This week's Wednesday Wonders features
DEFIANCE
by A. L. Sowards
About Defiance:
Eight years after immigrating to the
United States, German-born Lukas Ley embodies the American dream: successful
athlete, gorgeous girlfriend, loving family. But beneath the surface,
eighteen-year-old Lukas is driven by ambition, resolved to avenge the murder of
his father at the hands of the Nazi regime. Unfortunately, a failed physical
throws his plans for flight school off course. Unlike his war-hero older
brother, Lukas’s purpose is unclear. He can’t fly, and in the eyes of the
military, he’s good for only one thing—the front lines.
My Book Review:
I have always
enjoyed the books written by A. L. Sowards about World War I and World War II.
This one was no exception. It seemed slightly different than the others.
Written in first person, Defiance
seems less of an action-adventure story set in wartime and more of a journey
into the heart and soul of a young man from when he eagerly looks forward to
graduating from high school so he can join in the battle against Nazi Germany,
through his actual experiences as a soldier,
and until he is returned home.
Born in
Germany, but brought to the United States as a child, Lukas has a desire for
revenge against Hitler and his Nazi government that he blames for the death of
his father, a man who wrote in protest of the rise of National Socialism in his
native land. Lukas’s lofty dreams of how he wanted to participate were crushed.
He ended up being assigned to what he thought was the least desirable manner to
engage the enemy. He ended up in the infantry, a ground soldier considered “cannon
fodder.” Nevertheless, he was willing to do what it took to defeat Nazism. He
soon found himself willing to do things he never thought he could or would do
to save both his friends and himself.
Without
realizing it, the company to which he was assigned was in an area thought to be
“quiet.” It ended up becoming the center of action in what we know today as the
Battle of the Bulge. When Lukas joined his squadron, the men already there ignored
him. He soon came to the conclusion he was on his own and no one cared about
him. As he gradually proved his worth, and demonstrated he was not going to get
himself killed the first few days in combat, he soon developed a close working
relationship and position of trust among fellow soldiers. This is a frequent
situation in combat situations where men see so many of their buddies get
killed or seriously wounded they build a protective shield around their
emotions by trying to not care about newcomers. The author did a great job of
not only showing what happened, but demonstrating its effect on the characters.
I thought the author did a wonderful
job as she took us on the journey into the mental, emotional and spiritual
responses of Lukas and his comrades as they faced death of their fellow
soldiers, difficult battle situations, surrender, experiences as prisoners of
war, the additional torture at the hands of a Nazi guard Lukas faced because of
his nativity, and illness.
One of the most daunting challenges
Lukas faced was wrestling with his own conscience after the war was over.
Although his faith in God got him through many difficult times, the horror of
war took its toll and left him feeling unworthy of God's love and forgiveness
for some of the choices he made. The author’s message regarding this was
powerful.
The story was well-written and kept me
interested from beginning to end. Although not primarily a romance, what romance elements the book contains are sweet and
clean. The language is clean. The action is intense. I recommend this book.
Purchase links for Defiance:
Barnes & Noble | Deseret Books | Amazon
Author Bio:
A.L. Sowards grew up in Moses Lake, Washington, then came to
Utah to attend BYU and ended up staying. Now she’s a busy mom with young kids,
but she does her best to squeeze writing time in between naptime, stroller
rides, and homework sessions. She enjoys reading, writing, learning about history,
and eating chocolate, sometimes all at once. As an author, she is known for
heart-pounding action, memorable characters, careful historical research, clean
romance, and family-friendly language. Prior to The Spider and the Sparrow, which was set during World War One, Sowards wrote four novels set during
the Second World War, including two Whitney Award finalists. Once again, she writes about the Second World War.
Find A.L. Sowards online at:
