HomeGroupsTalkMoreZeitgeist
Search Site
This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and (if not signed in) for advertising. By using LibraryThing you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your use of the site and services is subject to these policies and terms.

Results from Google Books

Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.

Loading...

Leaphorn and Chee: Skinwalkers / A Thief of Time / Talking God (1992)

by Tony Hillerman

Series: Leaphorn/Chee (Omnibus 7-9)

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingMentions
742357,743 (3.88)6
Story Collection: Skinwalkers--A Thief of Time--Talking God.
None
Loading...

Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book.

No current Talk conversations about this book.

» See also 6 mentions

Showing 2 of 2
Skinwalkers 3.5 stars. ( )
  mlfhlibrarian | Jun 20, 2023 |
This review is my reaction to the three novels of this trilogy ( Skinwalkers, A Thief of Time and Coyote Waits), and two more, The Sinister Pig, and Skeleton Man. All of these novels feature Leaphorn and Chee.

My reaction to the novels by Hillerman is that he is a pretty good mystery writer in the tradition of Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh and others. The plots are good, there is human interest in the form of a continuing story about Leaphorn the older, more experienced Navajo policeman (and, in addition of a more reflective temperament), and the younger officer Chee, more impetuous, and, in addition, wanting to be a policeman and also involved with Navajo spirituality. There are also a few important woman characters, all of whom have some relationship to the male characters. In the books that I read all but one of them were revealed through the point of view of the male characters, but it may be that one of them becomes more important in later novels, because she has at least segments of the last two novels told from her point of view.The characterizations are not really deep in the style of a P.D. James or Martha Grimes at her best (in the Paradise Hotel series and a few of the Richard Jury mysteries), but they are likable characters. There are a few stereotyped bad guys - mostly rich white guys play this role - but for the most part even the doers of bad deeds are treated pretty sympathetically.

What distinguishes these novels is how they reveal pieces of Native American culture, mostly Navajo, but occasionally others, such as Hopi or Anasazi. This comes in the form of spiritual practices, description of characters like Coyote or Kokopelli (the flute player), or just the description of how conversation is different among Navajos, who wait for information instead of asking questions and allow longer pauses before jumping in.

Though they aren't great books, they are easy reading and enjoyable. People who like mysteries, and, in addition, have an interest in other cultures, would probably enjoy them. ( )
3 vote solla | Aug 24, 2009 |
Showing 2 of 2
no reviews | add a review
You must log in to edit Common Knowledge data.
For more help see the Common Knowledge help page.
Canonical title
Original title
Alternative titles
Original publication date
People/Characters
Important places
Important events
Related movies
Epigraph
Dedication
First words
Quotations
Last words
Disambiguation notice
Publisher's editors
Blurbers
Original language
Canonical DDC/MDS
Canonical LCC

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English

None

Story Collection: Skinwalkers--A Thief of Time--Talking God.

No library descriptions found.

Book description
Haiku summary

Current Discussions

None

Popular covers

Quick Links

Rating

Average: (3.88)
0.5
1
1.5
2 1
2.5
3
3.5 3
4 1
4.5 1
5 2

Is this you?

Become a LibraryThing Author.

 

About | Contact | Privacy/Terms | Help/FAQs | Blog | Store | APIs | TinyCat | Legacy Libraries | Early Reviewers | Common Knowledge | 203,234,785 books! | Top bar: Always visible