It’s finally here, the long-delayed release of my latest book. I am delighted that it is finally available to all!
Blurb:
When the two Corey children are orphaned in an Indian attack on the frontier of Kentucky, Daniel Boone tracks their escape through the woods and brings them to his home in Fort Boonesborough. There they will live with him, his wife Rebecca, and their eight children in their crowded cabin, where she and her brother Thatch learn much about Colonel Boone and why he is regarded as one of the greatest frontier explorers and hunters. Eliza is soon immersed in the hard life of a frontier woman – doing the many household chores, working gardens and crops, foraging for food in the woods, and hunting. After surviving a pivotal historic event in the Revolutionary War – the siege of Boonesborough, Eliza’s own story is integrated into the remainder of Daniel Boone’s life, his constant uprooting of his family to unexplored areas, his failed business ventures, and his growing fame.
This is a tale of life’s challenges in frontier Kentucky, Eliza’s grit and determination in meeting them, and above all, high adventure. It offers a deep look into the long and amazing life of Daniel Boone through the eyes of a young girl.
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Here is a review by a blogging buddy, who just happens to be a Chef!
“Firstly, I have to admit to almost no knowledge of Daniel Boone before reading this book, though I’m sure a U.S. readership knows far more.
The book is written from the point of view of Eliza, a 10 year old who tries to protect her four year old brother Thatcher after witnessing their parents’ murder by the Shawnee. They are rescued by Daniel Boone, who takes them to the fort named after him.
At this point, I expected the book to be entirely in sympathy with the settlers, presenting the Indigenous Americans as bloodthirsty savages. What I hadn’t realised was that Daniel Boone actually had a great deal of respect for the Native Americans. The real villains of the piece are the British who armed the Shawnees during the War of Independence, and some of the settlers who accused Boone of treachery. Obviously Boone frequently engaged in warfare with American Indians, but also praised them for their honesty.
The complex life of Boone is presented in an interesting and engaging way and we also see the difficult lives of the settlers, particularly Eliza and Boone’s wife and eldest daughter, Jemima. The story of Jemima’s kidnap is told, but she is not presented as a helpless victim. Instead she is shown as intelligent and capable, able to shoot and make bullets. The women of the novel are full of courage and determination.
I certainly learned a great deal from the novel. It is a sensitive subject, of course told from the settlers’ standpoint, while acknowledging, particularly in the Author’s Note, the many wrongs done to the Indigenous American peoples.
I would strongly recommend this book as a story worth reading. Whether you are American or not it is a first rate read.”
Kevin Ashton
My thanks to Kevin for this wonderful review. I hope it will convince my followers to dip their toes into the book!
