Shadow on the Sun

On the eve of a peace treaty between an Apache tribe and the US, a pair of young men are brutally murdered. The one honest Indian Agent in the whole world sets out to make sure the Indians don't get blamed for what turns out to be a nasty monster out of ancient myth.

There's a lot of pleasure to be gotten from Matheson's sheer sraft and his facility with genre conventions. The story rips along with an economy of pace and scene that's pure pulp married to cinema, and the treatment of the Indians is progressive for the time - we still get a white saviour, though.

My reactions to reading this novel in 1995. Spoilers follow.

This is probably one of the best fantastic Western stories I’ve read in that the supernatural/fantastic element is central to the story (unlike Roger Zelazny’s and Gerald Hausman’s Wilderness) and in that it seemed to evoke the feeling of the real West (unlike S. P. Somtow’s Moon Dance which seemed more a modern rumination on child abuse and multiple personalities than an historical novel).

The son of Vandaih and offspring of a union between a white woman and an eagle (I haven’t been able to verify if Apache mythology has any such story) was a suitable supernatural nemesis and were-creatures (an eagle) of great violence and power. Matheson told a suspenseful tale show more involving the selfish Apache shaman Night Doctor, banished from his tribe for “tampering”, Professor Dodge, mysteriously sought by Vandaih’s son, honorable Indian agent Billjohn Finley who truly cares for his Apache charges and the fate of all Indians, and callow, arrogant young bureaucrat David Bontelle who learns there is more to the world and cosmos than he suspects. Finley in particular is a well-done character. Not only is he brave but he has a passion and anger in him that he controls when dealing with Bontelle and others so that he can serve the Apaches best. Matheson knows just when to shift points of view to create mystery and suspense, and it doesn’t seem like he’s cheating when he does so. That’s a problem less skilled writers have. Matheson’s prose reminded me very much of Algis Budrys’: both are lean, precise, not given to ornamentation. show less

(2025) slow burn but a quick read. The “monster” wasn’t really revealed until close to the end and was destroyed a little fast, however, that’s to be expected in such a short book. Liked the writing style, it was descriptive but not overly so, just enough to get the point across.

Very dark, but done in Matheson's typically gritty style. An interesting take.

A rather disappointing read with shallow characters and a storyline that might have been more suited to a young adult’s first foray into the horror genre.

A treaty has been agreed with the Apache Indians and the frontier province of Picture City. Unfortunately no sooner is the treaty signed than the bodies of two mutilated white men is discovered and you can guess who those rootin tootin cowboys want to blame!! Into this mix strolls the Night Doctor a quiet dark stranger/demon with a rather odd deep scar around his neck. The race is on for our hero, and local Indian agent, Billjohn Finlay (named this way because his mum and dad could not decide which name they preferred....yawn...yawn..) and his trusty sidekick Boutelle to “out” show more the nasty stranger/demon and bring love and peace to the pretty province of Picture City....can you stand the excitement!!

By anyone’s standards this is a poorly written story. The content is shallow, both the characters and storyline is instantly forgettable and the conclusion very unsatisfactory. I gave the story two stars as I have great respect for the author and I rate “I am legend” as an all time classic. It is such a pity that Richard Matheson has to put his signature to such dross which Shadow on the Sun surely is..... show less

I found it a bit hard to stay engaged with this book, maybe because of the Wild West setting. It's an interesting story, but there aren't many unseen twists. Not his best work, but an okay read.

Great read. Gave me a Dark Tower vibe. One of the few books that have managed to give me goosebumps.