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The Last Best Hope: A Civil War Era Alternate History
Historians have often asked, “What if the South had won at the Battle of Gettysburg?—what if, indeed?
1865: The South has won The Civil War; Robert E. Lee is President of the Confederate States of America; and Abraham Lincoln is paralyzed and a fugitive, protected by remnants of the defeated Union Army after being shot in the spine when Washington was sacked by the Rebels. Slavery is legal and has penetrated all sectors of the land that was once the United States of America. John Wilkes Booth, Nathan Bedford Forrest, and The Pinkertons all play a pivotal role in the shaping of the now permanently divided nation. Set in the oil boom area of Northwest Pennsylvania, THE LAST BEST HOPE follows the lives of Captain Ezekiel Edwards, Chastity Stottish, and others deeply impacted in the aftermath of both stunning victory and shameful defeat in a sweeping drama of romance, adventure, and hope for a better tomorrow.
THE LAST BEST HOPE - A CIVIL WAR ERA ALTERNATE HISTORY to be released 11/06/2012
1865: The South has won The Civil War; Robert E. Lee is President of the Confederate States of America; and Abraham Lincoln is paralyzed and a fugitive, protected by remnants of the defeated Union Army after being shot in the spine when Washington was sacked by the Rebels. Slavery is legal and has penetrated all sectors of the land that was once the United States of America. John Wilkes Booth, Nathan Bedford Forrest, and The Pinkertons all play a pivotal role in the shaping of the now permanently divided nation. Set in the oil boom area of Northwest Pennsylvania, THE LAST BEST HOPE follows the lives of Captain Ezekiel Edwards, Chastity Stottish, and others deeply impacted in the aftermath of both stunning victory and shameful defeat in a sweeping drama of romance, adventure, and hope for a better tomorrow.
THE LAST BEST HOPE - A CIVIL WAR ERA ALTERNATE HISTORY to be released 11/06/2012
263 pages, Paperback
First published November 2, 2012
253 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 28, 2020
Fuck this was bleak.
August 26, 2012
What a privilege it has been to work with author David L. Parrott on his fabulous novel THE LAST BEST HOPE - A CIVIL WAR ERA ALTERNATE HISTORY. I had never read an alternate history before and I was intrigued with the idea. What a pleasant surprise to find that it was a very believable, dramatic, and poignant tale of what life in the great United States of America might have been like if the Civil War had gone the other way. This is not a war story. It is a drama set in the oil boomtown of Pithole, Pennsylvania (now a ghost town) soon after the "War of Northern Aggression" that culminated in The Confederate of States of America. In his novel, Mr. Parrott takes the reader back to the 1860's, following the personal lives of Ezekiel Edwards, Chastity Stottish, and others as they try to pick up the pieces and make new lives after the terrible war that has permanently divided the nation. It's romantic, it's dramatic, it's high adventure. A must read.
December 10, 2012
Won this in a giveaway. I was excited about the subject matter and really wanted to like this book. Unfortunately, for me it was just OK. It had some good parts, but just wasn't what I was expecting. The book attempts to describe how life would be right after the Civil War if The South had won. The war is over, The South won, and Lincoln is crippled and in hiding. All has the potential for a great story, but it just doesn't pan out. The story just didn't flow for me and doesn't really pick up pace until the last few chapters. Overall, not bad, but not great.
November 22, 2019
I've read and watched several alternative histories of the Civil War and its aftermath over the years. This one started off pretty well and was a pleasant enough read, but it just felt like "fiction lite." It is more believable than some of Harry Turtledove's Civil War alternatives, if Confederate soldiers obtaining AK-47s seems a stretch to you. But Turtledove's writing is more polished. But if you like reading these types of stories, give it a whirl.
November 2, 2012
When a great occurrence in history is determined by a few key events, many wonder how history might have changed had those key events not happened, or happened differently. Such is the case with the Civil War. In David Parrot's, The Last Best Hope, this question is turned into the fictional story of Ezekiel Edwards and Chastity Stottish.
One of the interesting tactics of this book the mixture of both historical figures and fictional characters. Lincoln himself plays a role, and it is interesting to see Parrott's view on how Lincoln may have handled defeat. The morose, sullen, and often cranky man is far from the Lincoln most of us picture, but was portrayed in a way that felt believable. The same could be said for many of the other notable historical characters like John Wilkes-Booth and The Pinkertons. The research done on these men showed through, and the creative license taken to incorporate them into this story brought them to life.
The main characters, Ezekiel and Chastity, are both interesting characters. Ezekiel was more of a standout for me than Chastity, due partly to his larger bulk of the chapters, but also because of his deeper backstory and the confusion he is faced with after the war when he must struggle between making his fortune in this new world or standing up for what he once fought for. Chastity plays a smaller role as a willful daughter of a local tycoon. She is spirited and a lively character, but I didn't feel as though she had as much depth as Ezekiel, which made it more difficult for me to get into her character. The relationship that develops between the two was enjoyable. Their irritation at each other early on was a fun aspect, especially knowing that they really were fairly well suited for each other.
This was an interesting take on what the United States (turned Confederate) might have been like. I felt like Parrot did a good job of creating a realistic alternate history. My main issue with the book as a whole was the pacing. For those who enjoy detailed historical novels, it may not be a problem. I had been hoping for a little more excitement and struggle and less of the workings of the oil business. I found myself only becoming seriously invested in the story about halfway through the book when Lincoln's life is in danger and Ezekiel steps in to give warning and help. If there had been more of this earlier on it would have held my attention better through the first half of the book.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, but selectively. It's not going to be for everyone.
Who would I recommend this book too? I think it is mainly going to attract serious historical and Civil War era readers. Those looking for an action or adventure story may not get what they were after. Those looking for a serious romance won't be pulled in as much by Ezekiel and Chastity's story as more passionate romances. Readers who are willing to invest the time into this book will find it to be an interesting take on what might have been.
Check out my other reviews on The Edible Bookshelf
One of the interesting tactics of this book the mixture of both historical figures and fictional characters. Lincoln himself plays a role, and it is interesting to see Parrott's view on how Lincoln may have handled defeat. The morose, sullen, and often cranky man is far from the Lincoln most of us picture, but was portrayed in a way that felt believable. The same could be said for many of the other notable historical characters like John Wilkes-Booth and The Pinkertons. The research done on these men showed through, and the creative license taken to incorporate them into this story brought them to life.
The main characters, Ezekiel and Chastity, are both interesting characters. Ezekiel was more of a standout for me than Chastity, due partly to his larger bulk of the chapters, but also because of his deeper backstory and the confusion he is faced with after the war when he must struggle between making his fortune in this new world or standing up for what he once fought for. Chastity plays a smaller role as a willful daughter of a local tycoon. She is spirited and a lively character, but I didn't feel as though she had as much depth as Ezekiel, which made it more difficult for me to get into her character. The relationship that develops between the two was enjoyable. Their irritation at each other early on was a fun aspect, especially knowing that they really were fairly well suited for each other.
This was an interesting take on what the United States (turned Confederate) might have been like. I felt like Parrot did a good job of creating a realistic alternate history. My main issue with the book as a whole was the pacing. For those who enjoy detailed historical novels, it may not be a problem. I had been hoping for a little more excitement and struggle and less of the workings of the oil business. I found myself only becoming seriously invested in the story about halfway through the book when Lincoln's life is in danger and Ezekiel steps in to give warning and help. If there had been more of this earlier on it would have held my attention better through the first half of the book.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, but selectively. It's not going to be for everyone.
Who would I recommend this book too? I think it is mainly going to attract serious historical and Civil War era readers. Those looking for an action or adventure story may not get what they were after. Those looking for a serious romance won't be pulled in as much by Ezekiel and Chastity's story as more passionate romances. Readers who are willing to invest the time into this book will find it to be an interesting take on what might have been.
Check out my other reviews on The Edible Bookshelf
December 1, 2012
Originally posted at: http://www.longandshortreviews.blogsp...
What if all you thought about the Civil War was a lie?
History states that the Civil War ended in 1865 with the South surrendering. But with The Last Best Hope the reader is introduced to a world where the South hasn't fallen. In fact, the North surrendered. The concept is intriguing. What would've happened if the South got one last surge and won? What if Lincoln hadn't been assassinated? These are all interesting questions Parrott tackles.
I have to admit, at first I wasn't pulled in by the book. There are moments where the story dragged and I had to fight a bit to keep going. Also, I'm not a huge fan of first person narrative. This book is in parts. While these made the read slower for me, that might not be the case for all readers, especially those intrigued by alternate history. After a few pages, the story did pick up and there were more than a few moments of turmoil and lots of adventure. The charcters are people, though in the past, I could relate to. The small town which has become a ghost story could be any small town. Chastity and Ezekiel made a good pair, both broken in some ways, but just right for each other. I think they were the best part of the book for me.
If you've ever wondered what would've happened if the South hadn't fallen... then this might be the book you're looking for.
What if all you thought about the Civil War was a lie?
History states that the Civil War ended in 1865 with the South surrendering. But with The Last Best Hope the reader is introduced to a world where the South hasn't fallen. In fact, the North surrendered. The concept is intriguing. What would've happened if the South got one last surge and won? What if Lincoln hadn't been assassinated? These are all interesting questions Parrott tackles.
I have to admit, at first I wasn't pulled in by the book. There are moments where the story dragged and I had to fight a bit to keep going. Also, I'm not a huge fan of first person narrative. This book is in parts. While these made the read slower for me, that might not be the case for all readers, especially those intrigued by alternate history. After a few pages, the story did pick up and there were more than a few moments of turmoil and lots of adventure. The charcters are people, though in the past, I could relate to. The small town which has become a ghost story could be any small town. Chastity and Ezekiel made a good pair, both broken in some ways, but just right for each other. I think they were the best part of the book for me.
If you've ever wondered what would've happened if the South hadn't fallen... then this might be the book you're looking for.
June 4, 2013
While the book wasn't bad, it didn't give me the feeling that I needed to run out and buy my own copy right away. I'm still fairly skeptical about the alternate reality genre though and it could just be a byproduct of that hesitation.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews