Lucia St. Clair Robson

Ghost Warrior by Lucia St.Clair Robson is a sweeping epic set during the last days that the Apache Indians roamed free. It is the story of Lozen, an Apache woman who was the unmarried sister of Chiricahua Apache chief Victorio. Lozen was different from most women, she did not chose to marry or have children, instead she fought side by side with the men and became her brother’s wise counselor. Although at first she was considered strange for wanting to behave as a man she eventually became revered as both a Holy Woman and a Medicine Woman.

Separating the real person from the legend, the story unfolds with humor, intelligence and realism. As the Apaches try to deal with the white people who are moving into their southwestern homeland in the late 1800s and changing their ancient way of life. That is not to say that their way of life was particularly peaceful, the Apache were a war-like people who spent much of their time on raids and in battles with other Indians and, in particular, Mexicans. Their life was one of marauding, ambushing and plundering, and now they were being rounded up, confined to a reservation and told to farm.

All the well known figures of the day are part of this story including General George Crook, George N. Bascom, Cochise, and Geronimo. But the author keeps her main character, Lozen, front and center at all times giving the reader a heroine to root for. Robson recreates the Apache way of life in great detail and gives all her characters a distinct personality. I loved this story and enjoyed my time learning about these unique people.… (mer)

Nacona, Wanderer, my brother, I wish the these white people would come west so we could raid them all the time. They have such wonderful things, and they're soft like newborn pups. I may spend ore time here in the east".

Ride the Wind by Lucia St. Clair Robson

As someone with an interest in Native American History I liked reading this story about Cynthia Anne Parker. It made me angry though and not at Native Americans, at OUR government. I felt almost embarrassed on her behalf.

This was a really long book and there's alot of violence in it, you have been warned. I did have to skim over some parts of it. But the book taught me alot..which is what great books do. I looked up Cynthia's story after reading this book. Then I got mad all over again.

SPOILERS:

This is really just a comment but.. I wish her story had had a happier ending. It was painful.

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to see the "trail of tears" which also made me outraged. I can remember, as a child, loving Native American History and wanting to live free as they did. This book really is superb and like many others have wondered I do not get why it has not been turned into a movie(although with Hollywood being involved, who knows how it would turn out?)

But this was a great story and my hat's off to the author as I read the story of how she came to write this as well. Highly recommended.… (mer)

So lonely am I
My sul is a floating weed
Severed at the roots

tThis is how Lady Asano has felt ince the forced suicide execution of her father. Adrift in a dangerous world, Lady Asano vows to avenge her father's death and restore his name to honor. To do so she will have to travel the Tokaido Road.

Lucia St. Clair Robson is renowned for her beautifully written and carefully researched historical novels about the American Indian: the Washington Post proclaimed Walk in My Soul 'a richly detailed, rousingly good story' and : The Kirkus Reviews praised Light a Distant Fire for its 'briliant word-portraits of memorable characters,' Now, Robson has turned her remarkable storytelling gifts and her passion for historical accuracy to a place and time that have been long close to her heart, feudal Japan.

As the novel opens, Lady Asano has transformed herself into Cat, a high-rankng courtesan, to support her widowed mother. Yet Cat's career is temporary; the powerful Lord Kira's campaign against her family is continuing and she must find Oishi, leader of the samurai of the Asano clan, weapons master, philosopher and Cat's teacher. Cat believes he is three hundred miles to the southwest in the imperial city of Kyoto.

Disguising her loveliness in the humble garments of a traveling priest, Cat begins her quest. All she has is her samurai training-in Haiku and Tanka poetry, in the use of the deadly six-foot weapon, the naginata, and in Japanese Zen thought. And she wil need them all, for a ronin has been hired to trail her.

The ronin, a lordless samurai, is Tosa no Harushiro. His weapon is the traditional long-sword, a two-hundred-year old Kanesada blade. But he will find cunning adversaires in Cat and her faithful taveling companion Kasane. A peasant girl, Kasane is simple, her poetry a little crude. But her devotion to Cat runs deep.

Both picaresque and tagic, filed with the grand poetry, chivalrous love, adn rollicking goings-on of the era. The Tokaido Road is a stunning achievment by a noveist writing at th peadk of her considerable powers.

Lucia St. Clair Robson is the author of the New York Times bestseller Ride the Wind, and of Walk in my Soul and Light a Distand Fire. She has lived and taught in Japan, and made three trips there during the writing of The Tokaido Road.

Robsen lives in Arnold, Maryland, with her longo-time companion, the science fiction novelist Brian Daley.

Contents

Chapter One Beware the Stopping Mind
Chapater Two; A State of Confusion
Chapter Three: Aim for his weak point
Chapter Four: The Burglar in the House
Chapter Five: A Beggar's Bag
.......
Chapter Seventy-eight The Ultimate of Swordsmanship
Chapter Sseventy-nine Spring Dwells Inside The Strugging Buds
Epilogue… (mer)