People of the Lightning

I love the wonderful descriptions of the familiar Florida landscape here. This, with People of the Lakes, is my favorite in the series. It might just be the setting reminescent of my backyard with powerful storm imagery, but there is something about this book that won't allow me to get it out of my head.

Another tale from the early settlers of America after the crossing on the land bridge, People of the Lightning takes place in Florida, among a people who have no direct genetic link to the nations in the Americas now. The great warrior woman Musselwhite has had her husband captured by Cottonmouth, her former husband. He has had visions of the end of the world coming and has amassed many followers in a village of their own (sound familiar?). In order to boost the community's warriors, which have been devastated by fighting with Cottonmouth and his followers, the elders arrange for Musselwhite to have another husband, a common practice among warriors of great skill. She winds up with a boy named Pondwader, a White Lightning Boy (full show more albino) about whom many prophecies have been spoken. When Musselwhite learns that her first husband, Diver, is still alive, she sets out to rescue him. Pondwader, who has always been sheltered, has little experience with travel, and very poor eyesight, follows his new wife even though she tells him to stay home. Pondwader's sister Kelp also comes along for the journey, along with some other boys from the newly united village. Along the way, they also have to deal with Pondwader's lascivious mother Dark Rain, whose only interests are gambling and having a man between her legs. Time is running out for Diver as Cottonmouth sees the time coming for the world to end and his followers to enter into their new world. Will Musselwhite and her entourage make it in time and be able to rescue Diver? And what really happened between Cottonmouth and Musselwhite so long ago to sour him so fully against his former mate?

Once again the Gears spin a tale which goes beyond understanding by merely one culture. show less