Hearts are Divided Loyalties Will Be Tested The Fates of Two Families Hang in the Balance Twenty years past, in 1757, a young Redcoat, Reginald Aubrey stole a newborn boy—the lighter-skinned of Oneida twins— during the devastating fall of Fort William Henry and raised him as his own. No one connected to Reginald escaped unscathed from this crime. Not his adopted daughter Anna. Not Stone … crime. Not his adopted daughter Anna. Not Stone Thrower, the Native American father determined to get his son back. Not Two Hawks, William’s twin brother separated since birth, living in the shadow of his absence and hoping to build a future with Anna. Nor Lydia, who longs for Reginald to be free from his self-imposed emotional prison and embrace God’s forgiveness— and her love.
Now William, whose identity has been shattered after discovering the truth of his birth, hides in the ranks of an increasingly aggressive British army. The Redcoats prepare to attack frontier New York and the Continentals, aided by Oneida warriors including Two Hawks, rally to defend it. As the Revolutionary War penetrates the Mohawk Valley, two families separated by culture, united by love and faith, must find a way to reclaim the son marching toward them in the ranks of their enemies.
Book 2 in the Pathfinder Series
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The perfect conclusion to The Pathfinders duology. I waited a long time to read this after the first one because I wanted it to last! These books offer amazing pictures of God’s love through a heartwrenching story that ends with a beautiful illustration of atonement, sacrifice, forgiveness, reconciliation, and redemption. Not every novel lends itself to such explicitly Christian themes, but this one does, and it does so without being preachy. If you love 18th-century fiction, stories with Native Americans, Revolutionary War tales, or books that subtly show the Gospel, The Pathfinders books are for you. Start with The Wood’s Edge.
How do you describe a masterpiece? That’s exactly what The Pathfinders books are. A work of art that only Lori Benton could create. I cried tears of joy and of sadness. The ending was none like I could have ever expected, but it was a heartbreaking beginning to a new life for the characters in the story. A beginning that made me feel as though all is well. Like all of Lori Benton’s novels, A Flight of Arrows will have you constantly turning pages until each and every word has been read.
After reading book one of the series, i had to read this one right away. It was just as good. I don’t really like books in this time of history but the story was intriguing and I enjoyed it a lot.
Occasionally, a story will linger with me long after I’ve finished it. This was the case in October 2015 when I read Lori Benton’s The Wood’s Edge, the prequel to this selection. It pierced my heart in a way that left me yearning for the rest of the story. A Flight of Arrows is the powerful, heart-mending, soul stirring conclusion to The Pathfinders Series.
When William Aubrey learned of his true Native American parentage he was thrown into an identity crisis. Seeking to distance himself from the man who’d deceived him, he fled North to join the Royal British Army. It’s 1776: as the army prepares to advance towards his home and the ones he once loved, second thoughts begin to surface. Anyone who has ever found themselves on one path wishing they could do an about face and run the other direction will connect with William.
Similar to the first book, Anna and Two Hawks remain my favorite characters. Having confessed their love for one another they are earnestly seeking her father Reginald’s blessing to marry. In an admirable show of character, Two Hawks encourages Anna to honor her father while he searches for a way to earn Reginald’s favor.
This series possesses great depth in both character development and spiritual content. Lori Benton skillfully uses her characters to remind us of how God can turn something intended for evil into something good, that He is patient in waiting for us to come to repentance, and that His timing is perfect. It was beautiful to read how these two families forged a friendship through their trials and prayers — united in Christ. Lori’s writing moved me to tears once again.
A Flight of Arrows will be on my Best of 2016 list and I believe The Pathfinders Series is a top pick for book clubs.
I received this book free as a member of the Family Christian Blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I’ve tried to decide how to sum up my praise for this book, the sequel to The Wood’s Edge. The historical research is careful and detailed. The prose is careful and beautiful. The story gets to breathe and unfold organically as it is spread over two books. The dialogue is a thing of beauty, reflecting unique language patterns for the Oneida characters and for Reginald, a native Welshman whose speech still “lilts,” especially when he’s feeling strongly about something. The characters are some of the deepest I have encountered in Christian fiction–human and hurting, stubborn and broken and angry and unsure of the world around them and their own hearts, despite many of them also being dedicated to honoring God in their lives. My personal favorite character is Reginald, but that’s not because anybody else in this rather large cast lacks equal depth. (I just have a soft spot for the one who needs redemption and doesn’t know how to accept it, who would rather hurl himself against a wall of self-atonement until he falls down and admits he can’t climb the wall.)
The best way to sum up this series: it is what Christian fiction ought to be. Struggles are not simplified; sin is not sanitized. Characters confronted with the wrongs they’ve done do not immediately repent and apologize. They wrestle. They ache. They hurt each other. Redemption is at work underneath it all, but it isn’t an easy redemption. The book is about consequences and sacrifices. Lori Benton is willing to face what that means in the reality of a fallen world, what might be required to serve this Creator God who commands we put others above ourselves.
Ms. Benton has crafted a beautiful story in a beautiful way. These characters will never leave my heart.
Author Lori Benton continues her thrilling and inspiring historical fiction series, “The Pathfinders” with Book 2, “A Flight of Arrows”. Set in the turbulent 1700’s of the American Frontier, history is brought to life with vivid detail and memorable characterizations. The first book in the series, “The Woods Edge” told the story of a fateful decision by a grief-stricken father to replace his dead child with one stolen from another family. Twenty years later, the world-changing events of the Revolutionary War have begun to take their toll, and the boy stolen from his Oneida heritage is now a young man. The truth of his legacy is profound, and he is torn in many directions. He is a man of two cultures—can he find his own true place? Can hope and healing be found amidst the tumult of war and uncertain times? Lori Benton writes beautifully told tales blending historical truth with unforgettable characterizations. Living history through the written word.
Book Copy Gratis WaterBrook Press via Blogging for Books
I love historical fiction and Lori Benton does her research and develops characters you’ll miss, when you’ve finished the book!!!
Really did not like the ending. To kill off the biological father was a drag. Also Not to realistic the biological mother who is pregnant would take her husband’s death this easily. Otherwise good story telling. Enjoyed the series.