Book Review - Redemption (the Renegade) - Joe Prentis

Title:  Redemption

Author:  Joe Prentis

Review: The Title of this book is interesting considering the story that it tells.  It wasn't until the end of the book that I think I understood the title.  I will not tell you why in this review as it would spoil the ending, but it would be interesting to see if others felt the same way about the title when they finished the book.

That said this was a well written book by an author with great potential.  His character development is excellent, I can see in my mind’s eye what Oakley and McCade looked like, the authors descriptions were so good.  He describes Civil wartime Washington D C so well the reader can live what it was like then, the smells, the sounds, the sights. 

The story line is interesting and his climax builds nicely, the action is on going and well maintained.  The story takes place near the end of the Civil War right before Abraham Lincoln is assassinated. General McCellan has returned from the front after a summons from General Burnside.  Oakley and McCade have returned with the General, as aides, and also bodyguards.  All three men had known each other before the war and have been together through four long years of fighting.  The descriptions in the book of the Willard Hotel and the meeting taking place there is excellent, making you feel you are right there beside them.

After saying all of this I will now tell you what I did not like about the book.  I hated the ending, it was just too sad to deal with after the buildup of these characters and what they meant to each other, that said I felt the "Redemption" part came at the very end when Oakley realized he was not as harden by war as he thought he was and was still an honorable man, not capable of an unworthy act of revenge.

This is a prequel to a series being written by Joe Prentis about the Old West, it will be interesting to see where he takes his characters from here, and how they grow in relationship to their new experiences.  

Thanks Eileen for this review.  I will give it 3 out of 5 stars the ending came too quickly, the book was gathering steam and then it was over just like that, so 3 out of 5 stars.  Keep up the great work Joe!!
 

Publisher:  Published January 2013 by Joe Prentis

ISBN:  B00B35SXL4

Pages: Ebook

Quick Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Where I got the book:  Sent from the author for review.

Synopsis:  Washington 1865: As the American Civil War drew to a close, military and government leaders realized they were facing grave dangers they had not anticipated. There were many who did not understand that it was easier to start a war than it was to end one. The Confederacy was crumbling rapidly, and Generals Nathan Bedford Forrest and Robert E. Lee were willing to surrender, provided they could do so with honor. Many government and military leaders did not agree with President Lincoln’s intention to grant a full pardon to anyone who would agree to the terms of surrender. And the most difficult thing of all was the radicals who were not willing to give up a lost cause, and were determined to stop the peace process regardless of the cost.

Sergeant Oakley had gone through four years of endless conflict and hardship as a Union soldier. The war would be over in a week, they said, and he was eager to pursue his dreams in the western territories. His world was suddenly shattered when he came in contact with a girl named Anna, and a group of conspirators led by John Wilkes Booth. Oakley is torn between what he believes to be his duty, and his desire for vengeance.

 

Author Bio:  I cannot remember a time when I was not reading. Books have always been an important part of my life, and I continue to be fascinated by the many wonderful things I discover each time I sit down in my favorite chair and open a book. When I was growing up, we moved frequently, living in cities, as well as in small towns, and on a working farm in a rural area. The sharp contrast of each of these places caused me to love and appreciate the busy and varied experience cities had to offer, but also the quiet life of being close to nature in the countryside. I was impressed early on by the vast differences between the geographic areas of the country, and the part ethnic background, social differences, and education played in the lives of people. Books about history, science, romance, mystery and suspense, have always presented an irresistible attraction to me. Writing is my way of introducing others to the things I have observed and experienced. I mostly read and write suspense novels, but cannot resist the temptation of Historical Fiction, or anything that deals with nature. I have just finished a suspense novel called ‘Innocent’ which will be out before the end of September, 2009. I am currently working on ‘The Relic,’ the second book in a series about the religious and political problems in the Middle East. I am doing research on a novel about the Colonial era.