“Set in the 1300s, largely in what is now Alabama and Mississippi, this complex novel tracks three wanderers’ quest to create peace in violent times. Blended with the carefully drawn suspense of court intrigues, colorful characters, and sharp plot twists, this is a terrific tale.”

—
Publishers Weekly
on
People of the Thunder

“The knowledgeable Gears have firmly interwoven history, geology, and archaeology into a compelling narrative that reanimates and breathes new life into a neglected era of Native American history. This is historical fiction at its best, well researched and well thought out.”

—
Booklist
on
People of the Weeping Eye

“Drawing on their backgrounds in archaeology, the Gears vividly re-create Paleolithic America in this enchanting and instructive novel.”

—
Publishers Weekly
on
People of the Nightland

“[A] fascinating and imaginative narrative.”

—
Military.com
on
People of the Nightland

“
People of the Raven
. . . is a good read for those of us intrigued by the earliest Americans.”

—Tony Hillerman,
New York Times
bestselling author

“
People of the Raven
draws you into a magnificent, sweeping world. It tells a bighearted story of war and peace, love and violence, with a cast of richly drawn characters. This is a novel that will stay with you for years.”

—Douglas Preston,
New York Times
bestselling author

By W. Michael Gear and Kathleen O’Neal Gear
from Tom Doherty Associates

NORTH AMERICA’S
FORGOTTEN PAST SERIES

People of the Wolf

People of the Fire

People of the Earth

People of the River

People of the Sea

People of the Lakes

People of the Lightning

People of the Silence

People of the Mist

People of the Masks

People of the Owl

People of the Raven

People of the Moon

People of the Nightland

People of the Weeping Eye

People of the Thunder

People of the Longhouse
*

People of the Forest
*

THE ANASAZI MYSTERY SERIES

The Visitant

The Summoning God

Bone Walker

BY KATHLEEN O’NEAL GEAR

Thin Moon and Cold Mist

Sand in the Wind

This Widowed Land

It Sleeps in Me

It Wakes in Me

It Dreams in Me

BY W. MICHAEL GEAR

Long Ride Home

Big Horn Legacy

Coyote Summer

The Athena Factor

The Morning River

OTHER TITLES BY
KATHLEEN O’NEAL GEAR
AND W. MICHAEL GEAR

The Betrayal

Dark Inheritance

Raising Abel

Children of the Dawnland

*
Forthcoming

www.Gear-Gear.com

PEOPLE
of the
THUNDER

W. MICHAEL GEAR
AND
KATHLEEN O’NEAL GEAR

A TOM DOHERTY ASSOCIATES BOOK
NEW YORK

The author and publisher have provided this e-book to you without Digital Rights Management software (DRM) applied so that you can enjoy reading it on your personal devices. This e-book is for your personal use only. You may not print or post this e-book, or make this e-book publicly available in any way. You may not copy, reproduce or upload this e-book, other than to read it on one of your personal devices.

Copyright infringement is against the law. If you believe the copy of this e-book you are reading infringes on the author’s copyright, please notify the publisher at:
us.macmillanusa.com/piracy
.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the authors’ imaginations or are used fictitiously.

PEOPLE OF THE THUNDER

Maps and illustrations by Ellisa Mitchell

A Tor Book

Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC

175 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10010

www.tor-forge.com

Tor
^®is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.

ISBN 978-1-4668-1555-1

First Edition: January 2009

First Mass Market Edition: November 2009

Printed in the United States of America

0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To
John Lindsay,
who believes in books,
great stories,
and fine writing

Authors’ Note

P
eople of the Weeping Eye
and
People of the Thunder
are an anomaly in the “People” series. When the original manuscript for
People of the Weeping Eye
grew large, our publisher requested that we break the story into two.
People of the Thunder
continues the story of Old White, Trader, Morning Dew, and Two Petals. We have done our best to keep the tales independent, but recommend that the novels be read in sequence.