August 1789. The Rights of Man. Liberty. Equality. Idealism. Patriotism.
A new age dawns.
And yet, old hostilities persist: England and Spain are on the brink of war. France, allied by treaty with Spain, readies her warships. Three youths--the son of an English carpenter, the son of a naval captain, an the son of a French court tailor--meet in London, a chance encounter that entwines their lives thereafter. The English boys find themselves on the same frigate bound for the Caribbean. The Frenchman sails to Trinidad, where he meets an even more zealous Spanish revolutionary. As diplomats in Europe race to avoid conflict, war threatens to erupt in the Caribbean, with the three youths pitted against each other.
Will the dawn of the boys' young manhood remain bright with hope? Or will it become tainted with their countrymen's spilt blood?
Praise for A Tainted Dawn
"As America is born, the superpowers of Europe clash with one another for power and territory. A Tainted Dawn is a historical novel set at the end of the eighteenth century, as the powers of Europe head off to war. Following youths of these nations as they find their way through their lives and the conflict, A Tainted Dawn creates a riveting setting with plenty of twists and turns that should prove difficult to put down, very much recommended." - The Midwest Book Review
"Barbara Peacock has a masterful knowledge of both nautical lore and the history and politics of the age. Her characters are sympathetic, and they come alive though her writing. She deftly captures the spirit of this fascinating and critical time, both its positive and negative aspects. Her characters inhabit a world that is squalid, gritty , and dangerous, but not without hope." - Robin E. Levin, The Death of Carthage.
About the Author
B. N. Peacock’s love of history started in childhood, hearing stories of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire from her immigrant grandparents. They related accounts handed down from their grandparents about battlefields so drenched in blood that grass cut there afterwards oozed red liquid. Such tales entranced her. These references probably dated to the time of the Napoleonic Wars. No wonder she was drawn to this time period.
In addition to history, she showed an equally early proclivity for writing, winning an honorable mention in a national READ magazine contest for short stories. The story was about history, of course, namely the battle of Bunker Hill as seen from the perspective of a British war correspondent.
The passion for writing and history continued throughout high school and undergraduate studies. She was active in her high school newspaper, eventually becoming its editor-in-chief. After graduation, she majored in Classical Studies (Greek and Latin) at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, PA. In her junior year, life took one of those peculiar turns which sidetrack one. A year abroad studying at Queen Mary College, University of London in England led to the discovery of another passion, travel. She returned and finished her degree at F&M, but now was lured from her previous interests in history and writing.
Her work continues on Book Two in The Great War series, tentatively to be called Army of Citizens, with new trips planned to England, France and Belgium.
www.bnpeacock.com
A Tainted Dawn is about three young boys, Jemmy a fiddler and the son of a carpenter, Edward, son of a sea captain and grandson of a Lord, and finally Louis, son of a French baker. Their paths cross early on in the story. Subsequent chapters focus on their separate stories.
Jemmy runs away from home because he feels that his father cares more for his sister than him. He finds that life aboard ship is not what he expected, so he jumps ship and finds his father and sister. He works with his father doing carpentry work but finds out that his father is a smuggler. His father is hung for his crimes and Jemmy and his sister are on the run.
Edward comes from a wealthy family, his parents have not been together for a long time and when his father dies, he inherits his fathers estate but his grandfather, Admiral Ben Deveare becomes his guardian and sends Edward to sea with no money, no decent clothes. Life aboard ship is harsh for Edward as he tries to acclimate himself to lot in life.
Louis is a young man and a rabblerouser who defies his father and participates in the French rebellion against the English. He is blackmailed by his fathers servant and he loses everything to pay this ruthless man.
This is a maritime historical novel with a backdrop of the French Revolution in vivid detail. It is obvious that the author knows her history. Definitely well researched and it will appeal to the reader who love historical and maritime stories. This is the first book in a trilogy and it will be interesting to follow these three boys into adulthood.
I received a copy of this book for review and was not monetarily compensated for my review.
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