Eagle Quest

by Marva Dasef

A Vision Quest turns deadly when four friends confront eagle poachers in a wildlife refuge. Fiona, Hap, Billy, and Mitch make an odd set of friends, as different from the usual junior high school crowd as they are from each other. Mitch, the oldest of the four, is a half-breed Native American, adopted by white parents. Troubled that he doesn't know his tribe, he avidly studies Native American history and lore. Learning the nearby Bear Valley Wildlife Refuge is a bald eagle nesting site, he wants to add an eagle feather to his medicine bag and explore the refuge as a site for his Vision Quest, a Native American rite of passage. He and his three friends get far more than an overnight camp out as they encounter a black bear, a retired forest ranger living in the refuge, and a pair of eagle poachers. Bringing the poachers to justice, they test their courage and gain confidence in themselves and each other.

134 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 20, 2010

About the author

Lots of interesting and economical books in scifi, fantasy, etc. for sale. Hell, I give 'em away. Just ask."

I have seven books in audio format.

I spent 35 years making a lot of money from writing. Probably more than most authors earn in their lifetime. But that was writing technical manuals and documentation. What that experience did was teach me how to write. This is not something many other writers learn to do until they decide to write their first fiction book.

I'm a professional writer. What this means for the reader is they won't get clumsy, ungrammatical, misspelled prose which appears to be the norm of most newbie fiction writers.

There. I've said it. I'm a better writer than most. Whether you like my stories is an entirely different thing. At least with my books, you won't have to suffer through poor writing to find out whether you like the book or not. If you like erotica, then I'm not the writer for you.

Reviews

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this well-researched YA novel, middle school students Billy, Hap and Fiona make friends with Mitch, the proverbial new kid in town (Klamath Falls, OR). Mitch is adopted, but has been told that his mother was Native American. He is very much interested in learning about his cultural heritage and, as part of that, wishes to go on a vision quest.

Mitch enlists the aid of his newfound friends, and the four go into the Bear Valley Bald Eagle Refuge for an illegal overnight camping trip that will allow Mitch to get the lay of the land for his own solo venture.

The kids' families are frantic, of course ... and they do run into some troublesome situations. Everything comes out well, of course, and the kids all learn some lessons.

Author Marva Dasef includes useful appendices with information on bald eagles, Native American spirituality, the tribes mentioned in the book ... and some writing prompts for YA readers to consider their own quests and adventures.

Highly enjoyable and entertaining.

[Scott Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished this book a lot faster than I expected to. It's a quick, easy read, and very enjoyable. I was pleasantly surprised by the informational pages included at the end of the book. Entertaining and educational. Thank you!

[Georgia Tumbleweed McNabb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes place in Oregon Klamath Wildlife Refuge. We have 3 close teenage friends who met a new boy at their school who they befriend the 4 teens decide to sneak into the Refuge to where the Eagles nest so the new boy who is part Native American can try finding some Eagle Feathers in preparation of a Vision Quest. Narrator does a good job with the various characters voices and the entire storyline.

[Marva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review from Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz. She edited some of my other books and doesn't have a Goodreads account, so I'm posting her review here for her.

"Ms. Dasef has a written a wide selection of stories over the years. I am impressed with Eagle Quest for the middle grade age group. While it is a story of friendship, belonging, and cooperation, it also teaches children about the importance of saving our wildlife. Ms. Dasef has clearly done her homework, researching bald eagles, the Klamath Wildlife Refuge, and various Indian tribes. She has woven a story with well-developed characters, an intriguing plot line, and vivid scenes. It is a story well worth sharing. She has also included alternate endings for each of the characters, asking her readers to choose. I particularly liked the quotes with which she began each of her chapters. I definitely recommend this and look forward to seeing more from this talented author."

[Cassandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well this book had a good story line it seems to be missing something. It could have had more detail about the kids lives out of school, so you could get to know them, and have a better understanding of why they followed on this camping trip. Other then it missing some detail I found it to be a very fun story.