You can read my introduction to this series and review on Book 2 here.
As the final book in Gerald Lund’s Fire and Steel series, it covers the years 1933-1938. Picking up after the book burnings, this book focuses on the horrific Hitler Youth camps, Lebensborn Project, and Night of Broken Glass.
It still boggles my mind to think these events didn’t simply happen, but that they were encouraged by the government and largely accepted by the people.
In the States, we follow Benji Westlund as he travels around for work during the dust bowl depression. We also see what the missionaries in Germany were doing before the break out of war.
This book is full of both love and heartbreaking sorrow. Let’s be real, it’s a story leading up to the horrors of WWII. All things considered, Mr. Lund gave the Eckhardts the happiest ending they could hope to have with war on the horizon.
For its presentation of history from the German’s and American’s perspective, I rate this one at *****4.6 Stars****. Book 2 is still my favorite in this series, because it portrayed the day-to-day apocalyptic life to explain why Germans wanted Hitler to rise. This book is my next favorite, simply because of how everything is tied together.
VAGUE SPOILER: Highlight to read>> At first, I was shocked and disappointed when a main character died. The death was so sudden and insignificant. But isn’t that natural for war? The rest of the book is spent giving that character a proper send off, so I made my peace with the story.
I’m glad Mr. Lund plans to continue this story in a separate stand-alone volume, even if it takes a while to come out.
C. Rae D'Arc 