time an emphasis is made on the learning he does not only in school but from his experiences. This is also when he meets his love interest, Meghan. By adolescence, he is working as a cowboy breaking wild horses for Miss Nesselrode. He travels the desert and has a myriad of encounters with horse thieves, bandits, and thugs. He has several confrontations with his grandfather, whose land, we discover, will go to him unless a distant relative successfully murders him. He survives. But, altogether, really, he learns. He grows in experience and skill. It is essentially a proving ground to prepare him to meet the man who murdered his father. Finally, at the conclusion of the story, he does just that. Painted in a blatantly picturesque scene, he vengefully attains retribution with the death of 'the scarred man' with Meghan at his side.