An enlightening piece of historical fiction based on the lives of some authentic early Americans.
It is the dawn of the eighteenth century in what would eventually become the United States of America when 16-year-old Elias Sawyer and his father are ambushed and kidnapped. Stolen from their family, their sawmilling business and their Protestant traditions, the Sawyer men are forced to travel with a tribe of hostile natives toward an unknown future. Along the way, a grueling journey of several hundred miles, their party picks up other settlers, including young children. When Elias learns what the natives want with the captives, he has to make some difficult choices to avoid antagonizing his captors. As the long months pass, Elias is fueled by a desire to return home with his father and is motivated by the promise of freedom. In time, he is able to come to terms with his lengthy imprisonment, even learning to live off the land and appreciate it in the way of the Native Americans. But prejudice can be difficult to replace with kindness, especially when matters of the heart are involved.
Sawyer’s Regret: A Contest with Circumstances is an enlightening piece of historical fiction based on the lives of some authentic early Americans. The point-of-view is told through the eyes of the English, focusing on their struggles and trials dealing with the natives in those days of bloody conflict. Barbaric actions are not avoided, nor are they told in too much graphic detail, giving readers an abbreviated look at some of the realities of New England’s history. A reluctant understanding blossoms in the heart of Elias as he finally lets his guard down and lets love in. In time with his emotional growth, the author begins to shed light on some of the misunderstood reasons behind the actions of the Native Americans, including kidnapping, particularly of children. If you want to travel back in time some 300 years and gain some insight on colonial life, Sawyer’s Regret is an unflinching story based in truth, which will capably fill in all the blanks.
