Song of Wovoka

This is a well-written, exciting novel which accurately portrays the worldview of Native Americans of the plains. It deserves five stars. I use it as a first-book-read in a Native American Religions course. It never fails to interest students in learning more about Native Americans, as it gives their history specific, three-dimensional characters, both compelling and repelling. Since I teach students, black and white, who have little understanding of the Native American experience or point of view, I am grateful to Earl Murray for providing such an easily accessible, romantic, action-oriented novel. It makes my intellectual seduction of them much easier. When I get to explaining specific worldview assumptions of Native Americans, it is always helpful to refer back to, for instance, the visions of Fawn-that-goes-dancing or Black Robe (Father Thomas). I highly recommend this small novel.