Author Dick Brown did much of the due diligence for his newest historical fiction novel well below the rim of the Grand Canyon on the back of a mule named Hank. “Guarding the Treasure”, the final book of Brown’s “Under the Canyon Sky Trilogy,” out in March, is based on over 60 years of Grand Canyon history.
The series spans the period from 1880 to about the late 1940s. The Grand Canyon represented the wonder, freedom, and adventurous spirit of the United States. The trilogy tale follows a variety of assaults on the canyon, its river and its pioneers.
The value of water and minerals, and controlling their use, caused attempts to control the canyon’s mineral rights and corral and divert its river water. These subtle, or not-so-subtle attacks drove many to protect themselves and work to secure the beauty of the canyon for future generations.
“The federal government was contemplating distressing parts of the Grand Canyon that they had worked so hard to protect by damming the Colorado River and obliterating natural and cultural resources. That’s the irony,” Brown told the Independent.
“The Bureau of Reclamation was fighting with the National Park Service. Here we have two federal agencies within the Department of Interior going against each other. And my leading characters fought it every step of the way,” Brown explained.
“Much of the trilogy is based on historical facts,” Brown said. “Though many names have been changed to protect the innocent and the guilty. Canyon historians would probably not like this book because they’ll keep trying to relate it to the real history and be confused.”
Brown’s main characters flow, age and go through change, or not, throughout the trilogy. He has made the Grand Canyon one of the main characters. “The river is a huge player; I bring it to life. But it’s not all about the river.”
“I spent a lot of time below the rim, a lot of backpacking, a lot of research in libraries, and archives,” Brown said. “Book three was the most fun to write. I think it’s my very best writing as it brings everything to a good conclusion”.
Other characters in the trilogy embody players from the mine and land barons, commercial river running. They also depict corporate greed and the pioneers who built the trails for the early tourist enterprises in the canyon who lost everything to commercial entities.
“They actually took advantage of what the pioneers did and made it into a big concern which continues today. I’m not sure what the National Park Service would think of this book or this series,” he said.
Brown is an explorer. He’s a hot-air balloonist and has been associated with the Balloon Fiesta since its very beginning. As a Navy submariner, he worked as a nuclear reactor operator on a Polaris missile submarine. He has spent decades exploring the Grand Canyon. After many years as a water systems engineer working on the Navajo reservation and in Saudi Arabia, he retired to Tijeras to pursue his writing.
Brown was editor of the Balloon Magazine for five years and had written or co-authored six award-winning books before the trilogy. He owns the movie rights to the series and said he is considering contacting Kevin Costner to gauge his interest.“Each book is a standalone, but to get the broader picture of the story, the trilogy is the way to go.” The “Canyon Sky Trilogy” includes “Canyon Crossroads,” “Heart of Gold” and “Guarding the Treasure.” They are available in print form as well as Kindle eBooks on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.