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Now, carrying his white-feathered trader's staff, he devotes his life to a sacred mission that only the tall, beautiful Pearl Hand--his lover, confidant and wife--truly understands. Black Shell has seen what the incomprehensibly violent, shining-armored invaders are capable of doing to his world and knows that if his people are to survive, he and his Orphans, a small band of fierce warriors, must kill as many Kristianos as they can. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAfter being fought to a standstill by the courageous Apalachee Nation, de Soto has changed his tactics. He will employ promises of peace to accomplish what cannot be achieved by violence alone. Lured by a young man's tale of gold and aided by an arrogant princess's treachery, he makes his way through the beautiful southeastern landscape. One by one, the ancient Nations fall victim to his lies as rulers and commoners alike are tricked into enslavement. In spite of the price de Soto has placed on his head, Black Shell shadows the Kristiano advance and finds that his own legend precedes him. Some will heed Black Shell's strategies of sacrifice and deception. Others will ignore him--and suffer unspeakable horrors as a result. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn this moving, vivid portrait of a lost American civilization and a powerful love between a man and a woman, the Gears illuminate a little-understood time in our history, as this bloody conflict between two peoples hurtles toward an apocalyptic battle that may change the course of the war forever. . . .","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49629950050577,"sku":"GOR010083860","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50262751641873,"sku":"CIN1439153922G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50609294835985,"sku":"CIN1439153922VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ WELL_READ \/ SBYB","offer_id":52737062338833,"sku":"CIN1439153922A","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1439153922.jpg?v=1751178516"},{"product_id":"coming-of-the-storm-book-w-michael-gear-9781439153918","title":"Coming of the Storm","description":"Discover the first in the epic trilogy by \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling authors W. 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But the stakes are raised to their greatest heights when he and Pearl Hand must walk boldly into de Soto's camp and engage the cunning monster in a desperate game of wits in order to decide the fate of a continent.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50396126839057,"sku":"CIN198210712XG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":51060649722129,"sku":"NIN9781982107123","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":52672107970833,"sku":"NLS9781982107123","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/198210712X.jpg?v=1751029448"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.worldofbooks.com\/collections\/contact-the-battle-for-america-book-series.oembed","provider":"World of Books ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}