Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Charlie’s Angels of the Native society.
That’s how Napanee author Rick Revelle describes the characters in his upcoming book The Elk Whistle Warrior Society, due in stores Feb. 1.
“This book is about a secret society of Native women who have been around for over 650 years and hunt down human traffickers and murders of Native women and abusers of Native children,” explains Revelle. “They all have either a masters or PhD degree and a Martial Arts black belt. They do not use guns, only the weapons of their ancestors. A group called the Guardians supply them with everything they need.”
The members of the society are made up of several different tribes and they’re spread across Turtle Island-also known as North America.
Though his story is fiction, it draws upon many real attributes of Native culture.
“It’s based on women that I knew when I grew up,” said Revelle. “My grandmother was a Mi’maq women, she was very strong, she had a child when she was 14 and did anything she could to work and raise her family.”
While working on the project he sought input from several women, from all walks of life across Canada. Their positive response encouraged him to keep going.
“Every Native society had warrior societies,” said Revelle. “Because of what’s happening with Indigenous women with murders and the human trafficking, I thought wouldn’t it be interesting if there was a secret society of Native women that hunted these people down and did what the police wouldn’t or couldn’t do, and they just went after them?”
The story bounces to different locations across North America with several main characters, one of which is Raven from Tyendinaga.
“They’re kind of like the Charlie’s Angels of the Native society,” said Revelle, noting the characters are all strong females who set about to seek justice for their fellow women and children. “But there was only three or four Charlie’s Angels, there’s about 25 characters here in my book.”
The book also touches on the legend of the Memegwesi, dwarf-sized warriors of Native American lore who were said to watch over the children.
The Elk Whistle Warrior Society will be Revelle’s fifth novel, following the four part series I Am Algonquin (2013), Algonquin Spring (2015), Algonquin Sunset (2017) and Algonquin Legacy (2021). Though his latest book is separate from the Algonquin series, there is an Easter egg in his previous novel that alludes to his upcoming release. If The Elk Whistle Warrior Society is well received, there are plans for a sequel. Each of his books has been published through Crossfield Publishing.
Following next week’s launch Revelle will be hosting several book signings, including local stops at Bath’s Books on Main on March 11 from 1-3 p.m. and Napanee Literacy Centre on Advance Ave. on April 1 from noon to 3 p.m.
The book retails for $19.95 and will be available online from Amazon or bookstores across Canada.