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Book Two of Contact: The Battle for America
by W. Michael &
Kathleen O'Neal Gear
An itinerant trader and outcast from his tribe, Black Shell was swept into the Spirit World and returned a transformed man. Now, carrying his white-feathered trader's staff, he devotes his life to a sacred mission that only the tall, beautiful Pearl Hand - his lover, confidant and wife - truly understands. Black Shell has seen what the incomprehensibly violent, shining-armored invaders are capable of doing to his world and knows that if his people are to survive, he and his "Orphans," a small band of fierce warriors, must kill as many Kristianos as they can.
After being fought to a standstill by the courageous Apalachee Nation, de Soto has changed his tactics. He will employ promises of peace to accomplish what cannot be achieved by violence alone. Lured by a young man's tale of gold and aided by an arrogant princess's treachery, he makes his way through the beautiful southeastern landscape. One by one, the ancient Nations fall victim to his lies as rulers and commoners alike are tricked into enslavement. In spite of the price de Soto has placed on his head, Black Shell shadows the Kristiano advance and finds that his own legend precedes him. Some will heed Black Shell's strategies of sacrifice and deception. Others will ignore him - and suffer unspeakable horrors as a result.
In this moving, vivid portrait of a lost American civilization and a powerful love between a man and a woman, the Gears illuminate a little-understood time in our history, as this bloody conflict between two peoples hurtles toward an apocalyptic battle that may change the course of the war forever. ...
"Starred Review. Historical accuracy and deliberate parallels with present-day events lend additional drama to scenes of domesticity, politics, and battle." - Publishers Weekly
"The adept Gears embed a large amount of fascinating historical, anthropological, and cultural information into the narrative, illuminating another forgotten chapter in Native Americana as they leave readers eagerly anticipating the next episode in the compelling saga." - Booklist
This information about Fire the Sky was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
W. Michael and Kathleen O'Neal Gear have written 23 international bestsellers which have been translated into 21 languages. Their novel People of the Raven won the Golden Spur Award in 2005. Separately and together they have written over 40 books. In addition to writing both fiction and non-fiction, the Gears operate an anthropological research company called Wind River Archaeological Consultants, and raise buffalo on their ranch in northern Wyoming.
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