Rating: 
Summary: A Theif of Time
Review: Having spent 30 years in Law Enforcement, and knowing forensics, and how much down and dirty investigating goes into solving a crime, and having a keen interest in Archeaology, I felt that Mr. Hillerman is a master of combining police work, Archeaology, suspense into one believable mystery. His intertwining of Indian culture, and modern day police work is ingenious. I have read all of his books twice or more. I love them.Mystery Buffs should not miss Hillerman's work.
Rating: 
Summary: A fast-moving tale
Review: Hillerman crafts a good mystery. The words are tightly wound and clear. The grande finale is a bit forced, but it's fun arriving there. This was my first Hillerman, and I'll be back for more of his simple, engaged storytelling.
Rating:
Summary: Chee and Leaphorn do it again.
Review: Hillerman's greatest triumph. I loved it and couldn't put it down. Crisp writing. Beautiful prose. A must read.
Rating: 
Summary: A fine introduction to Native American culture
Review: Hmmmmmmm . . . . . no reviews by anyone who claims to be one of the Dine, and therefore wants to analyze Hillerman on that basis. Hillerman is a masterful story teller, and in this book brings a heavy load of social correctness into a typical mystery story. The central theme is the systematic looting of Native American sites on behalf of Anglos who are driven by greed for ancient artifacts. In this story, the greed has two faces; one is the monetary reward of finding and selling ancient artifacts for often vast sums of money, and the other is the greed for scholarly fame that is the reward for discovering new and sometimes shocking facts about Native Americans. Would scholars be so crude ? Well, think of Regents Professor Christie G. Turner of Arizona State University who "proved" the ancestors of the Hopis and Zunis and other pueblo tribes were cannibals. It sure got him a lot of fame and attention. Would pot hunters be so violent ? Having been trained as a site steward, a volunteer who checks known sites to deter looting, we were warned never to directly challenge anyone engaged in looting a site. Put the two elements together, and you have the basis of the very plausible plot in this story. Then add the detective work of two Navajo Nation police officers, whose work often seems to be protecting the Navajos from the crimes of non-Navajos, and the result is a good story. Hillerman writes well, with a genuine affection for The People, but even at his best he's still an outsider looking at the intricacies of Navajo culture. Who am I to judge Hillerman's portrayal of the Navajos ? Well, in my dealings with Navajo police officers, I found some to be much more introspective and analytical of differences between their culture and the outside world than Hillerman indicates. He also seems oblivious to the sharp and delightful Navajo sense of humor, perhaps because it is more subtle than the usual slapstick style of Anglo-American humor. He cites various clans, but doesn't seem to understand the sharp differences that sometimes exist among clans. So, why read Hillerman ? He's very worth reading because he offers a fine introduction to the People, and he is greatly honored among the Navajos for that reason. Some quibble over the authenticity of his facts - - - but there are equally vehement debates over the quality of fry bread from different parts of the Rez. The fact is that Hillerman is a good writer. He offers a valued insight into Native American culture, which is an "Mulligan stew" of different beliefs, attitudes, values and opinions. Want a simple example of a major difference ? In Anglo society, legal issues are resolved in the courts on the basis of confrontational arguments which produce a clear winner and loser -- called "Guilty or Innocent" -- a system based on jousting between champions chosen to represent the two sides in a dispute. In Navajo culture, the principle of Ke'e reflects a desire for consensus that seeks a harmonious resolution for all sides in a dispute. In addition to a legal system based on traditional Anglo law, the Navajos also have "Peacemaker" courts based on traditional Navajo values of consensus instead of confrontation. Hillerman doesn't examine such subtleties; his stories are based on Anglo values of guilt and innocence, good and bad, truth and falsehood, right and wrong. A traditional Navajo, writing a similar book, would sympathize with the perpetrator as well as victim, as in the saying about never judging a person until you have walked a mile in their moccasins. Yet, until such books are written -- think of a detective novel which ends in consensus instead of a clear designation of evil -- Hillerman will continue to rank among the best of Anglo views of Native American culture. Or, in terms of oriental culture, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Hillerman has taken a thousand steps in introducing outsiders to Native American culture -- but, it's worth remembering his stories are only a few steps in a long journey.
Rating:
Summary: A fine introduction to Native American culture
Review: Hmmmmmmm . . . . . no reviews by anyone who claims to be one of the Dine, and therefore wants to analyze Hillerman on that basis. Hillerman is a masterful story teller, and in this book brings a heavy load of social correctness into a typical mystery story. The central theme is the systematic looting of Native American sites on behalf of Anglos who are driven by greed for ancient artifacts. In this story, the greed has two faces; one is the monetary reward of finding and selling ancient artifacts for often vast sums of money, and the other is the greed for scholarly fame that is the reward for discovering new and sometimes shocking facts about Native Americans. Would scholars be so crude ? Well, think of Regents Professor Christie G. Turner of Arizona State University who "proved" the ancestors of the Hopis and Zunis and other pueblo tribes were cannibals. It sure got him a lot of fame and attention. Would pot hunters be so violent ? Having been trained as a site steward, a volunteer who checks known sites to deter looting, we were warned never to directly challenge anyone engaged in looting a site. Put the two elements together, and you have the basis of the very plausible plot in this story. Then add the detective work of two Navajo Nation police officers, whose work often seems to be protecting the Navajos from the crimes of non-Navajos, and the result is a good story. Hillerman writes well, with a genuine affection for The People, but even at his best he's still an outsider looking at the intricacies of Navajo culture. Who am I to judge Hillerman's portrayal of the Navajos ? Well, in my dealings with Navajo police officers, I found some to be much more introspective and analytical of differences between their culture and the outside world than Hillerman indicates. He also seems oblivious to the sharp and delightful Navajo sense of humor, perhaps because it is more subtle than the usual slapstick style of Anglo-American humor. He cites various clans, but doesn't seem to understand the sharp differences that sometimes exist among clans. So, why read Hillerman ? He's very worth reading because he offers a fine introduction to the People, and he is greatly honored among the Navajos for that reason. Some quibble over the authenticity of his facts - - - but there are equally vehement debates over the quality of fry bread from different parts of the Rez. The fact is that Hillerman is a good writer. He offers a valued insight into Native American culture, which is an "Mulligan stew" of different beliefs, attitudes, values and opinions. Want a simple example of a major difference ? In Anglo society, legal issues are resolved in the courts on the basis of confrontational arguments which produce a clear winner and loser -- called "Guilty or Innocent" -- a system based on jousting between champions chosen to represent the two sides in a dispute. In Navajo culture, the principle of Ke'e reflects a desire for consensus that seeks a harmonious resolution for all sides in a dispute. In addition to a legal system based on traditional Anglo law, the Navajos also have "Peacemaker" courts based on traditional Navajo values of consensus instead of confrontation. Hillerman doesn't examine such subtleties; his stories are based on Anglo values of guilt and innocence, good and bad, truth and falsehood, right and wrong. A traditional Navajo, writing a similar book, would sympathize with the perpetrator as well as victim, as in the saying about never judging a person until you have walked a mile in their moccasins. Yet, until such books are written -- think of a detective novel which ends in consensus instead of a clear designation of evil -- Hillerman will continue to rank among the best of Anglo views of Native American culture. Or, in terms of oriental culture, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Hillerman has taken a thousand steps in introducing outsiders to Native American culture -- but, it's worth remembering his stories are only a few steps in a long journey.
Rating:
Summary: no review - i need help
Review: i am using this novel in a remedial reading class, is there any Q/A's for this novel which i could use in class
Rating: 
Summary: Maybe I just don't like mysteries, but...
Review: I can't see what everyone else loves so much about this book. I read it as a freshman in high school for English class, and most of my friends agree that it is bearable, but far from the best thing we've ever read. I mean, the story is so complicated that keeping track of all the information takes away from the fun of reading. It's also a dragged-out plot with characters who, though likable, are not as well-developed as I would have liked. It's hard to picture what Chee, Leaphorn, Eleanor Friedman-Bernal, and everyone else look like because they never really describe them. And despite how much Leaphorn misses his dead wife Emma, he and Chee are hard to describe. They don't have very individual personalities. They're just Navajo Tribal Police investigating the disappearance of Friedman-Bernal and a chain of homicides in and around New Mexico. The whole time, I was never really entertained or thrilled or scared by this book. It seemed like it was only a series of repetitions of Eleanor's disappearance, the Anasazi pots she was looking for, who she bought them from, etc., and was basically about trying to figure out who sold these dumb pots to whom. New people kept getting thrown in all the time, but it all always came back to repeating the first chapter. Even the ridiculously holy Christian traveling preacher, who is Ned Flanders-like, Slick Nakai, didn't add that much to the story. Perhaps I missed something everyone else caught, but I would just not recommend this book. Everything in it is confusing. Even the description of the land, which should be beautiful and fascinating, is hard to keep track of all the names and where everybody is. I didn't think "A Thief of Time" deserved all the rave reviews it got.
Rating:
Summary: IF YOU LIKE MYSTERIES, YOU'LL LUV THIS STORY!
Review: I had to read this for a school thing... and I loved it! This is one of the best mysteries I have ever read and I am currently looking for more of the author's books. This is the kind of novel that keeps you thinking, but doesn't frustrate you. I couldn't put the book down. It's great.
Rating:
Summary: enjoyable read. Nice imagery, but bogus motivations
Review: I liked the book -- it's a pleasant read. The mystery/suspense builds throughout the story, as more and more people turn up dead. I found the characters to be generally believable, with one exception... But that one exception is the 'bad guy', whose unbelievability makes the whole thing kind of weak. Still, there's the vivid imagery of the American southwest, and a taste of Native American anthropology and culture that kept me reading. And besides, I didn't find out about the bogus ending until the end! I'll read more Hillerman.
Rating:
Summary: A new kind of detective story
Review: I must admit I'd never read any of Tony Hillerman's novels. Someone said if I liked James Patterson then I would like Tony Hillerman. Reluctantly, I read this book and I was totally shocked on how very interesting this book is. Navajo detectives Lephorn and Lee, one who is old and traditional and another who is young and modern tries to solve a case with a missing archaelogist. The whole indian culture, landscapes, tradition and history were perfect elements in this book. I have never read a fictional book that was deep in a culture that is vastly slowly fading away. Hillerman not only written a cultural quick fast paced story, he added a couple of twist which had thrown me off. I feel if this book had a great effect on me, which by the way, engulf me into a culture I rarely see anymore, I would truely read another Hillerman.
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