Ancient Ones (Random House Large Print)

Rating:
Summary: A very gripping read...
Review: I read 'Ancient Ones' and the prequels, 'Spirit Sickness' and 'Cry Dance' in one week-end, that is how un-put-down-able I consider these books. This one kept me up well into the night.

To comment on the much debated comparisons to Tony Hillerman: I am a great fan of the Leaphorn/Chee series, but personally, I am finding I prefer Mitchell to Hillermanm at this point. I find Mitchell's books faster paced and more complex, therefore more gripping. With Hillerman, it got too easy to guess who the bad guy was. It was always (or almost always) the white one.

With regard to the relationship between Parker and Tunipseed, I think it ads a great deal to the story and in no way detracts from the plot. This level of character development is rare in these types of books, and I find it a refreshing change. It makes them real, flaws and all, as opposed to being two-dimensional cookie-cutter crimefighters. Strangely, no one seems to have a problem when Hillerman's main characters are involved in relationships. I wonder if it is the child abuse angle that is making people uncomfortable here. In any case, I am looking forward to seeing how Emmett and Anna's relationship evolves in the fourth book (I hope the author has plans for a fourth book in this series, if not more!).

Rating:
Summary: Interesting thriller with an overdone ending
Review: In this book, Mitchell builds a mystery-thriller on a real incident, the discovery of an ancient skeleton in the Pacific Northwest whose features suggest that Caucasians may have peopled North America before migrants from Asia. The two government agents drawn into this case are Native Americans involved with each other in a complex and difficult relationship. The author shows off his knowledge of anthropology and Northwest Indian tribes, making mysticism part of the story. Things move along smartly for the first eighty per cent of the book, with additional violence, several suspects, and lots of misdirection. Unfortunately, the concluding chapters seem overdone (how many anthropologists live in mansions with Bat Caves beneath them?) Don't be misled by the jacket blurb comparing this to Tony Hillerman's work. Mitchell's work is more hard-edged, violent, and sometimes gruesome. The conclusion is politically correct but lacks the moral weight of Hillerman's best work.

Rating:
Summary: Another Hit!
Review: Once again Kirk Mitchell hits the jackpot with Anna and Emmet uncovering the mysteries behind the Ancient One. Mitchell's style is quickly moving and exciting. His vast knowledge of the Native American ways of life holds ones interest and ties the story into a nice, neat bundle. His experience as a law enforcement officer brings credibility to his stories and always rings true in form and procedure. What's next? Even though this story has moved from the Great Southwest it is well done, but I need to go back to the desert and mesas of Arizona and New Mexico.