Customer Reviews

The Summoning God: Book II of the Anasazi Mysteries

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

 

 

Intertwining contemporary archaeology with an Anasazi mystery is a good premise. Unfortunately, the authors fail to execute it well.

Repetitious descriptions deaden the writing, making it flat and formulaic. No less than three times, Catkin's black braid is described as a "glistening serpent lying across her back." Too often, moonlight "gilds" or "sheaths" her "upturned nose," "beautiful oval face," and lots of others things. I lost track of how many times yellow cottonwood leaves glinted or glimmered in the autumn sun or swirled somewhere (down paths, on the river, over the kiva edge, etc.) We are reminded ad nauseum of the glints in Dusty's blond beard and hair, of the chin-length black bangs plastered to Browser's face by sweat, of his knee-length war shirt whipping against brush or bushes. Concerning Elder Stone Ghost, "Thin white hair blew around his face as he looked up at Browser." A mere three lines later we read, "Thin white hair blew around [Browser's] uncle's wrinkled face. Sloppy! Where was the editor when the authors needed him/her?

Gestures are recycled until they become tedious. People tuck stray hairs behind their ears or under their hats again and again. Lots of brows draw together lots of times. There is much cupping of coffee cups, sipping of coffee, gripping of war clubs in hard fists, and clasping of capes. The result is unintentionally comic and Chaplin-esque. These characters come across more like marionettes than full-blooded people.

The problems are not merely stylistic. Early on, too much information is thrown at the reader, confusing him/her: a mummy hanging from a rock, copper bells apparently left as bait, a murderous female, a little girl tagging along with her, somebody in a wolf kachina mask, a vicious pack of white-caped warriors, a woman with her eyes gouged out, beheaded bodies in a kiva, the heads in a grove, a necklace that seems important....Whew! The narrative would have been more coherent and the pacing better if these details had been doled out more slowly, one at a time. Easing into a good mystery should be like worming into a ripe apple: the deeper you dig, the darker and juicier it gets.

Sexual tension between Dusty and Maureen is a central conflict in the novel's contemporary portion. However, their unresolved mutual attraction/revulsion soon became frustrating, if not downright annoying. When are these two going to hop in the sack together? Or at least confront their obvious feelings for each other? I know, I know...this fat novel is one in a series of fat novels, and the authors want to keep things simmering. Maybe we'll find out if anything happens between Dusty and Maureen several thousand pages hence. Want to wait that long? I don't.

Hopefully someday somebody will give prehistoric Southwestern peoples the fictional treatment they deserve. But not today....

This second book in the Ansazi mystery series is as thrlling and exciting as The Visitant. I for one happen to love the mix of old and new story lines that thread through the book. In fact, the murders and even the pehistoric lifestyle and characters are so well written that it didn't feel like I was reading history. The story is probably one of the most violent and graphic of all the Gear's books, but that was what it was really like back then. If you like heart-stopping action and a really well-crafted mystery this is the book for you. Be prepared though to be hooked, as it looks like there are more to come in this series since this book does leave unsettled things as did the last one.

This second book in the Anasazi Mysteries series continues the expert mixing of past and present, science and myth,excellent archeological, anthropological and historical detail with the myths and mysteries of life in a 13th century Native American pueblo. Contemporary archeologist Dusty Stewart and physical anthropologist Maureen Cole attempt to decipher the evidence of an ancient Anasazi kiva containing scattered charred bones of children and skinned bones of elderly women while Katsina chief, Browser, his female warrior companion, Catkin and his uncle, holy man, Stone Ghost,seek to solve the mystery of the ruthless murders of children and two Matrons of two of the villages. The 13th century Native Americans struggle with ghosts of the dead and the witch Two Hearts while Dusty and Maureen try to come to grips with their own ghosts and their difference in approach to Native American culture. Parallel to these struggles are struggles of the heart and of culture, family and tradition exemplified in the complex relationships between Browser and Catkin;Straighthorn and Redcrop; Dusty and Maureen. There are various kinds of mystery--scientific, relational, religious and real. There is murder and terror and much to excite a "good read." One also comes to "care" for the characters and thus you want to follow their paths to success or defeat. One also has an errie feeling that the cultural disruption, cruelty and the holy wars of the 13th century have frightening parallels to our own time. This tale is one that will delight fans of Kay Scarpetta as well as those of Hillerman while also pleasing those interssted in history, archeology, anthropology and Native American culture. I, for one, look forward to Book 3.

The Gears have again managed the literary device of paralleling two stories 750 years apart into one chilling message. How man reacts to environmental changes(even those that are partially his own doing)can be violent and brutal. We watch as the Anastazi people are torn apart and begin to prey on one and other as they seek to appease Gods they believe to be dissatisfied. Cults, sacrafices and war tear apart a culture that had no North American peer.

The story again follows Browser and Catkin as they try to make sense of a series of mass Murders. Great history, mysticism and a grizzly thriller rolled into one!

In the thirteenth century, the site today known as Pueblo Animos was called Longtrail Village. Its residents converted to the new Katsina religion. Times were harsh as war and pestilence swept across the Anasazi people forcing bands to merge into large numbers for safety.

Twenty-first century archeologist Dusty Stewart and physical anthropologist Maureen Cole explore the untouched Pueblo Animos. They discover a massacre of at least forty children under the age of six, the skinning of females, and some evidence of cannibalism. The empathic Dusty feels the past horrors that have engulfed this sight.

In 1263, enemies attack the village. Browser, war chief of the Katsina, desperately wants to save his people, but wonders if witches are involved. As the murderers become bolder, Browser realizes that victory today only delays the inevitable decimation of his people.

Maureen concludes that the evil of the past is influencing Dusty. She steps outside the comfort of science to seek help from a local expert, a shaman. As past and present meet, Maureen and Dusty will be freed from the chains that bind them.

Chapters fluidly alternate between the past and the present, but the Gears manage to maintain a sense of continuity in the story line. That enables THE SUMMONING GOD to turn into a fascinating reading experience. The everyday details of the Anasazi culture seem genuine and add to the overall historical subplot. The relationship between Dusty and Maureen is an intriguing blend of distrust, unwanted attraction, and passion (more often with the sight than with each other). Though not easily categorized, fans that want something different will fully relish this tale.

Harriet Klausner

Simply put I was disappointed......when I finished the book that is! As always the Gears have kept me captive - I hated to see the book end and lament that I have about a year to wait for the next one!

This book was a local book club selection. The group rated it twos (mostly) and threes on a five point scale (1 =lowest; 5 = highest). Several people disliked the book so much they did not finish reading it and could not vote. The general consensus was, it was interesting in parts, but the author really needed a good editor.

Just finished reading the Summoning God. This one took place around the Four Corners area. Again, I encountered some of the same problems: overwriting (Purple Prose:), weird grammatical rules, and I know they have no clue what New Mexican food really is. Maybe I'll send them a cookbook or link or something. But these were nothing - in fact a person could even have fun with it.

The switching back and forth was still there. Dusty and Maureen were warming up to each other; how sweet. But there was too much unnecessary stuff in those chapters that I didn't care about. They were at their best when they digging up bones or looking under the microscope. Those parts were what kept me going.

What I found more difficult to deal with is the unforgiving violence in the story against elderly women and the emphasis on violence towards children. Yes, I know this is a work of fiction. And I know that period was harsh and violent. It was driven home by the Gears, I'll hardly forget it.

I think some of the stuff the Gears came up with to explain the warfare was a bit of a stretch. I loved Catkin but I think she took a back seat in this story. Browser wasn't quite focused for a chief but I liked him. Never gave Springbank a single thought. Loved Redcrop and Straighthorn. Overall I did enjoy the story although I didn't love it. Probably why I gave the book three stars. But I will read the next one. I'll review it too.

I got this triogy after seeing a lot of other reviews at first all I cared about was the indian half of the books. but I read the other modern half and liked it just as much. The entire triogy was great.

Let's face it - these are "beach" books and probably written to get a movie deal. These books are certainly better than anything Michael Crichton has had to offer since Jurassic Park. The Gears' don't quite have that movie-script writing style down, (which is actually commendable and appreciated). I enjoyed the first two books, despite the overly redundant and contrived character descriptions, the clues and red herrings, and really bad editing in the first book, The Visitant. The transitions between the past and present are an interesting device, but certainly not innovative. I also prefer the past mystery to the present day storyline. I look forward to reading the latest book hoping that there are actually some answers to - what some people purport to be sheer genius - the clues and red herrings throughout the two books. (If you are really compulsive, go back and find them. The construction of the clues and motivations don't add up as perfectly as one reviewer commented, so these books lost points on the "confusion" spectrum.) This is NOT, and I repeat, NOT a Classic Novel and there are far superior books in this genre. However, if you are on vacation or sitting in the airport wasting time, these are great and very enjoyable books to pass time.