A powerful new historical novel rooted in Southwest Florida’s earliest history has arrived. Apocalypse of the Calusa, written by Cape Coral author Dawn Ray, brings to life the fierce and sophisticated Calusa — a seafaring people who once ruled the coast from Estero Bay to Pine Island Sound.
Set in the mid-1500s as Spanish forces land on Florida’s shores, the novel follows Calusa leader Chief Carlos, his shaman Lakoda, and a chorus of ancestral voices as they confront invasion, conversion efforts, and the unraveling of their world.
With scenes set in Bokeelia, Pine Island, and Mound Key, the story blends meticulous historical research with immersive storytelling, revealing a civilization of shell-mound cities, spiritual depth, and strategic brilliance…