No Peace with the Dawn ~ Review

No Peace with the Dawn
By E.B. Wheeler 
    and Jeffery Bateman

A Novel of the Great War

The world is at war - though America has yet to enter the fray.  And for the young men and women who are seeking to make their way in this world Utah seems far removed from this carnage that has enveloped Europe.

But these young people are determined to make a difference no matter where their paths may take them. But can a world being torn apart allow a person to hold firmly to the beliefs that have shaped them and give their lives meaning? Or will the prejudices and horrors of war forever change them?

Reed Lewis is a young man from an agricultural background who is determined to be the best at everything he does and he is a bit of a flirt. His occasional impulsiveness can add more work to his life but he is a caring and dedicated person. He joins the Marines and proves his ability to lead.

Joseph Sorrell is a young Shoshone known for his skills on the race track with his mare Buckskin Nelly. He hopes that his efforts in the war will earn him the US citizenship he seeks. His friendship with Bert Lyman brings him into this circle of friends who see him as a person.

 Clara Jensen works to open new doors that will allow her and all women to be seen as equals who deserve to be seen as people. She's willing to do her bit by serving overseas with the YMCA and her feisty attitude won't allow her to give up a cause she believes in.

Trudi Kessler is a Swiss-German immigrant who gives of what she has to help aid those whom the war has displaced. But in a world at war her very heritage is held against her by those who allow fear to dictate their prejudices.

The horrors of war are experienced by those both at home and abroad. And those who come home have to live with what they saw and did.

This book opens in November 1915 and concludes in April 1920. Sometimes it is hard to realize just how much happened during this decade. There is a reference to the sinking of the Titanic and even though I've been aware that this took place in 1912 it was a bit of a shock that it was so soon afterwards that the world was at war. The prejudices that were so prevalent are rather surprising - I seriously didn't realize some of the everyday things that had to be renamed because of their Germanic links.

This is an interesting look into the past - there is not much WWI fiction that focuses on residents of Utah to my knowledge. Take a step back in time that is approximately a century long with No Peace with the Dawn. In some ways this book makes me realize just how little we've accomplished in the last century in regard to the prejudices that have a way of tearing us apart.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations of a positive review or otherwise - all opinions expressed are my own.



About the Book:

In 1917, the Great War seems far from Logan, Utah. But soon it will change the lives of suffragette and mechanic Clara, Swiss-German immigrant and LDS convert Trudi, Marine Corps volunteer Reed, and Shoshone seeking U.S. citizenship Joseph. This novel weaves real events with compelling fictional characters into a sweeping tale of war, romance, self-discovery, and sacrifice.

About the Authors:

E.B. Wheeler grew up in Georgia and California. She earned her BA in history from BYU and has graduate degrees in British history and landscape architecture from Utah State University. She’s the award-winning author of “The Haunting of Springett Hall,” the historical romance “Born to Treason” and is a member of the League of Utah Writers. She lives in northern Utah with her family.

Jeff Bateman served in the U.S. Air Force for 32 years, retiring as a Colonel in 2010. He holds a BA and MS in Criminal Justice, an MA in History and an MS in Strategic Studies. Following his military career, Jeff worked as a civilian historian at the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Air Force Flight Test Center. He teaches American Military History and U.S. Institutions at Utah State University and is a member of the League of Utah Writers. He has taught workshops on military writing. Jeff lives on a mini-farm in the mountains of Northern Utah, where horses, gardening, and playing the bass fill every minute he is not writing or teaching.