Good, not great. I did like that it was based on the real history of the early Spanish and the brutal way they claimed this land as their own in spite of the current residents. ( )

A Searing Wind is the third and final book in the Contact: Battle for America series. I read it without reading the first two books and it was excellent as a stand alone book. I can only imagine what it is going to be like when I get the time to go back and read all three of them back to back. This is one powerful and engrossing novel and I suspect that when I do read the entirety of the story I will want to go back and read it again. A Searing Wind was that good.

I will admit to a certain fuzziness when it comes to my knowledge of early explorations on the North American continent. I knew De Soto's name and I vaguely recalled his travels and conquests from long ago history lessons but I will also admit to a certain dislike of American history while in school. That has changed as I have aged and I know devour books on the history of my country at about the same pace i read my beloved European history novels.

This tale of De Soto's tale of destruction through the southern part of what is now the United States is gripping. The two main characters, Black Shell and Pearl Hand are fighting the battle of their life to save their people and their ways from the invading kristianos. The Spanish felt they were superior in every way to the indios and were there to conquer and enslave them. The various tribes felt that De Soto and his men had to be destroyed but they had superior amour, weapons and the dreaded cabayos (horses).

The Indians work together - even tribes that have previously warred with each other to rid themselves of the evil that is De Soto - the monster.

I cannot begin to tell you how powerful a book this was. For the first time in a very, very long time a book brought me to tears. I can't tell you why or over what or I will ruin the plot but I will tell you that I became that involved with the story. I finished the book over a week ago and yet I still find myself thinking about it at odd moments. The Gears have that special way with words that draw you so far into a book you forget you are reading and become part of the story. Their descriptive power was such that I was almost smelling, tasting, seeing what the characters did. In spite of the violent nature of a book about conquest I almost didn't want to leave....

My only complaint is about the cover. I would have walked right by A Searing Wind in a book store. And that is sad because I would then have missed out on one of the best books I have ever read. I will forever be grateful that it was sent to me for review because now I have it and its sisters in my library to enjoy over and over again. ( )