People of the Weeping Eye
During the 11th and 12th centuries, the Mississippi River Valley was populated by a number of Native American chiefdoms; this culture was known for its square earthen mounds, pottery and trench-walled houses. This is the story of Trader, a man who has traveled the length of the Mississippi River; Old White, known as the Seeker, who is haunted by visions that keep calling him home; and Two Petals, recognized as a Contrary with strange and exceptional powers. The three meet and begin a quest to return to Split Sky City to right an old wrong.
People of the Weeping Eye and its sequel, People of the Thunder, due out next year, continue the Gears’ First North Americans series. The husband-and- wife team has fifty years of combined archaeological experience, which is evident in the cultural detail throughout the book. My only reservation is the number of characters and unusual names introduced in the early chapters of the story. After the three major characters meet, the book becomes easier to follow. I’ve read all of the Gears’ novels in the series and enjoy the adventure and page-turning excitement each one brings. Each book stands alone; therefore, reading this book before the others in the series is not necessary.
