The Dark Way

"No one weaves a tribal story quite like Robert Conley. Conley's books are entertaining, colorful, and chock-full of tribal history and culture."--Wilma P. Mankiller, former Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation

Few writers portray Native American life and history as richly, authentically, and insightfully as Robert J. Conley, an important voice of the Cherokee past. The novels in his Real People series combine powerful characters, gripping plots, and vivid descriptions of tradition and mythology to preserve Cherokee culture and history.

This, the second volume of the series, continues with the spellbinding account of a dramatic event in Cherokee lore--the overthrow of the priests. A terrible drought has plagued the land, and Standing-in-the-Doorway, most exalted of the Ani-Kutani--the highly privileged priesthood--knows he must produce rain or lose the confidence of his people. In desperation, the crafty priest decides to revive an ancient custom and designs a four-day ceremony intended to dazzle an increasingly disenchanted populace.

But Standing-in-the-Doorway is ruled by his passion for the arrogant young Two-Heads, who has a childhood score to settle and a long-suppressed fantasy to fulfill. Two Heads schemes to build the ceremony around his warped desires--a plan that endangers him and the entire priesthood. The priests may have gone too far: arousing the enmity of the Real People will seal their doom.