Customer Reviews

Sacred Ground

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Jennifer Talldeer is several people. We know her as a woman making her way as a private detective, a tough business for a man, let alone a woman. Her tribesfolk know her as Good Eagle Woman, an active participant in the powwows and a determined rescuer of Native American artifacts. Her true name is Kestrel Hunts Alone, student of her shaman grandfather Mooncrow, on of the respected Little Old Men of the Osage.

When Jennifer is called in to investigate sabotage at a construction site that appears to have disturbed some Indian remains, her instincts as Kestrel warn her that all is not as it seems. There is evidence that the artifacts uncovered at the Riverside Mall come from a far more important site. Not only are the often-malignant 'Little People' badly stirred up, but something far more evil than grave robbing is also at work. Somehow, Rod Calligan, the builder, is at the center of the trouble. He is intent on blaming the Native Americans working for him for the troubles at the mall.

Things are not made easier when David Spotted Horse, Jennifer's first lover, reappears as an Indian activist. At first, the antagonism festers between David and Jennifer, who does not agree with some of David's more militant positions. Then, as David comes to understand and accept Kestrel's spiritual role, her affection for him becomes a distraction, albeit a welcome one.

In a sense, Jennifer's real adversary is not Calligan, the Little People, the Evil One, or even her occasionally irritating grandfather. It is her own need to be perfect and to control outcomes that she must overcome in order to win her final confrontations. This is a tough challenge, one that she must face herself in her quest for a shaman's medicine-pipe.

Mercedes Lackey alternates between youth oriented fiction series and less frequent, more serious writing. While Jennifer Talldeer is reminiscent of Diana Tregarde, the occult detective, there is little similarity of style between the Tregarde series and 'Sacred Ground.' Both are strong heroines, but Diana is presented as a finished person, while Jennifer is still learning and growing. The light banter that Diana often indulges in is rare for Kestrel. 'Sacred Ground' reveals a maturity of writing that complements its plot. This is a weightier tale, but one that is much more rewarding.

"Sacred Ground" is one of Mercedes Lackey's more serious urban fantasy offerings. It's steeped in Native American culture, folklore and legend (as much that would have been history was destroyed long before the start of this book -- early 1990s -- by unsuspecting, unthinking or uncaring sorts), and it illustrates several major and growing problems.

1) How are Native Americans treated in this country?

2) Can spirituality be integrated into a modern person's life in a meaningful way?

3) Is it worthwhile to help people, always knowing that there are more people who need help than you can afford to help out there?

The last two are answered with an emphatic "YES!" The first one is problematic at best. Jennifer Talldeer, an interesting character if I've ever seen one, talked about the problems of "registering" with the Bureau of Indian Affairs vs. _not_ registering, and chose not to register (as most of her family, if not all, had also chosen). She also showed the difficulty of doing a tough job (private investigator) well, despite being less than five feet tall and rather slight of build. She uses her mind, her heart, and her spirituality to get her through; I think she's an admirable role model for anyone seeking such, and an excellent protagonist for a whole series of novels (would Tor care to resurrect the series, something that looks highly doubtful at this point).

Jennifer's relationship with her grandfather, Mooncrow, is also intriguing. Mooncrow isn't all that traditional in some senses; he loves Nintendo, he eats lots of pizza, he cooks, and he's after her throughout the book to, um, find a fulfilling lover. Not too many grandfathers do this, I don't think.

Mooncrow is a highly contradictory person, as evidenced by his name. Crows are never white, nor do they fly at night, yet Mooncrow . . . well, he delights in being contrary. So it's no surprise that he's found a spiritual successor in his granddaughter, despite that being highly unusual. It's also no surprise that he's teaching her everything he knows, despite the fact that women normally aren't taught so much. ("Good for Mooncrow" is what I kept muttering while reading.)

Jennifer's true name is Kestrel-Hunts-Alone, which is a far, far more straightforward name by any standard than Mooncrow's, and as such, she's shown to be driven, nearly obsessed, and that obsession has cost her things she hasn't realized. There is external conflict in the mystery, which quickly turns from "who did it" to "why did he do it?" And there is loads of internal conflict provided by Jennifer herself, her mission(s), and her relationship with David Spotted Horse, the man who "got away" years ago. (Of course, he was not worth keeping years ago, either. Perhaps now is different?)

Ms. Lackey effortlessly shows how modern women make a living, and combines that with a spiritual quest, some thrilling action-adventure, and a romance. This is an extremely moving book, it is emotionally honest, and it gets almost everything spot on.

Five stars, highly recommended.

Barb Caffrey

I really enjoyed this book and just thinking about it makes me want to read it again...the story is about the abuse of the land by people who want power, and the attempt to stop it. Native American characters with their world view are sympathetically portrayed. The characters have to battle not only modern evil but old evil. Child abuse, a subject dear to Mercedes Lackey's heart, appears here too.
I found the characters well drawn and interesting and I find it difficult to put down until I've finished it.

I like the way Lackey has written Jennifer, she is on par with Diana Tregard. The mystery of the book is great, and the charachters are well developed.

I loved this book! (The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because I think that should be reserved for that special, book-of-a-lifetime read.) I'm always happy to see one of Lackey's books which meld the world as we know it with an element of magic, and the addition of Native American spirituality made it even better! I first read this book at the public library, but I liked it so much I'm planning on buying my own copy. Jennifer's ambivalent reactions to David were also well drawn. P.S. If you've read this and liked it, you might also enjoy her Serrated Edge series, starting with "Born To Run."

Good and evil in the Native American spirit world. P.I. Jennie, an unorthodox "warrior" on the shamans path, brings her talents and personality to solve problems in the world of the heavy eyebrows. The Native American theme comes accross very well. The heroine is a good character and her relationship with her grandfather is done very well. However, as much as I enjoyed this story, I still felt as though I was being cheated. A feeling of flatness pervaded most of the book. Despite this, just enough of interesting character, situation and set, kept me in the book till the end. I would really rate this a bit higher but not quite a four. VERY LIGHT READING.

the heroine's family chose not to be entered on the 'official' list of the tribe, but it seems that when she can get any advantage from being considered Native American, she will take it. Can you say 'having it both ways', boys and girls? Sure you can.

The mystery was interesting; I don't know enough about Osage and Western Cherokee folkways to know how accurately they are depicted (my Cherokee contacts are with the Eastern Band in NC).

Although I enjoyed the book, it don't feel a burning need to read it again.

It has been several years since I read "Sacred Ground" but it is still on my mind. I really enjoyed the lead character of Jennifer Talldeer. I enjoy reading books with strong female leads. The additional ingredients of Native American lore and psychic abilities makes for a brilliant combination. I just wish there was a follow-up story ! If there is, I haven't found it yet. But it would be the next book on my reading list. Cindy

Though not one of her better books, I still found it very interesting, and hard to put down.
In some places the book made my hair stand on end! I love all the little 'adventures' Miss Talldeer went through to find out where this magical force was coming from. The "Little people" I found really neat and interesting. My friend told me not to bother buying this book because it wasn't very good. I bought it anyways (at a used bookstore, just in case I didn't like it so I could get it cheep) and I loved it. A Mercedes Lackey book to treasure

Good, clean, fun. Much more enjoyable than Lynn V. Andrews pretentious, Wannabe Indian schlock. Jennifer Talldeer, Lackey's heroine, acquits herself well in this novel. Evildoers get stopped, the world is saved, and the reader has fun. Occult mind-candy fiction, but it's =GOOD= candy, not the cheap kind that comes 99 cents/pound and has a bad aftertaste.

While the situations in this book get favorably resolved, this novel begs the question of our "real" world, in which Native Americans suffer privation, discrimination, and illegal/unjust imprisonment. If you take pleasure in reading this story, you owe it to the "real" characters, people like Leonard Peltier, to learn their stories. Jennifer Talldeer hasn't been able to get Leonard justice--she's not "real." But Leonard's cell in Leavenworth is very real. If you doubt that, get his Prison Writings, and step from Lackey's fantasy into his nightmare.

Have you read Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee yet? Matthiesen's In the Spirit of Crazy Horse? Or even Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States? Sure. Enjoy the mind candy. But feed your soul with something more nutritious. Help make a dream of justice come true for the real Native Americans.

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