The Review Calling Crow, the main character of the tale is a typical hardy and courageous Muskogee chief. He has just been elected as the tale begins about 1535. The tale as told beginning with Calling crow and an self-important rival for the woman Calling Crow wants is intensely portrayed. Calling Crow is tormented with persistent images of an obliterating entity who will come to annihilate his people. This inaugural in a historical trilogy opens with Calling Crow living in his village and wondering what the esoteric cloud ships he sees far out on the ocean may mean. The Spanish who travel in the conveyances have only rascality on their minds. Calling Crow and two of his friends go to look at the cloud boats. He does not realize they are Spanish slave ships in search of slaves for the sugar plantations located on Hispaniola. The native people have never before seen such ships, or conquistadors in full armor who are able to chase down the fastest of the Muskogee even as their ‘skin’ deflects arrows. He views mounted Spanish and their horses as a single beast. Calling Crow learns the full intent of the voyagers when he is captured by men from one of the cloud ships. His capture is followed by capture of a whole village. For four years Calling Crow is held prisoner, sufferers much and at last makes good his escape from their clutches. His return to his home village brings little contentment for him; the woman to whom he was affianced has married another, and as problems swell within the population the villagers begin to view him with broadening misgiving. The skepticism increases as villagers begin to die from a inexplicable affliction. At last Calling Crow is pursued out to sea where he sets his course once again for the land where he had been held captive. Excellent well written account of the earliest citizens along our eastern coastline. The Muskogee were a coastal people living in what is today is Georgia and South Carolina. Calling Crow is the first in a historical trilogy; it is set in the year 1555 along the South Carolina coast. Writer Clayton has constructed a penetrating adventure thriller sure to dominate the attention of all who are interested in descriptive historical novels. I am a long time student of history and am pleased to find writer Clayton’s research into the era to be evident in his narrative Calling Crow. Clayton’s his writing skills are superb as he winds a fascinating tale peopled with characters who are very real and very believable. Combining the wealth of research found in Eric Balkan’s City of Tears with the intriguing thrill set down in Gold in The Shadow by Michael Marcotte, Calling Crow is a gripping ‘can’t put it down until the end’ read. Not for the faint of heart. Author sent book for review

Reviewed by: Molly Martin

Title: Calling Crow Author: Paul Clayton Line/Publisher: Berkley Books ISBN 1585865745