Prophecy Rock [Hardcover]

Rob MacGregor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1995

Visiting his Hopi tribal police chief father, Will Lansa is drawn into an unusual murder investigation that may be linked to a powaqu, a powerful witch, and the mystery brings Will closer to his Hopi heritage.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7-10?This novel is luxuriant in cultural detail and even includes a glossary of Hopi terms, but it's lean in story line, setting, and characterization. Will's summer visit with his father, the Hopi tribal police chief, gives the teen the chance to explore his heritage, find romance, help solve two grisly murders, and derail a kidnapping. Will's adversary is a red-caped madman who believes himself to be Pahana, the legendary Hopi savior. This villain kills in order to recover a sacred tablet he believes is necessary to bring about the Day of Purification for his people. Those scenes that portray the murderer in the throes of his delusion are the most fascinating and vivid in this fictional landscape. However, for good storytelling, YAs will prefer the rich characters and clear sense of place that abound in Tony Hillerman's Navajo reservation mysteries. Prophecy Rock gets a B+ for multicultural effort, but as a mystery it's barely passing. It's best summed up as Hillerman meets the YA Problem Novel, and the result is not a compelling read, however well intentioned.?Doris A. Fong, Benson Polytechnic High School, Portland, OR
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Inside Flap

Will Lansa, raised by his white mother in Aspen, is spending the summer on the Hopi reservation with his father, the tribal police chief. The chief is investigating the murder of a man found near a sacred place. Some suspect it's the work of a powaqu, a powerful witch. Will's own investigation finds him caught up in ancient prophecies and mystical visions that suddenly place his life in jeopardy. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing; 1st edition (October 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689800568
• ISBN-13: 978-0689800566
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,918,974 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Have you ever wanted to explore a Hopi Reservation?, May 12, 2000

By 

kelly (Stafford Springs, Ct.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Prophecy Rock (Hardcover)

Have you ever wanted to explore a Hopi Reservation and also help the main character with a mystery? Read Rob MacGregor's book Prophecy Rock and you will do just that. The main character in this book is Will Lansa. Will lives in Aspen with his mother. Will's mother decided to go to Europe for a month with her boyfriend Tom. For the summer, he visits his father, Pete Lansa. Will eats all different types of Hopi special recipes, which was very different to him. Pete is a police chief on a Hopi Reservation. On the Hopi reservation, he gets a job and meets a girl that he is very interested in. Will has no chance with her because she lives with her grandmother and she is very traditional. Will is only half Hopi and is considered white to all the full-blooded Hopi's. There is a murder that Will's father is investigating and Will wants to help, but will Will be in danger? You won't know unless you read the book. What I enjoyed most in this book is all the adventures and mysteries leading to the killer at the end of the book. Also all the interesting facts about Hopis and their reservation. In my opinion, I think others should read this book because it is very educational in an exciting way. Also when you start reading, it's hard to put it down. It pulls you in, and it's hard to back off. This book also has very good details; it's almost like you're there and one of the characters. This is a great book for others to read, but you won't know unless you read it yourself. So what are you waiting for get your very own Prophecy Rock book and read it today.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars No Tension, February 24, 2007

By 

A. Luciano (Lowell, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Prophecy Rock (Laurel-Leaf Books) (Mass Market Paperback)

Will is half Hopi, but he has always focused on his white half, living with his mother in Aspen. This summer, before his senior year of high school, he will be living with his father on the Hopi reservation, working at the local hospital and getting in touch with his heritage.

Will's father is a police officer, and while Will is visiting he is in the midst of investigating a murder, one that ends up involving the girl Will is interested in at the hospital, which means Will does his best to get involved, too. Along the way he is able to connect with the Hopi god Masau, who gives him valuable advice and insight.

This book was all surface, no depth. Will's relationship with his father was never really explored. His father was quiet, then when he realized Will wanted him to talk, he talked. Will and Ellie's relationship was just as easy and inexplicable; I didn't feel like they ever got to know each other at all, but somehow they were in love.

The murder plot was a bit heavy-handed. I felt like the author tried too hard to throw us off the trail, and at the end when Will was trying to get back to the reservation and circumstances worked against him, there was no real sense of urgency.

It was an interesting idea and there were some parts that provided good information about the Hopi culture, but the story was pretty weak.