The Lost Band is the newest addition to Coldsmith's Trail of the Spanish bit series; but to read this story, it is not necessary to have read the prior books. The entire series is easy to read and enjoyable saga of the changes to a Plains Indian tribe throughout the history of the frontier. Several of the earlier books have mentioned a vacant place at the annual gathering of the tribe; the vacant place is held for a band of the tribe that disappeared generations ago. The Lost Band traces the history of the missing band, from the time the few survivors of a violent raid were captured by another tribe until their reunion with their people many generations later. The novel is actually several inter-related stories following descendents of one woman who in secret kept alive the language, stories and traditions of her people while she was a captive. Very readable (even for those of us who don't read many Westerns!)