People of the Silence

North America's Forgotten Past #8

by Kathleen O'Neal Gear, W. Michael Gear

At its pinnacle in A.D. 1150 the Anasazi empire of the Southwest would see no equal in North America for almost eight hundred years. Yet even at this cultural zenith, the Anasazi held the seeds of their own destruction deep within themselves....

On his deathbed, the Great Sun Chief learns a secret, a shame so vile to him that even at the brink of eternity he cannot let it pass: In a village far to the north is a fifteen-summers-old girl who must be found. Though he knows neither her name nor her face, the Great Sun decrees that the girl must at all costs be killed.

Fleeing for her life as her village lies in ruins, young Cornsilk is befriended by Poor Singer, a curious youth seeking to touch the soul of the Katchinas. Together, they undertake the perilous task of staying alive long enough to discover her true identity. But time is running out for them all—a desperate killer stalks them, one who is willing to destroy the entire Anasazi world to get to her.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors and award-winning archaeologists W. Michael Gear and Kathleen O'Neal Gear bring the stories of these first North Americans to life in People of the Silence and other volumes in the magnificent North America's Forgotten Past series.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Native American, Historical, Fantasy, Native Americans, Prehistoric

650 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

My professional life began in the dark basement of the Museum of Cultural History in Los Angeles, where I was cataloguing three-hundred-year-old Guatemalan saint carvings. I quit this fascinating job and moved to Wyoming to work for the U.S. Department of the Interior as a historian and archaeologist. When I finally understood the error of my ways I moved to Wyoming and started writing books. Since then, I've authored or co-authored 54 novels and around 200 non-fiction publications.

I love writing. And buffalo. And hiking the wilds of Wyoming's backcountry.

I'm married (until he comes to his senses) to W. Michael Gear, the novelist and my co-author, and we live at the edge of the Wind River Indian Reservation in the Owl Creek mountains of Wyoming. We're contented watching buffalo and writing books.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/kathle...

Reviews

[Peter Tillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fine, thick speculative historical-political novel about the prehistoric American Southwest, specifically the enigmatic Chaco culture and its neighbors during the early 12th century. This is an impressive book. It's well-researched, and features complex people, muddling through life, in cultures much different than our own. The Gears' characters are exceptionally well-drawn. They're presented sympathetically, but with warts and all. Besides history, there's romance, treachery, greed, slavery, rape, murder, humor, exotic religion, mystery.... and fine masonry. A great deal of fine masonry. Did I mention the murals? The masks? The macaws?

The Chaco phenomenon has been puzzling and fascinating people since the rediscovery of the Chaco Canyon ruins in the 19th century. I've followed the debate with interest, and the Gears' story is as likely to be true(ish) as any. Although I'm kinda partial to the more recent "Mexican cannibal terrorist warlords" hypothesis for Chaco's Secret Masters -- which isn't incompatible with (but darker than) the Gears' interpretation. Both Gears are (IB) working archaeologists, and they've clearly spent some time around the campfire with the Chaco guys, listening to stories too outrageous to be published...

And if you've never visited Chaco, well, you should. Fall is the primo time. Bring a sturdy vehicle, and plan to camp out for a night or two. And don't miss Earl Morris's stunning recreation of the Great Kiva at Aztec Ruins -- which you'll recognize from the novel. There are no finer Precolumbian buildings in this country. And no finer masonry anywhere.

SILENCE is a gripping and successful long novel, which held my attention throughout. This is the best novel of the prehistoric Southwest I've read (this is an uncrowded niche). An impressive achievement, and a definite keeper. 5 stars! Highly recommended for historical-fiction and Southwestern US fans. And time for a re-read, I think.

[Noella · Rating 5 out of 5]

16 jaar geleden is de zwangere Jong Reekalf, een slavin uit het dorpje Klauw, vermoord teruggevonden en haar kindje was uit haar buik gesneden. Van de baby echter geen spoor, en de dader is nooit gevonden.
Dan gaat het verhaal over Doornstruik, die een Zanger wil worden, en in de leer gaat bij de oude Duin, waar hij de naam Beroerde Zanger krijgt (vanwege zijn trots).
Ondertussen worden we bekend gemaakt met de mensen uit Klauw. Kraaienbaard, de Gezegende Zon (opperhoofd) ligt op sterven. Na zijn dood zal zijn zoon Slangenkop opperhoofd worden. Kraaienbaard was een wrede man, en Slangenkop is nog erger. Vlak voor de dood van Kraaienbaard wordt zijn dochter Spelende Wolk vermoord. Ook nu wordt geen dader gevonden.
Op zijn doodsbed beveelt Kraaienbaard aan Laatste Licht, de Ziener, om het kind dat zijn vrouw Nachtzon gebaard heeft, vele jaren geleden, te vinden en te doden. Nachtzon en haar minnaar IJzerhout, de oorlogsleider, hebben altijd gedacht dat ze hun relatie geheim hadden kunnen houden. En Nachtzon wist niet beter dan dat haar baby dood was, en alle bewijs dus verdwenen.
Maar Maïsglans leeft nog!
Wanneer het dorp waar ze altijd gewoond heeft, wordt aangevallen, vlucht Maïsglans voor haar leven, en ontmoet dan Beroerde Zanger. Samen zetten ze zich aan de hachelijke taak om lang genoeg in leven te blijven om de ware identiteit van Maïsglans te achterhalen.
Want nergens blijken ze veilig te zijn. Slangenkop in het dorp Klauw heeft vermoedens dat Maïsglans zijn halfzuster is, en wil haar, zijn moeder Nachtzon, en IJzerhout dood.
Ook is hij zo vals dat hij een overeenkomst met zijn vijanden wil sluiten. Maar hij wordt zelf bedrogen, want terwijl de begrafenisstoet van Kraaienbaard onderweg is naar de heilige begraafplaats, op vier dagen lopen, onder begeleiding van zo goed als alle krijgers uit Klauw, wordt Klauw aangevallen door Gaaivogel, de vijandelijke leider. De vermoorde Jong Reekalf was zijn dochter, en nu wil hij wraak nemen. Heel Klauw wordt verwoest, en er worden enkele gevangenen gemaakt, onder wie Nachtzon, IJzerhout, Laatste Licht, en Duin.
En dan komt er nog een grote verrassing: het blijkt dat het zoontje van Jong Reekalf, dus de kleinzoon van Gaaivogel, nog leeft! Zal deze jongen, die ondertussen bevriend is geworden met Duin, Laatste Licht, Nachtzon en IJzerhout, zijn grootvader kunnen overhalen om zijn vrienden te sparen, en hen zelfs de vrijheid te geven? En zullen Maïsglans en Beroerde Zanger, die ondertussen van elkaar zijn gaan houden, er in slagen om een nieuw leven op te bouwen, en de wereld van de Anasazi te veranderen?
Heel mooi, spannend en ontroerend verhaal. Het duurt wel zo'n 100 bladzijden voor het echte verhaal begint, want in het eerste deel worden we eigenlijk vooral vertrouwd gemaakt met de personages en de gebruiken van de volken.

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like the beginning - too many story strands and characters were introduced too fast and I could not keep it all straight. About 100 pages into the book, I finally felt like I had it all straight and then was able follow the story. However, I was disappointed by the ending. The book begins with an entire chapter about characters during the modern day and then we never revisit them and never discover what the point was. Am I supposed to see that even in the modern era, the "ghosts" of the past culture live on in Chaco Canyon? It was definitely interesting to learn about the culture of the people of the southwest, but the story was just so-so for me. Finally, I was left feeling like there needed to be a sequel and I'm tired of books that leave you hanging.

[J.M. Northup · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gears Weave a Tale that is Captivating and Educational!
Wow! Just, wow!
This was one of my first in-depth views of the Anasazi, the Katchinas, and to Chaco Canyon. It created a thirst for knowledge in me and drew me deeper into the overall book series. It not only gave me a greater understanding of the culture of these ancient peoples and how they impacted life in the southwestern region of the United States, but it also offered a plausible explanation to their disappearance. The story was well-written, intelligent, and face-paced. It was gripping and heart-felt, while offering dangers and darkness in the midst of love and hope.
Once again, the Gears shine as their literary talents display their amazing abilities as enticing storytellers. The reader is swallowed into this rich, detailed world and captivate from cover to cover. This is one of those novels that give readers a "book hangover" and must be pondered and experienced even after the tale ends!

[Mieczyslaw Kasprzyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book even though the initial difficulty lay in being forced to enter a universe in which dreams and spirits are a reality for its occupants. One really is forced, in the book, to look at the world with a different pair of eyes and alien imagery. The lives lived in this world seem peaceful on an initial, superficial, level but it isn't long before one realises that this is a harsh world in which there are constant threats from both its physical and spiritual aspects.
The picture is painted in rich colours, perhaps, at times, a little too rich - it certainly forces you to concentrate at the beginning. It paints a society that is alien, even though human. Yet, slowly, we begin to accept this world, its everyday interaction with the spirits and elemental forces, its nagging threats, and the events that are unveiled before us take on a sort of normalcy.
The O'Neal Gears are good writers - I really enjoyed their Anasazi series - and they didn't let me down in this tale of hidden secrets, power, envy, spiritualism and fear.I would certainly recommend it.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some parts of this book I really loved; the botanical, geographical, culinary, and cultural descriptions, the varied, imperfect-but-trying characters, and the story itself. Some things that happened seemed overly fortuitous/dramatic/shocking, but they kind of made sense anyway, so it was all right. The story dragged a little at the beginning (when it was hard to keep track of all the difference POVs and figure out who's who), but once the action picked up it was quite interesting. My favorite part was learning more about the history, culture, and natural world of the Pueblo people.

[Frank]

I have read one other book by the Gears, PEOPLE OF THE MIST, and I really enjoyed it. But after reading almost 100 pages of this very long story about the Anasazi, I decided to give it up. What I read so far included too much folklore and legend for my taste. You enter a universe comprised mainly of dreams and legends which are a reality for the Anasazi people. Anyway, I will move on to something else that hopefully will better hold my interest.

[Jennifer Mugrage · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, five stars means it's a good example of its genre. This is an exhaustively researched novel set in ancient history. (The Anasazi lived in the 800s to 1200s A.D., which was historical times in most of the world, but as we do not have a written record left by the Anasazi, from an archaeological perspective, studying them counts as prehistory.) Some historical novels or speculative novels set in ancient times seem to cut-and-paste modern concerns onto those supposedly ancient characters. The Gears definitely don't do that. That is one of my top concerns in historical fiction, so props to them.

It did take me a looong time to finish this. The novel starts with a steep climb through a lot of info dumps about Anasazi cosmology, including an extended vision that happens to a young man whom we haven't gotten to know yet. All during the vision, I kept trying to figure out what the different elements in the vision represented in the cosmological scheme that had just been presented. Later, it turned out that we weren't supposed to totally understand the vision at the time, and it would be revealed later. Perhaps, if I had read any other books by the Gears, I would have realized this sooner, but as this was my first one, I didn't at first have that confidence.

The steep climb continues, as we are introduced to a large cast of characters. For about the first half of the novel, it wasn't clear to me which characters, if any, I was supposed to sympathize with. In the book, the Anasazi have brutal caste system based on "First People" and "Made People," and slaves captured in raids on other tribes. Some of the First People later turn out to be sympathetic characters, but you don't find that out until about halfway through the novel. Also, some characters who are supposed to be sympathetic are seen committing atrocities when we first meet them. Eventually it becomes clear that this is a very brutal society, and the prevalence and unavoidability of violence is part of the point of the novel; but again, the violence does make it hard to figure out who we are meant be to rooting for.

After the steep climb, which lasts about half the novel, we have a long plateau (a mesa top, if you will) where we are getting to know the characters and the intricate machinations taking place in their dying society. Wheels within wheels! The whole novel also includes a lot of beautiful, lyrical descriptions of the Four Corners landscape. The Gears do a great job giving you a sense of what time of day it is, what the weather and background look like, and details of what people are eating and wearing, and how they are wearing their hair. Almost every dialogue tag comes with a one-sentence description of what the character looks like at the moment (e.g. "Her greying black hair had come loose around her beautiful triangular face, which was covered in smears of reddish dust"). Stephen King would hate this, but I don't mind it. It helps you keep track of the different characters by forming mental images of them, and it gives that much-coveted visual glimpse into what the Anasazi looked like. (For example, they dressed in bright colors and decorated themselves with copper bells and macaw feathers.)

Finally, having scaled and then trekked across the mesa, once you are comfortable in the world and familiar with all the power dynamics, the last hundred or so pages take you on a mad, roller-coaster rush down the other side, as secrets are revealed, violence explodes, and desperate, last-minute measures are tried. This book even turned out to be a rather creepy murder mystery, with an unexpected but satisfying reveal of the murderer.

After the novel, there is an extensive bibliography of all the archaeological and anthropological sources the Gears consulted.

If you liked my book The Long Guest, you will probably like People of the Silence, and vice versa.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd have to say that this is probably one of my least favorite books in the series so far. Way too much going on and way too many jumbled storylines. The eighth book in The First North Americans series, it's not important to read the books in order, you can read it as a stand alone.

There's a lot of intrigue afoot in Talon Town. The Blessed Sun is dying, and his son, his successor, is just about as crazy as he is. In the course of dying a few secrets are let out though, and the lives of some children in a different town are now at stake. Add in a couple of odd spiritual men, a few warriors, and a witch and you've got the makings for a party.

There are a lot of characters in this book. And it's hard to keep track of them all and how they are related. And because the parentage is a mystery and speculated much on in this book it becomes even harder to figure out who's who. Sure there are little clues here and there, but there are some clues not given out that would help with the characterization as well. Cornsilk is ok, she remained about as confused as I was through the entire book so I could relate to her. Same thing with Poor Singer, he too was just struggling along. All the adults however were a bit crazy and selfish in my opinion.

As I said before there was too much going on. Things jumped around, people were supposedly spawned by other people and then that changed and they were spawned by other people. And there was a witch in there somewhere doing terrible things to yet other people. It got a little wearisome and I felt like I was on a merry-go-round because these things kept reoccurring. Nothing ever really felt like it was totally resolved. I think the book could have been about half the size and told a more straight forward story.

I'd give it two and a half stars. If you're a big fan of the series you'll want to read it but just as a book on its own, I really don't think it's worth it.

People of the Silence
Copyright 1996
643 pages

Review by M. Reynard 2014

More of my reviews can be found at www.ifithaswords.blogspot.com

[Amanda Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read any of this author's books that aren't memorable-good reads!

[Tina Osterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Satisfaction

I have read, and re-read this book many times. Each time is an Wonderfilled experience walking thru this ancient world. Kathleen O'Neal and W. Michael Gear are the absolute best at bringing history to life.
If one wants to know about the cultures of the First Nations, these authors are a must read.♥

[Isabel McEniry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote a review on one of my other tablets.

This was a great book about the Anasazi people. I enjoyed it very much. You will see my review be-cause I submitted it from my other tablet.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love all of W. Michael and Kathleen's books!

[Carol A Luttrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow start but once halfway

It becomes riveting until the end as this series usually is!! Leaving you anticipating the next book of the series!!

[Kay Luna · Rating 5 out of 5]

No one surpasses the Gears In writing stories about Native American history. I’ve read all the People books more than once and will do so again

[Janine Coulter]

I love anything by the Gears!

[Curt · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a very long book, so it was a little slow at times. I loved how things worked out in the end

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story! The many characters and relationships were a challenge to follow, but worth it.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

People of the Silence by W. Michael Gear and Kathleen O’Neal Gear

People of the Silence, is one of the most popular books of the Gear, People series. Part of the Anasazi series of books with in the Gears most popular book series.
People of the silence, answers the question, why did the Anasazi (or ancient Pueblo Indians) leave the valleys and great buildings that were their homes for hundreds of years. What events caused them to abandon their magnificent Pueblo (fortified) towns? Was it the climate change, volcanoes, or rot within their religious society?
It is the forbidden love story of Night Sun, the High Matron (First People) of Talon town (Pueblo Bonito), and the Made people War Chief Ironwood. Their love story was forbidden in a matrilineal society, with marriage of the First people being made for political reasons. Night Sun is a respected healer, and leader of her people. Ironwood is a dynamic renowned War Chief. Night Sun is married to the self-absorbed Blessed Sun Crow Beard. It is Crow Beard's orders that have made the First people of the Strait Path nation feared by their neighboring tribes. His violent tendency and desire to dominate the surrounding area has made the Strait Path Nation hated, despised and feared.

This story takes place sixteen years after the love affair, and the birth of the child of Night Sun and Ironwood, Cornsilk. Cornsilk, was sent away on the day of her birth, Night Sun believed the child had died. After the child’s birth Night Sun stopped seeing Ironwood, focusing on her surviving children and helping her nation. Now Night Sun's world seems to be coming apart Crow Beard, is dying. Snake Head the son of Crow Beard and Night Sun is manipulating the situation to gain personal power. He has become more arrogant then his father, and the people fear his violent, sadistic nature. A murder has killed Blessed Cloud Playing, Night Suns the next matron of Talon Town. Her death has caused rumors of witchcraft, and evil corrupting the heart of the Strait Path Nation.
A new Dreamer Buckthorn (Poor Singer) is learning his craft from the derelict Dune a renowned holy man. Poor singer needs to learn to control his pride, but also how to connect to the magical and mystical gods, Katchinas.
This story is the beginning of a cross between mystery and anthropological historical fiction that will spawn its own series.
Character list
People of the silence (Anasazi)

Cornsilk: escaping the destruction of her town, and the deaths of her adopted parents Thistle, and Bear grass.

Bear Grass: ex-deputy of Talon town, Ironwood closest friend, asked to take a child by Sternlight.

Thistle: a builder of Talon Town, raised Cornsilk, and Fledgling after leaving Talon Town.

Fledgling: Cornsilks brother, introduced as twins

Ironwood: war chief of Talon Town. He is a renowned Bear Clan (Made person) warrior.

NightSun: Matron of Talon Town of the Strait Path Nation. Night Sun is a healer and beloved leader of the First People.

Dreamer :( buckthorn) Poor singer, trying to contact the spirits of the Thlatsina.

Dune: Derelict an Old dreamer and father of Buckthorn.

Stern light: Sunwatcher of Talon Town, a holy man, cousin of Night Sun.

SnakeHead: son of Night sun and Chief Crow Beard; very violent man who hated women and tortured people.

Mourning Dove: Night sun’s slave in charge of taking care Snake Head.

Young Fawn: Slave girl murdered and baby stolen. She was found in a trash dump the spring after her disappearance.

JayBird: Leader of the Fire Dog Tribe, at war with Strait Path nation.

Nightshade: keeper of the Tortoise Bundle, as advisor and helper to Poor Singer.

[Arianne Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually bought this book with ulterior motives: my aim is to incorporate historical realism from the American Southwest into my own fiction, and one glance at the thirty-odd sources in this book's bibliography is testament beyond a doubt that the Gears did their homework.

And at the end of it, that is without question my favorite part of this novel: not only did the authors do serious research to get the finer points right, but they do an exquisite job in using that information to bring the world to life without beating you over the head with an encyclopedia. Would this still be a good story even if we weren't told that the buckwheat stew was made with beeweed leaves, dried currants, and ricegrass flour? Sure, but those details - in the space of no more than a sentence! - add just that little bit more to the setting of the novel. That's fine enough for fantasy never-never-land, but when you are being asked to understand and empathize with the lives of real people, who really lived this way, it makes a literal world of difference.

Unfortunately, some of the fictional elements of the story aren't as exquisitely crafted. The plot was just fine, and I didn't have the trouble that others did with all of the characters, but I'll confess that I did draw out a couple of family trees to help me keep all of the relationships straight (which for me is more fun than vexing; YMMV.) Instead, what occasionally pulled me out of the story was the dialogue: obviously these characters speak their own language, but I don't like to see that rendered simply as "English, but with all of the slang and most of the contractions removed." I would have much preferred to hear more of their own slang and jokes and colloquialisms - though even that would not have fixed some of the stiff "as you know, Bob" (or should I say, "as you know, Sternlight") dialogue. It was a shame not to have the intricate authenticity of the setting mirrored in the speech of the characters.

However, I certainly won't hesitate to pick up another book by the Gears: this one was absolutely worth reading, as long as you know what you're reading for.

[Katie Rhodig · Rating 5 out of 5]

In People of the Silence, the hero of an ancient prophecy is born in violence and mystery. At the same time, another child is born and secreted away to live outside the great Anasazi city of Talon Town.
Jump ahead 16 years and Power has set the wheel in motion for the events of the past to come in to play. The Blessed Sun, chief of Talon Town lays dying in his room, his wife, the Matron Night Sun tries to be by his side, despite their estranged marriage. The chief eventually learns about the child the prophecy foretold and where it has been living since the mysterious birth. The matron and chief’s son also learns of this child and upon the death of his father, orders the child killed. At the same time outside the great city, a young girl lives, the one ordered to be destroyed. The renowned war chief Ironwood is also privy to this violent command but can not act the new chief, Snakehead has dismissed Ironwood of his position and accuses his mother, Night Sun of adultery.
The young girl, Corn Silk escapes the violence that kills her family and village and flees to Talon Town. Along the way she meets a holy man in training, Poor Singer. As the secrets unravel and the prophecy set in motion, these two fight to stay alive as violence and uncertainty stalk their every move. In their journey they meet Ironwood, Night Sun, and others along this dangerous path that their moccasins tread upon.
Find out how the prophecy and secrets unfold and if Poor Singer and Corn Silk survive or die at the hands of those who would help or betray them as the sands of legacy and mystery whirl around them.

[John Lietzke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of "People of the Silence" by John Lietzke

The authors continue to use "hand of" for time and length. What do they mean? I thought the book was great and we'll written. This is the eighth book concerning the early North Americans that I have read that the Gears have written and I enjoy the books.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The modern story introduction is an augument over the overuse of a National park that is sacred to the Pueblo people. It then moves back into history to the Straight Path people in what today is Arizona and New Mexico. It's about their internal problems and their conflicts with the Towers Builders in the north and the Mogollon & Holokam tribes in the south.

The Straight Path people are a matrilineal civilization with their capital in Talon Town. Their chief Crow Beard, the 'Blessed Sun' is dying. On his deathbed, he accuses his wife Night Sun, the matron of Talon Town of adultery. After he dies, his heir Snake Head, a selfish, bitter young man, overthrows the current leaders and replaces them with unqualified people.

The story centers around the holy man Dune, his apprentice Poor Singer and a young girl named Cornsilk. Their history and travels are pivotal to the plots of the main story. As is the desire for revenge by the Mogollon's.

Favorite part: the period of time Poor Singer lives with Dune at his remote cabin, then later after Dune leaves and Cornsilk arrives.

[Billy Dominguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is third book of the First People of North America series I have read, and have to say it was heads and shoulders above the first two. You will be thrown into deep Anasazi culture and beliefs. The book includes quite a bit of action, spirit dreamers, adopted child whom was hidden from true parents, politics, warriors, and the decline of the Chaco Canyon empire. Yes the first 100 pages or so can be difficult to tie to the characters and the plot, but once you pass that mark its a whirlwind of events and eventually everything from the first chapter will be tied in and understood. Nearing the end of 2013 I can say this may be the best book I have read this year, I was surprised by how the plot kept twisting and creating some mystery.

[Matt D · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book with an unparalleled attention to details. It is a bit slow to take off, throwing a large number of characters at the reader in essentially one large block. But once you've managed to sort out all of them it becomes significantly better. It seemed like some of the length could have been trimmed off from an excessive amount of over-description, which tended to bog down the book in places. But, all in all, it was an excellent read with enough plot twists to keep you guessing what happens next.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. The characters are interesting and well-developed. The environment is key to understanding the culture; and the authors do a good job of bringing it to life through the characters and fitting it into the context of culture. I don't know enough of the Anasazi to know where history and fact end and fiction begins, but the people, events and civilization are all believeable.

I would definitely read other books by these authors.

[Rita · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just couldn't get into this book...it felt like I was forcing myself to read past the first few chapters, to get into the "feel" of the story, but then I realized that I could be spending the time reading something that I was enjoying reading! I had read 4 other books in this series, which I enjoyed, so I had hopes for enjoying this one as well. Didn't happen...

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es una buena novela, que además de entretenida, nos permite viajar en el tiempo y conocer un poco más de como vivían las tribus en el norte del continente americano. Los nombres de los personajes más que ordinarios o curiosos a mi en lo personal me parecieron geniales.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was well researched and it has some good stuff in it. It's got good characterization and an okayish plot. Wasn't quite as good as it could've been. A goodish historical novel and the setting was cool.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to think about this book. Other than Cornsilk and Buckthorn/Poor Singer, every other character is painted in so many shades of gray that it's hard to tell the "good guys" from the "bad guys".