In 1813, Marie Dorion and her husband Pierre, both of Lakota and French descent, and their two small sons are part of an expedition that sets off from Astoria to establish a fur trade outpost in the wilderness of the Oregon Country. While out trapping with a small party, the men are brutally killed by a rogue Shoshone war party. With no rescue mission coming from Astoria, Marie knows if she and her children are to survive, everything is up to her. They'll need to evade detection by the Shoshone and battle the snowy landscape of the Blue Mountain Range to get back to the great Columbia River. Once there, hopefully, a passing fur brigade will find them. In the past, Marie had been sheltered by a man, one who had been her deliverer when her world with Pierre went bad. Now, it's all up to her to keep her family alive. But she discovers along the way the power she possesses to face the adversity and danger lurking around every corner. Amidst it all, she is determined to solve the puzzle of who was responsible for the deaths of these men. She vows to the gods of her people-there will be a reckoning! " The Morning Star Shines Brightest is [Marie Dorion]'s story...and at the center of all of it, individual players live out their lives...This is not just a novel. It's a saga that sweeps across the Oregon wilderness. It's a love story and a story of survival that will leave you in awe of what a person can do when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds. This is a book well worth reading." -Karen K. Brees, Amazon #1 best-selling author of The WWII Adventures of MI6 Agent Katrin Nissen series and The Esposito Family Chronicles  R.R Hill is an almost native of the Pacific Northwest, having spent some early years in California before moving to Washington. He's wandered the highways, byways, and lonely mountain trails of the region, and what he lays before the reader is a beautiful tapestry of what the region looks, smells, and feels like.R.R. Hill is the father of three, a grandfather of three, and a person of interest to a very rambunctious Vizsla. He holds a Master's in history, is an avid reader, and enjoys sports and being outdoors.