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Mari Collier
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Before We Leave (Chronicles of the Maca Book 3) Kindle Edition

by Mari Collier (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 out of 5 stars 87 ratings

Antoinette is in danger.

After Red O'Neal delivers a beating to his half-brother Daniel for courting his sister Antoinette, she is sent to a convent until agreeing to marry an older, wealthier man.

But after Antoinette manages to send a letter to her betrothed Lorenz MacDonald about the danger, he rescues her. Soon after, a neighboring ranch is attacked by Comanche raiders, and Antoinette and her mother-in-law are caught in a fight for life and death.

Can their family survive the dangers of the violent Western frontier?

Praise from readers:

★★★★★ - "Fantastic character development... twists, turns and surprises kept me turning the pages. I'm looking forward to the next Mari Collier novel."

★★★★★ - "This is a story that can captivate generation after generation, filled with well-researched ideas and powerful imagery."

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  1. Book 3 of 7
    Chronicles of the Maca
  2. Print length
    292 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    October 23, 2015
  6. Reading age
    15 - 18 years
  7. Grade level
    9 - 12
  8. File size
    1.5 MB
  9. Page Flip
    Enabled
  10. Word Wise
    Enabled
  11. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0173UA72A
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Creativia
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 23, 2015
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 2nd
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.5 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 292 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 9 - 12
  • Book 3 of 7 ‏ : ‎ Chronicles of the Maca
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 15 - 18 years
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 87 ratings

About the author

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Mari Collier

Mari Collier

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Mari Collier born on a farm in Iowa, and has lived in Arizona, Washington, and Southern California. She and her husband met in high school and were married for forty-five years. She is the Accessions Curator for the Twentynine Palms Historical Society. She has worked as a collector, bookkeeper, receptionist, and as an Advanced Super Agent for Nintendo of America. Several of her short stories have appeared in print and electronically, plus four anthologies. Twisted Tales From The Desert, Twisted Tales From The Northwest, Twisted Tales From The Universe, and Twisted Tales From A Skewed Mimd can be found online. Earthbound, Gather the Children, Before We Leave, Return of the Maca, Thalia and Earth, Fall and Rise of the Macas are the six books in Chronicles of the Maca. Man, True Man, The Silver and The Green, and Marika are the three novels in the Tonath Chronicles. All are on Amazon.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
87 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a good read with fantastic character development. The story explores the drama of existing in our world, with one customer noting that surprises kept them turning the pages. They appreciate the book's focus on human emotional bonds.

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ReadabilityStorytellingCharacter developmentPersonality
12 customers mention "Readability"12 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be a good read and part of an excellent series, with one customer particularly praising the masterful dialogues.

"...In some ways, it was truly unbelievable, in that the main "alien" character was practically a giant of a man, trapped on Earth, and fighting for..." Read more

"...This is an interesting read though very different from the first two books in the series...." Read more

"...This is a very good series of books but difficult to keep track of all of the characters." Read more

"...But no matter, the story is still suspenseful and a good read allround." Read more

9 customers mention "Storytelling"9 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the storytelling in this book, appreciating how it explores the drama of existing in our world, with one customer noting that surprises kept them turning the pages.

"...recommend this unusual series if you like adventure, and touchingly human drama of life." Read more

"...It chronicles the creation of wealth, the infusion of the family into the fabrc of the country from about 1890 until the 1950's and finally it takes..." Read more

"...book and still be captivating, but it is much more interesting if read in sequence, beginning with Collier's story "Earthbound." Collier..." Read more

"...about aliens on Earth in the Old West days is so very different and interesting...." Read more

4 customers mention "Character development"4 positive0 negative

Customers praise the character development in the book.

"...so do the characters, and their children, become the quite believable humans, of unusual ancestry, and yet such human emotional bonds develop as..." Read more

"I am very impressed by the characterization of people that can accept the differences in other people...." Read more

"...Her character development is fantastic: twists, turns and surprises kept me turning the pages...." Read more

"Love the characters, it's a good read" Read more

3 customers mention "Personality"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one review noting how it explores personal psychology and emotional connections between characters.

"...quite believable humans, of unusual ancestry, and yet such human emotional bonds develop as their family grows into a Texan dynasty...." Read more

"...impressed by the characterization of people that can accept the differences in other people...." Read more

"...dialogues, interactions with the earthlings and the personal psychology of 'being' regardless of your heritage...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Kindle CustomerBrandora77
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Pleasurable Story of Old West Adventures Mixed with An Unusual Alien Twist
    Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I just finished reading the third in this series of books that was so enjoyable, I could not put them down. In some ways, it was truly unbelievable, in that the main "alien" character was practically a giant of a man, trapped on Earth, and fighting for survival, falls in love with a tall, strong, and headstrong pioneer woman, yet as the story develops, so do the characters, and their children, become the quite believable humans, of unusual ancestry, and yet such human emotional bonds develop as their family grows into a Texan dynasty. Through all the adventures, misfortunes, and misadventures of the MacDonald clan, it is the intention of Zebediah Llewellyn MacDonald, to gather his family and willing adventurers to finally leave with him, after he learns to navigate the spacecraft, which he calls the Golden One, back to his homeworld of Thalia, where he is the Maca of Don, who must take back control of his planet from the evil Justines, another race of tall, red-haired people, with two hearts. In the first three of this series, though, MacDonald adopts the three surviving children of his wife Anna, who survived an attach by Comanche Indians, a strong, Lutheran woman of German descent, whose first husband, had been the Justine man, whose ship MacDonald takes, after killing the Kleppian crew the Justines used to guide the Golden One through the stars. Two of Anna's children inherit the double hearts, and the mind-speaking ability of the Justine, which they have to learn to hide from ordinary humans, as the ship is also kept hidden in a cave on the MacDonald property. However, as Anna becomes pregnant, and loses her first child, their friends and neighbors also bring children in, those children begin to raise their children the author so skillfully weaves her story of the interactions of the Rolfe family, with their different beliefs of Lutheran, Methodist and Baptist belief, along with gunfights, cattle rustlings, and all the hardships of Texas pioneering life. All this take place over a period of a hundred years, and those with the two hearts, now have to hide their longevity from officials, including the FBI, which have become suspicious of the family's comings and goings, and possible illegal movement of goods to amass their family wealth. Overall, I highly recommend this unusual series if you like adventure, and touchingly human drama of life.
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  • Berk Rourke
    5.0 out of 5 stars Zeb the Maca, 3
    Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2016
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    If you have not read the first two books of the series about the Mac Donald family of Texas, founded by Zeb the Maca, you should do so. This tale, the third in the series, stars the children, the grandchildren and the great grandchildren of Zeb. It chronicles the lives of the children as they reproduce, having earth babies or babies with Thalian or Justine abilities. It chronicles the creation of wealth, the infusion of the family into the fabrc of the country from about 1890 until the 1950's and finally it takes you on the start of a journey to Thalia. Each of the children encounters life in their own way in this wide ranging story. Some survive. Some do not. The wives of the children of Zeb, those who were earth born, do not survive. Some of Zeb's grandchildren, who have earth born characteristics, do not survive. The one constant throughout the story is the reliance on family and the willingness of the elders of the family to help those who are younger. This is an interesting read though very different from the first two books in the series. It does get the reader confused sometimes in the intricacies of the growth of the family. In the end it is highly readable and highly enjoyable.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Bill Cannon
    4.0 out of 5 stars Simply a Family
    Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2016
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I am very impressed by the characterization of people that can accept the differences in other people. It is wonderful to read about the attraction of love and acceptance and not about hate and revenge. This is a very good series of books but difficult to keep track of all of the characters.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Navy Mom CVN69
    5.0 out of 5 stars Mari Collier does it again!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Another wonderful story from Mari Collier. While she wraps a whole lot of timeline into this book, (it picks up shortly after MacDonald's surgery in "Gather the Children") going all the way into the mid 20th Century, she keeps it moving and entertaining. It can be read as a standalone book and still be captivating, but it is much more interesting if read in sequence, beginning with Collier's story "Earthbound." Collier has an incredible talent for weaving American History and Lutheran Church history into a story that holds a reader's attention without being preachy or condescending, the end result being a book that gently nudges a reader’s mind into remembering historical points of interest along the way. If one begins with “Earthbound” than one knows the majority of the characters in “Before We Leave.” Collier does introduce a couple more generations of family in this volume, but you are never at a loss as to who they are. I do wish she had explained in more detail how Mac and Louella moved “The Golden One.” But no matter, the story is still suspenseful and a good read allround.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • heinz
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book!
    Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2018
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    I really like this book. I have read one other book by Mari Collier entitled "Gather the Children." The idea of a storyline about aliens on Earth in the Old West days is so very different and interesting. The only problem I have is that there are a lot of characters involved at any given time, and I have to look back at times to place a particular character. But this may not be a problem for others.

    In my estimation, the real proof of a "good book" is a book that I have trouble putting down, always wanting to read "just one more chapter," and this is just such a book. I look forward to reading all of this author's books.
    One person found this helpful
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  • stevenwichita
    3.0 out of 5 stars Three Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2016
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    not a bad read, just hard keeping the genealogies in order.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Michele Maddox-grott
    5.0 out of 5 stars Before We Leave is a superb novel!
    Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    As both a sci-fi and post Civil War fan, I read GATHER THE CHILDREN, Ms. Collier's first novel, which sets the stage for this sequel, BEFORE WE LEAVE. Her character development is fantastic: twists, turns and surprises kept me turning the pages. It is filled with historically accurate descriptions, masterful dialogues, interactions with the earthlings and the personal psychology of 'being' regardless of your heritage. I'm looking forward to the next Collier novel. Hope it's soon!
    4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Sashadoo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Old friends meet their demise as new generations carry on the line.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 16, 2016
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    The best of the series so far, though I will admit to feeling sadness as some of the charcters we've met in the earlier books meet their deaths in this faster paced and well thought out continuation of the Maca saga. Old age, disease, and gunplay all have a a part to play as we say our goodbyes to some of the stalwarts who made the first two books so exciting, though they are replaced by the new generations of the offspring of the original MacDonald who began the whole tale with his arrivial on earth. As this episode of the tale brings us from the later 19th century right up to the early 1950s we find modern law-enforcement, in the form of the newly formed F.B.I. are on the trail of the family businesses, falsely believing them to be involved in gun running, drug trafficking etc. The investigation takes a twist when an agent unwittingily marries into the family and his loylaties are severley tested when he suspects the truth is even more fantastic than he first thought. How this ends i wion't say as it would spoil the book for those who read it after me, but suffice it to say, I'm very much looking forward to indulging myself in the next book in the series.
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