A compulsively readable and thoroughly immersive historical tale…
A vivid setting, an authentic cast of memorable characters, and meticulous detail elevate Gerts’s latest, a historical novel set in the New Mexico and Arizona Territories in the mid-to-late nineteenth century. February 1849. Lorenzo Brennan, a Mexican-American war veteran, is on his way to the Alta California gold field from Albuquerque. When he gets lost in the Ponderosa Pines of the San Francisco Peaks Mountain range, he finds refuge at a Jewish sheep rancher Hanna’s isolated cabin. The couple fall in love and build a home together. But an unfortunate event prompts Lorenzo to join the New Mexico Volunteers in the Civil War. He leaves Hanna and his young son Zachary to manage the ranch, unaware fate has something unexpected in store for him. Gerts is an excellent storyteller, and his fully realized characters are authentic. He efficiently places the reader inside his characters’ turbulent world, compassionately rendering their loves, passions, and struggles while conveying the authenticity of their situations. Excellent plotting and execution support the utterly realistic action sequences. However, Gerts’s biggest strength lies in his meticulous attention to detail: he sketches an extraordinarily rich picture of the era’s history, politics, and cultures, especially war and slavery. His account of the American Civil War and its impact on society is drawn to heartbreaking effect. Though certain elements stall out, especially toward the middle, this is a finely crafted tale, casting a light on history of American Civil War and slavery while raising questions still relevant today, particularly around class, race, belonging, individuality, freedom, and present days’ gun laws in America. An un-put-downable tale of courage and resilience.
FEAR OF THE GUN
A tale set in the New Mexico and Arizona Territories 1849 -1884
John Gerts
Pub date September 27, 2022
ISBN 978-1732603431
Price $14.99 (USD) Paperback, $6.93 Kindle edition
