Kathleen O'Neal Gear

I found the plot line of the book to be interesting as well as quite unique. We have a serial killer murder mystery set among the Anasazi peoples with an archaeology crew excavating his victim hundreds of years later. It was a solid mystery that became even more compelling as it went along. Stone Ghost was the best character...a gifted detective with a well-rounded knowledge of psychology, even if he was a bit eccentric. It was difficult to guess the killer, but the clues were all there and yet the ending was still surprising. The story actually runs in two plotlines, modern times and historical times, connected by the place that once was a village but now is an archaeological dig site. The one thing that I thought was unnecessary and brought the story down a bit for me, as well as losing the book a 5-star rating, was the way the author chose to introduce and give the reader a picture of the two main characters. The archaeologist was brilliant, but he was instantly reduced to the pages of a "bodice-ripper" book when the author described him in great detail as "a blond, rugged, muscular Adonis". I was now waiting for his "goddess" to appear and didn't have too long to wait. She, of course was described as"A full breasted, small waisted equally brilliant scholar">/i>. How did that really matter? Well, except that they were brilliant scholars and capable of solving the murders. Turns out that it really didn't matter what either of them looked like...they hated each other at first sight and throughout most of the story...but you probably know how long the "hated" lasted and where all that was heading. The author also brought forth the interesting question of science versus spiritual belief, but never explored it any further. The perfect opportunity was there several times. She had created two expert characters that could have added their individual views and knowledge on this question to the story. The majority of the book was 4-star worthy but a little less of the "blond, rugged Adonis" and "full breasted, small waisted" descriptions and more about the ancient peoples and the killer would have brought this story up to a solid 5-star read.… (mere)

Review: People of The Thunder by W. Michael Gear 4* 06/10/2023

I've always enjoyed the Gear's North America's creative style of writing. I like the information and the description of Native Americans' lives and beliefs that flow throughout their books. They also gathered some data on the archaeology and cultures of these people through sites out of the Mississippi Valley and other regions.
The scene is set around 1300 A.D. I liked their characters and the story plot. The rivalry between neighboring tribes held both scenes of violence and deception. Their historical fiction was great and interesting. Old White and Trader continue their adventures as they approach Split City and their other destinations.… (mere)

I loved this trilogy so much, I can't believe it's not talked about more! They're a wonderful marriage of science fiction and prehistoric fiction, where extinct human races are brought back to ride out a scientifically induced Ice Age after the Earth undergoes a climate apocalypse.

I was absolutely hooked on this third book. Hard to discuss without spoilers but you're kept in absolute suspense for ages about the fate of certain characters and I loved the various arcs for faves from books 1 and 2.

I'm not sure if this was meant to be a trilogy or a longer series. The end certainly left it open enough for more of the larger picture story but still had a satisfying conclusion for the personal journeys of the main cast. I sincerely hope we get more, there's a lot more I want to know!… (mere)

People of the Moon was a beautifully written book, but it just didn't hook me into the series.

My rating is based on my experience with the book - it was absolutely beautifully written and I am totally amazed at how well built this world is, but I wasn't hooked. I struggled to keep picking this book and continue working my way through it. I had hoped I would like this book because I have heard great things about this series, but I just couldn't get into it.

This story has love, revenge, fighting, war, drama, and basically everything you want in a good soap-opera/historical novel. The book is incredibly long though, so if you want a quick read this might not be for you.

People of the Moon had "Game of Thrones" syndrome on me - lots of characters that I couldn't keep straight, but clearly a well thought out story. The names of the characters are more names of items (which makes sense historically) but it threw me off everytime I went back to it. I couldn't remember which characters did what, and I had to keep re-reading pieces over and over. For me, that's a dealbreaker in a book. For my friends, they live for it!

This book is for a particular type of reader, so be aware of what you like to read before picking it up. If you are like me and you like super not complex storylines, then this book might not be for you! But, if you want a complex novel with lots of action and drama, pick this up! It is a great book, it's just not a series I should personally read!

Overall, this book was to long and drawn out for me. It's still a great book and I want to applaud the others for how amazing it is! It's just not for me!

One out of five stars - It was way to hard to continue reading this book.

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.… (mere)