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In the opening page of their epic historical novel, the authors write, "The storm had struck suddenly in the afternoon, its rolling dark clouds low on the northwestern horizon. Like the other passengers, John assumed God's blessing would ensure their safe passage…" What follows is page after gripping page of real and figurative storms either descending upon John Lee and his fellow Puritan pilgrims or threatening from a near horizon. In a multigenerational saga that begins in 1634 and takes place over nearly half a century, we follow young Lee as he evolves from a thirteen-year-old boy to a colonial soldier to a community stalwart. In between are births, deaths, wars, witchcraft trials, theological and theocratic disputes, and the relentless efforts of immigrant Europeans to carve out new homes from a harsh and stubborn landscape.
The authors' attention to historical detail is impressive, and although there are a plethora of names to keep straight, the narrative keeps the reader's attention on the most important thing: the story. John Lee's growth and decades-long conflict with the villainous Richard Hawkes is patiently built to an inevitable denouement, and the fragility of colonial life for the Puritans and the Native Americans with whom they both ally and displace is uncompromisingly presented. The authors effectively depict the terrifyingly violent battle scenes and are particularly good at allowing dialogue to drive the narrative, keeping the reader fully in step with the book's characters. This is an engrossing story with well-drawn characters, fascinating historical detail, and a well-paced, satisfying outcome. Like one of James Michener's classics, it educates while bringing history to life.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review