Lizard must convince the warrior Red Wolf to become a shaman –and a Berdache—or Red Wolf will go insane.
Red Wolf has always been the perfectly controlled Choctaw warrior. His childhood friend, the Berdache shaman Lizard, must convince Red Wolf to take the shaman’s training and learn to walk in both worlds safely. With the help of the captured Chickasaw maiden Moon to help, Lizard just might keep Red Wolf from going insane.
Lena Austin is a "fallen" society wench with a checkered past. She has been a licensed minister, haidresser, and a realtor, radio DJ, exotic dancer, telephone service tech, live-steel medievalist swordswoman, BDSM Mistress, and investment property manager. Not necessarily in that order. She never finished that degree in archaeology, but did learn to scuba. After a life that, gardening is pretty restful. Of herself, Lena writes, "I'm tall, presently red-haired, and I look like an holy mating between an Amazon and a librarian."
This is my favorite of Lean Austin's work that I have read to date. The skillful way I as a reader was shown the reality that there are more types of warrior, and more types of spiritual leader than might be commonly assumed makes this a story I will read again and again.