After committing a heinous act, a young German soldier dies suddenly on the battlefield and finds himself standing before God and explaining his actions. God sends the young soldier back to earth to relive the same moment until he can finally understand the true nature of the war and the sacredness of life.
I am a six-time award-winning USA indie author and illustrator based out of Nashville, TN. I write in the genre of Philosophical Fiction, which I often describe as using the art of storytelling to explore difficult questions related to morality, reality, and our pursuit of meaning.
Beneath this umbrella, I have written stories in a variety of genres including literary fiction, religious fiction, historical fiction, comedy, contemporary, fantasy, science fiction, supernatural mystery, allegory, dystopian satire, short stories, and Native American Fiction.
I have written and published three full-size books (two novels and one short story collection), six novellas/novelettes, and one dozen short stories. Additionally, I have much, much more on the way.
My most popular titles include:
• Truth and Evil: A Religious Historical Fiction Novelette Set During World War II
• The Blueberry Daughter: A Fictional Ojibwe Legend
• The Mighty Esox: A Supernatural Mystery Novel
• 13 Acorns: Modern Short Stories for Thoughtful Adults
• The Nobody Who Fought a Dragon: A Dark Comedy Novelette
• The False Treeing Hound: A Feel-Good Short Story
• The Flower from the Garbage: A Philosophical & Literary Fiction Novel
As a philosopher, I regard your time as sacred; thus, as an author, my commitment is to give the very best of myself to every story. When you read one of my stories, I want you to connect with the stories, look at life your life in new ways, learn new things, laugh, reconnect, and see yourself deeply in every character.
My hope and belief is that every story of mine will arrive in your life with serendipitous timing and synchronistic relevance to your unique life in the unique season in which you stumbled upon them. In other words, I have faith that you will find my stories, or they will find you, exactly when they are supposed to.
Although there is an endless amount of skill an author can cultivate in the art of writing, at the foundation of my dream, I am wholeheartedly committed to only ever writing stories that are worth being told. My mission is that every reader who chooses one of my stories always closes the last page feeling hopeful, slightly wiser or more thoughtful, and looking at life with rejuvenated eyesight.
I want to see people thrive and fall back in love with this miraculous existence that we are so blessed to be a part of, and writing is my life’s calling for how I can do my part to contribute to this end.
Additionally, I love to connect with every reader, and I would be delighted to hear from you. My email address is EdwardMartinBooks@gmail. com. If you would like to learn more about all my stories or new books coming soon, check out my website: EdwardMartinBooks. com
Additionally, I am pledging 10% of all my book royalties to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Someday, I will expand this list to help support other amazing organizations, but for now the St. Jude's team is doing incredible work and I cannot think of a worthier cause.
Absolutely wonderful short story. Another book by this author that will have you thinking and applying the story to your own life and psyche. I find it fascinating that the author didn't name the solider so that we all could put ourselves in the main character's shoes. Deep reflection and a beautiful touch of religion. Very good read and wonderful narration on the audio book!
I fluctuated between a general positive attitude about the story and its message of truth and a frustration over the passive writing and confusing plot.
Even as a non believer, I enjoyed the struggle of the soldier between good and evil. You don’t need a belief in a higher power to understand that these days. The conflict is powerful because the right thing can be sometimes hard to define, and even if it seems clear, choosing the right thing when self sacrifice is involved is difficult. And most of us will not face it when life and death are involved.
I thought the author often skimmed over the internal battle for the soldier, focused more on setting or describing characters than on the true battle being waged inside himself. I thought his instant move from farmer/soldier to evil rapist lacked motivation. He went from a seemingly decent person, to “oh let me rape this girl” in the blink of an eye. Only much later did we get an impression of the loss of humanity from the war. But which lifetime did that happen? I’m still not sure.
During the time in limbo, God would tell him what was needed from him to be saved but when he returned, all we got was a description of the scene describing the opportunity for him to make the right or wrong choice. Not a description of the soldier’s emotional growth. So the long conversations with god seemed pointless. So the long conversations with god seemed pointless. Also, this seems contradictory to the very nature of Christianity. God has never been so explicit with his instructions on how man should act. That’s the essence of free will.
And I never understood the inclusion of the old woman after the initial scene. Her presence was not sufficiently explained. Why change the pivotal scene for the soldier?
There’s an interesting story in here, however an editor or another writer could help organize the presentation and POV/head hopping and perhaps strengthen the narrative in terms of characterization and plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The Truth and Evil novelette outlines the results of an unjust civilization, conscienceless and monstrous. It indicates, to the souls of the faithful, that righteousness is the only path, even if the odds are against you. G. Edward Martin encourages believers to follow the Holy Spirt’s guidance and to resist the temptations that try to corrupt their spirits. He urges one to conquer their fears. Prompting them to build a relationship with God, regardless of social pressures and their own doubts.
The soldier in this story was once clueless and carefree; he was an ordinary farm boy. Training, brainwashing and manipulations manifested the evil within him; no longer sheltered or timid, he lost his innocence. He rationalized immoral acts and behaviors, found humor in grotesque mutilations and he grew habits of sickening deprivations. The soldier greeted his demise unready to answer for his revolting actions. A young man, who lived such a short life, caused so many atrocities. He couldn’t bear judgement. His prayers for redemption proceeded the consequences for his crimes. God gave him the chance to do better, to be better and to overcome his inhumane tendencies. Desperate to acquire his place in Heaven, the young soldier suffered to make amends. Coming face to face with the Devil; the young soldier saw his fellow man in a different light. To save his spirit and regain the Lord’s blessings, he endures. The young soldier is condemned until he learns God’s lessons and listens only to His voice. Through the truth, lies, humiliation, sacrifice, terror and turmoil he repents. He hopes it’s enough to solidify his place in Haven.
This book was deep and compelling. It makes the reader question the morality and ethics of a group vs. an individual. I appreciated the historical facts(events, date, names and places) the author included. The soldier’s arguments with God reminded me of Dante’s Inferno; it offered great insight into the man’s character. It was interesting to see how the young man viewed the world during his introspection.
After giving it further thought and rereading this passage, I want to share some of my revised thoughts. The overall storyline reads as a religious fiction rather than a historical fiction. To explain, the author did not add enough details in the story to immerse the reader into the 1940’s; giving historical facts about the war was not enough. This novelette concludes in two concerning ways. One, anyone can be turned evil and commit horrible acts; if they don’t serve God faithfully. Two, you can be redeemed regardless of the circumstances; as if the heinous deeds weren’t committed, consciously you may feel guilt, but repentance is enough. I’m not one to judge, but this book has sexual violence, it was highly insensitive. It was written more to absolve assailants of accountability than to save victims from horrendous crimes and abuse. It was in poor taste and sanctimonious, 1 out of 5. I don’t recommend.
G. Edward Martin's novelette "Truth and Evil" is a thought-provoking story of a young German soldier in WWII who is given chance after chance to learn the lessons God gives us all: to love your fellow man and always to speak the truth. The author wonderfully illustrates how simple this sounds yet how incredibly difficult it can be. Perfectly edited and concisely written, it is short, but it is a punch in the gut that we all need. The main character is taken through his life, again and again, in various stages so that he can be tested. He makes the wrong decision and he is back where he started. He makes the right decision, and he is presented with a new challenge. Each time he fails, he has to face God, which is more humiliating and frightening than the trial that got him there. This is a very short story, but it is proof that it doesn't take a long story to prove an important point. This was wonderfully written. I could not stop reading this until I finished it. The only people that I can see having an issue with this book are people of other religions besides Christianity. However, other religions also have views of good and evil and right and wrong. If the reader can put the labels of religions aside and read this story as an example of truth versus evil, as the title suggests, then we could all come to the same conclusion, under whatever names a person chooses. There were no grammatical errors, and the editing and the story were brilliant, so I give the book a full star rating, 5 out of 5 stars. This book is so much better than the mass of what is out there and one I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
I went on an emotional roller coaster with this book! It was so good! It follows a German soldier and not only the struggles of being a soldier but also as a person and the decisions he made and things he could have done differently and the consequences of those choices! I don’t want to give anything away, it is a short novella, but it’s worth it and packed full and so worth the read. It wld have been difficult for me as an author to write such an amazing story and to write it so well! It will stick with me for a long time!
Author G. Edward Martin - this is the second story of his that I've read so far.
This compelling novelette had me emotionally wrought. I am a slower reader, and I found myself wanting more, needing more, yet only being able to digest so much at a time. Being so emotionally charged, each time I picked up the story, I stepped into the boots and helmet of the unnamed soldier, completely aware that I would be receiving some kind of emotional and physical punches, to my gut and psyche.
It is my opinion that believers, non-believers, and everyone in between, can gain crucial lessons in this novelette. Perhaps we all need to take pause and consider the power we're giving people. Group mentality can be dangerous, as can the governance of those in authoritative roles. History tends to repeat itself....
A very powerful short novella. A christian historical fiction story set in World War II, told through the perspective of a young German soldier. There are some very dark aspects of the story but G Edward Martin does an excellent job dealing with the subject matter. The story begins with an young eager soldier entering the war, he soon finds himself in a precarious situation. A story of deeds and consequences masterfully told in a christian manner.
A short novella of a man who commits a horrible sin and then dying after. He meets God and begs to right his wrongs. God sends him back to relive that moment multiple times to fix what he did wrong and then has him see what happens when he was the other person. As well as what would happen if he continued down the path of life he chose to live.
It was a very good short story, showing you how evil can take ahold of you at any point of life.
First book I’ve read by this author. Story starts off in a time of war. The struggles and choices a soldier has to make. It is heavy on God and the Devil, but not in a way that makes the reader feel like it’s too much. I enjoyed the different ways the author told the story about the same man at different levels and times in his life. I’ll be reading more from this author.
I discovered this book through Tik Tok. I don't normally read novellas as I prefer longer works, but this was a thoughtful read. It was interesting to hear this writer's perspective of the behind the scenes battle for the soul. This was also my first independent audiobook, and I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the recording.
One of the most descriptive and moving books I have ever read. And all done in less than 70 pages. Definitely religious based with a motive. But a very powerful way to get a point across. Would highly recommend to anyone, especially a highschooler. The topic of decision making and how it impacts your life is a lesson that needs to be learned early and periodically reiterated.
I really felt bad for that girl. She was hurting, never had a chance either whether it was her choice or not. I can relate, to this. I felt sorry for the girl. She would not want to hold her head high, and or have a regular life. She would have to live in fear the rest of her life.
Wonderful but disturbing story that sums everything up about good and evil, and the choice each of us has every day. If you want to understand what Christianity is all about, read this story
This short story was absolutely enlightening. You are faced with the existential question of what would you do if you were in a situation where what was considered "right" was actually evil? Could you recognize it, would you change who you were?
G. Edward Martin writes a story so clearly convincing of the human struggle that there really is no room for improvement. It is a perfect encapsulation of the "What if I'm wrong" dilemma that so many people struggle with.
I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to read a book for more than entertainment and walk away with a thought provoking story.
I found Truth and Evil by G. Edward Martin to be a spiritually inspirational writing. The main character who is a German soldier during WW2 dies and comes back to life several times in the story. The young soldier is confronted by God about his mistakes in life each time that he dies. He and God have discussions about truth and right ways to live. The young man is sent back to Earth to relive specific days and situations so that he can grow spiritually and inspire others.
The best parts of this novelette were the conversations between the young soldier and God. God comforts the young man and reminds him of His love for him and for humanity during these talks. It is always comforting to be reminded of God’s love for us and I really enjoyed this in the novelette. It really touched me! God also empowers the soldier to make the right decisions by reminding him that he has free will to choose between truth and evil.
Several parts of this novelette were hard to read and the author warns of this in the introduction. The soldier rapes and attacks a young woman and is later himself raped and attacked. The soldier and several other characters in the novelette suffer greatly for both right and wrong decisions.
I would rate this novelette five out of five stars! I give it such an exceptional rating because I think that it is a thought provoking and spiritually inspiring writing. I am looking forward to reading other works by G. Edward Martin in the future. The writing and editing of this novelette were of exceptional quality.
This novelette is intended for adults only as it takes the reader through tragic and disturbing situations both caused by and faced by the main character. I would recommend it to my adult friends that believe in God. I think that this novelette would be a good selection for a book club or Bible study group as it would undoubtedly generate lively discussion.
Truth and Evil is a powerful short story revolving around one World War Two German Soldier's path to redemption. The most prominent theme of the story is redemption and the path it takes to get there. This was well done and really makes one ponder the question, "Does everyone deserve a chance at redemption?" The use of religion and God in this book to send the Soldier on the path to redemption was also extremely well done and gives the Soldier motivation to change. With so much negativity when it comes to religion and faith these days, it is nice to see religion portrayed positively. The tale is a timely one, as there are so many horrible things occurring all around the world today; we all may have to choose between truth and evil, just like the protagonist did. Additionally, the fact that none of the characters aside from God have a name is a good choice, as it gets the point across that anyone could be these characters at any point in time. It is also important to mention how well written the book is. The story flows perfectly, and there are no editing issues throughout, making it clear how important this story is to the author.
While the story is excellent, it has the conflict of making the readers sympathize with a rapist. This is something I feel many people will take issue with; perhaps the reason that this crime was chosen specifically is to force one to confront the idea of who deserves a chance at redemption, as many feel that rapists do not deserve a second chance. Additionally, God’s wrath should not have been the only reason the protagonist realized he had done something horrible. Had the character felt some kind of regret between the act and before meeting God, then his turn would have felt more impactful. Why are religion and God the only things pushing people to do the right thing? Should we not all strive to do the right thing because we care for one another?
Overall, this short story is a powerful tale with a message that every person in the world needs right now. This book does include sexual assault, violence, and religious themes and is not suitable for all people, especially children. However, it is a rewarding book to read and one that may change your perspective on life and redemption. I rate this book a four out of five stars.
G. Edward Martin's novelette "Truth and Evil" is a thought-provoking story of a young German soldier in WWII who is given chance after chance to learn the lessons God gives us all: to love your fellow man and always to speak the truth. The author wonderfully illustrates how simple this sounds yet how incredibly difficult it can be. Perfectly edited and concisely written, it is short, but it is a punch in the gut that we all need. The main character is taken through his life, again and again, in various stages, so that he can be tested. He makes the wrong decision and he is back where he started. He makes the right decision, and he is presented with a new challenge. Each time he fails, he has to face God, which is more humiliating and frightening than the trial that got him there. This is a very short story, but it is proof that it doesn't take a long story to prove an important point. This was wonderfully written. I could not stop reading this until I finished it. The only people that I can see having an issue with this book are people of other religions besides Christianity. However, other religions also have views of good and evil, and of right and wrong. If the reader can put the labels of religions aside and read this story as an example of truth versus evil, as the title suggests, then we could all come to the same conclusion, under whatever names a person chooses. There were no grammatical errors, and the editing and the story were brilliant, so I give the book a full star rating, 5 out of 5 stars. This book is so much better than the mass of what is out there and one I thoroughly enjoyed reading.