Title: Exodus of Chaos
Author: Steven Kent Olson
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1664124868
Pages: 210
Genre: Literature & Fiction
Reviewed by: Tony Espinoza
Pacific Book Review
There is often a very fine line between order and chaos. Chaos seems to be found everywhere, especially in this day and age. While some seek to corral chaos and instill order wherever they see, others see chaos as a means of balancing order so that one doesn’t cancel out the other. As Henry Adams once said, “Chaos was the law of nature; Order was the dream of man.”
In author Steven Kent Olson’s novel, Exodus of Chaos, a young man defined by chaos finds himself searching for the next easy path out of danger and destruction. Porter Ross is defined by a lack of honor, seeking the easiest way forward in any situation. After escaping a prison sentence by enlisting in the army and then subsequently escaping the army during the Civil War by escorting a liberated slave family to Wisconsin, Porter finds himself out West, presumed MIA and living in a lawless land. He soon discovers that the West is known as lawless for a reason, as young men trained to kill others during the Civil War wander the West after losing everything during the war,
and soon conflict arises between them and the Native American population of the West, who discover modern weapons and hold onto anger and long-standing memories of their people’s past.
A brilliant, entertaining yet somber look into the days during and after the Civil War of the United States, and the horrific actions taken against the Native American tribes of the West as Americans settlers began moving into their territory. The author perfectly blends the actions and horrors of this time period with elevated character growth, highlighting the evolution of protagonist Porter Ross as he goes from a man on the run and without a cause to a man faced with an impossible choice and searching for meaning. The story definitely feels balanced between character growth, historical backstory and a writing style that brings to life the setting of the story so greatly that readers can picture it in their own minds, all over the backdrop of action that kept the nation in chaos for so long.
This is the perfect read for those who enjoy action and adventure style genre fiction with an emphasis on history and character growth. As a fan of this style of genre fiction, the focus on the Native American tribes that protagonist Porter Ross came across in his journey and the impact they left on him overall really sold the emotional struggle of the protagonist and the novel itself.
Chaos seems to be an apt word to use to describe the backstory and events of this novel. Author Steven Kent Olson’s Exodus of Chaos expertly explores a period of lawlessness and atrocities as the fight to free one people ended, and the struggle to protect another people entirely began. Well-crafted, engaging and evenly-paced, this was a powerful novel and character study that readers will happily become invested in.
