Eye of the Bear: A History Novel of Early California

by Naida West

Book Overview

First in the California Gold Trilogy consisting of 1. Eye of the Bear, 2. River of Red Gold, and 3. Rest for the Wicked. Naida West, Ph.D., lives with her husband on their little ranch in California's... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0965348741
• ISBN13: 9780965348744
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: Bridge House Books
• Length: 630 Pages
• Weight: 1.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

An excellent historical/fiction story

As a fellow Northern Californian I really enjoyed reading both of Ms. West's stories. I met her at a book signing and I preferred to read Eye of the Bear first as it is a prequel to The river of red gold. I lived in the area that the books are mainly set in. (Sacramento) I have been to most of the areas and it really makes it more interesting to visualize the home of the Mi-wok's. The Sloughhouse Inn in the book is still there (although closed at the moment-2006-due to ownership problems. Both Eye and River of Red Gold are 5 star reads.

Ingenious prequel is fitting sequel

This book is as excellent and finely constructed as is Ms. West's prior book, "River of Red Gold", which follows "Eye of the Bear" in time. Her obvious extensive research is paid off in a compelling tale of pre-gold-rush (1820's) California, and the conflict between and among the Native Americans, the Spanish/Mexican secular rulers, and the religious zealots of the early California Missions. Interweaving historical characters with fictional representations of the time, "Eye of the Bear" draws the reader into a starkly believable environment. The story is painted with well-developed characters, engaged in love, hatred, empathy and war. I'm sorry these two books weren't written (and would recommend that they be read) in reverse order -- nonetheless, I hope another volume, perhaps continuing the same story but set in POST-gold-rush days, will follow. The book is long (over 600 pages), but I couldn't put it down until I came...sadly...to it's ending.