Publication Date: July 26, 2020
Publisher: Ocoee Publishing
Series: Shire's Union #2
Genre: Historical Fiction
Synopsis
Shire is far from home, his old life in Victorian England a fading memory. He’s battled through war-torn America to keep a cherished promise to his childhood companion. Now she’s pushing him away, while the war won’t let him go. Fighting for the Union, Shire must survive the brutal campaign for Atlanta and try to imagine a future without her.
Clara is free from her husband but not from his ghost. After a violent end to an abusive marriage, she struggles to keep her home in the Tennessee hills as the war steals away its treasures and its people.
Tod, a captured Rebel, escapes in Pennsylvania. His encounters on the long road back to his regiment cast the Civil War in a different light. He begins to question his will to fight.
Three young lives become wrapped in the Rebels’ desperate need for copper. Friendships, loyalty and love will be tested beyond breaking point. Shire has new promises to keep.
The Copper Road is the second novel from award winning writer Richard Buxton. Book one of Shire’s Union, Whirligig, was shortlisted for the Rubery International Book Award.
My Thoughts
In the first book of the series Whirligig: Keeping the Promise, Owen 'Shire' Stanton leaves England to follow his friend, Clara Ridgmont, the daughter of a duke, to America. His aim is to honour a childhood promise. By the time he arrives, the country is embroiled in war and his destination, Comrie, Clara's home in Polk County, Tennessee, is in Confederate territory. Penniless and with civilian travel restricted, Shire enlists in the Union Army, hoping that the march south with the 125th Ohio Voluntary Infantry will get him to Clara.
With his promise kept and Clara's attitude towards him not as he expected, The Copper Road opens with Shire back with his regiment preparing to face Confederate cavalry at Dandridge, Tennesee. Wounded during the battle, Shire is surprised when Clara arrives to take him to Comrie to recuperate. At first they are happy to be reunited, but once again their relationship becomes strained and they are uneasy around one another. Shire returns to his regiment, despondent and believing that he and Clara have parted forever.
In Pennsylvania, Tod Carter, a captured Confederate officer, escapes from a train transporting prisoners to Baltimore. After spending time in a prison camp on Johnson's Island, Tod is done with Union prisons and is determined to rejoin his regiment in Georgia. An Amish family helps him on his way, but parting words from Luther changes Tod's perception of the war and his role in it.
Clara, still coming to terms with her husband's perfidy and his death, finds a new sense of purpose and freedom as the owner of Comrie. She is now responsible for the house and the freed slaves that remain. When Isaiah Matlock, her father's estate manager, arrives to sort out her affairs, he assumes, like her father, that she will return to England, but Clara is no longer prepared to be the dutiful daughter and exerts her independence. Matlock's ulterior motives clash with Clara's wishes and his nefarious dealings place her life in danger. This scenario plays out along the Copper Road, where Clara encounters Tod, who she has met before. The circumstances of that meeting will threaten her relationship with Shire.
There are a number of threads running through this novel. One of them is the effects of war on the civilian population and the soldiers. Having Shire and Tod fight on opposing sides, reveals the war from two different perspectives, although they both suffer similar hardships.
Another thread that runs through this novel is the concept of home. Both Shire and Clara have left behind their homes in England and question where home is now. Although she fights to preserve it, Clara is not convinced that Comrie is the place for her. Shire, his promise to Clara kept, has many opportunities to abandon the war and return to England, but is constantly drawn back to his regiment where he feels secure. And Tod, who enlisted in the Confederate army to defend his home, laments that even though it is nearby, a visit is impossible.
In The Copper Road many characters from the previous novel return. Some of them are Shire's comrades in arms:, Tuck, Mason, Cleves, and Sergeant Ock, a fellow Englishman, and their commander, Colonel Emerson Opdycke, and his beloved horse Barney.
One of the new characters introduced is Lieutenant Wicks, an abolitionist and religious zealot, whose influence on the young and scared recruits compels them to sacrifice their lives needlessly. By his actions, Wicks causes conflict in the company and forces Shire to make a decision that will prey heavily on his conscience.
This is a brilliant series whose wonderful characters drew me along with them in their endeavours. Shire, in particular, was my favourite from the start and I enjoyed how his character developed along the way. There is no doubt that he loves Clara, but he is no longer easily persuaded to do her bidding as he once was.
I'm in awe of the research that went into this series. The result is an historical epic that is one of the best American Civil War sagas I've had the pleasure to read.
The Copper Road is a great novel of love, honour, duty, greed and betrayal. I'm looking forward to the final installment.
Available on Amazon
About the Author
Richard lives with his family in the South Downs, Sussex, England. He completed an MA in Creative Writing at Chichester University in 2014. He has an abiding relationship with America, having studied at Syracuse University, New York State, in the late eighties. His short stories have won the Exeter Story Prize, the Bedford International Writing Competition and the Nivalis Short Story Award.
Richard’s first novel, Whirligig, was published in 2017 and shortlisted for the Rubery International Book Award. To learn more about Richard’s writing visit https://www.richardbuxton.net. You can also follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter.
Blog Tour Schedule
Tuesday, September 29
Review at Coffee and Ink
Wednesday, September 30
Feature at I'm All About Books
Friday, October 2
Excerpt at The Caffeinated Bibliophile
Monday, October 5
Review at Books and Zebras
Tuesday, October 6
Review at Rajiv's Reviews
Wednesday, October 7
Review at Pursuing Stacie
Friday, October 9
Interview at Novels Alive
Monday, October 12
Review at Novels Alive
Tuesday, October 13
Interview at Books & Benches
Wednesday, October 14
Review at A Darn Good Read
Friday, October 16
Review at A Book and a Latte
Monday, October 19
Interview at Jathan & Heather
Publisher: Ocoee Publishing
Series: Shire's Union #2
Genre: Historical Fiction
Synopsis
Shire is far from home, his old life in Victorian England a fading memory. He’s battled through war-torn America to keep a cherished promise to his childhood companion. Now she’s pushing him away, while the war won’t let him go. Fighting for the Union, Shire must survive the brutal campaign for Atlanta and try to imagine a future without her.
Clara is free from her husband but not from his ghost. After a violent end to an abusive marriage, she struggles to keep her home in the Tennessee hills as the war steals away its treasures and its people.
Tod, a captured Rebel, escapes in Pennsylvania. His encounters on the long road back to his regiment cast the Civil War in a different light. He begins to question his will to fight.
Three young lives become wrapped in the Rebels’ desperate need for copper. Friendships, loyalty and love will be tested beyond breaking point. Shire has new promises to keep.
The Copper Road is the second novel from award winning writer Richard Buxton. Book one of Shire’s Union, Whirligig, was shortlisted for the Rubery International Book Award.
My Thoughts
In the first book of the series Whirligig: Keeping the Promise, Owen 'Shire' Stanton leaves England to follow his friend, Clara Ridgmont, the daughter of a duke, to America. His aim is to honour a childhood promise. By the time he arrives, the country is embroiled in war and his destination, Comrie, Clara's home in Polk County, Tennessee, is in Confederate territory. Penniless and with civilian travel restricted, Shire enlists in the Union Army, hoping that the march south with the 125th Ohio Voluntary Infantry will get him to Clara.
With his promise kept and Clara's attitude towards him not as he expected, The Copper Road opens with Shire back with his regiment preparing to face Confederate cavalry at Dandridge, Tennesee. Wounded during the battle, Shire is surprised when Clara arrives to take him to Comrie to recuperate. At first they are happy to be reunited, but once again their relationship becomes strained and they are uneasy around one another. Shire returns to his regiment, despondent and believing that he and Clara have parted forever.
In Pennsylvania, Tod Carter, a captured Confederate officer, escapes from a train transporting prisoners to Baltimore. After spending time in a prison camp on Johnson's Island, Tod is done with Union prisons and is determined to rejoin his regiment in Georgia. An Amish family helps him on his way, but parting words from Luther changes Tod's perception of the war and his role in it.
Clara, still coming to terms with her husband's perfidy and his death, finds a new sense of purpose and freedom as the owner of Comrie. She is now responsible for the house and the freed slaves that remain. When Isaiah Matlock, her father's estate manager, arrives to sort out her affairs, he assumes, like her father, that she will return to England, but Clara is no longer prepared to be the dutiful daughter and exerts her independence. Matlock's ulterior motives clash with Clara's wishes and his nefarious dealings place her life in danger. This scenario plays out along the Copper Road, where Clara encounters Tod, who she has met before. The circumstances of that meeting will threaten her relationship with Shire.
There are a number of threads running through this novel. One of them is the effects of war on the civilian population and the soldiers. Having Shire and Tod fight on opposing sides, reveals the war from two different perspectives, although they both suffer similar hardships.
Another thread that runs through this novel is the concept of home. Both Shire and Clara have left behind their homes in England and question where home is now. Although she fights to preserve it, Clara is not convinced that Comrie is the place for her. Shire, his promise to Clara kept, has many opportunities to abandon the war and return to England, but is constantly drawn back to his regiment where he feels secure. And Tod, who enlisted in the Confederate army to defend his home, laments that even though it is nearby, a visit is impossible.
In The Copper Road many characters from the previous novel return. Some of them are Shire's comrades in arms:, Tuck, Mason, Cleves, and Sergeant Ock, a fellow Englishman, and their commander, Colonel Emerson Opdycke, and his beloved horse Barney.
One of the new characters introduced is Lieutenant Wicks, an abolitionist and religious zealot, whose influence on the young and scared recruits compels them to sacrifice their lives needlessly. By his actions, Wicks causes conflict in the company and forces Shire to make a decision that will prey heavily on his conscience.
This is a brilliant series whose wonderful characters drew me along with them in their endeavours. Shire, in particular, was my favourite from the start and I enjoyed how his character developed along the way. There is no doubt that he loves Clara, but he is no longer easily persuaded to do her bidding as he once was.
I'm in awe of the research that went into this series. The result is an historical epic that is one of the best American Civil War sagas I've had the pleasure to read.
The Copper Road is a great novel of love, honour, duty, greed and betrayal. I'm looking forward to the final installment.
Available on Amazon
About the Author
Richard’s first novel, Whirligig, was published in 2017 and shortlisted for the Rubery International Book Award. To learn more about Richard’s writing visit https://www.richardbuxton.net. You can also follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter.
Blog Tour Schedule
Review at Coffee and Ink
Wednesday, September 30
Feature at I'm All About Books
Friday, October 2
Excerpt at The Caffeinated Bibliophile
Monday, October 5
Review at Books and Zebras
Tuesday, October 6
Review at Rajiv's Reviews
Wednesday, October 7
Review at Pursuing Stacie
Friday, October 9
Interview at Novels Alive
Monday, October 12
Review at Novels Alive
Tuesday, October 13
Interview at Books & Benches
Wednesday, October 14
Review at A Darn Good Read
Friday, October 16
Review at A Book and a Latte
Monday, October 19
Interview at Jathan & Heather
Woo Hooo! That was a great review! I am so happy that you loved The Copper Road! Thank you for being on the tour :)
ReplyDeleteAmy
HF Virtual Book Tours
Thank you for your lovely comments and for drawing my attention to another outstanding novel!
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