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People of Cahokia #1
People of the Morning Star
Award-winning archaeologists and New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors W. Michael Gear and Kathleen O'Neal Gear begin the stunning saga of the North American equivalent of ancient Rome in People of the Morning Star.
The city of Cahokia, at its height, covered more than six square miles around what is now St. Louis and included structures more than ten stories high. Cahokian warriors and traders roamed from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. What force on earth would motivate hundreds of thousands of people to pick up, move hundreds of miles, and once plopped down amidst a polyglot of strangers, build an incredible city?
A religious miracle: the Cahokians believed that the divine hero Morning Star had been resurrected in the flesh. But not all is fine and stable in glorious Cahokia. To the astonishment of the ruling clan, an attempt is made on the living god's life. Now it is up to Morning Star's aunt, Matron Blue Heron, to keep it quiet until she can uncover the plot and bring the culprits to justice. If she fails, Cahokia will be torn asunder in warfare, rage, and blood as civil war consumes them all.
The city of Cahokia, at its height, covered more than six square miles around what is now St. Louis and included structures more than ten stories high. Cahokian warriors and traders roamed from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. What force on earth would motivate hundreds of thousands of people to pick up, move hundreds of miles, and once plopped down amidst a polyglot of strangers, build an incredible city?
A religious miracle: the Cahokians believed that the divine hero Morning Star had been resurrected in the flesh. But not all is fine and stable in glorious Cahokia. To the astonishment of the ruling clan, an attempt is made on the living god's life. Now it is up to Morning Star's aunt, Matron Blue Heron, to keep it quiet until she can uncover the plot and bring the culprits to justice. If she fails, Cahokia will be torn asunder in warfare, rage, and blood as civil war consumes them all.
496 pages, Hardcover
First published May 6, 2014
94 people are currently reading
1681 people want to read
About the author
W. Michael Gear
181 books730 followersW. Michael Gear was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on the twentieth of May, 1955. A fourth generation Colorado native, his family had been involved in hard-rock mining, cattle ranching, and journalism. After his father's death in 1959, Michael's mother received her Master's degree in journalism and began teaching. In 1962 she married Joseph J. Cook, who taught tool and die making, and the family lived in Lakewood, Colorado, until 1968. At that time they moved to Fort Collins so that Joe could pursue his Ph.D.. During those years the family lived in the foothills above Horsetooth Reservoir.
It was there that Mike developed a love of history, anthropology, and motorcycles. They would color his future and fill his imagination for the rest of his life. During summers he volunteered labor on local ranches or at the farm east of Greeley and landed his first real job: picking up trash at the lake and cleaning outhouses. It has been said that his exposure to trash led him into archaeology. We will not speculate about what cleaning the outhouses might have led him to. On his first dig as a professional archaeologist in 1976 he discovered that two thousand year old human trash isn't nearly as obnoxious as the new stuff.
Michael graduated from Fort Collins High School in 1972 and pursued both his Bachelor's (1976) and Master's (1979) degrees at Colorado State University. Upon completion of his Master's - his specialty was in physical anthropology - he went to work for Western Wyoming College in Rock Springs as a field archaeologist.
It was in the winter of 1978 that he wrote his first novel. Irritated by historical inaccuracies in Western fiction, he swore he could do better. He was "taking retirement in installments," archaeology being a seasonal career, in the cabin his great uncle Aubrey had built. One cold January night he read a Western novel about a trail drive in which steers (castrated males) had calves. The historical inaccuracies of the story bothered him all night. The next morning, still incensed, he chunked wood into the stove and hunkered over the typewriter. There, on the mining claim, at nine thousand feet outside of Empire, Colorado he hammered out his first five hundred and fifty page novel. Yes, that first manuscript still exists, but if there is justice in the universe, no one will ever see it. It reads wretchedly - but the historical facts are correct!
Beginning in 1981, Michael, along with two partners, put together his own archaeological consulting company. Pronghorn Anthropological Associates began doing cultural resource management studies in 1982, and, although Michael sold his interest in 1984, to this day the company remains in business in Casper, Wyoming. During the years, Michael has worked throughout the western United States doing archaeological surveys, testing, and mitigation for pipelines, oil wells, power lines, timber sales, and highway construction. He learned the value of strong black coffee, developed a palate for chocolate donuts, and ferreted out every quality Mexican restaurant in eight states. He spent nine months of the year traveling from project to project with his trowel and dig kit, a clapped-out '72 Wonder Blazer, and his boon companion, Tedi, a noble tri-color Sheltie.
That fateful day in November, 1981, was delightfully clear, cold, and still in Laramie, Wyoming. Archaeologists from all over the state had arrived at the University of Wyoming for the annual meetings of the Wyoming Association of Professional Archaeologists. It was there, in the meeting room, way too early after a much too long night, that Mike first laid eyes on the most beautiful woman in the world: Kathleen O'Neal Gear. The BLM State Archaeologist, Ray Leicht, introduced him to the pretty anthropologist and historian, and best of all, Ray invited Mike to lunch with Kathleen. It was the perfect beginning for a long and wondrous relationship.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/wmicha...
It was there that Mike developed a love of history, anthropology, and motorcycles. They would color his future and fill his imagination for the rest of his life. During summers he volunteered labor on local ranches or at the farm east of Greeley and landed his first real job: picking up trash at the lake and cleaning outhouses. It has been said that his exposure to trash led him into archaeology. We will not speculate about what cleaning the outhouses might have led him to. On his first dig as a professional archaeologist in 1976 he discovered that two thousand year old human trash isn't nearly as obnoxious as the new stuff.
Michael graduated from Fort Collins High School in 1972 and pursued both his Bachelor's (1976) and Master's (1979) degrees at Colorado State University. Upon completion of his Master's - his specialty was in physical anthropology - he went to work for Western Wyoming College in Rock Springs as a field archaeologist.
It was in the winter of 1978 that he wrote his first novel. Irritated by historical inaccuracies in Western fiction, he swore he could do better. He was "taking retirement in installments," archaeology being a seasonal career, in the cabin his great uncle Aubrey had built. One cold January night he read a Western novel about a trail drive in which steers (castrated males) had calves. The historical inaccuracies of the story bothered him all night. The next morning, still incensed, he chunked wood into the stove and hunkered over the typewriter. There, on the mining claim, at nine thousand feet outside of Empire, Colorado he hammered out his first five hundred and fifty page novel. Yes, that first manuscript still exists, but if there is justice in the universe, no one will ever see it. It reads wretchedly - but the historical facts are correct!
Beginning in 1981, Michael, along with two partners, put together his own archaeological consulting company. Pronghorn Anthropological Associates began doing cultural resource management studies in 1982, and, although Michael sold his interest in 1984, to this day the company remains in business in Casper, Wyoming. During the years, Michael has worked throughout the western United States doing archaeological surveys, testing, and mitigation for pipelines, oil wells, power lines, timber sales, and highway construction. He learned the value of strong black coffee, developed a palate for chocolate donuts, and ferreted out every quality Mexican restaurant in eight states. He spent nine months of the year traveling from project to project with his trowel and dig kit, a clapped-out '72 Wonder Blazer, and his boon companion, Tedi, a noble tri-color Sheltie.
That fateful day in November, 1981, was delightfully clear, cold, and still in Laramie, Wyoming. Archaeologists from all over the state had arrived at the University of Wyoming for the annual meetings of the Wyoming Association of Professional Archaeologists. It was there, in the meeting room, way too early after a much too long night, that Mike first laid eyes on the most beautiful woman in the world: Kathleen O'Neal Gear. The BLM State Archaeologist, Ray Leicht, introduced him to the pretty anthropologist and historian, and best of all, Ray invited Mike to lunch with Kathleen. It was the perfect beginning for a long and wondrous relationship.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/wmicha...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
April 7, 2021
I read this book to learn more about the native Americans who built mounds in Cahokia and St. Louis before the year 1100. I thought a fictionalized story set in that time period written by authors with archaeology backgrounds would be interesting. Unfortunately, that was not the case. I didn’t learn anything about the actual Cahokia inhabitants. Its OK if the authors aren’t trying to create great literature, but this book was disappointing for several reasons.
First, the writing. The book begins with an unrelated chapter set in current times where an angry Native American confronts filmmakers who believe aliens built the Cahokian mounds. This snoozefest intro has nothing to do with the main story. But that main story was not written very well, either. Nothing original here, except the unusual time frame and setting. Given free rein to develop a society and culture to inhabit the original Cahokia, the authors opt to write a murder mystery. To solve the mystery they don’t rely on plausible analysis and skills, they rely on a magical, mythical underworld being who sometimes inhabits one woman.
The result is a very convoluted story. The characters don’t seem to inhabit a world a thousand years ago. While reading, I consistently found some head spinning prose. Here, for instance, is a chief musing about his daughter: “Red Warrior Tenkiller wasn’t sure about Sun Wing. His youngest daughter had survived but sixteen summers; she seemed more taken with her new-found status than the needs of the empire. Having just been made a woman at the equinox celebration, she’d been married to Hickory Lance, a young noble in the Horned Serpent House leadership. Since then her dreamy thoughts were obsessed either by her husband’s penis and the novel delights she could conjure from it, or the flaunting of her so recently invested authority.” How odd for this father to be thinking that his 16yo daughter is obsessed with dreamy thoughts about her husband’s penis.
At the end of this book , the authors ask – did they have writing in Cahokia? They argue the point that some beaded belts that have been found are in fact a form of written language. Earlier in the book, they had created a character who used one of these belts. However, they wrote about it in such an unbelievable way. Imagine the type of beading necessary to facilitate this belt. It belongs to a remote villager who travels to Cahokia to provide an update: “the messenger fingered the beaded-shell belt he’d brought. Eyes half closed, he translated the pattern on the belt into words. “We have twenty-three families planting fields this year,” he said. “Of the one hundred and fifty-three warriors, only seven have been killed in fighting with the local tribes. Depredations have declined since War Chief Kicks Them burned three of their villages this winter and enslaved the head men and their families.” Imagine that beadwork for the word depredations alone. Who talks like this? It also seemed odd to write that the messenger “read” the belt with eyes half closed. Why would he do that? Why make such a simple part of this story – so overly complicated?
I found much of the native conversation suspect in a similar way. It is the year 1000 or so. A lone Indian is in the forest. Is this a thought that was likely to have occurred? Is this how he would express that thought? “That day I’d been occupying myself by stalking a huge flock of passenger pigeons where they fluttered and chuckled through the high canopy. As they plucked apart seeds, bits of detritus rained down like a perverted snow.” Detritus falling – not just like snow, but perverted snow?
My last specific example is brief and found in the musing of the lovable, crusty well-hung Indian thief Seven Skull Shield who recalls that he liked a woman because “She was the only person who just called him Skull”. Wow.
The story was very hard to get into. There are a lot of characters introduced early in this book. The characters have long names (and not very original, like War Chief Kicks Them who I already mentioned) . Characters don’t share common last names, so it is hard to remember who is related. It might have helped to include a list of characters at the beginning - among the maps of Cakokia. This could list names and relationships and the clan they were from.
In addition to the specific excerpts I cited above, generally the style is repetitious. Every time a character entered a room we get a detailed description of every carving, every statue, everything hanging on the walls, the kind of mat on the floor, the furs in the room, everything that everyone was wearing, every feather, every color and design painted on a face. It quickly got old. The references to the game Chunkey also got old. I get that they played this game but for God’s sake, but what else did they do? People stumble into latrines a lot – and then they smell bad. Just asking – why these things don’t happen once – they happen repeatedly. It just seemed like lazy storytelling. Also – every minor character mentioned or introduced is given a name, and we are told something about their clan. Even though this only adds to bog down the story. Sometimes it is OK to simplify – ie. she married a young handsome guy from a distant clan.
There were a lot of holes in the plot. Much of the story is based on ritualistic sacrifices that allegedly bring souls back to life in a different body – except sometimes the ritual works and then sometimes it doesn’t. The morning star god who is reincarnated twice in Cahokia doesn’t seem to have any real powers at all – except that everybody is really afraid of him. All the other gods have plenty of powers. One can tell the future, then he can inhabit a body and shape what you do. Why doesn’t anybody notice morning star can’t really do anything? Also, why don’t the mistreated slaves just leave Cahokia?
The characters that populate the Cahokia of 1100 are mostly deplorable. There are no fully developed, believable characters. The main characters mostly do nothing all day. The minor characters “trade” or don’t seem to do much either. Literally its like this whole empire of people not really doing much. The story is pretty dull. There are three more books in the series devoted to Cahokia, but I have no interest in reading them, as I struggled to complete this one.
So, looping back to that first, unnecessary chapter that I mentioned at the beginning of my review. Focusing back to that Native American character who is so upset that people would attribute Cahokia’s mounds to aliens. After reading this book I have to ask – would the version of the city presented in this book really be more palatable to him? Isn’t it equally exploitive of his ancestors, or perhaps, more so?
First, the writing. The book begins with an unrelated chapter set in current times where an angry Native American confronts filmmakers who believe aliens built the Cahokian mounds. This snoozefest intro has nothing to do with the main story. But that main story was not written very well, either. Nothing original here, except the unusual time frame and setting. Given free rein to develop a society and culture to inhabit the original Cahokia, the authors opt to write a murder mystery. To solve the mystery they don’t rely on plausible analysis and skills, they rely on a magical, mythical underworld being who sometimes inhabits one woman.
The result is a very convoluted story. The characters don’t seem to inhabit a world a thousand years ago. While reading, I consistently found some head spinning prose. Here, for instance, is a chief musing about his daughter: “Red Warrior Tenkiller wasn’t sure about Sun Wing. His youngest daughter had survived but sixteen summers; she seemed more taken with her new-found status than the needs of the empire. Having just been made a woman at the equinox celebration, she’d been married to Hickory Lance, a young noble in the Horned Serpent House leadership. Since then her dreamy thoughts were obsessed either by her husband’s penis and the novel delights she could conjure from it, or the flaunting of her so recently invested authority.” How odd for this father to be thinking that his 16yo daughter is obsessed with dreamy thoughts about her husband’s penis.
At the end of this book , the authors ask – did they have writing in Cahokia? They argue the point that some beaded belts that have been found are in fact a form of written language. Earlier in the book, they had created a character who used one of these belts. However, they wrote about it in such an unbelievable way. Imagine the type of beading necessary to facilitate this belt. It belongs to a remote villager who travels to Cahokia to provide an update: “the messenger fingered the beaded-shell belt he’d brought. Eyes half closed, he translated the pattern on the belt into words. “We have twenty-three families planting fields this year,” he said. “Of the one hundred and fifty-three warriors, only seven have been killed in fighting with the local tribes. Depredations have declined since War Chief Kicks Them burned three of their villages this winter and enslaved the head men and their families.” Imagine that beadwork for the word depredations alone. Who talks like this? It also seemed odd to write that the messenger “read” the belt with eyes half closed. Why would he do that? Why make such a simple part of this story – so overly complicated?
I found much of the native conversation suspect in a similar way. It is the year 1000 or so. A lone Indian is in the forest. Is this a thought that was likely to have occurred? Is this how he would express that thought? “That day I’d been occupying myself by stalking a huge flock of passenger pigeons where they fluttered and chuckled through the high canopy. As they plucked apart seeds, bits of detritus rained down like a perverted snow.” Detritus falling – not just like snow, but perverted snow?
My last specific example is brief and found in the musing of the lovable, crusty well-hung Indian thief Seven Skull Shield who recalls that he liked a woman because “She was the only person who just called him Skull”. Wow.
The story was very hard to get into. There are a lot of characters introduced early in this book. The characters have long names (and not very original, like War Chief Kicks Them who I already mentioned) . Characters don’t share common last names, so it is hard to remember who is related. It might have helped to include a list of characters at the beginning - among the maps of Cakokia. This could list names and relationships and the clan they were from.
In addition to the specific excerpts I cited above, generally the style is repetitious. Every time a character entered a room we get a detailed description of every carving, every statue, everything hanging on the walls, the kind of mat on the floor, the furs in the room, everything that everyone was wearing, every feather, every color and design painted on a face. It quickly got old. The references to the game Chunkey also got old. I get that they played this game but for God’s sake, but what else did they do? People stumble into latrines a lot – and then they smell bad. Just asking – why these things don’t happen once – they happen repeatedly. It just seemed like lazy storytelling. Also – every minor character mentioned or introduced is given a name, and we are told something about their clan. Even though this only adds to bog down the story. Sometimes it is OK to simplify – ie. she married a young handsome guy from a distant clan.
There were a lot of holes in the plot. Much of the story is based on ritualistic sacrifices that allegedly bring souls back to life in a different body – except sometimes the ritual works and then sometimes it doesn’t. The morning star god who is reincarnated twice in Cahokia doesn’t seem to have any real powers at all – except that everybody is really afraid of him. All the other gods have plenty of powers. One can tell the future, then he can inhabit a body and shape what you do. Why doesn’t anybody notice morning star can’t really do anything? Also, why don’t the mistreated slaves just leave Cahokia?
The characters that populate the Cahokia of 1100 are mostly deplorable. There are no fully developed, believable characters. The main characters mostly do nothing all day. The minor characters “trade” or don’t seem to do much either. Literally its like this whole empire of people not really doing much. The story is pretty dull. There are three more books in the series devoted to Cahokia, but I have no interest in reading them, as I struggled to complete this one.
So, looping back to that first, unnecessary chapter that I mentioned at the beginning of my review. Focusing back to that Native American character who is so upset that people would attribute Cahokia’s mounds to aliens. After reading this book I have to ask – would the version of the city presented in this book really be more palatable to him? Isn’t it equally exploitive of his ancestors, or perhaps, more so?
October 25, 2025
This is another fantastic book by the Gears. It’s hard to believe that this is the 21st book in their series “North America’s Forgotten Past”, also called the People series. Most of the books in the series are stand alone books so they can be enjoyed separately rather than feeling like you have to read the entire series. Having said that, I can hardly believe that anyone wouldn’t want to read the entire series. I’ve loved every book.
This particular book is on the second and even more resplendent Cahokia, the greatest mound society of North America. I definitely appreciate the historical accuracy, and love that I’m learning about America’s history while also reading a great mystery. The detail in the Gear’s books on the day-to-day lives of the ancient Native Americans is amazing and this book is no different. I will admit that it took some time for me to get all of the characters straight in this book. There were a lot of characters, and several “houses” to keep track of. However, once I had the characters down, the mystery took over and kept me intrigued right up to the end. This is obviously going to have a sequel and I’m excited to revisit Cahokia and the lives of Fire Cat, Night Shadow Star, the thief and the Clan Keeper.
This particular book is on the second and even more resplendent Cahokia, the greatest mound society of North America. I definitely appreciate the historical accuracy, and love that I’m learning about America’s history while also reading a great mystery. The detail in the Gear’s books on the day-to-day lives of the ancient Native Americans is amazing and this book is no different. I will admit that it took some time for me to get all of the characters straight in this book. There were a lot of characters, and several “houses” to keep track of. However, once I had the characters down, the mystery took over and kept me intrigued right up to the end. This is obviously going to have a sequel and I’m excited to revisit Cahokia and the lives of Fire Cat, Night Shadow Star, the thief and the Clan Keeper.
August 4, 2014
This is the first book I have ever read by the husband and wife team of W. Michael and Kathleen O'Neal Gear in their long running "North America's Forgotten Past" series.
"People of The Morning Star" concerns an internecine "power"--an all important concept in the book--struggle within the ruling Four Winds clans at the ancient city of Cahokia, now in the state of Illinois, at the height of its religious, political and military influence in the 12th Century CE.
The Gears weave sex, violence and just enough comedy to keep the plot fast-paced, interesting in what seemingly starts out as a whodunit that winds and twists its way into an action packed thriller.
"People of The Morning Star" concerns an internecine "power"--an all important concept in the book--struggle within the ruling Four Winds clans at the ancient city of Cahokia, now in the state of Illinois, at the height of its religious, political and military influence in the 12th Century CE.
The Gears weave sex, violence and just enough comedy to keep the plot fast-paced, interesting in what seemingly starts out as a whodunit that winds and twists its way into an action packed thriller.
May 20, 2014
The Gear and Gear books have been a favorite of mine. This book is no exception. The stories and characters are well drawn out and the history of the tribes is developed in an interesting manner. Along with the story you learn about their culture, which is a plus and enjoyable. A wonderful series.
J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the Isms" "Wesley's Wars" and "To Whom It May Concern"
J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the Isms" "Wesley's Wars" and "To Whom It May Concern"
September 5, 2020
I had taken a break from the Gear books, they were doing a series on Native American's encountering Europeans for the first time. It was not a time period that I was interested in reading. However when Kathleen O'Neal Gear published a book this year, I went back and visited their website. There are quite a few books to catch up on.
I forgot how much I missed the early North American series that the Gear's write about. Not only does it cover a valid archeological time period, it gives you an idea how complex these native people really were. I love the history and the wide geographic scenes that are covered in each book. This is the first in a series of 3 or 4. I can't wait to read the next one.
I forgot how much I missed the early North American series that the Gear's write about. Not only does it cover a valid archeological time period, it gives you an idea how complex these native people really were. I love the history and the wide geographic scenes that are covered in each book. This is the first in a series of 3 or 4. I can't wait to read the next one.
March 31, 2017
I am such a big fan of these books, have read every one, they are that good, try one start with PEOPLE OF THE WOLF, they are a great read.
September 16, 2016
As always, it is gratifying to see references to characters from previous stories, to learn of the repercussions/results of their actions. Hiding the main antagonist in plain site is quite ingenious; it kept me guessing from beginning to end. Perfect example of how power (of whatever ilk) can be a dangerous commodity.
December 6, 2020
It was an ok book. I. The beginning was a bit confusing because of the multiple points of view in short chapters and repetitive descriptions of characters, but when you get used to it gets better. It definitely makes you feel something while reading it, for me wasn't something I enjoy, and if you're not down with violence, gore or sexual content I would not recommend it.
May 26, 2014
Good read in the tradition of the Gears. A little more bloody then previous ones.
June 18, 2025
I went into People of the Morning Star expecting something a little different—and I mean that in the best possible way. I love the Gear’s work, so I was after that raw, gritty historical fiction that really puts you in the setting. It’s not romanticized. It’s not overly polished. It’s not trying to be soft and digestible for the average historical fiction reader who only wants ballrooms and corsets.
This is gritty, textured, and unapologetically steeped in a world we rarely see depicted in fiction: prehistoric North America, specifically the great mound city of Cahokia. And the fact that this story was grounded in archaeological research? Huge plus for me. You can feel the bones of real history underneath every page.
What stood out the most was the sense of place. You can feel the city rising out of the mud—the ceremonial platforms, the tension between clans, the complexity of the power structures at work. It’s not just background dressing; Cahokia is a living, breathing presence in the book.
There’s a heaviness to the air, a spiritual undercurrent pulsing through everything—from politics to personal choices. It’s a world where visions, omens, and ancestral memories matter, and the authors commit to that with full seriousness.
If you like your historical fiction clean and linear? This ain’t it. But if you’re into messy belief systems, shifting alliances, and ancient urban sprawl populated by characters carrying layers of guilt, duty, and prophecy—this one delivers.
I didn’t fall in love with every character, but I appreciated their depth.
•Morning Star is more myth than man—a returned god-figure carrying the full psychological weight of that title, and he’s written with just enough ambiguity to keep you questioning his motives.
•Blue Heron is the power behind the throne. Calculated, brilliant, ruthless. I would absolutely follow her into a palace coup.
•Fire Cat and his haunted, ragged emotional core added a welcome note of personal vulnerability. His arc is probably the one that stuck with me the most.
Some characters did feel more functional than emotional—but I never felt like the authors were sleepwalking through archetypes. Everyone had a role to play in the larger machine of Cahokia’s unraveling tensions.
This book is political. Spiritual. Psychological. Mythic. And not afraid to get bloody.
It’s about what happens when you blend power with prophecy. When leaders stop asking what’s true and start asking what they need to be true. It’s about control—over bodies, beliefs, and the stories we tell about ourselves to survive.
And while I wouldn’t say it emotionally wrecked me like some of my favorite reads have, it did challenge me to slow down and absorb. To think about history not as something sterile, but as something lived—and often lived with suffering, compromise, and desperate belief.
Final Thoughts:
Did I love every moment? No.
Was the pacing always tight? Not really.
Did I walk away impressed, intrigued, and hungry to learn more about Cahokia and the real people who might’ve lived lives like these? Absolutely.
This is the kind of book that reminds you just how rich and complex pre-colonial North America really was. Not noble savages. Not faceless villagers. But empires. Matriarchies. Warrior classes. Power struggles. Faith systems. Civilizations.
It didn’t crack my top shelf, but it earned my respect.
This is gritty, textured, and unapologetically steeped in a world we rarely see depicted in fiction: prehistoric North America, specifically the great mound city of Cahokia. And the fact that this story was grounded in archaeological research? Huge plus for me. You can feel the bones of real history underneath every page.
What stood out the most was the sense of place. You can feel the city rising out of the mud—the ceremonial platforms, the tension between clans, the complexity of the power structures at work. It’s not just background dressing; Cahokia is a living, breathing presence in the book.
There’s a heaviness to the air, a spiritual undercurrent pulsing through everything—from politics to personal choices. It’s a world where visions, omens, and ancestral memories matter, and the authors commit to that with full seriousness.
If you like your historical fiction clean and linear? This ain’t it. But if you’re into messy belief systems, shifting alliances, and ancient urban sprawl populated by characters carrying layers of guilt, duty, and prophecy—this one delivers.
I didn’t fall in love with every character, but I appreciated their depth.
•Morning Star is more myth than man—a returned god-figure carrying the full psychological weight of that title, and he’s written with just enough ambiguity to keep you questioning his motives.
•Blue Heron is the power behind the throne. Calculated, brilliant, ruthless. I would absolutely follow her into a palace coup.
•Fire Cat and his haunted, ragged emotional core added a welcome note of personal vulnerability. His arc is probably the one that stuck with me the most.
Some characters did feel more functional than emotional—but I never felt like the authors were sleepwalking through archetypes. Everyone had a role to play in the larger machine of Cahokia’s unraveling tensions.
This book is political. Spiritual. Psychological. Mythic. And not afraid to get bloody.
It’s about what happens when you blend power with prophecy. When leaders stop asking what’s true and start asking what they need to be true. It’s about control—over bodies, beliefs, and the stories we tell about ourselves to survive.
And while I wouldn’t say it emotionally wrecked me like some of my favorite reads have, it did challenge me to slow down and absorb. To think about history not as something sterile, but as something lived—and often lived with suffering, compromise, and desperate belief.
Final Thoughts:
Did I love every moment? No.
Was the pacing always tight? Not really.
Did I walk away impressed, intrigued, and hungry to learn more about Cahokia and the real people who might’ve lived lives like these? Absolutely.
This is the kind of book that reminds you just how rich and complex pre-colonial North America really was. Not noble savages. Not faceless villagers. But empires. Matriarchies. Warrior classes. Power struggles. Faith systems. Civilizations.
It didn’t crack my top shelf, but it earned my respect.
October 10, 2018
I’ve been a fan of the Gears since I picked up their first book many years ago. This new series begins with People of the Morning Star, a saga of the Cahokian people. Cahokia was an enormous city that “at its height, covered more than six square miles around what is now St. Louis.” Ancient people often packed up and moved to the great city. The Gears have captured the awe-inspiring qualities of this early civilization with their usual skill. Well researched, the couple weave the spiritual resurrection of the Cahokian ‘Morning Star’ who is reborn in the body of Chunkey Boy.
The Morning Star’s Clan assumes coveted positions in Cahokia. But, with power comes envy. As with all ruling classes, there are those who would challenge the divine Morning Star and his family. While he is instrumental in this brilliant tale of the past, it is his sister, Night Shadow Star, who captured my attention. Widowed and devastated by the loss of her husband, who was killed during a raid on Red Wing Town, Night Shadow Star uses a type of hallucinogenic to descend to the Underworld. She becomes “possessed” by the spirit Piasa. Thus, begins a story of intrigue, murder, mystery, and secrets.
The authors guide the reader through the interwoven lives of the characters, developing every personality and the conflicts they face. Someone is killing Morning Star’s Four Winds Clan members in horrible and violent ways. The Morning Star himself is attacked! As the characters grow and the story progresses, it reads like a detective story from the ancient past. The Gears show an incredible ability to create a political mystery from distant times.
I fell in love with the characters Fire Cat of the Red Wing Clan, and Seven Skull Shield, a rascally thief. Both prove to be unlikely heroes, and along with Night Shadow Star grow into fascinating characters. Set in a colorful landscape of towering mounds and homes, rich spiritual journeys, and life altering mysteries, this is a story to savor.
I enjoyed this excellent book so much I have already started reading the next book in the series. I highly recommend the book to anyone who enjoys mystery, history, early North American civilizations, and thrilling action.
The Morning Star’s Clan assumes coveted positions in Cahokia. But, with power comes envy. As with all ruling classes, there are those who would challenge the divine Morning Star and his family. While he is instrumental in this brilliant tale of the past, it is his sister, Night Shadow Star, who captured my attention. Widowed and devastated by the loss of her husband, who was killed during a raid on Red Wing Town, Night Shadow Star uses a type of hallucinogenic to descend to the Underworld. She becomes “possessed” by the spirit Piasa. Thus, begins a story of intrigue, murder, mystery, and secrets.
The authors guide the reader through the interwoven lives of the characters, developing every personality and the conflicts they face. Someone is killing Morning Star’s Four Winds Clan members in horrible and violent ways. The Morning Star himself is attacked! As the characters grow and the story progresses, it reads like a detective story from the ancient past. The Gears show an incredible ability to create a political mystery from distant times.
I fell in love with the characters Fire Cat of the Red Wing Clan, and Seven Skull Shield, a rascally thief. Both prove to be unlikely heroes, and along with Night Shadow Star grow into fascinating characters. Set in a colorful landscape of towering mounds and homes, rich spiritual journeys, and life altering mysteries, this is a story to savor.
I enjoyed this excellent book so much I have already started reading the next book in the series. I highly recommend the book to anyone who enjoys mystery, history, early North American civilizations, and thrilling action.
November 20, 2017
PEOPLE OF THE MORNING STAR by W. Michael and Kathleen O’Neal Gear was another absorbing historical story based on the Cahokia Mounds in Illinois. As I read this epic tale about the city of Cahokia and the people who populate it, I’m constantly amazed by the Gears’ ability spin a tale about an ancient society with its myths, rituals, customs, and religion.
This is more than just a historical story based on archeological evidence about the Cahokia Mounds, it’s also a thriller about the abuse of power and spiritual beliefs, family discord, greed, gods, ambition, and vengeance. The characters the Gears created, and the names they gave them, to bring this civilization to life were wonderful:
Lady Night Shadow Star was an intriguing protagonist, an emotionally wounded woman who is possessed by the Panther god Piasa.
Fire Cat the high chief of Red Wing Town, who opposes the leader of Cahokia, loses all and must swear fealty to Night Shadow Star, who despises him because he killed her husband.
Blue Heron, Clan Keeper of the Four Winds Clan, is the woman who’s duty is to keep order among the rival clans, to me she was the master spy of her time, and charged with finding out and stopping the murders of the royal family.
Seven Skulls Shield the thief, vagabond, tough warrior who lives by his own code was the comic relief in the story, and one of my favorite characters.
Morning Star, the living god who’s soul was resurrected in the body of Chunkey Boy. Is he really a living god or a charlatan?
Then we have the enemy who’s lust for vengeance and power is only matched by the depths of his depravity as he unleashes horror upon Cahokia.
One of the many things I enjoyed about this books was the hate/attraction between Night Shadow Star and Fire Cat, the ambiguous relationship between Blue Heron and Seven Skulls Shield and the mystical rituals and beliefs the Gears showed.
PEOPLE OF THE MORNING STAR was a fascinating story that took me back through time to experience another civilization that held my fascination and showed me a world not so unlike our own today. I can’t wait to see what the Gears have in store for the people of Cahokia in the next book.
This is more than just a historical story based on archeological evidence about the Cahokia Mounds, it’s also a thriller about the abuse of power and spiritual beliefs, family discord, greed, gods, ambition, and vengeance. The characters the Gears created, and the names they gave them, to bring this civilization to life were wonderful:
Lady Night Shadow Star was an intriguing protagonist, an emotionally wounded woman who is possessed by the Panther god Piasa.
Fire Cat the high chief of Red Wing Town, who opposes the leader of Cahokia, loses all and must swear fealty to Night Shadow Star, who despises him because he killed her husband.
Blue Heron, Clan Keeper of the Four Winds Clan, is the woman who’s duty is to keep order among the rival clans, to me she was the master spy of her time, and charged with finding out and stopping the murders of the royal family.
Seven Skulls Shield the thief, vagabond, tough warrior who lives by his own code was the comic relief in the story, and one of my favorite characters.
Morning Star, the living god who’s soul was resurrected in the body of Chunkey Boy. Is he really a living god or a charlatan?
Then we have the enemy who’s lust for vengeance and power is only matched by the depths of his depravity as he unleashes horror upon Cahokia.
One of the many things I enjoyed about this books was the hate/attraction between Night Shadow Star and Fire Cat, the ambiguous relationship between Blue Heron and Seven Skulls Shield and the mystical rituals and beliefs the Gears showed.
PEOPLE OF THE MORNING STAR was a fascinating story that took me back through time to experience another civilization that held my fascination and showed me a world not so unlike our own today. I can’t wait to see what the Gears have in store for the people of Cahokia in the next book.
April 16, 2025
I was excited for "People of the Morning Star": I like historical fiction and have been to Cahokia and find the place and history fascinating. Unfortunately, I did not like this book.
A few positives: I did think the setting was really interesting, and I appreciated the descriptions of Cahokia and the culture of its people (tattooing, religious practices, craftsmen's work, etc...). I also did like a few of the characters, most notably Fire Cat and Blue Heron (and I guess Night Shadow Star? An interesting, dynamic character, although her stuff was also really weird.)
This book is just too much: it's too long (everything that happens is described about 4 times from different points-of-view), it has too many characters, and most importantly, it is way, way too graphic and gory. There are babies cut up, rape, people sliced and their blood scattered, just an NC-17 mess. I spent a lot of the time cringing.
I also found some of the details confusing. Included are spirit creatures and arcane rituals and mythology that isn't explained that clearly (I never did decide whether the "Morning Star" was supposed to be a real thing or just Chunky Boy pretending, although maybe its meant to be ambiguous?).
I also didn't get the point of the opening introduction in modern day. Besides having no affect on what followed, I thought it presented a mixed message: it said that it's offensive to imply Cahokia was built by aliens, and yet the actual book itself kept saying how Cakokia's brilliance and success are because a superior being came down from the "sky world". What?
Anyway, this book wasn't a complete failure but it was NOT for me.
A few positives: I did think the setting was really interesting, and I appreciated the descriptions of Cahokia and the culture of its people (tattooing, religious practices, craftsmen's work, etc...). I also did like a few of the characters, most notably Fire Cat and Blue Heron (and I guess Night Shadow Star? An interesting, dynamic character, although her stuff was also really weird.)
This book is just too much: it's too long (everything that happens is described about 4 times from different points-of-view), it has too many characters, and most importantly, it is way, way too graphic and gory. There are babies cut up, rape, people sliced and their blood scattered, just an NC-17 mess. I spent a lot of the time cringing.
I also found some of the details confusing. Included are spirit creatures and arcane rituals and mythology that isn't explained that clearly (I never did decide whether the "Morning Star" was supposed to be a real thing or just Chunky Boy pretending, although maybe its meant to be ambiguous?).
I also didn't get the point of the opening introduction in modern day. Besides having no affect on what followed, I thought it presented a mixed message: it said that it's offensive to imply Cahokia was built by aliens, and yet the actual book itself kept saying how Cakokia's brilliance and success are because a superior being came down from the "sky world". What?
Anyway, this book wasn't a complete failure but it was NOT for me.
September 27, 2020
Challenge: RRRCs October 2019 (belated) - Reader's choice (10); RRRCs Stacking the Series 2020 - Level 4/Book 1. Triggers for graphic violence toward women and children. At times the dialog is pulp contemporary, repetitive, and graphic. Suggest that nonfiction references are read in conjunction with this book. Provided are an historical introduction and footnote with bibliography. Famous for its woodhenge astronomical observatory, this Cahokia landmark had very little mention in the story. An introductory chapter featured a present day Native American who challenges the theft of cultural heritage by those who claim the site could only have been constructed by aliens; what would the Native American perspective be about the story as written by the authors? Would have been nice to have more of that either in the story or as a separate commentary. Story ends in an unresolved impasse that is carried on in the next three books of the series.
December 1, 2022
Richly detailed in its historical reconstruction. I had heard of Cahokia and am now wondering if it had had the kind of gruesomeness depicted in this novel. I'm hoping the events in this intricate plot couldn't possibly have happened- the deviousness and torture and so on, because if so it means not much has improved in 2000 years. I would like to believe that human nature needn't be so violent but apparently That will never be the case.
The culture of the times seems highly developed considering no electricity.
Toward the end one of the common rope makers sums up what's really important, and it isn't the devastating intrigues the nobles unleash against one another.
It's a long book and hard to keep the names straight, who belongs to which faction. But the main players become evident about 100 pages in. All in all worth the time it took to read.
The culture of the times seems highly developed considering no electricity.
Toward the end one of the common rope makers sums up what's really important, and it isn't the devastating intrigues the nobles unleash against one another.
It's a long book and hard to keep the names straight, who belongs to which faction. But the main players become evident about 100 pages in. All in all worth the time it took to read.
January 27, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book for many reasons. Before reading this book I had never heard about the Cahopia site, even though I have passed near it on several trips to and from the South. In April when I drive to Alabama I hope to spend several hours at the site. I love the way the Gears are able to write a gripping story while at the same time communicating a lot about ancient American beliefs and
day to day living. On one level this was a pretty standard mass murder mystry with a bit of mystism thrown in, but I nonetheless loved it.
day to day living. On one level this was a pretty standard mass murder mystry with a bit of mystism thrown in, but I nonetheless loved it.
April 17, 2024
Not as good as other Gear books
I have read most of the books the Gears have written as a couple and some they have written individually. I have really liked, even loved, all of them. However, I did not really enjoy this book. I found the cast of characters very confusing initially. The plot took a long time to get going. In fact, it was really only the last few chapters that really pulled me along. There are some very gruesome incidents in this book that were hard to stomach. I know this book, being the first in a series, was probably trying to set the scene for what was to come, but I m not encouraged to read the rest of the books in the series.
I have read most of the books the Gears have written as a couple and some they have written individually. I have really liked, even loved, all of them. However, I did not really enjoy this book. I found the cast of characters very confusing initially. The plot took a long time to get going. In fact, it was really only the last few chapters that really pulled me along. There are some very gruesome incidents in this book that were hard to stomach. I know this book, being the first in a series, was probably trying to set the scene for what was to come, but I m not encouraged to read the rest of the books in the series.
July 14, 2017
My first in this series... once past all the names and world building--and a bit of too much descriptive repetition--excellent. I'm fascinated by pre-historic North America. This does a fascinating job of taking you there, and is an enthralling mystery, to boot. On my to-write list is a novel or novels set in the pre-Navaho southwest, when the Hohokam ("those who have vanished" in the language of the Pima) dominated. That's the same time period as these books.
April 25, 2018
This was the first book that I have read by the Gears. It was set in pre-historic North America, in the Cahokia Mounds in Illinois, set around 1,000 AD. The stories and characters are well developed. The story is based on the culture, religion, and customs of that. This is the first book that I have read written by these authors and is the first of a trilogy . I loved this book and will read more of their books.
May 10, 2024
Lots of graphic violence, sex, gross detail. I have a visit to Cahokia planned in 3 months and have dedicated myself to reading all 4 (or 5 or 6 depending on what you count) of these to get a sense of place. I’ve read “Copper Falcon”, “People of the Riverl” and now this one - “People of the Morning Star”. They are getting more predictable and less interesting as I progress. I think I might be better off reading Timothy Pauketat’s “Cahokia: Ancient America’s Great City on the Mississippi”
February 9, 2019
Great villain in this book, as well as all of the other things I love about this series: environment, plot, historical feel and all other characters being fully realized and wonderful. I believe this is book 1 of a trilogy and I have the other two books at their appropriate places in my "to read" pile.
August 21, 2019
I loved this book. I have read most of the People books and this one is great. I loved the gore. This book got gross at times and I loved it. The descriptions of places made you feel like you were I. The city of Cahokia. I loved the characters and the forbidden loves. I am in love with the characters and can not wait to finish the series.
February 6, 2022
DNF. I wanted to love it, as it’s about Cahokia and written by archaeologists! (My training is in classical and near eastern archaeology, and Egyptology, but I always loved visiting Cahokia.) But I just couldn’t get into it. It’s probably just because I’m so busy right now that I kept getting interrupted. I’ll try again some other time.
June 1, 2025
Cringeworthy. Excessive violence, murder, incest, revenge, and magic possession, not much of a plot and very little history. Confusing, boring, way too many characters.
I was hoping for another prehistory fiction series like Jean Auel’s, but about the new world. What I got was a disappointment. I will not be reading on in this series.
I was hoping for another prehistory fiction series like Jean Auel’s, but about the new world. What I got was a disappointment. I will not be reading on in this series.
March 2, 2018
Disappointing
My least favorite read of the dozens i have read by this/these authors...tedious and Corey concepts, this was really unpleasant reading unlike all the other books by these authors
My least favorite read of the dozens i have read by this/these authors...tedious and Corey concepts, this was really unpleasant reading unlike all the other books by these authors
November 23, 2019
Very well written.
A couple of the books, (People of the Wolf for example) were a little confusing for me. But this is definitely not. This is very well written, and a really interesting story line.
A couple of the books, (People of the Wolf for example) were a little confusing for me. But this is definitely not. This is very well written, and a really interesting story line.
November 29, 2020
3.5 stars. Circa year 1000, based on Cahokia Mounds, central Illinois, near the Mississippi River. Someone is trying to murder the living God, Morning Star, and his family. Very gory at times, dismemberments, torture, etc.
October 19, 2016
Another fantastic book by the Michael and Kathleen Gear. In this installment we visit the Cahokia in Illinois, the largest civilization in North America around AD1000. Great story and intrigue. This book was more real to me as I visited the Cahokia Mounds in Illinois last summer and climbed the steps to the mound where Morning Star would have had his palace. Looking forward to the sequel due out soon.
November 4, 2019
This is the 2nd book by Michael Gear I've read. The books are good. Can get complicated but don't give up. The books are worth reading.
December 16, 2019
Disappointed. The Gears are one of my all time favorite authors. Surprised this first in series is not prompting me to "run out and read" the second in line.
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