A couple of good readers I know told me that Shaman would be disappointing, specially when compared to The Physician, the first book of the trilogy. It wasn't, I enjoyed very much reading it. It was a while ago since I read a book that I cannot put down. I had this sad, empty feeling when the book was over: and now what.

I guess it is balance what makes a great book: the historical bit, well documented and as far as I know trustworthy... but never too much, the plot, rich in lines and sometimes rich in fantasy... but somehow always believable, the characters living and growing and getting on every turn of the page closer to the reader.

I feel again exactly the same wonderful thing I felt when I read my first great book, there are other worlds and you're welcome to them for a while and then you must leave, and when you're done you have changed a tiny little bit. It feels sad and magical.

This book takes place during the time of the Civil War. There are many disputes between Indians and Whites, Blacks and Whites, Jews, Catholics, and Christians.
Shaman grows up being raised by an Indian woman named Bear Woman, his mother, Sarah, and his father, Robert J. Cole. After a bout with illness Shaman is deaf. He learns the ways of the Indians with sign language, which later his father refuses to have him do because he doesnt him to lose his speech. As Shaman ages, Bear Woman is brutally raped and murdered. Robert J. Cole is in anguish and wants to find the 3 white men who murdered her. Shaman tells his father he wants to be a physician and go to medical school. Dr. Cole tries to discourage and protect his son from becoming a doctor due to his deafness. Shaman doesnt care he decides to go on to be a doctor, even after several rejections from schools. Finally he is accepted to school. He becomes a great doctor!

This book is also the story of Dr. Cole which is relayed as Shaman reads his father's journals after his death.

This is a must read especially after reading "The Physician." Now I cant wait to read the final book of the trilogy "Matters of Choice."

Una historia increíble. Retrata muy bien la época en la que sucede el libro, la guerra de secesión, la discriminación, las enfermedades, etc. La trama esconde secretos y te los revela cuando menos te lo esperas. Unos personajes muy reales que encanta verlos madurar y duele verlos morir. La gracia que tiene el autor para escribir me parece impresionante, ya que te puede narrar que el protagonista está cabalgando al pueblo vecino que te fascina. Un diez.

One of the best books I read all year. Loved it even more than The Physician.

I read The Physician so many years ago, and finally got to read Shaman this week! Finally. I truly enjoyed this book, and despite the many pages - soared through. (My edition is actually epub from the NYPL, so Adobe said it was 600 pages).

I gave this book 5 stars, but would like to have said 4.75. I understand that an author wants to make his story a "likable" story…and that the protagonist ends up in a good place in life by the end. Perhaps it's an author's job to give us "happily ever after", more or less. This is the 2nd historic fiction story I've read in the past couple of months where the author has inserted a romantic subplot. I'm not against the romance genre, but, I'm beginning to wonder why it's necessary. I feel a good book can stand on it's own without the couple living happily ever after. I don't know a lot about mixed marriages in the mid to late 1800's, but I find the idea somewhat implausible…and this marriage, fairly predictable.

Other than that, a great read.

einfach nur anstrengend

Wonderful read. Well written and beautifully structured.
Lovely established characters and an interesting plot about life in the United States in times of the colonization of the far west and the war of secession.
The pacifist and courageous perspective of Dr. Robert J Cole of this time makes this novel a true referent of historical fiction.

Una delicia para el lector.
A pesar de que Noah Gordon desarrolla la trama en un contexto histórico prácticamente desconocido para mí, consigue que te sientas totalmente dentro él.

Algunos capítulos son un poco más densos que otros, pero viéndolo con retrospectiva, son realmente valiosos por la riqueza en detalles y verosimilitud que aportan a la historia.

Lasot Noa Gordona „Dziednieku” uzreiz jutu, ka pie šī darba gribēšu atgriezties atkal un atkal, tāpēc nevilcinoties to ieliku arī savā goodreads iemīļoto vēsturisko romānu (jeb favorite-history-fiction) plauktā. Tāpēc, protams, ka ļoti gribēju izlasīt arī tā turpinājumu – „Šamanis”.
Ja tā īsi: patika, bet ne tik ļoti kā „Dziednieks”.
Ja plašāk: „Šamani” lasīju tiešām ilgi: no 17. februāra (cik labi, ka goodreads varu paskatīties precīzi ) līdz 11. martam. Iemesli tam ir divi – grāmata ir tiešām bieza (584 lapaspuses sīkā drukā) un tā mani neierāva sevī tik dziļi, lai vakaros pēc darba neatrastu laiku daudz kam citam arī, reizēm fizisko nelasot to pat trīs dienas no vietas.
Lai gan darbības vieta un laiks no „Dziednieka” viduslaikiem Anglijā un Tuvajos Austrumos „Šamanī” pārcelti uz 19. gadsimta ASV, tomēr ļoti bieži piemetās lasot déjà vu. Acīmredzot Gordons uzskata, ka dzimtā cilvēki var mantot ne tikai vārdu, bet arī raksturu, uzskatu kopumu un pat situācijas modeļus, kuros iekulties (un dīvainākais, ka dzimtas vīriešu pasaules uzskatu – ateismu viduslaikos vieglā un 19. gs. smagā formā – gadsimtiem nespēj mainīt dzimtas sieviešu audzināšana – kuras taču gan viduslaikos, gan 19. gs ir ļoti kaislīgas kristietes).
Bet kopumā jau man patiesībā patika. „Šamanī” var atrast pilnīgi visu, ko sirds kāro – vēsturi, politiku, karu, mīlestību, piedzīvojumus, eksistenciālas pārdomas, šķēršļu pārvarēšanu, salabšanu un ļaunā sodīšanu... Var jau būt, ka ja nebūtu izlasīts „Dziednieks”, to īpašo vietu sirdī būtu ieņēmis „Šamanis”.

The second of the trilogy, I started this one directly on the heals of the "The Physcian". I was startled at first by the jump in time, but realized immediately that it's becuase there was another medical 'moment' to be recorded. Gordon has a talent for drawing the 'time'. The characters are real, but the element that makes his books truly remarkable i s the history. The 'first person' point of view on the situations and morays of the past. I loved it.. and moved DIRECTLY onto the third....

Muy buen libro, comencé a leerlo con pocas expectativas gracias comentarios de la persona que me lo proporcionó, pero a lo largo de la lectura me fue sorprendiendo y terminé con un muy buen sabor de boca.
La descripción histórica que hace es muy buena ya que te transporta al mundo de los conquistadores del oeste, de los indios, de la guerra de cecesión. Pero lo que más me agradó fue la descripción se la situación de la sordera que hizo, me pareció muy fiel y acertada, además de que muchas de las barreras que se presentan en el libro para Chamán no sé alejan de la realidad actual de las personas con problemas auditivos.
Recomiendo ampliamente el libro y no pudo esperar a comenzar con el tercer y último libro de la dinastía Cole.

Loved all three books. The Physician my favorite.

The Physician - book one. Amazing story line with characters to love and hate. The main character was so realistic and likable. The descriptions of the times and places were very detailed and it was easy to put yourself there. I loved the progression of the story. Very well written. I would highly recommend.

Shaman - book two. Again, excellent story line. I did enjoy book one more than the second. Very well written. Exciting characters. Interesting time periods with vivid descriptions. This could stand alone. I would highly recommend.

Matters of choice - book three. I enjoyed this book but not as well as the other two. It was set in modern day and I had enjoyed the previous time periods so much it was a little disappointing to be back in the modern era. This could stand alone. I would read it to see the conclusion of the story and I would recommend, but not as fun as the first two.

I am posting this review to all of the books as is. That way you can see the progression of the reviews. gbash