FIRST DAY OF THE D-DAY BLOG TOUR WITH SARAH SUNDIN

The D-Day 70th Anniversary Blog Tour begins today. There are ten books to be won & today's blog is with the talented Sarah Sundin. Click on the link below to get into the first day of the tour http://www.sarahsundin.com/d-day-70th-anniversary-blog-tour-sarah-sundin/

D-DAY BLOG HOP

Starting on June 2nd there will be a blog hop I'm participating in. It has been set up to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Normandy invasion on June 6th, 1944, an invasion that helped liberate Europe from Naziism. My own blog will pop up on June 4th or D minus 2. There will be a chance to win an autographed copy of my WW 2 novel LONDON DAWN, the final book in the trilogy that began with Ashton Park. GET READY!!!

Amish Family Christmas & All The Pretty Ponies & Majestic and Wild

Here. I'm finally back on my blog after so many months while the website was being remodelled. Thank you to all the new people who have joined up in the past couple of days. Normally I will write a blog once a week and it will be on any sort of subject that strikes me as important at the time. Sometimes I'll talk about my books and others' books. Sometimes about God. Sometimes about Creation. Who knows? I do want you to know I will be putting all members into the draw for An Amish Family Christmas as soon as we reach 100 or American Thanksgiving on Nov. 28 - I hope we reach 100 first! I also want you to know I'm looking for people to go into my author page on Amazon & click on the orange LIKE button. If you do that, please tell me, and your name will go into another draw for All the Pretty Little Ponies, a short story I just wrote to initiate a series of horse stories edited by a colleague at HHP. Here's the link to the author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/serengeti009 Third and final announcement! There is a giveaway for Majestic & Wild, my collection of stories on God and the wilderness, going on until the 3rd of November. That giveaway is on Goodreads & here's the link: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/67259-majestic-and-wild-true-stories-of-faith-and-adventure-in-the-great-outd Family Christmas is based on a discussion I had with two Hutterites on the Amish Wisdom radio show. I mean that story from the heart. Pretty Ponies is dedicated to a young woman I know who loves horses and has been struggling with a debilitating health condition for years. I mean that story from the heart too. Majestic & Wild is based on wilderness adventures I've experienced from the time I was a teen. I mean all those stories from the heart as well. Come to think of it, I mean everything I write from the heart. Thank you for joining me on my blog and may your life, despite all the pain and struggle that comes our way, be rich and full of God's light.

a tribute to our animal companions

I found out in my 20s that sharing something beautiful makes it twice as beautiful, whether you share it with a human companion or an animal companion. I've walked dogs every day since 1986. Today, the last day of February 2013, marks the first time in almost 30 years I haven't walked a dog (usually two dogs). I can't begin to tell you how hollow that feels. Today it's in the 50s F and the sun is shining, the sky is blue, a fresh wind is blowing. What should have happened this morning was I should have gone into the garage where the dog sleeps, woken him up (if he wasn't up already), had a great reunion of smiles and tail wags and fur rubs, then headed out along the frozen creek and out under the gleam of the white-capped Rockies for another adventure. We'd have seen magpies and ravens and nuthatches and chickadees. We'd have seen whitetails and mulies and maybe a fox or a set of cougar tracks. There'd have been other dogs to greet and my dog would have found many fascinating smells to smell. We'd have gone out in joy and returned in even more joy. Before Alaska and his mate Denali there was Yukon and his mate Nahanni - Alaska and Denali purebred Malamutes, Yukon and Nahanni golden labs crossed with coyote. When we lost Yukon we knew we wanted a breed with long muzzles, sharp ears, bushy tails, and a look that said Northern and wilderness. By a striking blessing, I was grieving over the loss of Yukon, our white male lab-coyote, when we found a place that offered Alaskan Malamutes and picked up Alaska and Denali. The mother that raised them (they were just seven weeks) was Nahanni. They adored her. She may have been half their size but they bonded to her and went with her wherever she decided to go. Losing her was as cruel as losing Yukon but at least we had the puppies. Now all my dogs are gone. I feel like I died along with them. When Alaska left us yesterday there were no puppies to turn to for a renewal of joy and life. I should have shared the morning sunshine and mountains with Alaska today. Should be able to cross to the window now and seeing him lying in the sun by his beloved 100 foot high pines and Colorado blue spruce. But the beauty is half as beautiful today because I can't share it. The kids are grown up and at university now. My wife is an RN and at the clinic. And all the dogs I have loved are in a different reality now that I can't be part of. I write my books alone now but I have one blessing - Kokomo, my 4 year old tabby cat. Who doresn't know where her big brother Alaska has gone. Ah, the walk with the silent companions. Not just with dogs but cats too. And the communion with pet birds within the house. And other animals as well. Sure, dogs bark or woof and have their spoken language, cats meow and purr, horses knicker and whinny and stamp their hooves, birds whistle and sing and call. But most of the relationship is in silence. A rich warm silence of eyes and tails and feathers and fur. My dogs spoke to me without English or French or Spanish. They had the universal language of love down pat. It makes for a different depth of relationship than you get with most humans. There are words and commands but the relationship does not rely on words and commands. The relationship relies on what is said with the eyes and the tone of the voice and with the heart. I remember weeping over the death of my mother and Yukon and Nahanni coming to me, their eyes so sad and dark and full, and both putting their paws in my lap at the same time, giving me what they could to comfort me. When I wept over the death of Nahanni my puppies Alaska and Denali stayed close and curled up beside me, refusing to leave me while I grieved. I spent all of February 27th with Alaska, starting at midnight with his first seizure, and staying with him all night and morning and afternoon until the end, petting him, brushing him, kissing him, putting my head close to his and telling him I loved him. He was never the kisser his sister Denali was. She'd always lick you to death. Alaska saved his kisses for certain moments and certain times. As I rubbed and petted Alaska yesterday, as the end drew closer, he stretched up with his head and licked my hand, something he had hardly ever done. I have that love touch to console me. It does not console me much because I want the reality back that was behind it. If I was writing my story I would be able to go to the window now and see all four of the dogs I've lost romping together and the cat I've lost romping with them. And seeing that miracle I'd be out the door in a shot and playing with them again as we played so many times over so many years. It's not my story and I'm not writing it so I sit here at my laptop and dream. If I could do it all over again, knowing the pain of the loss of each one of my animal companions, I wouldn't hesitate, I'd do it all again in a heartbeat. Yes, I am in a lot of pain now but the beauty that came before it and that still lives inside me is tremendous. My animal companions changed my life, made me a better man, brought me closer to others and to my God, blessed me forever. So when I weep I weep tears of joy as well as tears of sorrow, tears of thankfulness as well as tears of loss, tears of praise as well as tears of mourning. I thank God this was my story and they were the heroes and heroines in it. And I hope people are right and the better ending is still to come.

ASHTON PARK ON ITS WAY!

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY "The first installment of Pura’s (The Wings of Morning) the Danforths of Lancashire series introduces the inhabitants of Ashton Park, a centuries-old manor near the shores of northwest England. Tensions of the early 20th century, including WWI and unrest in Ireland and Palestine, create a backdrop for a tale rife with suspense and emotional twists as the large extended Danforth family encounters its share of romance, human tragedy, and skullduggery. Sir William and Lady Elizabeth and their brood of independent-minded daughters and gallant sons have their honor tested, the bonds of family strained, and the goodness of God questioned. Amid trials and treachery, Pura draws poignant exhibitions of integrity, staunch lessons in forgiveness, and tender pictures of love and devotion. Pura excessively entwines the lives of the aristocratic Danforths with those of significantly lower stations, muddling the line between upstairs and downstairs in an apparent disregard for the strict class distinctions that would have been observed during the period covered by this book. Still, a most enjoyable introduction to an intriguing family saga. Agent: Les Stobbe, the Leslie H. Stobbe Literary Agency."

LINCOLN MEMORIAL EDITION

IF you would like the opportunity to win an autographed copy of The LINCOLN MEMORIAL EDITION of the novel THE FACE OF HEAVEN please enter a comment here. ALL THE BEST!

WINNERS!

JODY RIGLE IS THE WINNER OF THE CIVIL WAR ART PRINT! CONGRATULATIONS, JODY! THERE ARE ALSO FIVE RUNNERS UP WHO WILL BE RECEIVING 4x6 INCH REPLICAS OF THE COVER OF THE FACE OF HEAVEN. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED. OUR NEXT CONTEST WILL BE IN EARLY NOVEMBER!

FACE OF HEAVEN/CIVIL WAR ART/CONTEST

WELCOME TO THE SITE FOR THE FACE OF HEAVEN/CIVIL WAR ART CONTEST! If you wish to enter the contest for an artist-signed print of Mike Thorson's painting of the 7th Wisconsin of the Iron Brigade at the Battle of Brawner's Farm please post a comment below. Contest will run for one week until next Monday the 22nd. Print is 2' x 3' (approximately), on heavy stock, glossy, and one of only 750 signed prints. It will be mailed to the winner in a non-crush tube. The print is suitable for framing. PLEASE BE SURE YOU HAVE LIKED BOTH MURRAY PURA WRITING & 19TH INDIANA IRON BRIGADE BEFORE YOU POST A COMMENT. THANK YOU!

VAN DER GROEF'S REVIEW OF THE WINGS OF MORNING

This book is a definite must people! The best book of 2012! My review of THE WINGS OF MORNING by Murray Pura. (*Translated from the Dutch by BING) The year is 1917. The Amish have no decision taken yet concerning the use of aircraft. Jude Whetstone is a convert of the Lapp Amish community. He is fond of aircraft and has taken flying lessons. Some people in the community do not agree with the fly – including Lynndaya Kurtz ' parents. Jude and Lyyndaya grew up together and were slowly but surely falling in love. Lyyndaya's parents that they now want to Jude sees no more. This breaks her heart, but as a good Amish daughter obeys her parents. In Europe is the first world war broke out. The Amish don't fight in the war. The u.s. military discovered what a good pilot is trying to force him and Jude in Europe to go fight. Jude and some other guys from his Amish community be jailed. The guys are treated badly. Jude pray for a way out and realizes that the only way to come out of prison is to sign to go fly in Europe. Jude decides to do this and the other young men be freed and return to their community. Jude's decision is not understood by his community and he is exiled. Jude knows, however, that he is in the will of God and asks God to guide him in the fighting. He learns to fight against the Germans without someone having to kill. It is not permitted to send letters to Jude Lyyndaya. She decides however to write letters and keep them in a safe place, so that he can read them later when he comes back from Europe and his exile is over. Jude sends weekly letters to Lyyndaya, but they may not read them. The Amish are informed about what Jude is doing things in France, but the question why Jude ever register has to fight, remains unanswered. Then comes the message within that Jude's plane has crashed and that he is missing and presumably dead. Meanwhile, in Pennsylvania, the Spanish flu breaks out. Lyyndaya has signed up as a volunteer to care for the sick. And then if they one day at work, her name is whispered by an unknown man ... I am very excited about this book. It is difficult to find the right words to describe how good this book is. Murray Pura is a great and fascinating writer. Normally I don't read many Amish books, but the way this writer Amish combines with history is simply fantastic! I can hardly wait to Pura's next book to read! (Translated by Bing)

MARIAN BAAY'S REVIEW OF THE ROSE

This is definitely a Murray Pura book! The writing is superb--just like I have become to expect from this author. The characters of Rose and Lydia are so real and feminine, that it put a smile on my face - excellent job, Murray! I thoroughly enjoyed this first installment of ebooks of The Rose of Lancaster County. I'm eagerly awaiting the next! Marian Baay, Holland

HELEN HEVENER'S REVIEW OF THE ROSE

THE ROSE OF LANCASTER COUNTY - VOL. 1 - THE ROSE GARDEN 5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Excellent Excellent by Helen Hevener When I heard Murray Pura was writing a kindle book in installments I couldn't have been more thrilled- I have loved every story he has written up to date!!! I sat down to read the first installment this morning of The Rose of Lancaster County and I couldnt put it down. Murray has a way of combining a story with history that will leave you breathless and waiting for more. This particular story dealt with two young ladies- Rose Lantz and Lydia Byler- they had come to the Pennsylvania Colony 10 years before and were still struggling to put aside the persecution they went through in Germany. Compelling story and history involved all in one story- a real attention getter!!! Now I can hardly wait for the next installment- Murray Pura just makes you want to keep on reading and reading and reading!!! Defintely a 5 star book in my opinion!!!!

KAREN ANNA VOGEL'S REVIEWS OF THE ROSE

THE ROSE OF LANCASTER COUNTY - VOLUME 1 - THE ROSE GARDEN 5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful new series that draws you in with wonderful, vivid writing When I heard Murray Pura was writing a continuing short series, I knew it would be good. Murray's writing is rich in imagery, and the first scene, set in a rose garden, makes you see and smell the flowers. Characters are realistic as is the setting. Little has been written in a Amish fiction genre about their life in Colonial America, and being a history buff, I'm fascinated and look forward to reading the next in the series. Karen Anna Vogel Amish Knitting Circle Series

MORE REVIEWS OF THE FACE OF HEAVEN

This book truly is a page turner & a masterpiece. Marian Baay, Holland, editor & reviewer What I loved most about this book wasn't the emotionally heightened romance or the portrayal of an Amish man's desire to fight slavery. It was the way in which Murray brought the battles of the US Civil War to life on the page. Murray brought realism to these ordeals and humanized them. Rachel Brand, UK, editor & reviewer

REVIEWS OF THE FACE OF HEAVEN

THAT THIS NATION UNDER GOD SHALL NOT PERISH FROM THE EARTH. "A powerful literary masterpiece. A brilliant novel, destined to become a classic." Diana Flowers, OTT "Pura's action-packed attention to military detail pulls the reader directly into the mechanics & the atrocities of a war that divided the nation." Publishers Weekly "I didn’t realise quite how enraptured I’d become with Lyndel and Nathaniel’s relationship until Lyndel went searching for Nathaniel after the battle of Gettysburg. I’m not going to deny it; there were tears in my eyes as Lyndel searched for her beau." Rachel Brand, Christian Manifesto

SARAH MEYERS' REVIEW OF THE WINGS OF MORNING

The Wings of Morning takes place in an Amish Community. Lyyndaya Kurtz and Jude Whetstone’s Family have only been part of the community for a few years, but already, their families are well loved. Lyyndaya and Jude grew up as childhood friends, but have begun to realize that their feelings are running deeper. Jude also discovered a love of flying, which, strangely, his Amish community allowed. When flying for an Amish celebration, members of the US Military see Jude in action. To force him to join up for the fighting in World War I, the military takes Jude and some of his friends captive and makes their lives miserable in order to force Jude into flying. Eventually, he agrees, though he had sworn to his community that he would not fight as it went against their beliefs. What no one but one of his friends knew was that he joined to save the other boys’ lives. In doing so, he risked being shunned. However, Jude began to become a hero, as he not only saved his own men with his flying abilities, but he purposefully did what he could to save the enemy as well, whether by flying circles around them, or purposefully shooting not to kill. In the meantime, Lyyndaya is struggling as she has fallen in love with Jude, but is not allowed to communicate with him. This is one of the top Amish stories I’ve read, I think. I really loved Jude’s character, and how he used the abilities that the Lord gave him to save lives on both sides, instead of being vengeful. This was a great story line, one I never would have thought of for an Amish setting, but it was well written. Reviewed by:Sarah Meyers

SARAH PRICE'S REVIEW OF THE WINGS OF MORNING

SARAH PRICE'S REVIEW - FIVE STARS Besides the fact that I simply adore Murray Pura as a colleague and now friend, this was the first of his books that I have read. After reading this one, I can assure everyone that ALL of his books will adorn my bookshelves! I will read all of his Amish books. There were two unique things that set this apart from other Amish books that I have read. First, the setting is in the past. Murray Pura is quite the historian and I love books that provide detailed insight into history. He is a masterful writer and knows how to weave the story around history. Bravo! The second thing was the detailed character development of BOTH the female and the male character. I really like books that provide well-written insight into both the female AND male protagonists. I look forward to reading many more books from Murray Pura. My next one will be the Rose of Lancaster.

MARY FIELDS JACKSON'S REVIEW OF THE WINGS OF MORNING

The Wings of Morning was the first book I read by Mr. Pura, but not my last. I love Amish books and this one was by far different then most Amish books. It is Amish with a history lesson and romance all wrapped up in one great read, it was really unique and I like that. This was a wonderful journey to watch unfold. I really think, if you are looking for the same old Christan romance this is not the book for you. But if you are looking for an exciting Historical Christan Romance, then this book is for you! Mary Fields Jackson

Review of The Face of Heaven

A portion of Rachel Brand's review of The Face of Heaven - see the full review at Christian Manifesto - thanks, Rachel! REVIEW As tension is building in the South in 1861, Lyndel Keim and Nathaniel King couldn’t be more detached from the conflict in their Amish community in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. While they debate the evils of slavery and whether the confederate states really pose a threat to the union, all of these thoughts are purely theoretical until Lyndel discovers two runaway slaves in her family’s barn. The reality of slavery is suddenly made apparent to Lyndel, Nathaniel and their families, and when the slaves are recaptured by their master, Nathaniel cannot help but wish he had done more to protect them. Under the guise of visiting another Amish community in Indiana, Nathaniel signs on to fight for the Union army, leaving his blossoming relationship with Lyndel behind in Pennsylvania. But Lyndel understands Nathaniel’s desire to fight the battle against slavery, and quickly volunteers as a nurse in a hospital in Washington. War cannot keep them apart for long, and Lyndel finds herself closer and closer to the battlefield every day, witnessing the true horror of war as she treats men who have been pulled from the fields of battle only moments before. Like her family back home in Lancaster, Lyndel longs for the fighting to end, but until then, she will nurse as many men as possible – Union and Confederate alike. But her family doesn’t understand her desire to help, and interprets her work as aiding the war efforts rather than diminishing it. How can Lyndel and Nathaniel, raised as pacifists but now living in the midst of a raging war, explain to their families that war may be the only way to put an end to the evils of slavery? When I began to read The Face of Heaven, I couldn’t help but find a few similarities to the first book in the Snapshots in History series, The Wings of Morning. As in the first in the series, an Amish man bears arms in a war that the rest of his Amish community opposes, and his beau takes to nursing, also bearing scrutiny from her friends and family. Considering how quickly the roles of soldier and nurse fell into place for Nathaniel and Lyndel in The Face of Heaven, I was a little worried that I was reading a repeat of the storyline from The Wings of Morning, simply set during a different war. But as I got further into the novel, it became clear that Murray was going to take Nathaniel and Lyndel’s story on an entirely different route from the protagonists in the first book in the series, and their involvement in the war against the wishes of their pacifist Amish community really were the only similarities they bore to the characters in The Wings of Morning. When discussing pacifism with friends or family, the same statement is bound to be made at some point during the conversation: “Pacifism just isn’t practical.” While reading The Face of Heaven, I got the impression that this was how Nathaniel felt about the Civil War and the fight against slavery. He could not sit idly by and wait for the Englishers to settle the matter on their own, as he may have done if the conflict were over any other matter. I doubt that Nathaniel, or any of the other Amish men who fought in the Civil War, would have been so eager to take arms if this had been a war about ownership of land. Their belief that God created all men equal, even those of a different race from themselves, was what propelled them into bearing arms despite their previous convictions on the matter. Continually throughout this novel I got a sense of the conflict of interests regarding war and taking another man’s life in battle. Was it right to kill if you were saving someone else’s life? Setting someone else free from the chains of slavery? Fighting for what you knew was right according to God’s Word? As someone with serious pacifist leanings, I could really sympathise with Nathaniel’s internal conflict, and I’m sure other readers will find themselves similarly wrapped up in it. While the romance in The Wings of Morning was rather minimal, since Lyyndaya and Jude were in separate countries for a large portion of the book, the relationship between Lyndel and Nathaniel in The Face of Heaven was definitely more to my liking. Although their courtship was only beginning when Nathaniel decided to join the Union army, it was kept alive by letters and brief encounters when Lyndel was allowed to nurse at the front lines of the battle. The growth of their relationship seemed very realistic, considering the conflict, and I was rooting for them to stay together despite all that was conspiring to keep them apart. I can see why wartime romances are among the most popular, with every moment the hero and heroine spend together having a heightened sense of importance, since it may very well be the last time they see each other. I didn’t realise quite how enraptured I’d become with Lyndel and Nathaniel’s relationship until Lyndel went searching for Nathaniel after the battle of Gettysburg. I’m not going to deny it; there were tears in my eyes as Lyndel searched for her beau. What I loved most about this book wasn’t the emotionally heightened romance or the portrayal of an Amish man’s desire to fight against slavery. In all honesty, it was the way in which Murray brought the battles of the US Civil War to life on the page. When I studied this war in my final year of high school, I enjoyed learning about the run up to the war, the aftermath and the end of slavery, but the facts about the battles themselves genuinely bored me to sleep. But Murray brought realism to these ordeals and humanised them, making me care about how the war progressed, in a way that I hadn’t cared when I was in high school. I can appreciate this book for making me take an interest in whether Lyndel would ever see Nathaniel again, and for helping me to understand the internal conflict that the characters felt about their pacifist upbringing, but what has remained with me after finishing this book is the level of realism I felt in each and every one of the battle scenes. Even if you’re normally put off by bonnets, buggies or any form of romance, The Face of Heaven is worth reading purely for the way in which it brings the US Civil War to life. I have high hopes for the third and final book in the Snapshots in History series and can’t wait to read Murray’s take on the Second World War. Rachel Brand, The Christian Manifesto

5 STAR REVIEW OF A BRIDE'S FLIGHT - TERSA MATHEWS

A BRIDE'S FLIGHT FROM VIRGINIA CITY, MONTANA 5 Stars***** Reviewed by Teresa Mathews In this exciting tale Murray Pura takes us on an adventurous although perilous journey that starts in February 1875 in Virginia City, Montana and goes all the way to Bird-In-Hand, Pennsylvania. During this time we are introduced to Charlotte Spence, and Zephaniah Parker, both ranchers in Montana. The day Zephaniah is out riding the range and stumbles upon two very frightened young children, will be the day that will forever change his life. The boy and girl are both too frightened to tell their names so Zeph calls them Cheyenne and Cody Wyoming. Little does he know they have just witnessed the horrendous slaughter of their parents and friends. They are the lone survivors of “The Angel of Death’s” visit. Charlotte Spence is the sole owner of the Sweet Blue Meadows Ranch now that her brother Ricky has passed away, another delayed casualty of the war. Charlotte is a strong, brave woman running a ranch with ten men that obey her every command, which is a tad out of the ordinary in 1875. To anyone looking at the outside all they see is the beauty of Charlotte but if they could look on the inside they would see the secrets she harbors and she is so afraid no one would like what they find out. When Zephaniah talks with his brother Matt, the local lawman, and finds out why the children are frightened, both men realize they need to get the children to safety because the Angel of Death will never let them live as soon as he hears they are alive. Matt suggests to Zeph that the children might do well staying at Charlotte’s ranch. Charlotte is delighted to take the children in; she wants to ease the pain they are going through. When Matt receives a telegram from the Angel saying he is coming to kill the children and the woman hiding them, Zeph and Matt insist that Charlotte take the kids by train to their relatives in Pennsylvania. But the only way Charlotte agrees to the plan is for Zephaniah to accompany them as her husband! Charlotte explains that they will blend in better if they travel under the guise of a man and his wife with their children. Zephaniah could see the wisdom of the plan and he really didn’t like the idea of her and the children traveling alone, so he agrees. Will they make it safely? Or will they have an untimely appointment with "death"? I cannot begin to tell you how much I enjoyed this, from the first page right up until the last. It took me through a whole gamut of emotions, joy at the beautiful scenery that Murray described so well, excitement and fear knowing they are running from a man that seems subhuman with one goal in mind; killing them. And complete overwhelming satisfaction when it was all said and done. I will tell you that I’m sure you will find yourself reading late into the night like I did. Don’t be surprised if you are shocked into a wide awake state just when you think you might be getting a little sleepy, I know I was!! Had anyone else been awake in my house they would have seen my mouth hanging open because that is how shocked I was at one point!! Job Well Done, Mr. Pura!

5 STAR REVIEW OF THE FACE OF HEAVEN - DIANA FLOWERS

Reviewed by Diana Flowers 5 stars~***** Not Your Typical Amish Fiction! In The Face of Heaven, Murray Pura has penned a powerful, literary masterpiece, set during one of the most tumultuous, heartbreaking times in our country's history--the Civil War. The whipping and hanging of an innocent man near an Amish farmhouse forever changes the course of three young Amish people's lives; Lyndel Keim, her brother Levi, and her beau, Nathaniel King. In spite of being pacifists, they remain haunted by what they have witnessed, and feel compelled to follow the call to join the Union forces. Lyndel obtains permission to work in the midst of the battlefield, nursing the wounded before they are taken to the hospital, and finds herself serving both the fallen Union and Confederate soldiers. Nathaniel King serves in one of the most courageous regiments in the Union army, the 19th Indiana Brigade, and Lyndel finds her way to him which results in a bittersweet reunion for the two. Separated by the horrific battle of Gettysburg, Nathaniel is severely wounded, and Lyndel must call upon her faith in God; not knowing whether the love of her life is dead or alive. Will she have the strength and the courage to keep nursing the wounded?...when her beloved is lying out there somewhere; possibly dead? Murray Pura has written a brilliant novel; destined to become a classic. This book evoked so many intense emotions in me-heartbreak, horror, elation, and most of all pride...pride in this great country of ours, and of the men and women who gave their lives to truly make it "the land of the free and the home of the brave." At times my emotions were at such a peak, I had to place the book down, only to find myself picking it right back up--truly a page turner. *WARNING* This novel relives the battles of the Civil War and may not be suitable for more genteel readers. War is not pretty, and there is a lot of carnage, violence, and the harsh realities of war in this book. Though an intense novel, the love story within its pages is timeless and beautiful, and with a strong, spiritual thread throughout this is a definite must read for history/romance lovers everywhere! Very nicely done, Mr. Pura!