Preying Indians


Fiction - Historical - Event/Era
278 Pages
Reviewed on 01/18/2013
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Alice DiNizo for Readers' Favorite

Thomas Adams has thoroughly researched the history of English settlers vs. Native Americans in the early years of Southern New England in "Preying Indians". The author is clear in his history-based opinion that the problems that arose between the Native American indigents such as the Narragansett and Pequots and the English settlers was basically a lack of understanding of each other's culture. The English settlers tried to convert local Native Americans and some did espouse Christianity, thus becoming "praying" Indians. Other Native Americans took great offense at the English settlers' attempts to establish themselves in a new land as they often offered little in exchange for lands and crops. These Native Americans were forced to become "preying" Indians as when the English settlement of Springfield, Massachusetts, was attacked and burned on October 5 of 1675. As the author writes on page 151, "The whole conduct of Massachusetts and Connecticut against the Narragansetts had often been unjust and high-handed." Author Adams cloaks his intensive history of early Southern New England in a story of Isaac Adams, son of Jonathon Adams, who marries Anna who is half Native American, half Anglo. Isaac and Anna move to Springfield, Massachusetts, where they raise their son Obadiah. Isaac sends Anna and Obadiah to live with his father on Martha's Vineyard when the attack on Springfield was imminent. Thomas Adams has recounted accurately and in great detail a much misunderstood period in the history of the United States including the background of King Phillip's War.

"Preying Indians" is an intense and detailed story of an important part of the early colonial years in our country's past. The history of English settlers to New England and the many Native American tribes that were here long before them is the main part of this story. Isaac's story is not as interwoven as it might be in the author's coverage of this part of New England's early years. However, "Preying Indians" is a book that should be read by history students and scholars everywhere as it is a real eye-opener based upon fact. If you want to know the history behind Metcom, better known as King Phillip, "Preying Indians" is a must read.