The Sound of Distant Thunder (The Amish of Weaver's Creek Book #1)

The Sound of Distant Thunder by Jan Drexler is the first story in The Amish of Weaver’s Creek series. Katie Stuckey is seventeen years old in 1862 and lives with her family on their farm near Millersburg, Ohio. She is ready to marry Jonas Weaver, but her father wants her to wait until she is eighteen. Jonas begins work on their home in his spare time. The Civil War is raging on and Jonas is against slavery. He knows the stance of the church on fighting, but Jonas has yet to be baptized. Conscription is enacted and the names for their county are drawn. Jonas is spared, but his married brother, Samuel is on the list. Samuel has a choice of paying the $200 fee or get a substitute. Samuel does not wish to pay the fee because the funds would go to the war effort nor is he comfortable with having someone go in his place. Jonas takes matters into his own hands and goes in Samuel’s place. He leaves a letter for his family, Katie and his friend, Levi. He asks Levi to keep an eye on Katie for him while he is away. Can Jonas and Katie’s love survive the choice he made and the separation? Join them on their journey in The Sound of Distant Thunder. The Sound of Distant Thunder takes us back to April of 1862 to an Amish settlement in Ohio. I felt the author captured the time period with the viewpoints of the characters and the description of their everyday lives as well as their homes, clothing, literature, conveyances, and methods of construction. It must have been a difficult time to be a pacifist with the Civil War going on around them. Conscription had them battling their conscience versus their church teachings. Jan Drexler did a wonderful job at capturing the differing thoughts and the inner conflict. I thought The Sound of Distant Thunder was a slow paced story (it plodded along like an old horse). The first half of the book is Jonas and others rehashing the same issues regarding war over and over. Jonas debating if he will stay at home or go off to fight. The pace improves slightly after Jonas goes off to war. Christian views are prevalent throughout the book. Prayer, faith and turning our worries over to God are some of the themes. We get to see how the various Amish settlements had differences and their attempts to find common ground. The Amish in the story are portrayed as hardworking and caring individuals. I did not feel like I was reading the first book in the series. The backstory on the main characters was lacking. I was confused by Katie and her fear. She has a fear that men who are attracted to her will die. It is not fully explained until late in the book. It seemed unreasonable because she was not afraid Jonas would die if they married. Wouldn’t she be afraid to marry the man she loves? The ending was abrupt and felt incomplete. I was left with several unanswered questions. The romance between Katie and Jonas is sweet and heartwarming in the midst of such brutality. I am giving The Sound of Distant Thunder 3 out of 5 stars.

The Sound of Distant Thunder The Amish of Weaver's Creek #1 By Jan Drexler Katie Stuckey and Jonas Weaver know that they are meant to marry and they want to do it as soon as possible. But Katie's father thinks she is too young at 17 years. And Jonas he feels is just not responsible enough to marry his youngest daughter. Gustav is relieved when Jonas agrees to wait. With the country caught up in a war about slavery and state rights, the Amish of Weaver's Creek are caught in their problem those who want to embrace the change of the world and those who want to hold tight to their traditions. War is the furthest thing on their minds as they refuse to participate in violence. But when Ohio implements a draft the Amish community is faced with a dilemma - take up arms (against the church), pay a fee to avoid serving, or pay a substitute to fight for them. When Samuel, Jonas's older married brother's name is drawn he is faced with a dilemma. Samuel vowed to never pay a fee nor pay a substitute to take his place. As one who had joined the church serving in the war could cost him dearly - shunning. Jonas feels drawn to the war not that he wants to fight but he feels that God has something for him to do. Taking his brother's place means that Jonas will have to put his plans on hold and he will be separated from Katie. With Jonas gone Katie faces challenges that will test her. Can she hold onto the promise that Jonas will return to her? Can Jonas stay true to his beliefs or will war change him forever? The Sound of Distant Thunder is an apt title for this book as thunder is a reoccurring theme throughout - thunder that is accompanied by a storm and that that is the distant call of battle coming. I have not read Jan Drexler's work before so came to this book with no expectations. I found the first few chapters to be a little slow but once the book got into it with the characters established the pacing and story seemed to move along quicker. Those who like historical American fiction will enjoy this one as it is set in the early 1860s and if you have a fondness for Amish fiction consider this a bonus read as it offers both. This book focuses on family and the idea of hold firm to your principles. Overall I would recommend this book which is the first in a new series The Amish of Weaver's Creek. I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Revell with no expectations but that I give my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

Jan Drexler is one of the best writers of the Amish Romance stories. Due to her Amish ancestry, she has knowledge of their traditions and beliefs. Ms. Drexler does such a wonderful job of bringing them to life, you will find yourself genuinely caring . There are several great characters in The Sound Of Distant Thunder, but Katie Stuckey and Jonas Weaver are the two protagonist. They have grown up together, with their families farms right next door. Jonas at twenty and Katie at seventeen are hopeless romantics. Jonas has started building a house for them and they plan to get married that fall. Katie's father gets word and does not believe she is old enough, he convinces them to wait until she turns eighteen. But a lot of changes can happen in a years time. The timeline of this novel takes place at the beginning of the Civil War. The military needed soldiers. Although the Amish are conscientious objectors, at that time there was a draft list. Jonas ends up going off to war to save his older brother Samuel, who's number was chosen. Samuel has a wife and children. Jonas experiences the devastation and horrors of war. A quote from one of his letters to Katie “The battle....what a small word to name this horrible evil. For it is evil, dear Katie. Have no doubt of that,” Within the first few pages of the book, Ms. Drexler will take you on an unforgettable journey. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. I received a copy of this book from Revell Publishing through NetGalleys. The opinions expressed in this book are my own.