Customer Reviews

People of the Lakes (The First North Americans Series)

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I would have loved this novel no matter what since it is so well-written, brilliantly-conceived and the stone age characters--including a shamanistic dwarf, a fearless warrior, a river trader, a runaway princess and a half-crazed contrary--are all persons of depth, but what made it one of my all-time favorites was the fact it was set in my own state, in my own region, practically in my own hometown! It probably helped that I read this at a time when I was far from home and ready to grasp any reminder of my old surroundings, even if it was as part of a tale of those places long, long ago.

For those of you who don't happen to live among southern Ohio's verdant river valleys, regions dotted with a multitude of pre-Columbian settlements, there is still a lot to recommend this long, intricate novel about the Adena peoples in decline and the Hopewell culture in its ascendancy. Many educational details of both societies are included here. (Including such tidbits as the "high-headed" Adena's regarding dwarves as semi-divine individuals of such gloriously surpassing beautiful that women paid richly for the honor of sleeping with them in hopes of birthing a dwarfen child.)

This is the story of a group of Adena, Hopewell and a few outside individuals from other prehistoric North American nations, who join together on a daring quest to destroy a cursed object--a ceremonial mask--by pitching it into the roaring natural landmark we 2000 years later call Niagara Falls. There is a legend about this evil mask, you see, created as it was long ago by an evil shaman whose powers he transferred within it, that strikes terror in those who discover it back among them after an absence of so long the item had come to be regarded as a myth. (Lest this sounds too much like a fantasy rather than anthropological novel, know that whether the mask is truly so afflicted is never completely explored, the important fact is the people in this book believe it is.)

In Peoples of the Lakes, the quest at the story's soul takes the reader through much of the Hopewell and Adena homelands, enriching that setting with several chapters on the everyday lives of those civilizations. The plot then sweeps into the Mississippian cultures and introduces a brutal tribe called the Khota, who worship (were)wolves, shed blood to please their savage gods, and guard the convergence of what we now call the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. The Khota raid river traffic and war on anyone within their reach, much like Vikings did in Europe later in the first millennium. Because our questing party trespasses on their territory, the Khota swear to end their lives at any cost. Next the party, with Khota warriors behind them, cross Lake Michigan at the height of a severe thunderstorm, and survive to pass thru the lands of a peaceful nation of lake people whose moral values are both laudable and definitely--in a sexual sense--"different" from our own today. All the while the group of main characters makes its way north, they face pursuit by violent enemies and must overcome natural and human obstacles along the way. When after a thousand pages this story reaches its climax, we finally learn a dark truth that has been kept secret from us: in order for the prophecy to be fulfilled, one of the people we've come to know so well all through the journey must not only destroy the malevolent spirits who dwell within the mask, but make the ultimate sacrifice as well...

This massive novel about the values and beliefs of ancient Americans in the Great Lakes, Northeast and Mississippi Valley presents a multi-faceted story that will offer something to catch the interest of almost anyone.

Although this was a scary book to pick up and dive into, due to the length, it is a very easy read. I have laughed so hard at the antics of Green Spider and the group of mismatched men traveling the river. As usual there are a number of powerful women and men in battles of strength, wit, and stamina as well as physical power. This is one of the best I've read so far, being only the 5th in the series. I intend to finish off the series. These are all fantastic books. The wonderful story is woven through threads that tie clans and families together and cords of power that tie them all. The story is built on a strong foundation of historical knowledge and the details abound thoughout this novel of prehistoric North American life. Descriptive and captivating, you'll enjoy every minute of it.

Kudos to the gears for writing such magical novel! We are know from history classes what happened in ancient greece and Rome and medieval europe BUT we don't know what happened in our country a thousand years ago but thanks to the Gears and their considerable storytelling abilities we can imagined what happened in this country.This novel has scenes of eerie mysticism, romance suspenseful adventure and witty dialogue to create a novel with memorable characters like black skull, deadly warrior with a painful past, feisty Pearl and mysterious sorcerer midget named the Tall Man and the hunt for the sinister mask was gripping! Two thumbs up for this novel!

This book looks intimidating, with it's seven hundred something pages, but once you start reading, you can't stop! I've never gone through a book so quickly before, staying up often all night because I wanted to know what happened next! The humor in the story has you laughing out loud, and the traumas have you crying along with the characters. The adventure is so wonderful that you can't wait to read it again, and you'll remember it forever, and reccommend it to your friends. A phenomenal achievement

The longest novel of the series so far, this one is undoubtedly my favorite. Set in the pre-historic Great Lakes region, the story follows the Trader, Otter, and his strange crew of a woman fleeing her past, a warrior with a secret, and a holy man known as a Contrary. A spiritual leader like a Dreamer, the Contrary sees the world with such clarity that he does everything backwards. Often frustrating to the people around him, the Contrary makes for some raucous humor as the quartet make their way through the Great Lakes. Traveling through strange lands, they encounter peoples and places that they had only heard about in legends and myths. At the end of their often dangerous and ever entertaining journey they must all confront their destinies.

I've read all of the Gear's books in "The First North Americans" series, and this is my favorite! I can't remember the last time I was so engrossed in a book. Not only was the story dramatic and intriguing, it actually had me laughing out loud in some places. This is a "must" for Gear fans and anyone interested in native American culture.

As a fellow writer of historical Native American fiction, I found this book to be the best of the series. Growing up on the Great Lakes and being of a Native culture, I could not wait to see what happened next. As long as the book was I found I came to the conclusion too fast. I wanted this story to go on. Its detail of the native peoples of the time showed an exceptional understanding of the cultures and tools of the time. Well done.

I have read many of the "People of" books, and this is so far, my favorite. The book follows Otter, a trader, Black Skull, a Warrior, Green Spider, a spiritual man, Pearl, a runaway and Star Shell, the beautiful daughter of a cheif, as they quest in pursuit of a the Many-Colored Crow's mask. The book is filled with beautiful descriptions, and fabulous dialogue. I started the book on a plane, and didn't want to put it down. I like to try and guess what's going to happen in a story, and in this case, the story line kept me guessing right up until the very end. And, most importantly, this book was very historically accurate. This is a great read, especially for those people who are interested in Native American cultures.

A must read for the Native American history readers. The Gears have teamed up once again for the thrill of a lifetime. This novel has all of the fulfillments: adventure, romance, suspense, laughter and tears. I truly enjoyed the characters and their plights, you get the sense that you are traveling with them and becoming one with them... It's awesome to think that this could've actually happened... i enjoyed thinking about the region and how it has changed in the span of time. This story kept my interest from the first page to the last...

When I first picked this book up I thought, "Holy cow, it's going to take me all summer to read this." But after the first chapter I was hooked, and I finished it in less than two weeks. Once again the Gear's savory writing style and intense plot had enveloped me. This elegantly-crafted story is filled with friendship, humor, and emotional intensity. There is a good balance of inner and outer journeys for the characters. The reader is transported into another time and place, and it's so real you can almost taste the berries and smell the trees. I have read several of the Gear's other novels in this series and this is my favorite one so far. Highly recomended for historical fiction buffs and lovers of Native American culture!