Michael Bergey, New Coyote

Michael Bergey, New Coyote - Sunbow Farms was once a commune but now only Mooney lives there with Coyote, an animal who can talk. Mooney's main crop is marijuana so she can pay the taxes on her multi-million dollar land grant. It is a successful enterprise until the police discover it and arrest Mooney. Now she must find another way to pay the taxes or lose her land.

Mooney's friend John visits them accompanied by a blind girl suffering from amnesia. Moose and Coyote bond immediately but when Coyote becomes friends with a werewolf, something magical happens to him so that he changes on the night of the full moon. John explains to Coyote that John's totem Fox had him mix human DNA into a cell which reproduced and created Coyote. Though of Native American legend Coyote wants to learn the White Man's Magic (science) and has no memories of his life in the spirit realm. A bad magical entity has entered Coyote and Fox says he will have to kill him to protect others in the mortal realm. Coyote doesn't want to die now that he has found someone to love.

NEW COYOTE is a cute urban fantasy showcasing a character who is young in years and wisdom but has the potential to fulfill his mission if he doesn't get killed by the many dangers that he seems to attract. Readers will find him adorable and hope that there will be future books that continue his story. Michael Bergey blends New Age mysticism with Native American mythology to create a work that is quite special.

Five Star, August 2005, $25.95, 320 pp.

ISBN 1594143226

Harriet Klausner