Review: Panther Across the Stars by Lon Brett Coon

The travesty of Native American history in the United States is well known, and is a common topic for authors and artists who seek literary – if not literal – justice for the past. In Panther Across the Stars, the debut novel by author Lon Brett Coon, this shadowy and shameful chunk of American history is depicted in a decidedly new way.

While Native American culture and lore overflows with mysticism and spirituality, Coon’s angle leans deeper into the science fiction genre. This novel tells the tale of one young Red Indian brave befriending three otherworldly visitors, and their eventual joining in the fight against America’s encroaching spread.

At the core of this novel is the desire for freedom and self-determination, a theme that is particularly relevant for Native Americans in the 19^th century, but also a poignant concept for modern readers. Panther Across the Stars is the titular character of this novel, and is a compelling centerpoint for this powerful story. The fate of his people seems sealed – the inexorable decline and scattering of the tribe in the face of the white man’s ravenous hunger for land. Even against the apparently impossible odds, Panther Across the Stars stands as a symbol of hope and represents a final chance for redemption.

The mirroring effect of Panther Across the Stars and the Jhagir – the alien race who visit Earth – is very clear, lending this book a philosophical edge. The incursion of the European settlers is making the Native Americans feel out of place, unwanted and unable to communicate their humanity to an “other.” The Jhagir, on the other hand, are literal aliens, and would normally be subject to the same sorts of mistrust and potential abuse that the Indians are experiencing.

With these themes in place, the book is surprisingly timely, given the current debates over illegal aliens in America, as well as the resurgent discussions of personal freedoms and equality in the United States. While historical fiction is often escapist in nature, this novel feels immediately relevant and important, despite its sci-fi classification, and Coon isn’t afraid to lean into hard truths.

This novel could have easily devolved into a goofy or overly whimsical book that played on the stereotypes of Native American superstition and mysticism, but Coon’s first attempt at novel writing avoids many of those appealing tropes of the genre – though the cover may lean in that direction. The character development is rich and thorough, largely due to the small core of key figures, while Coon digs deep into authentic historical facts and events to lend the story even more authenticity and credibility. The tone of the writing is spare and abrupt, similar to other Native American literature, such as the work of Sherman Alexie, but there are also beautiful descriptive moments and simple brilliance tangled within the prose.

Lon Brett Coon manages to bridge both time and culture in this remarkably creative and memorable novel. Not only does he pose important questions about the whitewashing of history, but also challenges modern ideas of “otherness” and encourages the unification of all people, rather than tribes. Most impressively, he bundles these critical ideas in an imaginative and action-packed tale, resulting in a brilliant blend of science fiction and historical fiction that demands the attention of any perceptive reader with a keen mind for history.