Customer Reviews

The Visitant (The Anasazi Mysteries, Book 1)

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

A woman screams in the night as her attacker uses what could only be called inhuman force. Where are we?...Central Park in modern New York? No, we're in prehistoric New Mexico with members of the Anasazi in the Gear's latest contribution to Native American fiction, "The Visitant".

This book accomplishes two things. One, it presents an excitong detailed murder mystery that leaves you guessing untill the last page. Second, it paints a picture of Native Americans that is less idyllic than most. Essentially, we see a group of prehistoric peoples who suffer from grief and tragedy, just like us. The Gear's accomplish this with copius research and an understanding of the timeless complexity of the human soul...whether it be in 1256 A.D. or present day.

The amount of names can become confusing so just make sure you pay attention because you will be rewarded with the final ghostly laughter that made me look over my shoulder.

Overall: I can't wait until the next book in the series comes out.

It was a nice change to read a mystery with over 300 pages. It was a delightful mix of history, archaeology, and mystery. Many of the Gear books are very long and chocked full of interesting history. Being a history teacher it's nice to read authors who provide so many historical facts that I can share with my students. I enjoyed seeing the contemporary archaeologists piecing together the pieces of the puzzle surrounding a serial killer from the past.

This book has a great attitude towards mysterious life. I mean, the imagery is very real and intense. When the author describes Fire, you can FEEL the fire. When it goes into the darks of the desert, you can almost feel a cool breeze blowing through your room, giving you chills. And it depicts ancient life so marvelously, making it true and yet tantalizing to everyone. Through this, one can really get a good interest going in ancient life and culture.

The Visitant is a suspenseful murder mystery set in two eras, the neo-lithic New Mexican desert and the modern day Chaco Canyon National Park. The authors manage to weave two stories, two settings and two plots seamlessly. This book is multi-faceted in that it will interest the murder/mystery story lover, the historical fiction connoisseur and the amateur archaelogist. Technically, the book is well written using anthropology lingo and describing the methodology used by modern archaeologists on a "dig". Creatively the book is first rate using vivid descriptions of pre-historic Anasazi life in New Mexico. I rated this book at four stars only because I wish it had been more in depth when dealing with the Anasazi culture and customs. If you crave a fast paced mystery coupled with an imaginative, intellectual subject matter don't hesitate to read this book.

Under certain conditions, the barrier between the past and the present can be pierced. The resulting phenomena plays havoc on individuals caught on either side of the chasm. Murder resulted in the first death of a human. In 1150 in the Chaco Canyon, the Anasazi become intimate with murder as an apparent maniac kills many individuals.

In the twentieth century at a millennium old pueblo site in Chaco Canyon, archeologist Dusty Stewart and his crew dig up eight interred bodies whose skulls were smashed. Famous Canadian physical anthropologist Dr. Maureen Cole investigates the remains, but the mysticism overwhelms her. She begins to see and hear manifestations that make her feel she has entered a point where the past and present converge in an appeal for her to destroy a great evil.

Kathleen O'Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear provide readers with stunning characterizations and complex descriptions. The technique of alternating chapters between the past and present makes THE VISITANT an even more powerful novel than if the book was divided in half. In turn, these leads to a combo story line that is one part historical mystery and one part contemporary suspense. With tales like this one, fans will gear up for this awesome writing team to provide more Anasazi mysteries.

Harriet Klausner

I became interested in southwest culture and history by reading Tony Hillerman's mysteries, and then Thunderhead, but after reading The Visitant, I can't read enough (even non-fiction) on the subject of the Ancient Ones! I thought an author partnership would make for awkward reading, but just the opposite was achieved. I am so very much looking forward to the second in the series. If BookTV asked me on the street for my favorite book, this would be it.

I just finished reading The Visitant. It takes place in Chaco Canyon, a place that's just a few hours from where I live.

I read the other reviews and I can identify with some of the complaints. Yes, the book needed some editing. I didn't need to read about hair being whipped or tucked over and over again. Nor did I need to know everything everybody was wearing at every minute. The relationship between Dusty and Maureen was contrived - didn't buy it. And what's with the weird capitalizations? Being from the area, I do know a few people from the Pueblos, I've never met anybody with a name like Maggie Walking Hawk Taylor or Hail Walking Hawk. Most of the local Native Americans I know are named Lujan, Vigil, Abeita, Russell, Begay, Yazzie. Okay, I have run across a Yellowhair but that's it. Don't get me started on what the characters in the modern part ate and drank in a desert environment. They should have been suffering from heat exhaustion with IVs in their arms. And 107 degrees in Albuquerque? Puullleeese! It rarely gets any hotter than 102 or 103. So there are my complaints. Now about what's good about the book:

It was still fascinating reading no matter how many things there were wrong. I cleared the first 100 pages in a couple of hours. Doesn't happen often. The authors are clearly knowledgable in their field and they kept a fast pace. I thought most of the characters, in both story lines, were pretty well developed. The elderly characters were the most interesting ones in this story and the best in any book I've read. In spite of my complaints with the modern story line I think it was helpful in holding my attention. I usually don't read historicals. The modern characters helped me to visualize the past better. It was also fascinating watching the modern characters uncover the bodies of characters that I thought I'd been reading about in the other story line. It was just a fun, fast, read with a lot of learning about anasazi mysticism and a long dead civilization. It was sad to see the decline of these people. Overall I enjoyed it and am now reading The Summoning God. I think I'm going to have some complaints about the authors grasp of the breakfast burrito when I'm done with that one.

How to explain my reaction to this book. Well, I wasn't hooked until I was well over 250 pages into it. This is not good for a mystery lover and avid reader.

I anticipated a tale as fascinating as The Eye of Horus. The similarities were there--modern day archealogists and anthropologists working to solve the mystery of the Anasazi mass burial site while the story is consecutively being revealed.

Unfortunately, the story itself is not compelling, nor the characters. The conclusion lacked...let me think...oh, what is the word I'm looking for...A CONCLUSION.

Yes, I know this is just a bridge to the next book, but I don't think I'll be reading it anytime soon.

Kathleen O'neal Gear and Michael Gear are among my favorite authors. They are well educated without ignorance and write exceptional fiction based on actual archeological discoveries. They are respectful to the indigenous race as well.
I was really surprised when I read how many people disliked their work. I think in today's society people have a hard time accepting people of the past were nothing like us. Their entire world was different. Yes, indigenous tribes believed in the spirits and had dreamers or shamans among them. Yes, many were violent and the brutally in this book recreates that atmosphere.
The Anasazi Mystery books are excellent fictional books based on historical evidence. If you are into the Anasazi era and opened minded, these are wonderful choices. If you are squeamish or one of the millions who are ignorant of indigenous beliefs and customs, by pass, it is something you will never understand; Like many others you will only leave derogatory comments about this fine work. It is really sad that this generation cannot relate to the magnificent people of the past.

Being an archaeologist it is entertaining to read fictional books about ourselves, which is just what this book presents us with.
It is a tale of ancient murder that is paralled by a modern excavation of the site. Some may be disappointed by the modern chapters of the book; and I can see why, many of the jokes are directed at archaeologists themselves and most likely would not make much sense or have the same impact on those not working in the field.
Archaeologically this book is right on target, the methodology used to excavate as well as the depiction of the Anasazi way of life in the post-Chacoan era is right on target, which should be expected due to the fact that the Gears are archaeologists themselves.
I highly reccommend this novel to both the neophyte to the field as well as the expericenced field archaeologist. It is provacative and an accurate depection of life in chaco canyon after the fall of the great houses.