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Book Review of People of the Lightning (First North Americans, Bk 7)

People of the Lightning (First North Americans, Bk 7)
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Helpful Score: 1


This epic historical romance is a fascinating, well-told tale of ancient superstition and culture, set in Florida approximately 8,000 years ago, amid a hauntingly eerie, mystical, and primeval landscape. The story begins in a village besieged by enemy tribes, where Musselwhite, a revered woman warrior and leader, must face her archenemy Cottonmouth after he has captured her beloved husband and murdered her son and is now determined to destroy her and the village. Through a series of events, Musselwhite meets and agrees to marry another husband, 15-year-old Pondwader, an albino, who because of his eyes, hair, and skin is both hated and feared as a "lightning boy," and together they face the dreaded enemy Cottonmouth. The Gears' thorough research and their experience as professional archaeologists lend credibility to their novel and contribute to its absorbing portrait of ancient life.
**Although fiction, this book is based on an actual find located about 30 miles from Orlando, for all of you Disney visitors. There is quite a bit a factual research in this book - the Florida indians were an amazing people and many of the shell mounds and burial sites are still around, if you know where to look - off the beaten paths of theme parks in Florida.