David Roberts set out to try to answer these questions and to bring this remarkable historical episode to life. He visited Pueblo villages, talked with Native American and Anglo historians, combed through archives, discovered abandoned backcountry ruins, sought out the vivid rock art panels carved and painted by Puebloans contemporary with the events, and pondered the existence of centuries-old Spanish documents never seen by Anglos.
As he explores the mystery of how the fiercely independent Pueblo villages brilliantly coordinated their effective attack -- and how the Spanish successfully exploited Indian disunity to return to power -- Roberts blends research and storytelling in an enlightening and spellbinding narrative.