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The Civil War has been over for three years, but the battlefield horrors are fresh in the minds of the surviving veterans. Dalton, Midnight, Reverend, and Shadrach served the Union Army and have formed a bond forged in bullets and blood. They have looked out for each other during the war, and now, each sets out on their disparate paths as their service has concluded. Dalton heads out West, with his soul conflicted on whether peace is truly meant for him. Shadrach embarks down to Alabama, seeking out his family. Reverend and Midnight head north. Reverend is looking to start a church, while Midnight is searching for a quaint life with the right woman. As each man reaches their destination, they quickly learn that the fighting is not over.
The author's novel is an example of historical fiction at its finest. The Civil War has made for an absorbing topic for many years, but Tusa shows that the Reconstruction period can be equally absorbing. The uneasy environment following the destructive war is expertly seen through the eyes of four soldiers looking for a stable future, the torments of the bloody frontlines left in the distance. The world they have known has been torn asunder, and the rebuilding, both national and personal, has begun. The common ground for the men is their desire to find their future and carve their own niches in a post-war landscape. The emotional poignancy of the book comes with their battles against dehumanizing intolerance and corruption. Tusa has written an excellent book comparable to the masterful works of Jeffrey and Michael Shaara.
A 2022 Eric Hoffer Book Award Category Finalist
RECOMMENDED by the US Review