Synopses & Reviews
Archaeologists Kathleen O'Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear continue to entertain an avid international audience with their rousing historical epic of the adventure, triumph, and heartbreak of the pre-Columbian peoples who struggled to make this great continent their home.
This time the Gears begin in the northeastern region of North America known now as New York and Ontario, where nine years earlier an important child was born. His name is Rumbler, though the Elders call him "Manitou Child", the name the prophets gave him when they foretold the birth of this one of power. As he nears maturity, many greedy warriors covet the young boy as a weapon to use against their enemies. But none are as ruthless as War Leader Jumping Badger, who murders the boy's mother and burns their village to the ground.
Stealing the power child was bloody, but easy enough. Holding onto him is proving to be more than Jumping Badger and his whole village can handle. His warriors are dying one at a time, and it is not long before Rumbler escapes into the frozen forests with the help of 12-year-old Wren, a village girl who has befriended him.
A desperate race begins as Jumping Badger pursues the children across the winter landscape of New York and Ontario. He fears the boy's power now and seeks only to kill him. The pair's only hope is to stay alive long enough to find Rumbler's legendary father, known only as "The Disowned".
Review
Praise for Kathleen ONeal Gear and W. Michael Gear and the Novels of North Americas Forgotten Past
“The multitalented Gears, husband-and-wife archaeologists and best-selling authors, score a literary bulls-eye as they weave another vivid narrative thread into their stunning tapestry of Native Americana….The Gears continue do a magnificent job of advancing a fascinating historical chronicle via action, adventure, and archaeology.”—Booklist on People of the Longhouse
“Rich in cultural detail….Both longtime fans and newcomers will be satisfied. Another fine entry in an ambitious, long-running series.”—Kirkus Reviews on People of the Longhouse
“Set in the 1300s largely in what is now Alabama and Mississippi, this complex novel tracks three wanderers quest to create peace in violent times. Blended with the carefully drawn suspense of court intrigues, colorful characters and sharp plot twists, this is a terrific tale.”—Publishers Weekly on People of the Thunder
“People of the Raven, at one level, is the re-creation of a lost and forgotten civilization by two noted archaeologists. But this story of Kennewick Man also involves an important legal battle pending in the U.S. Supreme Court and is a good read for those of us intrigued by the earliest Americans.”—Tony Hillerman, New York Times bestselling author
Review
"This epic historical romance is a fascinating, well told tale of ancient superstition and culture, set in Florida approximately 8,000 years ago, amid a hauntingly eerie, mystical, and primeval landscape...[An] absorbing portrait of ancient life." --
Booklist on
People of the Lightning
Synopsis
As the prophets have foretold, a child of power has been born unto the Turtle People of the Iroquois Nation. The Elders call him False Face Child, for he is the son of a powerful spirit. A living talisman, the child has inhuman eyes--black mirrors, ageless and deep--and all fear him.
All but Jumping Badger, the most powerful war leader of the Bear People. He destroys an entire village to take the boy to use as a spiritual weapon. But his triumph is short-lived. The Bear People suffer terrible visions and hear the voices of the spirits. Strange ailments and mysterious deaths take them one by one.
Though he is a seer, False Face Child is also a sad and lonely young boy named Rumbler. Twelve-year-old Wren befriends him and together they escape across the winter landscape of New York and Ontario with Jumping Badger close behind. He now fears the boy's power and seeks to kill him. Their only hope is to stay alive long enough to find Rumbler's legendary father, known only as The Disowned.
Synopsis
As the prophets have foretold, a child of power has been born unto the Turtle People of the Iroquois Nation. The Elders call him False Face Child, for he is the son of a powerful spirit. A living talisman, the child has inhuman eyes--black mirrors, ageless and deep--and all fear him.
All but Jumping Badger, the most powerful war leader of the Bear People. He destroys an entire village to take the boy to use as a spiritual weapon. But his triumph is short-lived. The Bear People suffer terrible visions and hear the voices of the spirits. Strange ailments and mysterious deaths take them one by one.
Though he is a seer, False Face Child is also a sad and lonely young boy named Rumbler. Twelve-year-old Wren befriends him and together they escape across the winter landscape of New York and Ontario with Jumping Badger close behind. He now fears the boy's power and seeks to kill him. Their only hope is to stay alive long enough to find Rumbler's legendary father, known only as The Disowned.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [413]-416).
About the Author
Kathleen O'Neal Gear is a former state historian and archaeologist for Wyoming, Kansas, and Nebraska for the U.S. Department of the Interior. She has twice received the federal government's Special Achievement Award for ""outstanding management"" of our nation's cultural heritage. W. Michael Gear holds a master's degree in archaeology and has worked as a professional archaeologist since 1978. He is principal investigator for Wind River Archaeological Consultants. Together they have written the North Americas Forgotten Past series (People of the Longhouse, The Dawn Country, People of the Mist, People of the Wolf, among others); and the Anasazi Mysteries series. The Gears live in Thermopolis, WY.