Saga of the Mountain Saga Books

During the winter of 1825, Richard Hamilton--a timid Harvard philosophy student--arrives in St. Louis on business for his father. Robbed and beaten, desperate to save his life, he reluctantly joins the crew of the Maria, a fur trader's keelboat. Bound for the beautiful, wild, and dangerous Indian country of the Upper Yellowstone River, the native Bostonian begins the education and adventure of a lifetime. On a converging path is Packrat, a Pawnee warrior who captures a beautiful young Shoshone medicine woman named Heals Like a Willow. But slaves with ties to the spirit world can--and do--fight back. As the Maria struggles deeper into the wilderness, Richard and Willow are cast together: seekers of knowledge and spirit, unwitting adversaries separated by time, space, and birthright. As inevitable as the collision of their two worlds, their love begins to unfold--and with it the terrible consequences of a forbidden consummation. Morning River is the first novel in W. Michael Gear's Man from Boston series--a historical fiction saga of the dangers and possibilities of the American frontier.

Upper Missouri River, 1825 Against the wild grandeur of the Rocky mountains and a richly woven tapestry of Indian cultures--Sioux, Mandan, Crow, Shoshoni-- Coyote Summer unfolds into an unforgettable tale of love and reconciliation, destiny, and the indomitable spirit. No two people could be more different: Heals Like A Willow, a beautiful young Shoshoni medicine woman, and Richard Hamilton, a Harvard philosophy student new to the frontier. Though they come from worlds apart, hindered by vastly different cultures, their souls have met and will not be denied. But Willow has ties to the Spirit world and a responsibility to her people. In visions she has seen the coming White Storm brewing in the East--the endless stream of settlers overrunning the land, pouring ever westward. She must leave the trading posts, the river, and the company of white men. Even if it means leaving behind the one who has taken her heart. Armed only with his philosophy, meaningless in the harsh reality of the Rockies, Richard sets out after her. Facing the endless expanse of mountains and snow, a new understanding dawns on Richard--that his desperate search for love and illumination may bear the ultimate price.

Immersed in the harsh realities of historical American frontiers, young pioneer Richard Hamilton is tossed, bound and dirt-covered, onto the deck of Dave Green’s vessel, the Maria. Staring down the barrel of Green's pistol, he soon realizes his worth as a mere philosopher holds little value in this gritty world. In the wild, Heals Like A Willow, a captive of Packrat Indian, dreams of the White Mist Dog. She's caught in a tactical battle with the Pawnee as she is carried eastward, an unwitting pawn in Packrat's desperate quest to find his estranged father. Meanwhile, Richard, struggling with his harsh circumstances, begins to unearth an inner strength he never knew he possessed. Yet his resolution to escape Maria and return to Boston never wavers. This determination culminates in a dramatic encounter with Willow and Packrat. On board the Maria, as they painstakingly ascend the Missouri, both Willow and Richard embark on a journey of self-discovery. But this voyage through the historical American frontier is fraught with peril. Scheming boatmen, anxious Native American chiefs, and unruly passions all threaten to derail their journey. As they navigate these hazards, Willow will make a pivotal decision that alters both her and Richard's destiny forever. Don't miss this riveting tale of survival, determination, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity. Immerse yourself in a world where the historical American frontier comes to life with its challenges, triumphs, and heartbreaks. Don't wait! Step aboard the Maria and experience this captivating journey. Order your copy today!

The epic begun in The Morning River and White Mist Dog continues in Saga of the Mountain Sage Book Three, A Panther’s Scream . Having made the decision to leave Richard and the whites, Willow packs, only to discover that all of the expedition’s horses, including her own, have been stolen—a fact the scarred hunter, Travis Hartman can’t abide! For Richard, the pursuit of the thieves and recovery of the animals will leave him forever changed. Meanwhile, the Arikara make their move on Maria, ending in a bloody battle where Willow crosses a line she never anticipated. Reunited with a wounded Richard, she struggles to save his life. But some bridges cannot be crossed. Heartbroken, she leaves in the desperate hopes of returning to her people. Only to face her biggest challenge yet when a Blackfeet raiding party crosses her path, for they have a captive too dear to her heart to let die. As the Maria struggles to ascend the Yellowstone, Dave Green will meet the end of all his dreams. And Richard will face the wilderness alone, and battle for his very life.