One Is the Sun

Thirteen-year-old slave girl Tadpole is saved from a life of misery by Earth Thunder, a shaman. Set in the American West of the 1850s and filled with goddess lore and Native American history, the story follows the two women as the older instructs the younger in goddess wisdom, ethics, and strong medicine. The opening is overlong and could prove tedious for listeners. Lorna Raver's narration just manages to keep the elaborate background from becoming drudgery. When possible, Raver invests each of the many characters with a convincing personality, but while the research is thorough, plot and characters take a backseat to the author's preachiness. Not even a performance as compelling as Raver's can do much with the wooden writing. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

June 30, 2008
Warren's sprawling epic (clocking in at 24 hours) takes listeners back in time to tell the tale of three Native American young women who create an old wisdom temple in Deer Lodge, Mont. Lorna Raver navigates this long and winding road with tremendous patience and foresight, never rushing her delivery or forcing a reaction from the audience. She reads with a sense of empowerment and importance, giving each complicated character their own identity through a large arrangement of voices and tones. A memorable listening experience and powerful denouement await those willing to give this story the time and respect it deserves. A Wildcat paperback (Reviews, Feb. 22, 1991).