Chris Eboch

   I awoke in silence and darkness. When the pounding in my head had receded to a dull thud, I felt around me. I was still in the burial chamber. I steadied myself on the coffin as I rose. The stone slab now covered the top. Through the communication duct I could hear a faint wailing, the voices of a thousand mourners in the plaza. My mother would be among them.
   I knew I could never move the stone blocking the entrance. Anyway, the stairway would be filled with rubble. Still, I pushed against it with all my force. Nothing….
   I would never get out of that temple on my own….I held my knife in my open hand. The blade was now worn and chipped, pale limestone dirt marring the shiny blackness, but it would still pierce my flesh easily. I closed my fingers around it.
   A small voice inside me said, “No. Not yet." I let my shaking arm drop to my side. While I could breathe, I would fight. And I would find a way to punish Great Skull Zero.

    Eveningstar Macaw lives in a glorious Mayan city in the ninth century. Food and goods seem plentiful, and in gratitude the people make offerings of animals, human blood, and sometimes human life to the gods.
    When the king falls ill and dies, the great city begins to crumble. To protect his power, the High Priest, Great Skull Zero, orders the sacrifice of those who might become king--including Eveningstar's beloved brother. Eveningstar is suspicious of the High Priest's motives. She attempts to save her brother, but her boldness makes her an enemy of Great Skull Zero. She is imprisoned, and condemned--she will be thrown into the Well of Sacrifice. Eveningstar must find a way to save herself, her family, and her city from the cruel grasp of Great Skull Zero.
    This exciting, fast-paced tale, narrated by a courageous heroine, is set against the vivid background of everyday life at the height of the Mayan golden age and illustrated with striking paintings. Eveningstar's candid, gripping and not-for-the-faint-of-heart account of the last days of a great city will have readers at the edge of their seats. – from the Clarion catalog

“[An] engrossing first novel….Eboch crafts an exciting narrative with a richly textured depiction of ancient Mayan society….The novel shines not only for a faithful recreation of an unfamiliar, ancient world, but also for the introduction of a brave, likable and determined heroine.” – Kirkus Reviews

“The adventures of this tenacious heroine are suspenseful and entertaining, providing readers with an exciting story and a realistic feel for everyday life in and ceremonial practices of the ancient Mayan culture. Well-researched historical fiction and a good read.” – School Library Journal

“First novelist Eboch accomplishes quite a feat here: she manages to make the blood-letting rituals and human sacrifice practices of the Mayans the central point of this novel, yet creates a character readers will care deeply about: Eveningstar Macaw…. Watching this unorthodox 12-year-old girl outwit a high priest, escape jail, rescue her sister and more makes for a fast-paced read.” – Publisher’s Weekly

“Eboch does a good job of balancing the many details of Mayan life with an electrifying—sometimes gory—story…. Of course, shocking events won’t deter readers who will already be caught up in the excitement that reaches a high-velocity climax as Eveningstar Macaw struggles to avoid the fate her enemies have plotted for her.” – Booklist

“An exciting, fast-paced thriller that brings to life how a great Mayan city may have been abandoned as well as other details of Mayan civilization, such as their sumptuous markets….” – Isabel Schon, “Great and Almost-Great Books about Latinos”

“This is an enthralling tale full of adventure, the rich textures of the Mayan culture, and examples of bravery…. It is a book which the reader will not want to put down until the last page is read.” – Round Rock Independent School District

“To persuade the reader, however momentarily, to accept as “normal” what one’s own culture regards as bizarre seems to me a particularly impressive—and valuable—achievement for an historical novelist.” - Suzanne Rahn, “The Fascination of Other Pasts,” in The Five Owls

“A thrilling story of 9th century Guatemala. A Mayan girl watches the sacrifices of family and friends and begins to feel that something is not right. Her courage is inspirational as she finds ways to confront each challenge. Sure to be consumed with interest.” – Children’s Book Review Service

“When I was in 6th grade my teacher was reading us ‘The Well of Sacrifice.’ It started like any other book but then it started to get better and better until it was like no other. We would be in class, and the teacher would stop so we could go for a recess but we would rather give up our recess than stop reading.” - Sydni, a reader from Kansas

“The book...helped me think to never give up, even in the worst of times, just like what happened to Eveningstar…. The characters were well put together, and the characters were mentioned in the story as if they were right there…. They talked about the temples with every bit of detail about them, like the painting, statues, the carving on the walls, and even the color that they used…. I enjoyed the Mayan story and felt like I was there in the story as I read the book.” - Monica, a reader from Arizona

“My favorite parts of the book were the descriptions of how the people and scenery looked, and what some of the ceremonies were…. Your book helped me to understand the Mayan way of life better (and) really impacted how I view daily life before the age of the Europeans. I enjoyed it greatly.” – Robin, a reader from Illinois

“The Well of Sacrifice is a fast-paced, exiting book filled with adventure, and is a great way to learn about the ancient Maya. This book is also fun to read, and the words flow nicely.” - A 12-year old reader from Seattle, WA

“I totally recommend this book to anyone! I just finished this book and I couldn't put it down!” - Amanda from Washington State

“I really liked your book and I could never put it down. This is my second time in reading this book. One of my favorite characters is Eveningstar because she is so brave and has a lot of faith about a lot of things.” - Vanessa, a reader from Washington


The Well of Sacrifice was listed the Seattle Public Library’s brochures “Grades 5&6 Books to Build On,” “Chicano/Latino Doorways to Culture and Tradition,” and “Read up a Storm,” a booklist sponsored by Starbucks and the Seattle Storm women’s basketball team.