The Peace Chief (Robert J. Conley's Real People Series) [Paperback]

Robert J. Conley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 2001

In The Peace Chief, one young Cherokee must be reborn to lead his people through the difficult early days of sixteenth-century European expansion into America. Conley tells the story of Young Puppy, a member of the Long Hair Clan who mistakenly kills his best friend, Asquani. To avoid being killed--the usual remedy for restoring balance between the two clans--Young Puppy flees to the sanctuary of Kituwah, where, after a year in exile, his offense will be forgiven. Spiritually reborn as Comes Back to Life, he becomes the ceremonial leader of his people: the Peace Chief.

 

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Set in the 17th century, Conley's (War Woman, etc.) engaging new novel continues his exploration of Cherokee history. Having accidentally killed another Cherokee in battle, Young Puppy is forced to move to the sacred town of Kituwah lest the dead man's clan members kill him to restore balance to the tribe. If he can overcome his exuberance and stay in the sanctuary until the next new year's ceremony, Young Puppy will be forgiven?but that is almost a full year away. Time passes slowly for him, and he especially misses beautiful Guwisti, to whom he is pledged. Finally, the celebration of the New Moon marks him as the new apprentice to Ahulil, Kituwah's spiritual leader. But there are troubles in the town as a group of French visitors plot to overthrow their captain, who is friendly to the Cherokee, and the Shawnees invade Cherokee borders to the North. And when Young Puppy, spiritually reborn and renamed Comes Back to Life, is made the Peace Chief of a new defensive outpost, he and his people must confront more threats from the slave-catching allies of the Spaniards. Though Conley has a tendency to overexplain the feelings of his characters and fails to make it credible that not a single Cherokee dies during the book's many battles, his detailed descriptions of Cherokee ceremonies and rich use of myth make the novel a worthy addition to his large body of work.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

A fascinating exploration of Cherokee lore, logic, and mysticism -- Booklist

An appealing full view of complex tribal life -- Kirkus Reviews

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press (November 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806133686
• ISBN-13: 978-0806133683
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #416,851 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #22 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Special Groups > Native American Studies

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent historical fiction of the Cherokee Nation, November 26, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Peace Chief: A Novel of the Real People (Hardcover)

While fighting members of the Ofos tribe by himself, Young Puppy, of the Real People, thought a foe was coming up from his rear. He immediately killed the person behind him, which sadly turned out to be a close friend, Asquani also of the Real People. Though it was a friendly fire accident, the balance between the clans was now out of kilter. Asquani's Wolf clan had the right to restore the balance between them and Young Puppy's clan, The Long Hair, by killing any member of the latter group. Instead of retaliation, the Cherokee Nation sentences Young Puppy to spend the next year in the sacred town of Kituawh.

For the hyperactive Young Puppy, death might be a better alternative. He misses his intended and loathes not being able to go out on the hunt. As the year passes slowly, Young Puppy is spiritually reborn as the Peace Chief of a new Cherokee outpost town. Now his true journey begins as threats from the Europeans and the Shawnee arise.

Anyone who has read a Robert J. Conley "Real People" historical fiction will quickly understand why the Cherokee Nation commissioned the author to chronicle their history. The entire collection pays homage to an intricate, complex way of life that is must reading for fans of historical novels. THE PEACE CHIEF adds to the setting by providing colorful descriptions of a culture, rituals, and people already struggling to retain a lifestyle as the early intrusion of the European has begun. The award winning Conley will surely receive more accolades for this sweeping epic.

Harriet Klausner

5.0 out of 5 stars Robert Conley books rock, December 18, 2007

By 

Anonymous (Illinois USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Peace Chief (Robert J. Conley's Real People Series) (Paperback)

All of the Real People series books are well researched and quite interesting, which great plot and character development. I have the books myself and recently purchased some for my brother.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars More informative than entertaining, July 25, 2002

By 

Doug Hughes "RHughes995" (Durham, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Peace Chief (Robert J. Conley's Real People Series) (Paperback)

"The Peace Chief" is the ninth installment in Conley's 'Real People' series, and is a de-facto prequel to the previous novel, "War Woman". It is the story of Young Puppy, a young Cherokee who is disgraced and forced into hiding, and of his subsequent redemption.

The story is a compelling one, and Conley once again brings the everyday life of the Cherokee alive as no one else does. My only real complaint is that the various dances and religious ceremonies are described in excruciating detail, and the book consequently reads more like an anthropological text than a novel at times. That said, I suspect that this may have been a conscious descision on Conley's part. Obviously I'm speculating here, but it may well be that Conley did this as a means of preserving these various traditions. As I understand it, many of the old religious rites and observances were, as far back as 150 years ago, already being forgotten.

It's not the best book in the series, but it still offers the reader a good look at what life was like for the Cherokee before the Removal, a.k.a. the Trail of Tears.