Customer Reviews

Song of the River (Storyteller Trilogy, Book 1)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Phenomenal! I've become so involved with the characters that they almost become a part of me as I'm reading Harrison's books. I read the first trilogy two times -- the first time I've ever reread anything. Each of Sue Harrison's books ends too soon. What a great escape for me! The storytelling is incredibly vivid and I have learned so much about these ancient people. Could anyone recommend a writer of Sue Harrison's caliber that writes about prehistoric cultures? Please email me.

I enjoyed this book and reommend it to anyone who wants a good, solid, engrossing story. Sue Harrison has done meticulous research to write this tale of 6th century B.C .Alaskan human relationships and lifestyles. As an archaeologist I usually pick up similar books with great trepidation since they are all too often written from a modern viewpoint and are filled with 20th century motives, passionate love, predictable plots, etcetera (I recall one whose heroine jumped "onto mat"---no beds in those times---with every warrior she met). "Song of the River", however, gives us believable characters, situations, and conflict resolutions for the time period and locale. In addition, the reader learns about what the technology, belief systems, economy and social structure may have been in prehistoric Alaska. A good book to curl up with and learn from.

this book was absolutley amazing. Sue harrison is a wonderful writer. The characters come to life in her novels. Her books are so vivid. I could imagine myself in that time period. can not wait to find out what happens in the next book Cry Of THe Wind.

The tale of Chakliux, abandoned as a newborn put out to die because of a deformed foot. He was found by K'os, a fiery, bitter young woman of the Cousin River people, and raised by her. K'os, a cold and cunning woman seeking vengeance on the men who defiled her

Eventually, Chakliux now a wise and gentle man, who's determined to bring peace among the villages returns to Near River.Daes, and his granfather are mysteriously murdered, the village dogs dying! In the First Men Village is Aqamdax, a trained storyteller, daughter of Daes, betrayed by Sok, accused of murder by the Walrus Hunters, and ending up as a slave to K'os. At long last the mysterious murders of people and dogs are solved as war ravages.
The good prevails and new village rebuilt to start the saga again.

I wish I had read Song Of The River before I read Cry Of the Wind. I would have had a better understanding of the characters and their relationships. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this book as much as I did the second book in the trilogy. Although the story takes place in primitive times, the human natures of these characters are modern and it's easy to relate to them. The Dzuggi are the honored storytellers in these books and though Ms. Harrison uses the written word to tell her stories, she should be honored as Dzuggi herself. With her words, she places some very vivid pictures in the mind of the reader.

My heart and mind raced as I dove into the lives of the characters in this story, each so developed and none the same, they made me laugh and cry with them. It is a wonderful thing to look at the story through all eyes, all with a different purpose. I was amazed at the way each little part of this story flowed together to make one of the greatest novels I have ever read. I once again lost hours of sleep and was rudely awaken in the end to find out that I did not live in in the exciting world created in Song of the River, but my own. The hardest thing about Sue's books are when you have to go back to your own life, no longer looking through enchanted eyes, eyes Sue Harrison has so delicatly and thouroughly created.

This was a great book, I could not put it down. I am new to Sue Harrison, but now I'm hooked. I felt the power of her words. She herself is a storyteller like the characters in her book. I'm not sure if all the facts are correct. Truthfully I could care less, I did not read this book for a history lesson. This book is a great way to escape, a poor mans vacation. Can't wait to see the places the second book will take me.

This book is the start of a trilogy that captures the lives of the early Aleuts. A wonderful Book. You get caught up in the character's life's struggles for peace in their cold and harsh environment.

This book was so rich in its detail that I felt like I was watching a movie. She is very descriptive of the surroundings and what they are doing. If you enjoy reading that is based on factual items and places, with an educational flavor all wrapped up with characters that you care about...you will enjoy her writings.

And can't fault the author that it wasn't what I had hoped for. In the first pages of Harrison's "Song of The River', critics negatively compared Jean Auel's writing to that of Mrs. Harrison's. I would agree that Harrison is a more lyrical writer. Her characters are multi-dimensional her prose interesting, and time, place, language all seem believable to me.

I guess Auel spoiled me into thinking that most pre-histories would contain descriptive information about how they lived, more (pre) historical facts. Yes, in the appendix there's a list of medicinal plants, so if I knew it was there BEFORE I got to the end, I could have referred to it when she would write things like 'the blue-hooded flower was made into a poultice to stop the..." whatever. (I'm butchering her words, but you get the point).

It's an interesting character-heavy story, but doesn't contain the depth of information that made my first pre-historical fiction books so fascinating to me. I was hoping for more and was disappointed. I'm planning on reading the remainder of the trilogy because I already have them, and Harrison's writing keeps my attention. I devoured Auel's books, I will read Harrison's.