“[An] astute meditation on the intersection between belief systems and the politics of aggression.” ~Publishers Weekly
When Leora Ebersole sees the small plane crash in her Old Order Mennonite community, she has no idea it’s a foreshadowing of things to come. Soon after the young pilot, Moses Hughes, regains consciousness, they realize his instruments were destroyed by the same power outage that … same power outage that killed the electricity at the community store, where Englischers are stranded with dead cell phones and cars that won’t start.
Moses offers a sobering theory, but no one can know how drastically life is about to change. With the only self-sustaining food supply in the region, the Pacifist community is forced to forge an alliance with the handful of stranded Englischers in an effort to protect not only the food but their very lives.
In the weeks that follow, Leora, Moses, and the community will be tested as never before, requiring them to make decisions they never thought possible. Whom will they help and whom will they turn away? When the community receives news of a new threat, everyone must decide how far they’re willing to go to protect their beliefs and way of life.
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The Alliance is a gripping story that shows how cultural differences drop away in the face of life-altering circumstance and only the most deeply held truths survive. I raced to the end and wanted more. Can’t wait for the conclusion of this series!
I’ve just discovered rising star Jolina Petersheim, and I’m hooked! The Alliance was a mesmerizing peek at what might happen if everything we thought we believed was suddenly tested. I can’t wait for the next installment!
Jolina Petersheim’s The Alliance is a cut above. Lovely prose, a fascinating concept, and a great ‘what if?’ storyline makes this unique novel a sure winner. Petersheim just gets better and better.
Beautifully written and unique, The Alliance examines the conflict between our humanity and our need to protect that which we hold dear. A book that begs to be savored on many levels.
Finally, an apocalyptic novel ablaze with hope. Just the kind of story I champion. A must-read.
Great book!
I liked it well enough to buy the next book in the series
I love books like this, that put forth a scenario that really makes you think, “could this really happen?” I loved the characters and the situations they find themselves in. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
This is an interesting take on what could happen, in the event of a massive shutdown of our electrical grid, to communities who are not as socially connected.
One of the most engrossing books I have read for a while. Could not put it down until I finished The Divide! Lots of ideas I am still thinking about….expect this would make a great movie.
Didn’t like it.
The book was definitely a page turner…I wished that the ending didn’t leave everything up in the air so you have to get the sequel to see how it all plays out.
After looking forward to how everything would turn out the book abruptly ended! The next book answers this. Disappointing
This book is about an EMP (electro magnetic pulse) striking our power grid and the after effects. Specifically it centers on a Mennonite community who are pacifists and their struggle to survive with the help of of outsiders to protect them. It challenges their many beliefs as they strive to keep them first trying to help those in need and then trying to figure out how to survive themselves. The book is very thought provoking and somewhat disturbing just thinking about the consequences that may occur if this ever happens in our future. I just started the second book and can’t wait to see what happens next.
Waiting for the next one.
Thought provoking.
Totally unexpected turn of events, could not put it down!
Wildly unpredictable — The Alliance is unlike any other book I’ve ever read! Set in Northern Montana near Glacier National Park, in a community of Old Order Mennonites. These are salt of the earth folks who thrive on faith, farming, and food storage. When an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) brings Moses Hughes’ plane crashing into their midst, the people are not prepared for the warning he gives. According to Moses, cities will be thrown into chaos by the EMP and when food becomes scarce the “locust” will show up at their doorstep in force. The overarching question becomes how this group of pacifists will respond to such a threat.
Leora and Moses provide the lens through which readers view the unfolding events. Like the majority of books I’ve read in this genre, these characters remain chaste. However, the physical attraction and romantic tension between these two smolders. Both are given extensive backstories, yet I never felt like I could anticipate their choices or the eventual outcome of the story. In the end, this unpredictability was one of my favorite elements of the book.
The Alliance is original, unpredictable, and compelling. I believe readers who do not gravitate to bonnet fiction will enjoy The Alliance. This is the second book I’ve read by Jolina Petershiem and, as with The Midwife, I feel she uses the Mennonite faith to provide the moral and social parameters of her stories without allowing it to steal the show. The characters remain real and their struggles relevant to today’s Christians. I recommend adding The Alliance to your summer reading list.
I received this book from the author for my honest review. 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.”
A great read!