Oklahoma Odyssey

A Novel

By John Mort | Publisher: Bison Books

About the book

A 2022 Great Group Reads selection
​2023 Silver Medal in Western Traditional Fiction for the Will Rogers Medallion Award

In late fall of 1892 outlaw Eddie Mole gallops down the main street of Jericho Springs, Kansas, where he robs and shoots dead the freighter Barney Kreider. Some urge Barney’s son Ulysses (“Euly”) to take revenge, but Euly is a Mennonite and Mennonites don’t seek revenge. Instead, Euly plots how to make his fortune with the aid of his half-Osage sister, Kate, and his friend Johnny, an Osage farmhand. The three make a plan to sell goods and livestock to the settlers converging on Caldwell, Kansas, for the land run going on in the Cherokee Outlet. When Johnny tracks Eddie into the Cherokee Outlet, he witnesses Buffalo Soldiers evicting Eddie from a ranch, leaving it public domain, and Johnny and Kate make the run for that beautiful land. Euly follows close behind, even as Eddie, riding from Arkansas City, tries to reclaim his old ranch.

John Mort’s narrative is an anti-revenge novel—always opting for nonviolence. But there’s violence nevertheless, as Eddie’s and Barney’s survivors converge in a rousing finish. Though this novel uses some of the architecture and motifs of traditional westerns, it is carefully researched and set in the unfolding of a pivotal, neglected historical event.

Editions of Oklahoma Odyssey

Paperback
ISBN 9781496229731
EBook
ISBN 9781496231987
EBook
ISBN 9781496231994

Read an Excerpt

A 2022 Great Group Reads selection
​2023 Silver Medal in Western Traditional Fiction for the Will Rogers Medallion Award

In late fall of 1892 outlaw Eddie Mole gallops down the main street of Jericho Springs, Kansas, where he robs and shoots dead the freighter Barney Kreider. Some urge Barney’s son Ulysses (“Euly”) to take revenge, but Euly is a Mennonite and Mennonites don’t seek revenge. Instead, Euly plots how to make his fortune with the aid of his half-Osage sister, Kate, and his friend Johnny, an Osage farmhand. The three make a plan to sell goods and livestock to the settlers converging on Caldwell, Kansas, for the land run going on in the Cherokee Outlet. When Johnny tracks Eddie into the Cherokee Outlet, he witnesses Buffalo Soldiers evicting Eddie from a ranch, leaving it public domain, and Johnny and Kate make the run for that beautiful land. Euly follows close behind, even as Eddie, riding from Arkansas City, tries to reclaim his old ranch.

John Mort’s narrative is an anti-revenge novel—always opting for nonviolence. But there’s violence nevertheless, as Eddie’s and Barney’s survivors converge in a rousing finish. Though this novel uses some of the architecture and motifs of traditional westerns, it is carefully researched and set in the unfolding of a pivotal, neglected historical event.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Oklahoma Odyssey about?

A 2022 Great Group Reads selection
​2023 Silver Medal in Western Traditional Fiction for the Will Rogers Medallion Award

In late fall of 1892 outlaw Eddie Mole gallops down the main street of Jericho Springs, Kansas, where he robs and shoots dead the freighter Barney Kreider. Some urge Barney’s son Ulysses (“Euly”) to take revenge, but Euly is a Mennonite and Mennonites don’t seek revenge. Instead, Euly plots how to make his fortune with the aid of his half-Osage sister, Kate, and his friend Johnny, an Osage farmhand. The three make a plan to sell goods and livestock to the settlers converging on Caldwell, Kansas, for the land run going on in the Cherokee Outlet. When Johnny tracks Eddie into the Cherokee Outlet, he witnesses Buffalo Soldiers evicting Eddie from a ranch, leaving it public domain, and Johnny and Kate make the run for that beautiful land. Euly follows close behind, even as Eddie, riding from Arkansas City, tries to reclaim his old ranch.

John Mort’s narrative is an anti-revenge novel—always opting for nonviolence. But there’s violence nevertheless, as Eddie’s and Barney’s survivors converge in a rousing finish. Though this novel uses some of the architecture and motifs of traditional westerns, it is carefully researched and set in the unfolding of a pivotal, neglected historical event.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Oklahoma Odyssey?

Fiction > Historical fiction

Where can I read a sample of Oklahoma Odyssey?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781496229731

Who is/are the Author/s of the book Oklahoma Odyssey?

John Mort

Who is the Publisher of the book Oklahoma Odyssey?

Bison Books

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

Oklahoma Odyssey is available as paperback(ISBN 9781496229731) and ebook(ISBN 9781496231987) and ebook(ISBN 9781496231994)

Where can I buy Oklahoma Odyssey online or support local independent bookshops?

You can buy Oklahoma Odyssey from below

Where can I buy Oklahoma Odyssey?