Eclipse of the Midnight Sun

by Timothy M Kestrel

Overview

Even those waging the fiercest battles just hew to hard fast rules that separate the soldier from the savage. And when a man's home is destroyed beyond restoration, it's up to him alone to forge a code and carve a new place to live in peace. The Rule of Ranging 1: Eclipse of the Midnight Sun is the epic action-adventure drama by Timothy M. Kestrel that follows the fearless Finn on a journey paved with bloodthirsty aggressors, mysterious women, and the rough terrain of a fledgling America. Both grave and uplifting, it's an absorbing flight of fancy and derring-do. Set in the eighteen century, Kestrel's story is a work of historic fiction that relives the most perilous days of the French & Indian War. The story begins in Finland, just as a young boy named Finn witnesses the complete annihilation of his home village, as well as the brutal killing of his family by marauding Russians. He barely manages to escape, chased by a merciless Hessian mercenary, Johan Kopf, nicknamed Totenkopf. Following his dying mother's wish to find a mysterious woman named Columbia, Finn's course takes him across the Atlantic. He befriends a slave, Gus, and buys his freedom. On their travels in this brave new world called America, the two make their way through the majestic Hudson Valley in New York, and soon encounter Marcus Fronto, a curious vagrant and philosophical mentor; Daniel Nimham, a fierce Wappinger chief and warrior; and beautiful Catherina Brett. They join forces with Robert Rogers Rangers, and fight against the French at Fort Edward, New York, during the Hudson River campaign in the 1750s. Action-packed and rigorously researched, the story offers a rare vantage of a crucial time in this country's coming of age that is at once funny, heartbreaking, illuminating, and thrilling. Mining the depths of love, freedom, greed, and loyalty, it's a page-turning, heart-pounding read that is at once scholarly and scintillating - steeped in history with a death-defying hero for the ages.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780615730080
Publisher:	Timothy Kestrel Arts & Media, Inc.
Publication date:	11/22/2012
Series:	Rule of Ranging , #1
Pages:	380
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.78(d)

About the Author

Timothy M. Kestrel, (or Timo), is an author, screenwriter, and creator. His work is inspired by a deep fascination with the past, and the mysteries inherent in every historical period. To me, history is full of life and color, he says, Even the most accurate historian cannot tell exactly what happened in any specific point in time. As a writer of fiction, I explore that gap of uncertainty. When he is not working on creating exciting stories, Timo is an Ordained Stoic Philosopher and a Fellow of the College of Stoic Philosophers. In 2014, Timo was the first in over 2000 years to graduate on the original site of the school at Stoa Poikile in Athens, Greece, where the original Stoics congregated in ancient times. While his work is steeped in history and philosophy, his achievements are not merely academic. He earned the coveted Ranger tab while serving with the notorious US Army Rangers, and his military work led him on missions in both Central America and the Caribbean. Today, Timo continues to delve into the unknown, using his rich imagination to breathe life into fascinating characters, unforgettable places, and compelling stories.

Editorial Reviews

"The author's narrative style draws comparisons to the cinema and, in fact, much of the evolving drama reads like a blockbuster Spielberg screenplay-colorful, dangerous, and exciting. Overall, this swashbuckling tale of likable protagonists and truly vile antagonists is entertaining and informative." - Foreword Reviews

"The well-researched and evocative use of historical figures provides a dignified patina to the novel's events." - Publishers Weekly

"Utterly gripping. I was hooked from the very first sentence."

"Edgy, sexy, tantalizing... explodes with romance and action."

"A Powerful journey... A lovable hero... A story you'll never forget."

From the Publisher

Kestrel's debut historical novel follows young Finn from his Scandinavian homeland to the ranks of the Rangers in the new America. When brash young reporter Henry Raymond travels upstate from New York City to a remote Catskills resort to seek out the elusive and legendary Mr. Morton, Morton recounts for him in epic detail the story of Finn, a young Scandinavian. Born into a small, rustic village in the Finnish countryside, Finn longs for the life of a warrior and hunter, but he's held back from his ambitions by his mother who does not want him to inherit the deadly fate of his warrior-father, which she has painstakingly withheld from Finn. Fate proves to have an ironic twist, however, as Finn's village is sacked by invading Russians and Hessian mercenaries. Finn's instincts enable him to survive the onslaught while most of his fellow villagers are killed, including his mother and his young love. While being chased out of Finland by Johan Kopf and his men, Finn takes to a life at sea until he lands in Britain. Once again proving his bravery on the battlefield, Finn loses hope of becoming an officer in the British army when he is pressed into the navy on a slave ship bound for America. Finn's encounters in America include meeting George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, but when he becomes an Army Ranger at Fort Edward in upstate New York, the pace falters. The novel, set in the late 18th century, is stylistically more like medieval romances of King Arthur's court. Events and time move quickly; little time is spent on setting or emotional state (though there is plenty of explicitly detailed violence), and characters often appear suddenly, without context or introduction. While this keeps the adventure and action moving, the convenient manifestations of Finn's enemies appear contrived. The frame around the story eventually reveals an interesting narrative twist. One cannot help but admire Finn's resilience, despite his melancholic musings. An entertaining adventure novel flooded with manic action.

Kirkus Reviews

08/26/2013
In Kestrel's kickoff to this historical series, it is 1854 and elderly Mr. Morton tells journalist Henry Raymond about the adventures of an orphaned teen named Finn, recounting a life—presumably Morton's own—full of adventures, wandering, and fighting. Set during the 18th century, the story unfolds as young Finn's initial military zeal leads to service in a series of battles in the New World. The horrors of war are a familiar coming-of-age theme, but Finn seems to carom from one encounter to another with little character growth. While the well-researched and evocative use of historical figures provides a dignified patina to the novel's events, the stilted dialogue and preachy messages of Finn's friends and associates provide a nearly fatal distraction from the vivid depictions of battle.

Publishers Weekly