Indian Country Noir Audiobook By Liz Martínez - editor, Sarah Cortez - editor cover art

Indian Country Noir

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Indian Country Noir

By: Liz Martínez - editor, Sarah Cortez - editor
Narrated by: Christian Rummel, Victor Bevine, Scott Aiello, Vikas Adam, Cheech Marin
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Step into Indian Country. Enter the dark welter of troubled history throughout the Americas, where the heritage of violence meets the ferocity of intent. Features brand-new stories by: Mistina Bates, Jean Rae Baxter, Lawrence Block, Joseph Bruchac, David Cole, Reed Farrel Coleman, O'Neil De Noux, A.A. Hedge Coke, Gerard Houarner, Liz Martnez, R. Narvaez, Kimberly Roppolo, Leonard Schonberg, and Melissa Yi.

Sarah Cortez, a law enforcement officer, is the award-winning author of the poetry collection How to Undress a Cop. She brings her heritage as a Tejana with Mexican, French, Comanche, and Spanish blood to the written page. Liz Martnez's stories have appeared in Manhattan Noir, Queens Noir, and Cop Tales 2000. She is a member of Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers, and she lives in New York.

©2010 Akashic Books (P)2014 Audible Inc. Anthologies & Short Stories Native American Crime Fiction Anthologies Crime New York Fiction Mystery
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If you're expecting traditional story telling, that is to say, a beginning, a middle and an end, you're not going to find it here. Perhaps I'm not familiar with the Native American storytelling style, but many in this collection simply ended abruptly, without resolution, seemingly mid-thought. Hopelessness and despair is a running theme. Just not for me, I guess. Can't recommend it.

Interesting, but...

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This book was interesting. Some of the performances are great. The stories are organized by the Four Directions, something that I did not realize or understand when I first listened to this book. Part I: East, Part II: South, Part III: West, Part IV: North. For me, the East stories were not as relatable as the others were. Many of the stories are strong and some of them do carry a thread of Noir elements. Some of the stories really stayed with me and I would recommend this to short story fans.

State of Mind, Spirit, and Location

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The book is divided into 4 parts, categorized geographically. Some are better than others, but overall an interesting listen.

East
Helper - Joseph Bruchac
Osprey Lake - Jean Rae Baxter
Dead Medicine Snake Woman - Gerard Houarner
Indian Time - Melissa Yi

South
On Drowning Pond - A.A. Hedge Coke
Daddy’s Girl - Mishina Bates
The Raven and the Wolf - O’Neil De Noux
Juracán - R. Narvaez

West
JaneJohnDoe.com - David Cole
Lame Elk - Leonard Schonberg
Another Role - Reed Farrel Coleman

North
Getting Lucky - Lawrence Block
Prowling Wolves - Liz Martinez
Quilt Like a Night Sky - Kimberly Roppolo


For me, Helper, Osprey Lake and The Raven and the Wolf stood out as the strongest efforts. Dead Medicine Snake Woman had moments but was the most overtly "noirish" in style, and suffered for it a bit, I'm afraid, straining for garish similes. Getting Lucky may have been good but for an overly florid presentation by the narrator.

Well worth a listen

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