 |
A crisis takes hold of the people of Sky Valley in prehistoric Arizona when a man mysteriously falls from the sky. In a time of great unknowns and grave uncertainty, Fat Badger, who is the Winter Chief of his people, must investigate this strange occurrence with the help of Tall Claw and others committed to keeping the people safe. Their investigation will take them into the Forbidden Place and through old superstitions about ogres and beasts. The mystery of the falling man stokes ancient fears of the unknown, but as Fat Badger closes in on the answers, he soon discovers that man is to be feared more than beast.
Severson’s vivid imagining of prehistory and the life and culture of an early civilization is rich in detail and steeped in universal themes of survival. As the characters embark on their quest to determine the cause of the falling man, adventure and intrigue abound. Severson builds a world full of rituals, traditions, and origin stories which provide a deep context for the characters to inhabit. This constructed prehistoric world is full of pulsing action, timeless wisdom, and remarkable storytelling. Severson embeds the villainous treachery of power and wealth as universal tools that can be used to disrupt the order of this peaceful prehistoric valley. Trickery is easily employed to manipulate people through their deep-seated fears of what might lurk beyond the safety of the valley. Tension mounts as the winds of change threaten to overtake an ancient way of life. Severson paces the narrative, deftly balancing historical realism, spiritual mysteries, and the reflective counsel of elders and ancestors.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review