Lars D. H. Hedbor

YA-only-means-no-gratuitous-erotica, colonial-America, American-rev-war, Vermont, family-dynamics, friendship, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, history-and-culture*****

I love this series as it brings the realities of the time to life in a very personal way. The publisher's blurb is a good hook and the story deserves better than a recap or spoilers. Despite our family's involvement in the military reenactments here in the Northwest Territory, I think that it is important to read about the things about civilian life as well as naval skirmishes that can't be brought to light any other way.
I have come to trust the author's diligence in thoroughly researching the factual matters and appreciate the humanization of all of his remarkable characters.
As this tale was told through the perspective of a teenaged boy, the narrator this time is Shamaan Casey who is very effective in his interpretations, and has a most compelling voice.
Of course I loved it!
I won this audio in a giveaway. Yay me!… (mehr)

YA-only-means-no-gratuitous-erotica, colonial-america, american-rev-war, Nova-Scotia, family-dynamics, friendship, historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture*****

Loyalists. Not the King's soldiers or the rebel rabble (our family portrayed said rabble for years), but ordinary citizens who believed in the King of England and all that entailed. Including a young girl and her father, her friend's family, and so many others. They sort of had choices: move away from their homes near Boston, stay and tolerate the harassment by their neighbors, or return to their ancestral homes. Susannah and her father moved to Nova Scotia even as the French speakers were being deported and her friend, Emma, and family remained. The story of the years just prior to and throughout the war is revealed through their letters to each other with all the social changes as well as personal ones. It's good to see the other side of a disagreement and not just through the perspective of soldiers. I have come to trust the author's diligence in thoroughly researching the factual matters and appreciate the humanization of all of his remarkable characters.
As this tale was told through the perspective of a girl, the narrator this time is Tamara Dohan who is very effective in her interpretation.
Of course I loved it!… (mehr)

loyalists, perspective, historical-fiction, historical-places-events, historical-research, prisoners-of-war, colonial-america, politics*****

In spite of being in an American Revolutionary War reenacting family, our War Games were soldier (and family) versus soldier and for unknown reasons we never put any kind of emphasis on the Loyalists other than to assume that they fled to Canada or the West. Have to admit that I was appalled by the idea that they were treated badly during the course of the war even to the extent of being held in the kind of prisons used in the day. This story does admit to taking some historical licence by placing the prison in a mine and using the prisoners for hard labor rather unlike the accustomed placing of rebels into disease infested prison ships by the Crown forces. It is as moving a tale as the others by Hedbor and is one that makes the reader think again about man's inhumanity to man (there were no imprisoned women in this tale).
Once again the audio is performed by the wonderful voice of Shamaan Casey (reminiscent of James Earl Jones in younger days).

I have one complaint: I bought the Kindle copy time ago when it was on sale and expected to then purchase the audio at a discounted price when the audio came out but Amazon insisted on extracting the full price. Fortunately, I won a free audible copy in a giveaway!… (mehr)

historical-research, historical-figures, history-and-culture, YA-only-means-no-gratuitous-erotica*****

Again with the calling this series as for children just because there is no erotica! Really!
These tales are for all of us, not just those of us who spent our summers reenacting the war between the upstarts and the oppressors (aka the rebels and the Redcoats). It is important to remember that the war involved many who never heard of the Boston Tea Party or Francis Marion or even Bloody Tarleton. The many clans and tribes of those who were in North America long before the European invaders were caught up in the war and lost as much as the Europeans gained. Well researched, well presented, and realistic. But I'm glad that I have the audio (and not just because Shamaan Casey has a marvelous voice and interpretation) because I wouldn't be able to pronounce the names.
I won this audiobook in a giveaway! I really win!… (mehr)