What do You think about Megiddo's Shadow (2006)?
This story was amazing. It was as gritty as the terrain and time it spans. It follows a young boy, Edward Bathe, as he becomes a man. At sixteen, after the death of his older brother in the Great War, he runs away and joins up. He wants to be infantry just like his brother. But as soon as he arrives in England after basic training, he gets transferred to a mounted unit. He is not happy, especially when his unit ships out. But soon he finds himself on the way to war; he is shipping to British Palestine and the battle there.The book is dedicated to five members of the Slade family who all fought in the Great War and only one did not come home. The story follows real battles and encounters during the war. It provides the family insight and possibly some family tales and legends, but even so, this story is an incredible read. As we follow young Bathe on a journey to war, he will find what it means to become a man. The writing was amazing and you will not be able to put the book down.Read the review and with links to other reviews of books by the authors on my blog Book Reviews and More. And also an author profile and interview with Arthur Slade.
—Steven R. McEvoy
Very much a classic boy-goes-to-war novel in the tradition of The Red Badge of Courage, All Quiet on the Western Front or Fallen Angels, Edward experiences the comradeship of soldiers, a first love and the grim reality of warfare. He faces the loss of those he loves and his faith in God as he struggles to find meaning and survive.Arthur Slade relates his grandfather and great uncles' true stories on his website. They are as gripping and heartfelt as the novel and are very much the inspiration for this book. The letter Edward and his father receive about Hector is taken almost verbatim from the real letter the Slade family received about Percy Slade.Moving, emotional and wrenching at times, this is historical fiction at its finest. I will be reading more of Arthur Slade's writing in the future.
—Camille
