Facing the Enemy

Adventures of Young Joseph Williams

by Dean Hughes

Facing the Enemy follows Joseph from Far West to Haun’s Mill and Liberty Jail, and his hair-raising adventures along the way help him become the kind of young man the Prophet Joseph Smith expects him to be.

Genres: Lds Fiction, Historical Fiction

150 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Dean Hughes is the author of more than eighty books for young readers, including the popular sports series Angel Park All-Stars, the Scrappers series, the Nutty series, the widely acclaimed companion novels Family Pose and Team Picture, and Search and Destroy. Soldier Boys was selected for the 2001 New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age list. Dean Hughes and his wife, Kathleen, have three children and six grandchildren. They live in Midway, Utah.

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was totally drawn into this story. It completes the Missouri time of the early saints. I could have read more.

[Swhe641200 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Libby. Third in the series if the William family pioneers. Driven out of Independence Clay count to Illinois. Good story.

[Lisa Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

The third and final book in the series, this book finds Joseph and his family having rebuilt and made a new life in Far West, Missouri. Unfortunately, things go bad for them fairly quickly, as the Mormons are again persecuted, this time it continues to the point where the Governor of the state signs an extermination order against them, and the Prophet, Joseph Smith, is put in Liberty Jail. Young Joseph is struggling with his faith, with his anger, and with his discouragement that they will probably lose all their possessions yet again. In spite of it all, he and his family manage to find a way to continue on, even in the face of overwhelming adversity.

Because of the subject matter of this book, all dealing with true and very sad events, it tended to be a very sad book. Luckily, there is the vein of hope and faith that carries the reader and the characters through the sorrow. I read this for the first time when I was young, and I remembered liking it more then, but it is still a really good book, and a great way to deal with the sad parts of the history of the Mormon church.

[Gina]

I got this as a gift and it was pretty good. It covered some important emotional points, especially for teens who may feel conflict with their faith and with the behavior of other members of their faiths.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's evident the locals no longer want the religious Mormons among them. Now it's war and Joseph has seen much more than a 16-year old should ever have to.

[Emily]

I havent had a whole lot of time to read this book yet so I am not done yet.