About the Author

Kathleen O'Neal Gear is a former state historian and archaeologist for Wyoming, Kansas, and Nebraska for the U.S. Department of the Interior. She has twice received the federal government's Special Achievement Award for ""outstanding management"" of our nation's cultural heritage.

W. Michael Gear holds a master's degree in archaeology and has worked as a professional archaeologist since 1978. He is principal investigator for Wind River Archaeological Consultants.

Together they have written the North America's Forgotten Past series (People of the Morning Star, People of the Songtrail, People of the Mist, People of the Wolf, among others); and the Anasazi Mysteries series. The Gears live in Thermopolis, WY.

Reviews

"A rousing tale of deadly pursuit and spiritual journeys." --Kirkus Reviews"A vivid and fascinating portrait of early human life in America." --Publishers Weekly

As they have in past works ( People of the River ; People of the Earth ), the Gears illuminate American prehistory by focusing on a personal story. Here, the setting is coastal California 12,000 years ago. Melting glaciers are causing the waters to rise, the huge animals that once populated the area are disappearing and the human inhabitants have to learn to adapt to the changes. Sunchaser the Dreamer, powerful spiritual leader of the People of the Sea, is tormented by his inability to explain or correct recent adverse events, including disease and the disappearance of food sources, when a strange woman wanders into his shelter. Kestrel is pregnant by her lover and, pursued by her vicious husband, has fled from her native inland marshes toward the sea, hoping to find a home among her lover's people, the Otter Clan. Kestrel and Sunchaser fall in love, and together they make their way to the Otter Clan village, whose residents are on the verge of falling under the dangerous influence of an unscrupulous Dreamer, Catchstraw, whose desperate search for power threatens everyone. The Gears, integrating a tremendous amount of natural and anthropological research into a satisfactory narrative, have again produced a vivid and fascinating portrait of early human life in America. (Nov.)

YA-A story that depicts Native American life about 11,000 years ago in the area now called California. The setting and conflict revolve around a world that is changing too quickly. The glaciers are melting, the weather is changing, the mammoth are disappearing. The clans in the area rely on the seer Sunchaser to Dream into the Spirit World and to find answers. But for unknown reasons, Sunchaser suffers from diminished Power. Meanwhile Kestrel, a fugitive from a clan in the Marsh region, is seeking protection from an insane husband who wants to kill her and her baby, and Sunchaser offers her first protection and then love. This novel combines adventure, survival, romance, and fantasy all painted on a historical canvas. The flawed protagonists are credible and the plot is exciting, but the greatest strength of the novel lies in the detail and description that immerse readers in prehistoric culture, providing a view of religious ceremonies, burial rights, and food and medicine preparation. Demonstrating the most rewarding trait of good historical fiction, the story transports readers into another time and place. People of the Sea will have immediate appeal to YAs who enjoy this genre, and the cover will attract that audience. The mysticism and ``other world'' atmosphere may also interest fantasy fans. Booktalk this novel to both groups!-Sue Davis, Cedar Falls High School, IA

"A rousing tale of deadly pursuit and spiritual journeys." --Kirkus Reviews"A vivid and fascinating portrait of early human life in America." --Publishers Weekly