The Year the Horses Came

The Earthsong Trilogy begins with “a fascinating evocation of the prehistoric world” from the New York Times–bestselling author (Marion Zimmer Bradley).

In the fifth millennium BC, thirteen-year-old Marrah comes of age near the Sea of Gray Waves. Raised to be a priestess and healer, she is a member of the Shore People, who worship the Goddess Earth. Their lives are simple and peaceful, intimately connected with the natural world around them. Men and women are equal and the people of Marrah’s tribe are taught that sharing their bodies willingly is a holy act of joy. She has never known the existence of true violence, shame, or the submission of women—until the day a stranger washes ashore.

After breathing life back into the young man, Marrah is baffled by his appearance: his odd yellow hair, the scars and intricate markings on his skin. She soon comes to learn that his name is Stavan and he is the first sign of a dreadful prophecy. Astride huge, four-legged creatures, his people—warriors driven by power, greed, and a lust for conquest—are coming from the east to attack the Motherlands, and no one will be spared. 

To warn her people that the time of destruction is at hand, Marrah must embark on a journey across all of what is now Europe. And she must trust that the surprising bond of love, friendship, and mutual affection she has formed with Stavan will not break when his world comes crashing down upon her own . . .

“Mackey joins the company of Jean Auel and Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, writers who have rendered the distant past in moving terms . . . A compelling fable of the interaction of these two opposing peoples, views of the world, value systems, [and] religions.” —Marge Piercy, New York Times–bestselling author

“Mackey is a superb storyteller. She takes history and makes it human.” —Tillie Olsen, author if Tell Me A Riddle

“[Mackey] provides the insight into history that is the hallmark of good historical fiction . . . She creates realistic characters who provide the flavor of past culture without the lectures.” —New Age Journal