First North Americans Books in Order

Where to Start with the First North Americans Series

Spanning thousands of years of prehistory, the First North Americans series (often known as North America's Forgotten Past) is a massive undertaking. Written by husband-and-wife archaeologists W. Michael Gear and Kathleen O'Neal Gear, these books combine rigorous scientific evidence with compelling shamanic mystery and human drama. Because the vast majority of the novels are self-contained standalones focusing on entirely different cultures, time periods, and geographic regions, readers often wonder where they should begin.

You have two primary entry points when diving into this epic saga:

Option 1: The Classic Publication Order (Recommended)

Starting with the very first book, People of the Wolf, is the most popular and rewarding path. The first four novels—spanning the migration across the Bering land bridge, the transition to post-glacial climates, and early Eastern woodland societies—lay down the foundational spiritual, mythological, and thematic undertones of the entire series. Reading these four in order gives you a strong feel for the authors' narrative style, the recurring presence of spiritual dreamers, and how prehistoric societies adapted to environmental shifts over millennia.

Option 2: Diving Into Subseries Cycles

If you prefer tight, multi-book character arcs rather than massive standalone jumps, you can start directly with one of the distinct subseries. The authors have written several multi-book narratives within the larger timeline, such as the People of Cahokia cycle or the Iroquois Quartet. These subseries must be read in their specific order to follow the continuous plotlines and recurring characters.

First North Americans Books in Publication Order

Following the publication order allows you to experience the series exactly as the authors developed it, shifting between different archaeological mysteries and cultural settings as new discoveries were made in the real world.

• People of the Wolf (1990)
• People of the Fire (1990)
• People of the Earth (1992)
• People of the River (1992)
• People of the Sea (1993)
• People of the Lakes (1994)
• People of the Lightning (1995)
• People of the Silence (1996)
• People of the Mist (1997)
• People of the Masks (1998)
• People of the Owl (2003)
• People of the Raven (2004)
• People of the Moon (2005)
• People of the Nightland (2007)
• People of the Weeping Eye (2008)
• People of the Thunder (2009)
• People of the Longhouse (2010)
• The Dawn Country (2011)
• The Broken Land (2012)
• People of the Black Sun (2012)
• Copper Falcon (2014)
• People of the Morning Star (2014)
• The Dead Man's Doll (2015)
• People of the Songtrail (2015)
• Sun Born (2016)
• Moon Hunt (2017)
• Star Path (2019)
• People of the Canyons (2020)
• Lightning Shell (2022)

First North Americans Books in Chronological Order

For readers who want to trace the development of Native American civilizations from the end of the last Ice Age up to the eras of European and Viking contact, reading chronologically offers a fascinating historical progression. Note that the short stories and novellas serve as direct prequels to their respective novels.

1. People of the Wolf (Beringia migration, approx. 13,000 to 15,000 years ago)
2. People of the Nightland (Ice Age retreat, approx. 13,000 years ago)
3. People of the Sea (Post-glacial West Coast, approx. 12,000 years ago)
4. People of the Raven (Pacific Northwest Kennewick Man era, approx. 9,300 years ago)
5. People of the Lightning (Florida Windover Bog culture, approx. 8,500 years ago)
6. People of the Fire (Northern Plains, approx. 5,000 years ago)
7. People of the Earth (Rocky Mountains, approx. 5,000 years ago)
8. People of the Owl (Poverty Point Louisiana culture, approx. 3,400 years ago)
9. People of the Lakes (Great Lakes region, approx. 3,000 years ago)
10. People of the River (Hopewell/Mississippian transition, approx. 2,000 years ago)
11. People of the Silence (Chaco Canyon rise, approx. AD 1100)
12. People of the Moon (Chaco Canyon peak, approx. AD 1150)
13. People of the Masks (Eastern Woodlands, approx. AD 900-1000)
14. People of the Weeping Eye (Early Mississippian culture, approx. AD 1200)
15. People of the Thunder (Mississippian culture peak, approx. AD 1200)
16. People of the Mist (Chesapeake Bay Algonquians, approx. AD 1300)
17. People of the Longhouse (Iroquois/Haudenosaunee cycle, approx. AD 1400)
18. The Dawn Country (Iroquois/Haudenosaunee cycle)
19. The Broken Land (Iroquois/Haudenosaunee cycle)
20. People of the Black Sun (Iroquois/Haudenosaunee cycle conclusion)
21. People of the Morning Star (Cahokia Mississippian cycle, approx. AD 1050-1100)
22. People of the Songtrail (Norse contact in Canada, approx. AD 1000)
23. Copper Falcon (Cahokia cycle short prequel)
24. The Dead Man's Doll (Songtrail cycle short prequel)
25. Sun Born (Cahokia Mississippian cycle)
26. Moon Hunt (Cahokia Mississippian cycle)
27. Star Path (Cahokia Mississippian cycle)
28. People of the Canyons (Southwest Anasazi region, approx. AD 1200)
29. Lightning Shell (Cahokia Mississippian cycle conclusion)

Deep Dive into the Major Subseries

While many books in the series are standalone stories, the Gears have structured several releases into distinct subseries that follow specific storylines and characters across multiple volumes.

The Iroquois Quartet (The Peacemaker's Tale)

This four-book cycle includes People of the Longhouse, The Dawn Country, The Broken Land, and People of the Black Sun. It details the epic, violent, and spiritual struggle surrounding the formation of the League of the Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) in the Northeast woodlands. Rather than separate standalones, this quartet tells a continuous story and must be read in sequence.

The People of Cahokia (Morning Star Cycle)

Centering on the prehistoric metropolis of Cahokia, the largest Mississippian mound city near modern-day St. Louis, this subseries includes Copper Falcon (a prequel short story), People of the Morning Star, Sun Born, Moon Hunt, Star Path, and concludes with Lightning Shell. It follows political intrigue, war, and the legend of the Morning Star reincarnated as a god-king. Read these in order to fully experience the rise and fall of this complex urban society.

The Viking Contact Duo

Comprising the short story The Dead Man's Doll and the novel People of the Songtrail, this mini-series explores the collision of cultures when Norse explorers establish a settlement in northeastern North America around AD 1000, interacting with the local native populations. The short story provides essential context on the spiritual and supernatural themes that thread through the main novel.

What to Know Before You Start

The hallmark of the Gears' writing is archaeological authenticity. Because both authors are professional, field-experienced archaeologists, the settings, tools, clothing, housing, and social structures are grounded in physical discoveries. However, they also incorporate the intense spiritual world of prehistoric peoples, featuring shamanistic journeys, visions, and ancestral guides as real, active elements of the characters' lives.

Readers should be prepared for realistic and sometimes graphic depictions of ancient warfare, cannibalism, political cruelty, and environmental crises. The Gears do not romanticize or sanitize these ancient societies; they depict them as complex, diverse, and fully human civilisations with their own virtues, vices, and struggles for survival.