Rating: 
Summary: Can there ever be justice?
Review: This is the first thing I've read by Spence.To my great surprise it is one of the best novels I've ever read.I won't try to write a precis of the book,but will try to show why I liked it so much.Being an engineer,I like to analyse things, to see how and why they work;therefore not too attracted to who-done-its,fantasy,science fiction,etc.My favorite writers are Steinbeck,Erskine Caldwell,MCMurtry etc. who describe how things were and what was behind it all.That is the kind of book this is.
I grew up in a small town about the same size as Twin Buffs and know that it is the deep seated ideas of people that control the events that take place;both good and bad.
Spence brings to this novel a lifetime of living and working in this part of the country and particularly his knowledge and experience with the justice system and how it affects the Native Peoples.I have read a lot of books dealing with crime and justice as well as many about the people who have been pushed aside in society,but none that get to the root of these problems like Spence does.
Spence shows how injustice and prejudice is the root cause.As with Steinbeck and the migrants of the West,Caldwell with the racism and poverty of the Deep South;Spence shows the same thing with the Native Peoples of the West.
Can the deep seated ideas that have motivated people for many generations not be expected to influence them when they try to deal with situations that arise in their daily lives? To people who have been raised with Judaic-Christian values,Spence has shown what the Spirituality of the Native Peoples means.
As to the style of Spence's writing,I really enjoy his short chappters,46 in all,less than 10 pages per chapter.The other thing he does superbly is to almost instantly wrap things up.For example ;the end of the trial and verdict (two sentences at top of page 335,hard cover edition).Every word is important,well chosen and it never bogs down.This must be from his experience as a trial lawyer. His character development is so good that you feel you know each one and what makes them think.
Spence gives us some very profound thoughts,concisely expressed:
In small towns,when something is not talked about..
"-not lost from the minds of the people,but edited from their tongues.""It's a waste of time,cottonwood tree.Do not be so foolish as to bud." "The coyote was not evil.The coyote was merely the coyote,also trapped in the system". "If the Judges sought justice,they would convict the system,not the victims of the system." "They cannot imprison me where I do not wish to be." "The moons come and the moons go.The stars empty themselves and fill once more.Time is for white men.Time is their devil.The Araphoe knows no such devil."
For anyone who works in or deals with the justice system ,this book should be required reading.I couldn't imagine one that could give one more to think about.Not only that,anyone who wonders why people have so much trouble trying to live in peace,respect and harmony,would do well by reading this book.
Half-Moon and Empty Stars is a great novel,but it is much more than that.Spence is an excellent writer and well worth reading.I plan to read more of his works. "Yon-ka-tore" '
Rating: 
Summary: Principles and Rationalizations
Review: When I first picked up this book, my intial reaction was that I wouldn't like it. I'm peeved by celebrities who cash in on their notoriety to get published. I'm also not all that interested in Native American culture, and I'm not all that keen on books written by lawyers either. Even with three strikes against it, this book is a winner. Most people scoff when confronted with the idea that an innocent person can be executed when our justice system fails. Not surprisingly, that's more likely to happen to people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Spence ends up spinning a very plausible story that shows how a major punishment such as the death penalty can be trivialized under wrong circumstances. Innocent men can be convicted and put to death. I mention this because I'm concerned about it in spite of the fact that I support the concept of the death penalty. No matter what your position is on this subject, this book is worth reading because it will cause you to think in depth on the issue. Where the book falters a bit is in its portrayal of injustice against Native Americans. The main character of the book is a Native American named Charlie Redtail. Spence tries to make the argument that Redtail ends up as a victim because of his partial Native American heritage. Redtail is in fact the offspring of a white mother and a Native American father. While his white mother is sympathetically written, Charlie Redtail and his brother Billy had lousy parents -- both of them. Their mother was a hard-working waitress with no education and few aspirations, while their father was a drunk that ended up being kicked to death by a mean-spirited white businessman. Charlie ends up choosing a lifestyle similar to that of his father while his brother Billy ends up going to college and becoming more of a "white" man. Billy ends up being a millionaire and is treated as a traitor to his heritage while Charlie does absolutely nothing productive and ends up being the hero of the book. A great deal of the book focuses on the oppression of Native American ways by the white man, and I'm afraid it failed to convince me. Sure, the book points out blatant discrimination against Native Americans, but it also points out many problems without a connection to race. Billy succeeds because of his commitment to education - not because he's a white man. Some of the subplots regarding sacred Indian lands and the threat to develop them also ended up being overplayed at times, and I failed to develop any sympathy for the Native American plight by reading this book. In summary, if you are looking for a great story, read this book. If you are interested in reading a thoughtful book about the death penalty, read this book. If you are interested in new information regarding the struggle of Native Americans in the United States, try something else. As a whole, I'll recommend it based on more positives than negatives.
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