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Rating: 
Summary: A novel of great character development.
Review: Far too many novels of this type make the mistake of following a fairly maudlin love-story plot. W. Michael Gear has managed to avoid this trap. The tale is told through two sets of eyes: those of Richard, the son of a Boston Brahmin and an ardent student of Philosophy and those of Heals Like A Willow, a woman of the Shoshoni tribe. Gear manages to give us the disparate views of the world that each of these characters perceives while maintaining the sense of believability which contributes mightily to good narrative. Unlike so many novels of this genre, these two characters go to great lengths to AVOID becoming intimate because of the inevitable cultural clash each forsees for the other. I found this approach to be far more realistic than the apparent standard of hormones triumphing over all. As an historical work, all sides are treated with a great deal of empathy and neither side is portrayed as having any sort of "divine right". The native Americans are not portrayed as noble savages, nor are the easterners portrayed as conquering heroes. Instead Gear weaves a complex tapestry of motivation which illustrates the clash of cultures in a remarkably realistic fashion. Life is short and hard and failure is far more frequent than success in a story which seems to portray life beyond the frontier quite accurately. You might remember Gear from the "People of the __________" series which he coauthored with Kathleen O'Neal Gear. These are quite good, but I found that the actual historical background used in "The Morning River" was a significant improvement over these earlier efforts. After ten books in that series, Gear is an extremely mature writer whose grasp of the value of detail has produced a fine work. I feel obliged to point out that Richard and Willow will get together in the sequel to this book, "Coyote Summer". Although I haven't read it yet, I feel confident that the relationship will be handled in the same thoughtful manner as in this first book of the series.
Rating: 
Summary: A wonderful read
Review: In 1825 Richard Hamilton is a wealthy, vain, arrogant foppish young Bostonian, intent upon spending his life as a philosopher, eating well-prepared foods off fine china. He knows everything about humanity and the meaning of life because he's read all the books - and he never hesitates to share his wisdom. Richard's self-made father can't even be near him without losing patience, and decides Richard needs a good lesson in life. He sends him (kicking and screaming) off to St. Louis with $30,000 Richard is to deliver for a business deal. On the way, Richard dismissively calls one of the steam ship's crew members an "animal". The crew member retaliates by attacking Richard after they land in St. Louis, stealing his money, then forcing him to sign a contract making him an indentured servant on a trading expedition for two years, a fate far more satisfying to the crew member (who thinks it's funny)than it would be to kill him. Everyone is threatened all around in order to ensure that Richard does his time on that expedition. And so Richard embarks on a journey experiencing life as he had never imagined it in Boston. This is a wonderful, gripping story. The writing is excellent, the characters are colorful and well-drawn and the meticulous detail brings the American wilderness to life. I highly recommend this book!
Rating:
Summary: The Moring River
Review: Michael Gear's Indians, Mountain men, entrepreneurs, and even effete New Englanders ring of faithful to their time and place. This is not only a good story with finely etched characters, but good history as well
Rating:
Summary: The Morning River
Review: Picked this book up on a whim at the Atlanta airport and was pleasantly surprised. This is really a good book. Though the story of a mountain man taking a Yankee 'Doodle' under his wing may sound trite, Mr. Gear manages to pull it off - along with some thought-provoking references to works I recall from Philosophy 101 - without losing the sense of the time he is writing about. Although I usually stay away from sequels and series I intend to definitely pick up "Coyote Summer" . I highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: A PAT ON THE BACK
Review: YOU JUST CAN'T FIND ANYTHING BETTER TO READ. FROM THE FIRST LINE I AM ALWAYS CAPTIVATED BY THE PROSPECT OF MEETING OLD FRIENDS INTRODUCED IN PREVIOUS WORKS. BOTH MICHAEL AND HIS WONDERFUL WIFE KATHLEEN HAVE A WAY OF TRANSPORTING THE READER TO THE TIME IN HISTORY YOU ARE READING ABOUT. I NEVER READ MORE THAN A FEW PAGES AT A TIME TO TRY TO PUT OFF THE END FOR AS LONG AS POSSIABLE. I KEEP ALL OF THIER BOOKS SO THAT I MAY READ THEM OVER AGAIN. I HOPE THEY KEEP THEM COMMING FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
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