Book Review of Fire Bell in The Night

I recently finished reading Fire Bell and I had to write a review. I know there have been many others that have sent in reviews but I enjoyed this book so much I can't just put it on my shelf without making some comments about it.

When I entered the First Chapters contest in Jan of 2007 I really had no idea what I was in for. I wanted to get comments on my book and I hoped to gain some information about how to get published.  I got much more than that.

Not only did I learn a lot about book publishing, other authors, the many styles of how others write and the endless ideas for books that are out there, I also gained valuable friendships with Gather members that still remain intact today.  Perhaps my greatest gain to date from joining Gather has been reading Fire Bell In The Night.

I confess to being a devotee of books about the Civil War era, however, I believe anyone will enjoy this book whether they are Civil War enthusiasts or not. Geoffrey Edwards' brilliant descriptions of 1850 Charleston bring you vivid images of a city pulsating with ringing bells, militia noises, and people in the streets.  His writing made me feel like I was sweating from the humid afternoons, itching from the suits and long pants, and smelling the cooking, animals, sweat, and sweet flowers of the time.

From the suspense of the opening rebellion by tortured slaves to the elegance of rich plantation life Fire Bell kept me turning pages and wanting to learn more about what was next.  This is not a book to rush through as you read. I found myself reading some passages over, not due to misunderstanding, but due to my desire to enjoy the experience once more.  When you read it take your time and savor the experience of it.

I also confess to wearing my feelings on my sleeve and as the final chapters passed by my eyes I was moved to tears. This is a book filled with the emotions of the time.

I was never interested in history in school but I find a book like Fire Bell with its historical accuracy and its rich characters a much better way to learn things about history than I ever could have found when a student. This is a story of fiction worth reading on its own merits and yet it has historical facts that everyone should know.

I was touched by Stephen Prosapio's work on his No Bull Blog where he interviewed Geoffrey Edwards about this book. The interview is very well done and very well reported. If you have not been to Stephen's Blog, please check it out:  http://no-bull-steve.livejournal.com/

When you visit Stephen's blog under the portion dedicated to Fire Bell In The Night you will find a review by Publishers Weekly. As part of that review the following words appear:

"Edwards fills the gaps in the record of the Crisis of 1850 to produce a plausible scenario that eloquently captures the fear and rivalries of the antebellum era, though many passages could use a healthy pruning."

This is on one hand high praise for a first-time author, however, on the other hand the last eight words of that quote make me shudder at how so many of our publishing industry critics think they know what we as readers want to see in a book. I have read Fire Bell with this quote in mind and I cannot agree with those last eight words at all. I do not find passages that need a healthy pruning or any pruning at all. Perhaps this is part of why getting published is so damn difficult these days with people in the business that think as the writer of that review thinks.

I highly recommend to all of you to read Fire Bell In The Night.