Seven Novels of Voyages in the Age of Tall Sail Ships
By Award-Winning Authors
These historical-fiction books have gripping sea journeys in common, while opening up unique vistas and inspiring faith. They are sure to lay hold of your heart and imagination as they did mine.
A Heart Set Free, By Janet S. Grunst
Could a well-bred, young woman embrace a fate of serving seven years as a stranger’s indentured servant? In 1770, Heather Douglas is forced to do just that in order to escape an unjust scandal in Scotland and gain a new beginning in colonial Virginia. First, however, she must survive crossing the stormy Atlantic in the infamous steerage accommodations.
Meanwhile, Matthew Stewart, a widower in Virginia, has no inkling that a lovely indentured woman, struggling with more than one type of bondage, would enter his life and endanger his heart. We gain insights into Heather’s search for a place to belong, not only through her befuddlements in carrying out her awkward position in the Stewart household, but also through her insightful interactions with Matthew’s resentful nine-year-old daughter and his adorable six-year-old son.
As the story progresses, we are immersed in the setting—a farm in the 1700’s, where life is hard, yet satisfying. Matthew’s farm is located in a rural Virginia community, fortunately populated by several fine individuals who befriend Heather, despite her low status. But the idyllic area also has one vile man, who threatens to ruin everything.
A sense of God’s providence and gleanings of Scriptural truth are deftly woven into the story’s fabric. You will not want to put the book down until you reach the very last page.
Anna’s Crossing: Amish Beginnings Book 1
By Suzanne Woods Fisher
Nineteen-year-old Anna König does not wish to leave her home in Germany. However, her village’s Amish minister insists that she join the congregants’ 1737 Atlantic crossing because she is the only one among them who can speak English. America’s grand promise of religious freedom beckons the travelers, but formidable obstacles threaten to overwhelm them from the journey’s onset.
While aiding communication between her people and the crew, Anna comes in close contact with Bairn, the third officer in command of the sail ship, the Charming Nancy. Bairn’s earlier hardships made him a cynic, and he agrees with the Europeans and deckhands who refer to the Amish as the “Peculiars.” Yet Anna and her vibrant faith deeply impress him. For her part, Anna detects his kind disposition beneath the hard shell. However, the chasm between not only their core beliefs, but also their disparate backgrounds, appears uncrossable. A busybody and a despicable villain complicate matters as well.
I found the story’s introduction to Amish beliefs and customs particularly interesting. Also, an Amish child’s exploration of the sail ship’s equipment and the crew’s assignments impart much good information on a sail ship’s workings. Best of all is the spotlight the story shines on the rewards of sacrifice in service to God and people.
The Sacred Shore: Song of Acadia, Book 2
By Janette Oke and T. Davis Bunn
Henri and Louise Robichaud, along with their sons and daughter Nicole, have at last made a home for themselves in an Acadian community on the Spanish-owned Louisiana delta, where Henri is the godly clan leader. When Nicole reaches adulthood, her parents inform her that right after she was born, she was unintentionally exchanged with another infant. Next, if that were not shocking enough, Nicole learns she is English, the cruel enemy who forced the Acadians from their Nova Scotia homeland. Her parents insist that they have always loved Nicole as their own, but she questions her relationship to the family and doubts God’s existence as well. Thus, she sets forth on a quest in 1773 to find where she truly belongs.
Her real uncle, the English Earl of Sutton, is also on a quest. He wants to take his niece, Nicole, back to England to become his heir. In his haughty outlook, he expects to overcome any resistance by his high position and wealth. He does not expect to be met with kindness and a different kind of strength.
From the story’s first page to its last, God’s providential care and His ability to transform even the hardest heart are fully displayed. Along with the uplifting storyline, we are treated to vivid settings—the stormy seas, the Louisiana delta of bayou and Spanish moss, and Nova Scotia’s harsh winter and breath-taking spring.
The Deepest Waters
By Dan Walsh
Laura and John Foster, newlyweds, journey toward New York in 1857, where John plans to introduce Laura to his family. She doesn’t know that John hasn’t revealed their marriage to his parents and siblings because he distanced himself from them, rejecting their obsession with status and wealth. During the last leg of the pair’s voyage, a hurricane sinks their steamship. A passing ship has only enough room to rescue the women and children.
Laura, while believing her beloved husband has drowned, struggles to comfort other women on the rescue ship and comes to the aid of a slave, mistreated by members of the crew. As she faces a future in a strange city with people she’s never met, she gains life-changing insights from the slave’s close relationship with God. The devout slave has the opportunity to make one more valuable contribution to Laura when she discovers she has a vicious enemy.
Unknown to Laura and the rest of the world, John, along with other men, is attempting to survive on a makeshift raft. Days pass with men succumbing to starvation and despair while others hang onto life by a thread. The men’s true characters become clear—whether they watch out only for themselves or strive to care for others.
The story, inspired by a true shipwreck and its similar aftermath, pulsates with love, faith, longing, and heroism.
The Year of the Barbarian: The Dragonfly Trilogy, Book 1
By Elizabeth Ann Boyles
Sumi Taguchi, the daughter of a samurai, was always curious about the world that lay beyond her home’s walls and her country’s borders. When Japan’s isolationism is cracked open in the 1850’s, Sumi eagerly seeks out opportunities to learn about the Western cultures and even the highly illegal Christian faith. Right away, she meets the first of many perils—an unwanted betrothal that threatens to replace her confined life with another equally confining one … or worse.
In New York, John Cardiff dreams of starting his own trading company. During the trip he makes to the Far East in 1859, he concludes that life must consist of more than material success. Therefore, he embarks on a search for meaning along with a trading venture to Japan that could cost him everything.
Although Sumi and John are not together for most of the story, their experiences often parallel each other. Through these, we glimpse how their personalities could someday complement each other, yet with looming cultural misunderstandings.
When I, the author, lived in Japan, I was enchanted by the country and its people, who still valued many traditions from this story’s Edo era. My hope is that my readers will also find themselves drawn to the fascinating land and be captivated by Sumi and John as they explore beyond their safe environs and search for answers to life’s riddles.
Entrapped: 1861, The Journey Begins: Brothers in Peril Trilogy, Book 1
By Elizabeth Ann Boyles
After a series of unfortunate blunders, Tom Ballard and his younger brother Terry leave New York’s comfortable life and their studies in the Albany Academy to become sailors on the high seas. The brothers soon realize the voyage on their merchant ship will not resemble the pleasurable adventure they sought. They hadn’t expected such dangerous duties as handling sails seventy feet above the deck. The Drake Passage at the tip of South America rivals their worst nightmares. While Tom and Terry try hard to fit in with the crew, they are met with bullying, betrayal, and murderous hate. The young men are at a definite disadvantage as greenhorns among the experienced seamen, and Tom’s promotion because of his mathematical expertise only serves to arouse the crew’s jealousy.
Yet there are bright spots that shine in the darkness. The brothers get shore leave at fascinating ports, including the bizarre Galapagos Islands. Even better, they start to learn from their mistakes, while supporting each other during their trials. Best of all, they catch glimpses of God’s work despite their skepticism.
Originally intended as a short prequel, the carefully researched, expanded story not only portrays the lifestyle of nineteenth-century sailors, but also provides plenty of reasons for us to root for Tom and Terry to rise above their dilemmas and awaken to God’s higher purpose for their lives.
Until We Reach Home
By Lynn Austin
Three Swedish sisters, Elin, Kirsten, and Sophia Carlson, are orphaned and then threatened by a treacherous uncle. In spite of their appreciation for their homeland, they embark on a risk-filled journey to America in 1897, hoping to reach a safe, welcoming place to reside in the new country. But if they are ever to find such a haven, they must first overcome huge hurdles.
The sisters must deal with the unfamiliar English language, rejection by another uncle’s family who had initially promised their support, and the hardships that followed the rejection. Their responses match their distinct personalities. Each young woman has a fault that must be conquered as well as a strength that needs to be recognized.
As the story progresses, the bonds of sisterhood are tested and strengthened along with God’s role in the young women’s lives. Each sister must decide whether she can trust God’s goodness and care, or even if she deserves His attention. A thread of romance, involving a musician’s giftedness, lends its enchantment to the tale.
These young ladies must steer their lives through bewildering circumstances, yet they do so with extraordinary grit and emerging faith. The sisters find encouragement from Scripture and receive unexpected help because of their kindness. I believe you’ll feel a strong connection to these endearing young women.
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A Concluding Word
These fictional stories, all of which are rooted in authentic historical settings, are certain to entertain you with absorbing plots, true-to-life characters, threads of romance, and the interwoven evidence of the loving hand of God. Additionally, they bring alive:
1) the little-known trials of indentured immigrants
2) distinctive Amish beliefs and customs
3) the brave efforts of Acadians to put down roots
4) the horrors of a shipwreck and the challenging aftermath
5) the opening of Japan, with its opportunities and hostilities
6) the experiences of seamen sailing halfway around the world
7) the unseen challenges of joining the American melting pot.
If it’s difficult to choose just one of the seven books, why not read them all!
Each book can be found on Amazon as a paperback or eBook.