What do you think?
Rate this book
Kado: Lost Treasure of the Kadohadacho
Eighteen-year-old Tom Murrell could never understand his father’s dreams of carving a new life out of the wilderness. He wanted to do something else with his life besides spend it behind a plow, but with the family moving to the Red River in Arkansaw Territory, he was stuck.
Everything changes for Tom when he witnesses the death of Tiatesun, spiritual leader of the Kadohadacho tribe, and is drawn into a raging conflict between the Kado and their arch enemies, a renegade band of Osage.
His new friends Mattie and James say there is no alternative. They must use a cryptic map, drawn in a bible by Tiatesun in his own blood before he died, to find this place called Na-Da-cah-ah. Only then can Tom be sure that his family and friends will be safe.
But it is a race against time—a race against Wey Chutta’s Osage. Dangers are everywhere. The only chance to save his family is for Tom, Mattie, and James to join with six Kado warriors, make sense from the many clues they uncover on their quest, and discover the real Na-Da-cah-ah.
Everything changes for Tom when he witnesses the death of Tiatesun, spiritual leader of the Kadohadacho tribe, and is drawn into a raging conflict between the Kado and their arch enemies, a renegade band of Osage.
His new friends Mattie and James say there is no alternative. They must use a cryptic map, drawn in a bible by Tiatesun in his own blood before he died, to find this place called Na-Da-cah-ah. Only then can Tom be sure that his family and friends will be safe.
But it is a race against time—a race against Wey Chutta’s Osage. Dangers are everywhere. The only chance to save his family is for Tom, Mattie, and James to join with six Kado warriors, make sense from the many clues they uncover on their quest, and discover the real Na-Da-cah-ah.
Unknown Binding
Published November 5, 2020
55 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 1, 2019
4-4.5 stars.
I really enjoyed this story--I would describe it as a novelization of historical events that occurred in the ancestry of the author. It felt like a cross between Laura Ingalls Wilder and Treasure Island with a pinch of magic/Native American spirits. This story brings to life the history of a little known tribe of Native Americans known as the Caddoo (which I think are called Kado or Kadohadacho in this book). The characters are very interesting and I particularly like the two main characters, Tom (narrator) and Mattie. Even James, who I don't like at the beginning, grows on me so that by the end, I admire some things about him. I think this book would be suitable for older middle schoolers and young adults, but there is a few instances of killing mentioned in the book as an FYI to more sensitive readers.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Merged review:
This is my second time through this book, this time as an audio. While it's rare for me to listen to a book so quickly after reading the story, I was offered the opportunity to review this audiobook and couldn't say no! My previous review can be read here so I'm going to concentrate more on the audio than the book itself. However, I will say that even though this was my second time through this story in less than 3 months, I still very much enjoyed the story and I'm glad the author wrote this to share the story of the relatively unknown Kadohadacho peoples.
Eddie Garver was the narrator for this book and I thought he did a great job. He has a very good story telling voice and I thought he did a good job with the various voices and I had no trouble distinguishing one character from another. I listened to the book at varying speeds from 1.0-1.5 and it all worked, although you get more of the cadence of the story when it's at the original speed. After listening to the audiobook, I'm reminded even more of Laura Ingalls Wilder (the tv series), maybe because it feels more like a narrator (Tom) telling his story. Anyway, I definitely recommend this audiobook and I think I enjoyed it even more this way.
Special thanks to the publisher for this ARC recording in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this story--I would describe it as a novelization of historical events that occurred in the ancestry of the author. It felt like a cross between Laura Ingalls Wilder and Treasure Island with a pinch of magic/Native American spirits. This story brings to life the history of a little known tribe of Native Americans known as the Caddoo (which I think are called Kado or Kadohadacho in this book). The characters are very interesting and I particularly like the two main characters, Tom (narrator) and Mattie. Even James, who I don't like at the beginning, grows on me so that by the end, I admire some things about him. I think this book would be suitable for older middle schoolers and young adults, but there is a few instances of killing mentioned in the book as an FYI to more sensitive readers.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Merged review:
This is my second time through this book, this time as an audio. While it's rare for me to listen to a book so quickly after reading the story, I was offered the opportunity to review this audiobook and couldn't say no! My previous review can be read here so I'm going to concentrate more on the audio than the book itself. However, I will say that even though this was my second time through this story in less than 3 months, I still very much enjoyed the story and I'm glad the author wrote this to share the story of the relatively unknown Kadohadacho peoples.
Eddie Garver was the narrator for this book and I thought he did a great job. He has a very good story telling voice and I thought he did a good job with the various voices and I had no trouble distinguishing one character from another. I listened to the book at varying speeds from 1.0-1.5 and it all worked, although you get more of the cadence of the story when it's at the original speed. After listening to the audiobook, I'm reminded even more of Laura Ingalls Wilder (the tv series), maybe because it feels more like a narrator (Tom) telling his story. Anyway, I definitely recommend this audiobook and I think I enjoyed it even more this way.
Special thanks to the publisher for this ARC recording in exchange for an honest review.
November 5, 2019
I am so glad I got the chance to read this book, which is part historical fiction and part historical fantasy with just the barest touch of romance. I had never heard of the Kadohadacho group of Native American tribes (they are also apparently called the Caddo), but they are evidently real people. This is one of the things I love about historical fiction – it gives you the chance to get close to people and events you never knew existed.
The historical fiction parts were particularly good, many of them being based on a diary kept by one of the author’s ancestors of a journey from around Carthage, Tennessee, to a place in what was then the “Arkansaw Territory” called Long Prairie.
Early in the story, before this journey began, the New Madrid earthquake of 1811 is featured. This is an excellent description of this event – it makes you feel like you were right there. It is during this event that Tom Murrell’s father had the first brief encounter with what appears to be the supernatural in the form of an old Indian who seemed to have rescued him and one of his friends from the river in the middle of the earthquake. He predicted John Murrell would take his family and move to near the ancient home of the Kadohadacho on the Red River. Dream or real incident, the encounter proved to be prophetic.
In 1818 the Murrell’s did move to the area known as Long Prairie on the Red River. The description of traveling there by flatboat and keelboat is once again very good. It is more like traveling on these boats than anything I have ever read. The family and the other families accompanying them had many adventures and hardships on the trip, although thankfully, there were no earthquakes this time around. Tom became friends with Mattie, the daughter of one of the other organizers of the expedition, who had taught herself some of the Kadohadacho language – a useful skill it turned out later.
After the Murrells have established the beginnings of a farm at Long Prairie, Tom and his father journey overland back to Natchitoches to buy some cattle. On the way, they encounter a band of renegade Indians attacking a Kadohadacho medicine man and his party. They kill the attackers but are too late to save the medicine man and his guard. Tom frees the two children traveling with them, however. In return, the dying medicine man mingles his blood with Tom’s gifting him with the power to discover the sacred site of the burial ground of the Kadohadacho medicine men.
This trip to the sacred site is a story in itself and is the fantasy part of the book.
The historical fiction parts were particularly good, many of them being based on a diary kept by one of the author’s ancestors of a journey from around Carthage, Tennessee, to a place in what was then the “Arkansaw Territory” called Long Prairie.
Early in the story, before this journey began, the New Madrid earthquake of 1811 is featured. This is an excellent description of this event – it makes you feel like you were right there. It is during this event that Tom Murrell’s father had the first brief encounter with what appears to be the supernatural in the form of an old Indian who seemed to have rescued him and one of his friends from the river in the middle of the earthquake. He predicted John Murrell would take his family and move to near the ancient home of the Kadohadacho on the Red River. Dream or real incident, the encounter proved to be prophetic.
In 1818 the Murrell’s did move to the area known as Long Prairie on the Red River. The description of traveling there by flatboat and keelboat is once again very good. It is more like traveling on these boats than anything I have ever read. The family and the other families accompanying them had many adventures and hardships on the trip, although thankfully, there were no earthquakes this time around. Tom became friends with Mattie, the daughter of one of the other organizers of the expedition, who had taught herself some of the Kadohadacho language – a useful skill it turned out later.
After the Murrells have established the beginnings of a farm at Long Prairie, Tom and his father journey overland back to Natchitoches to buy some cattle. On the way, they encounter a band of renegade Indians attacking a Kadohadacho medicine man and his party. They kill the attackers but are too late to save the medicine man and his guard. Tom frees the two children traveling with them, however. In return, the dying medicine man mingles his blood with Tom’s gifting him with the power to discover the sacred site of the burial ground of the Kadohadacho medicine men.
This trip to the sacred site is a story in itself and is the fantasy part of the book.
November 5, 2019
Tom Murrell finds himself in the middle of an Indian war when he stops and protects Indians from a brutal attack. One of the Indians passes his gift to Tom and makes him promise to deliver a message to his tribe. While delivering the message, Tom finds himself heading for a great adventure.
This story was impressive. I really enjoyed reading about it. It made me want to go and surround myself with literature from that time period. This is a fictional account of events that actually took place. I suppose one could complain that the text is written more modern than historical. That doesn't really bother me. As long as the historical events remain pristine, I'm okay. If one of the settlers had pulled out an iPhone, then I'd have a problem. Just giving an example.
I really adored the characters. Especially Mattie. I feel like Mattie has the personality that I would have in those times. She's fierce and determined and doesn't let the fact that she is a woman get in the way of what she wants or her pursuit of learning. I really hope that her character was based on a real person from that time.
The narrator did too amazing of a job. I really felt like I was actually there. There were times he even made words sound like the sound he was going for. There were times where there were sounds of drums. I felt like he was actually depicting drums. His name is Eddie Garvar. I haven't heard of him until this book but I'll definitely seek other audiobooks by him because of this one.
This book has impressed me so much. I will probably find a way to get a physical copy of it to read multiple times. It has inspired me to do research on the people the story references. I'm not really shocked to learn that it took the author fourteen years to write this book. He definitely made sure that it was a book worth reading that didn't disappoint anybody. Is it possible to give a book 50 stars?
This story was impressive. I really enjoyed reading about it. It made me want to go and surround myself with literature from that time period. This is a fictional account of events that actually took place. I suppose one could complain that the text is written more modern than historical. That doesn't really bother me. As long as the historical events remain pristine, I'm okay. If one of the settlers had pulled out an iPhone, then I'd have a problem. Just giving an example.
I really adored the characters. Especially Mattie. I feel like Mattie has the personality that I would have in those times. She's fierce and determined and doesn't let the fact that she is a woman get in the way of what she wants or her pursuit of learning. I really hope that her character was based on a real person from that time.
The narrator did too amazing of a job. I really felt like I was actually there. There were times he even made words sound like the sound he was going for. There were times where there were sounds of drums. I felt like he was actually depicting drums. His name is Eddie Garvar. I haven't heard of him until this book but I'll definitely seek other audiobooks by him because of this one.
This book has impressed me so much. I will probably find a way to get a physical copy of it to read multiple times. It has inspired me to do research on the people the story references. I'm not really shocked to learn that it took the author fourteen years to write this book. He definitely made sure that it was a book worth reading that didn't disappoint anybody. Is it possible to give a book 50 stars?
November 11, 2019
BLURB
Eighteen-year-old Tom Murrell could never understand his father’s dreams of carving a new life out of the wilderness. He wanted to do something else with his life besides spend it behind a plow, but with the family moving to the Red River in Arkansaw Territory, he was stuck.
Everything changes for Tom when he witnesses the death of Tiatesun, spiritual leader of the Kadohadacho tribe, and is drawn into a raging conflict between the Kado and their arch enemies, a renegade band of Osage.
His new friends Mattie and James say there is no alternative. They must use a cryptic map, drawn in a bible by Tiatesun in his own blood before he died, to find this place called Na-Da-cah-ah. Only then can Tom be sure that his family and friends will be safe.
But it is a race against time—a race against Wey Chutta’s Osage. Dangers are everywhere. The only chance to save his family is for Tom, Mattie, and James to join with six Kado warriors, make sense from the many clues they uncover on their quest, and discover the real Na-Da-cah-ah.
REVIEW
When I was asked to review this book I was intrigued by a couple of things; namely the locale/time frame, and the native inhabitants of that locale/time frame. Both items were new reading territory for me; the Red River area of Arkansas and the Caddo Indians. The author has geared this exciting tale towards the Young Adult age group, a genre I don't usually read, but I found it to be well written, well researched, and certainly a book that will not only entertain, but also educate. The characters are strong; they have to be given the uncertainty, and almost constant danger that comes with a frontier existence. Kado also gives the reader a glimpse of a centuries old culture coming to grips with the reality of a new age disruption of their traditions, and their very existence as a people. A page turning adventure awaits you.
4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Eighteen-year-old Tom Murrell could never understand his father’s dreams of carving a new life out of the wilderness. He wanted to do something else with his life besides spend it behind a plow, but with the family moving to the Red River in Arkansaw Territory, he was stuck.
Everything changes for Tom when he witnesses the death of Tiatesun, spiritual leader of the Kadohadacho tribe, and is drawn into a raging conflict between the Kado and their arch enemies, a renegade band of Osage.
His new friends Mattie and James say there is no alternative. They must use a cryptic map, drawn in a bible by Tiatesun in his own blood before he died, to find this place called Na-Da-cah-ah. Only then can Tom be sure that his family and friends will be safe.
But it is a race against time—a race against Wey Chutta’s Osage. Dangers are everywhere. The only chance to save his family is for Tom, Mattie, and James to join with six Kado warriors, make sense from the many clues they uncover on their quest, and discover the real Na-Da-cah-ah.
REVIEW
When I was asked to review this book I was intrigued by a couple of things; namely the locale/time frame, and the native inhabitants of that locale/time frame. Both items were new reading territory for me; the Red River area of Arkansas and the Caddo Indians. The author has geared this exciting tale towards the Young Adult age group, a genre I don't usually read, but I found it to be well written, well researched, and certainly a book that will not only entertain, but also educate. The characters are strong; they have to be given the uncertainty, and almost constant danger that comes with a frontier existence. Kado also gives the reader a glimpse of a centuries old culture coming to grips with the reality of a new age disruption of their traditions, and their very existence as a people. A page turning adventure awaits you.
4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
November 19, 2019
I was immediately drawn to this book because I've been working on my own novel of historical fiction for the past few years, which also features some elements of Native American history. I was also drawn in by the description of the setting and story, which described a moment and place in time that I don't think I've ever seen in a fiction book before. I love historical fiction that opens up a forgotten piece of history and teaches me something new.
Kado delivered in spades. From the first few pages, I was immediately reminded of the adventure stories I read growing up. Of course, I've been trying to think of examples for a few days and feel like I've forgotten many to the sands of time. But I did think of Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, and Downriver by Will Hobbs. If anyone was a teacher or librarian for elementary and middle school kids in the late 90's and early 00's, you can probably think of a few more examples of books that are comparable to Kado.
Anyway, back to my review! I really liked this historical fiction action-adventure story. It felt true to the time period, while still discussing issues of race, resettlement, education, and male/female relationships and roles from a more modern approach. I also liked that not only were we given a peek into an overlooked period of time, we were also given an opportunity learn about a Native American tribe that isn't well-represented in literature either. I personally had not heard of the Caddo people before (the Kadohadacho being a group within the Caddo nation) so I learned a lot from reading Kado.
After finishing the book, I checked out the author's website and enjoy reading all the notes about how Kado came to be. I loved how the author used his own ancestors and family history as the inspiration for this wonderful story!
Kado delivered in spades. From the first few pages, I was immediately reminded of the adventure stories I read growing up. Of course, I've been trying to think of examples for a few days and feel like I've forgotten many to the sands of time. But I did think of Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, and Downriver by Will Hobbs. If anyone was a teacher or librarian for elementary and middle school kids in the late 90's and early 00's, you can probably think of a few more examples of books that are comparable to Kado.
Anyway, back to my review! I really liked this historical fiction action-adventure story. It felt true to the time period, while still discussing issues of race, resettlement, education, and male/female relationships and roles from a more modern approach. I also liked that not only were we given a peek into an overlooked period of time, we were also given an opportunity learn about a Native American tribe that isn't well-represented in literature either. I personally had not heard of the Caddo people before (the Kadohadacho being a group within the Caddo nation) so I learned a lot from reading Kado.
After finishing the book, I checked out the author's website and enjoy reading all the notes about how Kado came to be. I loved how the author used his own ancestors and family history as the inspiration for this wonderful story!
July 23, 2019
This is an exciting, historical weave, which draws in and promises more than a little adventure.
Tom is an average eighteen year old, ready to head into life but still held back. He's followed his family to the wilderness in Arkansas but wants more from life. And this dream comes true, but not nearly in the manner he'd thought or hoped it might. Soon, he finds himself on an adventure with some unexpected company to try to save his friends and family.
This tale weaves around a lesser known tribe, the Caddo. It does do a nice job at bringing life during this time period across, and yet, adds more. The tension picks up quickly as life takes a violent and dangerous turn, which propels the entire story into a fast-paced adventure. It's exciting and, at the same time, weaves in information from the Native American tribe.
The characters are easy to connect with and develop well during the tale. Tom has a lot to learn, but his decisions are understandable. There's a lot to enjoy in these pages, and the mix between historic elements and adventure are sure to keep young adults reading until the end.
I received an ARC and enjoyed reading it enough to want to leave my honest thoughts.
Tom is an average eighteen year old, ready to head into life but still held back. He's followed his family to the wilderness in Arkansas but wants more from life. And this dream comes true, but not nearly in the manner he'd thought or hoped it might. Soon, he finds himself on an adventure with some unexpected company to try to save his friends and family.
This tale weaves around a lesser known tribe, the Caddo. It does do a nice job at bringing life during this time period across, and yet, adds more. The tension picks up quickly as life takes a violent and dangerous turn, which propels the entire story into a fast-paced adventure. It's exciting and, at the same time, weaves in information from the Native American tribe.
The characters are easy to connect with and develop well during the tale. Tom has a lot to learn, but his decisions are understandable. There's a lot to enjoy in these pages, and the mix between historic elements and adventure are sure to keep young adults reading until the end.
I received an ARC and enjoyed reading it enough to want to leave my honest thoughts.
November 17, 2019
I received a complimentary copy of Kado: The Lost Treasure of the Kadohadacho from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I enjoyed reading this novel. A very well written historical fiction, it follows a few settlers through both peaceful and dangerous encounters with native tribes of the Louisiana/'Arkansaw' territories presented in a journal format. This really was a unique adventure story, like none I have read before it. With somewhat developed characters and an intriguing plot, it is worth reading. (Side note: Several chapters were written from the point of view of the enemy, however which disrupted the "journal" notion. Though I found the information in those chapters interesting and maybe even necessary, I felt that they were out of place if the entire book premise was that it was the "journal of Tom Murrell". Similarly, the foreword swerved between first and third person, so I skipped over most of it and read only the actual chapters of the book.)
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
I enjoyed reading this novel. A very well written historical fiction, it follows a few settlers through both peaceful and dangerous encounters with native tribes of the Louisiana/'Arkansaw' territories presented in a journal format. This really was a unique adventure story, like none I have read before it. With somewhat developed characters and an intriguing plot, it is worth reading. (Side note: Several chapters were written from the point of view of the enemy, however which disrupted the "journal" notion. Though I found the information in those chapters interesting and maybe even necessary, I felt that they were out of place if the entire book premise was that it was the "journal of Tom Murrell". Similarly, the foreword swerved between first and third person, so I skipped over most of it and read only the actual chapters of the book.)
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
November 7, 2019
Wonderful story! I was amazed to see the additional art elements. The maps and drawings added another element to the world building done in this story. The author put a lot of time and effort into this story, which I respect even more as he is writing historical fiction.
If I were asked to describe it in a few words, I would say its frontier fiction but with a good deal more historical and cultural context than most other stories set in this time period.
If I were asked to describe it in a few words, I would say its frontier fiction but with a good deal more historical and cultural context than most other stories set in this time period.
October 20, 2019
A good piece of historical fiction that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. The story followed the main character whose family were moving to the frontiers of the American west which in itself was a good story and then it combined some mysticism from a native American background. I would definitely recommend this book.
November 18, 2019
An intriguing listen and a really good story that had interesting descriptions and an adventure one guy didn't plan on. It had action, great characters and it grabbed your attention from the beginning with very unique characters, like the elder when he starts to tell the tale. So when you get a chance pick up a copy and enjoy.
November 5, 2019
I enjoyed reading this fun and action-packed journey tale/coming of age story. In addition to being an entertaining read, the book also provides fascinating details and history of the Caddo Native American tribe. A definite must especially for fans of historical fiction.
November 5, 2019
A fun and interesting historical fiction read that has lots of adventure and excitement.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews