Shadow Valley

Great Sky Woman #2

by Steven Barnes

This mythical tale—a sequel to Barnes’ Great Sky Woman - is set in Africa in 28,000 B.C. and follows a tribal leader who must find a new land for her people.

After the catastrophic eruption of Father Mountain, the Ibandi are divided, desperate, and afraid. Most have followed the only person in whom they still young Sky Woman, who was on the great mountain when it exploded and who, along with Frog Hopping, returned to tell the tale. Nurtured by an elder whose searing visions have left her blind, Sky Woman nonetheless doubts her own visionary powers as she follows a path she can hardly discern-across savannah and parched plains-to find a valley of plenty for a people on the brink of collapse.

But in fact, Sky Woman and Frog were not the only survivors of the mountain's explosion. Another man has emerged from the destruction, vengeance pulsing in his veins, to lead a separate group of Ibandi into a vicious and reckless act of war. Soon these two strands of survivors will meet, through chance, desperation, and sheer willpower.

In a world in which every moment is lived on the edge between life and death, where animal and human predators can strike in an instant, where the gods themselves seem lost, and dreams entwine with reality, a people's destiny rushes toward them. The Ibandi must make a last, violent stand against complete destruction.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Prehistoric

Audible Audio

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Steven Barnes (born March 1, 1952, Los Angeles, California) is an African American science fiction writer, lecturer, creative consultant, and human performance technician. He has written several episodes of The Outer Limits and Baywatch, as well as the Stargate SG-1 episode "Brief Candle" and the Andromeda episode "The Sum of its Parts". Barnes' first published piece of fiction, the novelette The Locusts (1979), written with Larry Niven, and was a Hugo Award nominee.

Reviews

[Monica **can't read fast enough** · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shadow Valley is a quick read that is a good continuation of Sky Woman. I’ve enjoyed Barnes’ take on what an ancient African society could have looked liked. His creative view of their social structure, approach to spirituality, their reactions to natural disasters and how all of it could have shaped what we recognize as civilization made for an interesting read. If you are looking for unique historical fiction with female characters who are strong and influential in their own right I’d recommend giving this series a try. These do need to be read in order.

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[Tananarive Due · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the sequel to Great Sky Woman, also excellent, and unlike anything you've ever read!

[Sherry Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Story!

Shadow Valley is the sequel to Great Sky Woman, both of which I have read and enjoyed immensely. It had been quite a while since I had read the first one, so (for me) remembering the original plot feathered into this second story very slowly at first. However, it weekly to only enhance its stand-alone-ability even more. Great story, Steven!

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I might have liked this book better if I had read "Great Sky Woman" first...

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow going at first, but picked up steam as it went on

[Nea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steven Barnes is an exceptional cultural fiction author and this book is a fine example of his talents. Because it was a follow-up to his book Great Sky Woman, which I read recently, the first third of Shadow Valley seemed to drag along (with character introductions and what not). Nonetheless, the pace picked up and Barnes' very engaging writing style shined. The African bush setting was clearly well researched as it was told in the richest, most realistic detail. The tribal conflicts, ancient ways, ceremonies, spiritual concepts, environmental and wildlife elements, love, war, hope, despair, the dynamics between men and women...so much to grip your attention. Several chapters actually left me holding my breath, biting my bottom lip and gripping the edges of my seat. And the ending...Few things are more important in a good book than a good ending. Definitely no disappointment here.

[Stafford Battle · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the long tradition of "prehistoric" novelizations, I really appreciated Barnes' extreme attention to gritty details, gifted dialogue and graphic realism to create an African tale of discovery, adventure, and heroism by people who lived thousands of years ago. Furthermore, the conversations, the settings, the intellect of ancient Africans related so well to the triumphs and tragedies of modern society. Barnes painted a picture revealing that we are not so far from our ancestors living a day-to-day existence as predator and prey. Shadow Valley allowed me to feel pain and relish conquests as horizons were expanded. I devoured this book in hours.

[Kwesi Brookins · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK, I finished both Great Sky Woman and Shadow Valley. My review can be found at: http://kwesispot.blogspot.com/.


previous post:

about 1/2 way through. This is the 2nd book in the series with the first being Great Sky Woman. Took me a while to get around to reading Steven Barnes and I'm sad that is the case. At least these two novels are excellent reads, great storytelling, and epic in imagination. I"ll have more of a review of both when I finish.

[Kaye Ball · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book takes you into the world of prehistoric hunter/gatherers in Africa in a way that is very real.