Rating: 
Summary: Not the strongest of an otherwise strong series
Review: In the previous Jim Chee/Joe Leaphorn mystery, I sensed series fatigue and thought I would let go, but there was HUNTING BADGER and I thought well, one more time for old times' sake. Unfortunately, except for a strong portrayal of Chee and witty commentary on the FBI, this is tired. Female characters were never Hillerman's strong suit, but here they are mere shadows. There is no clear idea of just who the bad guys are, their characters and motives, though one is obvious almost from the beginning. Leaphorn does express chagrin that he did not see it coming and well he should. Perhaps it was intentional on Hillerman's behalf to build up the idea of Ironman, to comment on the power of legend in contemporary reality, but just letting that story line drop seems like a hurried rush to make deadline. There was another moment, an accident with gender pronouns, a his where there should have clearly been a her, that is yet more evidence of the sad lack of genuine editing skill in the publishing industry today. That said, this book does have Jim Chee, Joe Leaphorn and the remarkable landscape they inhabit, as well as Hillerman's swift, direct sentences. If someone has not previously read a book in this series, I highly recommend beginning with A THIEF OF TIME or TALKING GOD, to get a sense of its true power.
Rating: 
Summary: another wonderful trip to navajo country
Review: I caught up on the last four books in this series over the last two weeks, and I am now so sorry that I don't have any more Chee/Leaphorn mysteries to read. It is interesting seeing how Chee has moved to the center of the series, while Leaphorn intially provided the focus. But the books wouldn't be nearly as enjoyable without either of them. The mystery in this book is typical Hillerman--suspenseful, atmospheric, puzzling, interesting. You really worry about the Navajo detectives as they hunt their dangerous quarry over the desolate terrain, miles from any possible assistance. And I have to express my appreciation for the emergence of a wonderful new character, Officer Bernie Maneulito, a traditional Navajo and Jim Chee's possible new love interest. What a charmer. This is one of the best books in the series, I believe--certainly the relationship between Chee and Leaphorn is presented more warmly and clearly than in any of the previous volumes.
Rating: 
Summary: Hillerman is still the master of mystery
Review: This isn't his best effort but it is still Hillerman and therefor it is still worth the read. As always, Hillerman makes the Indian country come alive and for those of us who love wide open spaces, we come to his novels for a vacation from our everyday lives.
Rating:
Summary: Still wonderful after all these years...
Review: I find Tony Hillerman so relaxing. His descriptions of the desert this time were not as breath-taking, but they worked. I hear there's a map of sites mentioned in his novels. Some of these descriptions seemed written with the map in mind.Of course, the Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn continuing affairs of the heart are fun. I mentioned to a friend that I had just finished the new Tony Hillerman. "Is Jim Chee still in love with the school teacher?" No. Now it's a fellow (sister?) police officer. The lawyer is definitely out. Then there's always something worth reflecting on - and this time it's on page 134, in a conversation with his uncle. While standing in a street, where a Navaho drunk is lying in the gutter, the two men watch as a white Lincoln Town Car driven by a Navaho glides by. "Which one acts like he has no relatives?" It is followed by a discussion on healing. "To cure them, you must make them believe. You must believe so strongly that they feel it." This reminds me of Parker Palmer, in the introduction to his book on teaching. He says, more or less, that we teach who we are. It seems that Tony Hillerman is saying the same thing about healing.
Rating:
Summary: Hillerman's Characters and Plot Evolve in Interesting Ways
Review: This book has many appealing features. The usual reservation context is there, built up from a mixture of magic, myth, vistas, and cultural conflicts. My favorite characters in the series all have pretty good sized roles, including Joe Leaphorn, Jim Chee, Cowboy Dashee, and Bernie Manuelito. The mystery has lots of misdirection, but not so much that you can't separate the red herrings from the real clues. The context between the reservation and nonreservation worlds becomes richer. And finally, the characters develop new depth and expand their relationships in significant ways. The plot also has some twists in it that are different from other Hillerman novels. I particularly like balance in my novels, and this one is the most balanced I remember in the series. Almost all of the elements that could be touched on are, and they add to the enjoyment of the story and the reader's connection to the characters. The book opens with a violent crime in which three criminals working in close coordination hijack the Ute Casino's winnings. One security officer is killed, and another is seriously wounded. Soon, the FBI's theory is that the crooks are long gone, due to the disappearance of a small plane. Joe Leaphorn's retired, and Jim Chee's on vacation. Yet, soon they are at the point in tracking down the criminals. As usual, their superior knowledge and openmindedness about what they hear allow them to draw conclusions that occur to no one else. Where else are those who should know the most ignored? Find those people and listen to them. You may well have a Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee available to help you. Anyone who is a Tony Hillerman fan will have lots of fun with this one!
Rating: 
Summary: Where's the finish!
Review: I enjoy Hillerman. I like the weaving of cultural information into fine mysteries. But what was he thinking with Hunting Badger? That no one would notice that he shipped the book to his publisher without completing it? It was the most frustrating Hillerman book I've read. HE NEVER FINISHED THE BOOK. ALL KINDS OF STORY LINES ARE LEFT HANGING. The writing style is classic Hillerman, and wonderfully entertaining, but you expect a story to have an ending! It was interesting that in the promo for his memoir (the publisher should have used the pages completing the story), he refers to a book he wrote that had an inadequate ending. He quotes the publisher telling him "we want to publish it if you can write a better last chapter." In Hunting Badger, Hillerman should have had as good a publisher.
Rating: 
Summary: Soft cover incomplete?
Review: This is not actually a review; its a question. I have Harper Torch soft cover edition. On page 318 the story just ends without tellin the reader what happened to the Badger aka Ironhand. Am I missing something here? If there is another reader who can set me straight, I'd be grateful. My copy just seems to end and then there is a promo for Hillerman's Memoir.
Rating:
Summary: Another Hillerman Success
Review: Hunting Badger is a worthy addition to Hillerman's already strong collection of mysteries. Although at the beginning of the book the mystery doesn't seem to be terribly mysterious, the plot twists a few times and is very satisfying by the end. But superceding the plot, and for the first time superceding the Navajo culture, is the character development of the two heros, Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn. It is high praise indeed that we care more about the characters than about the outcome of the manhunt. It is such a pleasure to follow series characters that progress through life in a realistic way, and Chee and Leaphorn have done so under Hillerman's direction quite admirably. If you've not read Hillerman before this is not the novel to start with, but I highly recommend all the Hillerman stories with these two characters and this is a fine addition to the series.
Rating:
Summary: Not Hillerman's Best
Review: I am a huge fan of Tony Hillerman's novels, and this one isn't up to par. It lacks the depth and evocative descriptions of Navajo belief, lore and countryside of some of his other novels. The story is rushed and spends way too much time referring to an older manhunt. Chee and Leaphorn are always a pleasure to visit, but if you're looking for Hillerman at his best, try "Coyote Waits," "People of Darkness," or any of the others.
Rating:
Summary: Hillerman Hits Another Bull's Eye
Review: Tony Hillerman, the prolific author of the Leaphorn/Chee series, hits another bull's eye with Hunting Badger. I believe this novel is one of his strongest in recent years. As always, Hillerman captures the essence of the multicultural American Southwest with its ongoing blending of cultures. He also presents the cultural depth of the indigenous cultures that reach back to before recorded history. The plot involves the robbery of a tribal casino and the events that stem from that crime. The legendary Joe Leaphorn, bored in retirement, is drawn into the investigation as Jim Chee finds himself involved in investigating the case. All the expected characters appear in the novel, and Hillerman does an excellent job of allowing these characters to continue to grow even after so many books stretching over so many years. Leaphorn is adjusting to his new life, sans his job and his late wife. Chee is putting his latest romantic disappointment behind him. Both men are experiencing fresh romances in their lives, and their friendship begins to reach new levels. As he allows character, plot, and theme to play out, Hillerman tells a fabulous story. Hunting Badger should not be missed. It is one of Tony Hillerman's finest.
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