THE FIRST TWO VOLUMES IN THE ACCLAIMED CASTOR FAMILY TRILOGY
THE VETERAN
“An ornate and rigorously crafted Civil War novel.”
— Kirkus Reviews
BROTHERHOOD OF IRON
“A sharp, immersive family drama played out against the ravages of war.”
— Kirkus Reviews
The Veteran is the first book of a trilogy that chronicles the journey of the Castor family through three of our nation’s bloodiest wars. The saga begins with the crushing Union defeat on the final day of the battle of Chickamauga, where Will Castor’s artillery battery is overrun by the enemy in fierce hand-to-hand combat, every member of his gun crew is killed, and he is asked to end the suffering of his wounded sergeant. Caught behind enemy lines with a broken leg and unable to walk, he makes a pact with a war-weary Confederate deserter and meets his former enemy’s beautiful sister.
Brotherhood of Iron, the second novel of the Castor family trilogy, tells the story of four brothers as they strike out to find adventure in the rapidly changing world of the early 20th century. Two of the brothers join the Marine Corps and find themselves on the greatest killing fields of WWI, one ships out on a Great Lakes freighter and meets his waterloo on a violent and seedy industrial waterfront, and one finds forbidden love in a gritty mining town in Michigan’s wild Upper Peninsula.
The Veteran, the first novel of the series, reveals the profound and devastating effect of PTSD on the life of Will Castor when he returns home from the Civil War. Brotherhood of Iron traces its impact upon not only the brothers, but also on the life of a beautiful but haunted French war bride who is forced to flee her own country and carve out a new life in America. Brotherhood of Iron is a richly layered story set against the backdrop of historical events. It’s all here: war, tragedy, romance, and redemption. Be prepared to laugh and cry.
The final book of the Castor family trilogy, The Generation, will be released in the latter part of 2020.
