The American Revolution Reaches the Gulf Coast
Gabriel is a simple sailor, doing the bidding of his Captain and King, when he is swept up in a storm that changes his life in ways that he could never have anticipated.
Carlotta yearns for her lost home, and is searching for her lost husband, but both remain elusive in a world that has been turned upside-down by forces far outside of her control.
outside of her control.
When the storm that is Governor Bernardo de Gálvez breaks over them both, neither will ever be the same — and nor will their world.
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Historical Fiction Done Right
While not typically in genres that I read – The Wind was an awesome tale of Revolutionary War-time West-Florida and is really a story about people.
In the introductory chapters, we learn that there is a storm and that Gabriel lands on a beach in an attempt to shelter from the storm. In the morning a woman finds and greets him while looking for her lost husband. She heals Gabriel out with the help of her father. Once we get into the story we find out that there is much more going on (and really anything more would be a spoiler!)
Hedbor’s storytelling is just that – it’s reminiscent of the older stories that you hear from “way back when”. Obviously, he’s telling a story about a long time ago but you get that authentic and honest feeling when you listen to it. He was able to bring a story about a time and a place that I don’t know much about and draw me deep into the sand and the ocean of that area.
I think with the popularity of Hamilton – this era of history is going to become more and more popular and Hedbor’s The Wind is just one of many Revolutionary War timed stories. I love the fact that he picks a certain place and just goes deep into it. He brings stories that you definitely didn’t hear or read in History class and makes them jump off of the page. I can honestly say, growing up in Pennsylvania that I knew very little about Florida (or the Spanish’s involvement in some of the battles). But after reading The Wind I feel like I know more (even though the story is fictional) and it makes me want to read more on the subject.
Couple this with the narration of Shamaan Casey and you have a rousing tale that’s well performed. The combination of Hedbor’s writing style and Casey’s ability to make the story jump off the page and you have a Historical Fiction book that really stands out.
I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the rest, There was a large part of the story dedicated to the community that rescued him after his first shipwreck, (which I enjoyed the most), then at the end they’re together again, but all the time in between, as he was on the different voyages and campaigns was hard to follow. So many different characters and locations, I just couldn’t keep them straight. Then it was like the ending rushed by and I had missed his reunion.
The narration was great, and I’m glad the narrator remained the same throughout the series.
I received this book for free. I am voluntarily leaving this review and all opinions expressed herein are mine.
This is a historical fiction story set during the Revolutionary War. Here, the story takes place in the South [Florida, Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico]. Gabriel is a sailor but has been washed ashore after a storm. He is found by Carlotta, who is searching for her hisband after the storm. She nurses him back to health. Spain has entered the Revolutionary War and Gabriel is recruited as Carlotta continues her search for her lost husband.
Having grown up on the east coast, I was very familiar with the Revolutionary tales/wars in that region. I was not that familiar [although I had an inkling] with the events occurring in the south and Spain’s involvement. This, in particular, was very interesting to me. I do enjoy historical fiction – when the author, as he does here, is able to deftly weave historical fact/people in with fictionalized characters.
I listened to this book – the narrator did a great job, had wonderful pacing and his narration was a compliment to the written word.
historical-fiction, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, mariners, US-gulf-coast, American-Rev-War
Did you know that the city of Galveston is named for an important Spanish leader of the Battle of Mobile in 1780? Do you have the imagination to envision life aboard a merchant vessel that year during several hurricanes? Read about all of it from the perspective of one Spanish seaman who goes from the river trade to a war involving the British, Spain, and the treacherous weather of the North side of the Gulf of Mexico. The book is excellent for too many reasons to list, and the narration by Shamaan Casey transforms it into world class.
I won the audiobook in a giveaway.