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Hymns of the West #1
A Mighty Fortress
Two teens, one outlaw, alone in the wildernessJoshua and Ruth Brookings are traveling by stagecoach to finally join their parents in Montana. Attacked by murderous outlaws, the teens barely escape with their lives and must survive in the barren Wyoming and Montana territories and escape the man who's hunting them. Seven years ago, Jed Stuart ran away from home and joined Tom's gang. Jed is tired of the lawlessness and wants out. The only problem? He is the boss's right-hand man and will never be able to leave. And what's one more stagecoach robbery, anyway?Can Joshua lean on God's strength to keep himself and his sister alive until they find a town? Will Jed be able to face his anger or will it consume him completely? All three are running—the hunter and hunted. What will happen when they meet again?
346 pages, ebook
First published November 19, 2013
651 people are currently reading
1186 people want to read
About the author
Faith Blum
44 books269 followersFaith Blum is a wife, mom, administrative assistant for the Author Conservatory, author, and pianist. She’s published 30+ adventurous historical fiction books featuring realistic romance that strengthens your Christian faith. She has received an honorable mention in the Reader’s Favorite awards. When not writing, you can find her cooking from scratch, reading, spending time with her husband, or chasing her toddler.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
June 9, 2022
The theme of this story was good the ending ripped my heart out. I know this was the authors first book so I'm not gonna go into too much detail about why I personally didn't enjoy this book. I will say the middle section lagged a little, we jumped around a lot in time and heads, but...the theme the author wanted to bring through that no one is too far gone did come through there at the end and it was beautiful!
I definitely would like to read one of the author's newer books to see what her writing looks like now, I've heard she's come a long ways.
I definitely would like to read one of the author's newer books to see what her writing looks like now, I've heard she's come a long ways.
November 9, 2021
This was one of those books I just had to slog through. I was determined to finish it, but I really didn't want to. I didn't enjoy it. However, it wasn't all bad, and it may be for some people more than me.
Note: the author has improved so much since writing of this book, and I really have enjoyed her more recent works.
Plot: 3/5
It started out pretty well, but towards the middle it dragged on and on. Also, when dealing with the dual story lines of Joshua/Ruth and Jed, it skipped all over the place. One moment we'd be a month ahead, the next we'd be two months behind, the next we'd be a year ago, and so on.
Characters: 3/5
There were quite a few characters towards the end, but I easily kept them separated in my head. I didn't really like Ruth (I found her to be a bit of a Mary Sue) or Joshua (same). They both seemed judgmental to me.
I did like Jed, who was presumably the antagonist. I looked forward to seeing what happened next to him. He made me want to write a Western. I don't know why, but I just find the outlaws and sheriffs and such of the old west to be fascinating. Probably too much John Wayne ...
Setting: 3/5
The description was pretty good. I really do want to visit Montana someday. I didn't really see anything missing in this aspect. The dialogue was sometimes a little too modern.
Writing: 2/5
This book probably needs a little more editing. The worst problem was probably the head-hopping. I never knew whose head we were in, which was confusing.
Theme: 3/5
I normally love reading Christian fiction ... but in this book, I found the Christian content a little bit preachy. It was hard to get through the paragraphs of Bible that seemed put in at random. Almost everyone in this book was a Christian or became a Christian (usually remarkably easily), which I didn't find very realistic.
However, the overall theme of redemption and forgiveness was a good one - despite my not liking the portrayal of it - and I did appreciate that.
Content: 2/5
Language: n/a
Violence: robbing, outlawing, and even several murders. Never detailed, always treated as (very) wrong.
Sexual: Jed supposedly raped a girl at one point. It all happened off-screen and was dealt with pretty tastefully.
Overall: 2/5
Not my favorite book. I didn't really like it and wouldn't recommend it. However, later works by the author were much better.
~Kell
Note: the author has improved so much since writing of this book, and I really have enjoyed her more recent works.
Plot: 3/5
It started out pretty well, but towards the middle it dragged on and on. Also, when dealing with the dual story lines of Joshua/Ruth and Jed, it skipped all over the place. One moment we'd be a month ahead, the next we'd be two months behind, the next we'd be a year ago, and so on.
Characters: 3/5
There were quite a few characters towards the end, but I easily kept them separated in my head. I didn't really like Ruth (I found her to be a bit of a Mary Sue) or Joshua (same). They both seemed judgmental to me.
I did like Jed, who was presumably the antagonist. I looked forward to seeing what happened next to him. He made me want to write a Western. I don't know why, but I just find the outlaws and sheriffs and such of the old west to be fascinating. Probably too much John Wayne ...
Setting: 3/5
The description was pretty good. I really do want to visit Montana someday. I didn't really see anything missing in this aspect. The dialogue was sometimes a little too modern.
Writing: 2/5
This book probably needs a little more editing. The worst problem was probably the head-hopping. I never knew whose head we were in, which was confusing.
Theme: 3/5
I normally love reading Christian fiction ... but in this book, I found the Christian content a little bit preachy. It was hard to get through the paragraphs of Bible that seemed put in at random. Almost everyone in this book was a Christian or became a Christian (usually remarkably easily), which I didn't find very realistic.
However, the overall theme of redemption and forgiveness was a good one - despite my not liking the portrayal of it - and I did appreciate that.
Content: 2/5
Language: n/a
Violence: robbing, outlawing, and even several murders. Never detailed, always treated as (very) wrong.
Sexual: Jed supposedly raped a girl at one point. It all happened off-screen and was dealt with pretty tastefully.
Overall: 2/5
Not my favorite book. I didn't really like it and wouldn't recommend it. However, later works by the author were much better.
~Kell
November 29, 2016
3.5 Stars!
Although I don't think it's Faith's strongest work, I did enjoy this book. It flips between a brother and sister who are on their way out West, to the past and present story of the hardened outlaw they come across on their journey.
At times the switching back and forth did get confusing, but it was pretty easy to figure it out. The brother/sister relationship was really sweet! Jed's story was rocky but that made the end all that sweeter when he finally listens to what everyone is trying to tell him. Since I had actually read book 2 first (about Jed's family) it was nice to get some more background on him since we only get a few details in book 2.
Redemption is a big theme in this book and it played out well at the end. I basically just read it when I had a few minutes I could spare in my schedule, but it was always easy to pick up and pretty engrossing all the way through.
Recommended for anyone who likes historical fiction, Westerns, and stories of faith.
Although I don't think it's Faith's strongest work, I did enjoy this book. It flips between a brother and sister who are on their way out West, to the past and present story of the hardened outlaw they come across on their journey.
At times the switching back and forth did get confusing, but it was pretty easy to figure it out. The brother/sister relationship was really sweet! Jed's story was rocky but that made the end all that sweeter when he finally listens to what everyone is trying to tell him. Since I had actually read book 2 first (about Jed's family) it was nice to get some more background on him since we only get a few details in book 2.
Redemption is a big theme in this book and it played out well at the end. I basically just read it when I had a few minutes I could spare in my schedule, but it was always easy to pick up and pretty engrossing all the way through.
Recommended for anyone who likes historical fiction, Westerns, and stories of faith.
December 17, 2016
To tell you the truth, I didn't expect this book to be that great when I started reading it. But.......I was completely wrong. This book was really good!!! The story is awesome, the characters are awesome, the setting is awesome. :) I really like Jed, he is awesome! Joshua was cool too. But...Then....What....NOOOOOOO!!!! :O :O Yeah, so when I read that part I was shocked. Like, THAT was NOT supposed to happen. Oh, well. Anyways it was a really good read (besides that one part. :( ) and I really enjoyed it. I would recommend it to ages 13-14-up.
March 13, 2018
The audiobook was narrated very well!
August 27, 2016
Joshua and Ruth are on their way to meet up with their Ma and Pa on their brand new ranch, when a gang of robbers attack their stage couch. Forced to flee, the two young teens make their way, praying for God’s protection.
This story was about a 3.5 for me, I can’t say I loved it, but neither is it bad. I’m not a huge western fan, so I don’t judge stuff too harshly that isn’t my preferred genre. The story-line was good; you can keep up with what’s happening pretty easily. You really grasp that Ruth and Joshua are hard-core Christians throughout the book. The author does portray her characters very well. There’s a decent flow to the whole story.
What I didn’t care for was the repetitiveness of words. Such as, for just a random example, he moved his hand toward his gun, and grabbed his gun with his hand. Stuff like that, not that this example was used, but it did get on my nerves how words were repeated a lot. The religious tone to this book was very excessive for my taste. I just didn’t find it very realistic how these teens constantly quoted scripture, hymns, and prayed. I know this is fiction, and I’m sure maybe somewhere people do this, but for me it seemed a bit overkill. I can see how the author was trying to portray a strong message throughout her book, but I think about half the amount of scriptures would have made the dialogue less annoying for me. I did like the message of forgiveness, and honestly, it could have been just me who found all this stuff hard to swallow. I think with a tiny bit of tweeking this story could really go far. The author has a lot going for her. Overall, it was a good story with a strong Christian tone, I think a lot of people would enjoy it, if they don't mind this stuff. I was given this book for an honest review.
This story was about a 3.5 for me, I can’t say I loved it, but neither is it bad. I’m not a huge western fan, so I don’t judge stuff too harshly that isn’t my preferred genre. The story-line was good; you can keep up with what’s happening pretty easily. You really grasp that Ruth and Joshua are hard-core Christians throughout the book. The author does portray her characters very well. There’s a decent flow to the whole story.
What I didn’t care for was the repetitiveness of words. Such as, for just a random example, he moved his hand toward his gun, and grabbed his gun with his hand. Stuff like that, not that this example was used, but it did get on my nerves how words were repeated a lot. The religious tone to this book was very excessive for my taste. I just didn’t find it very realistic how these teens constantly quoted scripture, hymns, and prayed. I know this is fiction, and I’m sure maybe somewhere people do this, but for me it seemed a bit overkill. I can see how the author was trying to portray a strong message throughout her book, but I think about half the amount of scriptures would have made the dialogue less annoying for me. I did like the message of forgiveness, and honestly, it could have been just me who found all this stuff hard to swallow. I think with a tiny bit of tweeking this story could really go far. The author has a lot going for her. Overall, it was a good story with a strong Christian tone, I think a lot of people would enjoy it, if they don't mind this stuff. I was given this book for an honest review.
May 18, 2017
Two stories come together for one really good message.
Story one:
1. Joshua and Ruth receive a letter for them to come to their parent's new ranch in Montana. They had been staying with their older brother and family. On the stage going west the worst thing that they could imagine happened. Stagecoach robbers. They managed to escape but were hunted. Eluding capture they make their way to a town and eventually their new life.
2. Jed had been abused by all his life. At 14 he decides he's big enough to beat his father. At this point he leaves and never looks back. But with his lifelong rage he has no true self worth and ends up taking on a life of crime, robbing stage coaches with a gang. On his last stage coach robbery two of the passengers escape. He needs to find them to keep them from talking...permanently.
Jed never forgets about the two that got away and all he went through tracking them. Eventually he returns to a life of crime: cattle and horse rustling.
One of his most haunting memories was what he did to a young girl when he was frustrated, angry, lonely and drunk. It's never told what happened, but you are left to assume.
I was wondering how the song A Might Fortress would play into this story, other than it's sung a few times by some characters. But near the end, and with the last stanza, you realize its great significance.
Good book. Might not be good for younger readers, but for teens and up, it has a good message. No skirting the gospel here. Straight forward, and not only once. Love it when writers aren't ashamed to put it right out there and proclaim Christ boldly.
Story one:
1. Joshua and Ruth receive a letter for them to come to their parent's new ranch in Montana. They had been staying with their older brother and family. On the stage going west the worst thing that they could imagine happened. Stagecoach robbers. They managed to escape but were hunted. Eluding capture they make their way to a town and eventually their new life.
2. Jed had been abused by all his life. At 14 he decides he's big enough to beat his father. At this point he leaves and never looks back. But with his lifelong rage he has no true self worth and ends up taking on a life of crime, robbing stage coaches with a gang. On his last stage coach robbery two of the passengers escape. He needs to find them to keep them from talking...permanently.
Jed never forgets about the two that got away and all he went through tracking them. Eventually he returns to a life of crime: cattle and horse rustling.
One of his most haunting memories was what he did to a young girl when he was frustrated, angry, lonely and drunk. It's never told what happened, but you are left to assume.
I was wondering how the song A Might Fortress would play into this story, other than it's sung a few times by some characters. But near the end, and with the last stanza, you realize its great significance.
Good book. Might not be good for younger readers, but for teens and up, it has a good message. No skirting the gospel here. Straight forward, and not only once. Love it when writers aren't ashamed to put it right out there and proclaim Christ boldly.
March 26, 2015
I was so delighted when Faith offered to allow me to review her first book. I’ve been wanting to get started on her books since becoming friends with her back in November, and this was a perfect opportunity! I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Faith, so finally being able to read her books is great!
First I will say that I loved all the scripture added throughout the book. That was a total plus for me, and I am glad for it!
I thought that the writing style was perfect for its specified age group (YA), though there were a couple themes that I thought were a bit more ‘mature’. This was the author’s first published work, and while that showed in a couple instances, I think many will enjoy this book, and series.
The plot was very engaging, and kept me reading most definitely. I think the characters could’ve used a little bit more ‘depth’, but they were still likeable. And the Christian theme throughout the book was really good; I really appreciate good Christian themes in books that are evident – not hidden. The ending was a bit sad, yet redemptive and well done.
I read in one other review that a lot of the story was more ‘tell’ than ‘show’, and I found I could agree with that. And while it doesn’t hinder the story much, I think a bit more ‘showing’ would have been nice.
I am not usually a fan of Western-setting books, but I was glad to find that I enjoyed this book! :)
Thank you very much, Faith, for sending me a complimentary e-book in exchange for this review! I’m looking forward to reading the rest of your books. :)
First I will say that I loved all the scripture added throughout the book. That was a total plus for me, and I am glad for it!
I thought that the writing style was perfect for its specified age group (YA), though there were a couple themes that I thought were a bit more ‘mature’. This was the author’s first published work, and while that showed in a couple instances, I think many will enjoy this book, and series.
The plot was very engaging, and kept me reading most definitely. I think the characters could’ve used a little bit more ‘depth’, but they were still likeable. And the Christian theme throughout the book was really good; I really appreciate good Christian themes in books that are evident – not hidden. The ending was a bit sad, yet redemptive and well done.
I read in one other review that a lot of the story was more ‘tell’ than ‘show’, and I found I could agree with that. And while it doesn’t hinder the story much, I think a bit more ‘showing’ would have been nice.
I am not usually a fan of Western-setting books, but I was glad to find that I enjoyed this book! :)
Thank you very much, Faith, for sending me a complimentary e-book in exchange for this review! I’m looking forward to reading the rest of your books. :)
June 16, 2015
"A Mighty Fortress" gives a great Western feel with gunfights, trials, rugged living, and glory. It mainly follows the lives of outlaw Jed and Christian siblings Joshua and Ruth (giving a contrast between light and darkness). The reader is prodded forward by the action and adventure portrayed in these two very different lifestyles.
There are some "cheesy" parts like where the deputy easily defeats three outlaws with no problem from the two prisoners. Things turn out unbelievably well and makes me think of a "fairytale Western." It is enjoyable, just some parts not very realistic.
Because of the mention of prostitution and how one girl is treated, I would not recommend this book to young readers. It is done very discreetly, but be advised.
Some of my favorite parts were when Jed was thinking of his outlaw companions, calculating what they could have been, had they chosen to live morally, uprightly.
I also appreciated that the emphasis was not on religion but a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Having read some of Faith's more recent works, I can see how she has definitely improved in her writing and story telling. So if you didn't care for this one, try her again!
There are some "cheesy" parts like where the deputy easily defeats three outlaws with no problem from the two prisoners. Things turn out unbelievably well and makes me think of a "fairytale Western." It is enjoyable, just some parts not very realistic.
Because of the mention of prostitution and how one girl is treated, I would not recommend this book to young readers. It is done very discreetly, but be advised.
Some of my favorite parts were when Jed was thinking of his outlaw companions, calculating what they could have been, had they chosen to live morally, uprightly.
I also appreciated that the emphasis was not on religion but a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Having read some of Faith's more recent works, I can see how she has definitely improved in her writing and story telling. So if you didn't care for this one, try her again!
August 7, 2020
While I enjoyed the story line very much and look forward to reading the next book in the series, I did find the time jumps and journal entries a little distracting. It just didn’t flow very well for me like that and made me have to stop and think for a moment before I continued reading.
Things seemed to happen a bit fast in my opinion. I think the story could have been fleshed out a little more to slow down the pace so it would feel less rushed.
The spiritual aspect was really strong and I liked that the characters depended on God to get them. However, personally, I don’t like reading long Bible passages in fictional books. It never fails to make me forget where I was at in the story…
The ending was beautiful though and I nearly cried!
I have read other, more recent works by Faith Blum and would agree with other reviewers here; don’t let this be the only thing you read from her!
Things seemed to happen a bit fast in my opinion. I think the story could have been fleshed out a little more to slow down the pace so it would feel less rushed.
The spiritual aspect was really strong and I liked that the characters depended on God to get them. However, personally, I don’t like reading long Bible passages in fictional books. It never fails to make me forget where I was at in the story…
The ending was beautiful though and I nearly cried!
I have read other, more recent works by Faith Blum and would agree with other reviewers here; don’t let this be the only thing you read from her!
March 10, 2016
I really enjoyed this book! It would have been a five star, except for the lack of a good final edit. There was punctuation out of place, some run-on sentences, and a few errant apostrophes; otherwise it was great. I'll definitely be buying the second book in this series!
I loved the family relationships portrayed in the book. The clear Christian message was great, as well as the lessons about anger and forgiveness. I'm very glad to have "met" the author here on Goodreads and found out about this story.
I loved the family relationships portrayed in the book. The clear Christian message was great, as well as the lessons about anger and forgiveness. I'm very glad to have "met" the author here on Goodreads and found out about this story.
April 16, 2016
I hover between 3 and 4 stars on this one ... so 3.5! The "western-ness" felt authentic, the story was very good, and the ending was perfect and emotional, but I felt some aspects of the story's construction could be improved to make it rank higher. But I want to applaud the author for coming up with such a gripping storyline! I will want to read more of her work.
May 26, 2018
I enjoyed the simplicity, cleanness, and old-fashioned style of this story. It did draw me into the Western world. Perhaps there was more violence than I like in a story personally, but it was definitely perfectly clean. It was straightforward with a good message and characters just as I’d expect them.
January 7, 2021
I just couldn't get into this book... Some of it was too slow. Some of it was unrealistic. Some of it was good. `\_(°~°)_/` I sorta made myself finish it...
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November 10, 2022DNF at 52%.
I rarely stop reading a book when I'm over halfway through, but I've been trying to feel interested in this, and it's just not working. I did appreciate the Christian themes, though!
I rarely stop reading a book when I'm over halfway through, but I've been trying to feel interested in this, and it's just not working. I did appreciate the Christian themes, though!
February 10, 2014
I had trouble enjoying this book.
The writing quality was okay, even rather good, in a lot of places, and the characters were vivid at times, but an overuse of character names and repetitive wording made it hard to enjoy overall.
There were a lot of "transitions", or places where the author would "fast-forward" to a later time (ranging from minutes to weeks later) in the story. Quite a few of these came about right when I felt the story was getting interesting, plopping me down in some (initially) totally foreign context.
I felt that the author overdid it when it came to putting Scripture and Hymn lyrics into the book. Sometimes a whole page would be Scripture or lyrics, totally distracting me from the story. Yes, the characters were reading or quoting or singing, but I think that in this case, less is more when it comes to putting lyrics/Scripture directly into the story.
I also found several parts that sounded cliché to me--"when you want to fight it out man to man, let me know" is one example. These could have been redeemed rather easily if more detail had been added and things were scaled more to the characters' unique selves (I do think the characters were well-crafted).
Another thing that irked me throughout the story was the spelling-out of the dialect that people would be expected to have in that time period and place. It didn't seem consistent to me, and was more distracting than helpful.
This book reminded me of some other Christian stories I've read, in that there are many "spiritual experiences", most of the central characters are strong Christians* (spoiler at bottom of review that relates to this point), and generally nothing very bad happens. Also, much of the story feels surface-level, doesn't go into much detail, and overall feels painted-over, or fake.
BUT this book is still far better than those it reminded me of. There is some very real sin portrayed tactfully in one part of the book, and I applaud the author for "going there". It added more power to the story than anything else, in my opinion, both in the immediacy of it, and in its effect on the story and characters as a whole. Well done.
Even still, much of the book did feel shallow, and lacked nuance in many ways. I could not stay in the story for very long before the writing style, a typo, a cliché, ill-placed transition, or passage of imported text (that is, Scripture or lyrics) would pull me out again. I felt like I was being told a story rather than seeing it for myself. When I read a book I want to SEE the story as I read. I want it to flow naturally and make sense as it comes. I don't want to have my attention constantly redirected to what the author is trying to say or show me as if they're showing me a slideshow of related, but poorly integrated images. I would sooner they weave those pictures into a cohesive film for my mind to digest as my eyes scan the pages.
The bottom line is this: The book made me groan several times, and was hard for me to get through. That shows two things--poor execution (in my perception), and great potential. The groaning was a result of disappointment born of unreached possibility. Faith has a lot going for her becoming an amazing writer (I would say she's already very good--we all need to improve to some extent, and a given project can't condemn a writer to "bad writership" on its own). With some fine-tuning to her craft, I really look forward to seeing what she'll write in the future.
***SPOILER***
*(or are Christians by the end of the story)
The writing quality was okay, even rather good, in a lot of places, and the characters were vivid at times, but an overuse of character names and repetitive wording made it hard to enjoy overall.
There were a lot of "transitions", or places where the author would "fast-forward" to a later time (ranging from minutes to weeks later) in the story. Quite a few of these came about right when I felt the story was getting interesting, plopping me down in some (initially) totally foreign context.
I felt that the author overdid it when it came to putting Scripture and Hymn lyrics into the book. Sometimes a whole page would be Scripture or lyrics, totally distracting me from the story. Yes, the characters were reading or quoting or singing, but I think that in this case, less is more when it comes to putting lyrics/Scripture directly into the story.
I also found several parts that sounded cliché to me--"when you want to fight it out man to man, let me know" is one example. These could have been redeemed rather easily if more detail had been added and things were scaled more to the characters' unique selves (I do think the characters were well-crafted).
Another thing that irked me throughout the story was the spelling-out of the dialect that people would be expected to have in that time period and place. It didn't seem consistent to me, and was more distracting than helpful.
This book reminded me of some other Christian stories I've read, in that there are many "spiritual experiences", most of the central characters are strong Christians* (spoiler at bottom of review that relates to this point), and generally nothing very bad happens. Also, much of the story feels surface-level, doesn't go into much detail, and overall feels painted-over, or fake.
BUT this book is still far better than those it reminded me of. There is some very real sin portrayed tactfully in one part of the book, and I applaud the author for "going there". It added more power to the story than anything else, in my opinion, both in the immediacy of it, and in its effect on the story and characters as a whole. Well done.
Even still, much of the book did feel shallow, and lacked nuance in many ways. I could not stay in the story for very long before the writing style, a typo, a cliché, ill-placed transition, or passage of imported text (that is, Scripture or lyrics) would pull me out again. I felt like I was being told a story rather than seeing it for myself. When I read a book I want to SEE the story as I read. I want it to flow naturally and make sense as it comes. I don't want to have my attention constantly redirected to what the author is trying to say or show me as if they're showing me a slideshow of related, but poorly integrated images. I would sooner they weave those pictures into a cohesive film for my mind to digest as my eyes scan the pages.
The bottom line is this: The book made me groan several times, and was hard for me to get through. That shows two things--poor execution (in my perception), and great potential. The groaning was a result of disappointment born of unreached possibility. Faith has a lot going for her becoming an amazing writer (I would say she's already very good--we all need to improve to some extent, and a given project can't condemn a writer to "bad writership" on its own). With some fine-tuning to her craft, I really look forward to seeing what she'll write in the future.
***SPOILER***
*(or are Christians by the end of the story)
April 27, 2024
3 stars. I really enjoyed this book, except for one thing which I’ll mention further on. I loved Joshua and Micah—and I really liked even Matthew, Jed, and Lefty. I really enjoyed the scene where Ruth & Joshua descend the cliff and shoot the wolf while reciting the *perfect* psalm. I did skip a lot—if not most—of the Bible passages and hymns because I was in a hurry to find out what happened, and I do think there’s a little too much Scripture recitation. The writing was a bit weak, and the dialogue wasn’t very accurate to the time period sometimes, but the only major thing that bothered me was the rape, which made me (and still makes me now, thinking of it) very uncomfortable. I would have preferred a straight-out “he raped her” rather than the half-hints which give plenty to play to your imagination: “‘Well, Miss — —. Are you ready for an education you never would have dreamed of?’ ... the girl’s face would pop into his head. The fear in her eyes, the whimpers, the cries.” Those are the only details of the whole affair, and when it comes up later it’s very veiled—“what he did to her.” There’s also a mention that her chances of marriage are practically nonexistent now, and when he first sees her (I’m purposely staying vague as to who ‘he’ and ‘she’ are) it’s mentioned that she doesn’t look “like a lady of the night.” The whole thing still upsets me a lot and it knocks off a star and a half. Other than that, I loved the characters, and it was very exciting. I enjoyed the humor, and I really loved the part where Jed mulls over what the outlaws could have been, if they hadn’t decided to be outlaws. I look forwards to more of the author’s books.
A Favourite Quote: “Joshua pulled on the reins to direct Poseidon back toward town. Poseidon was reluctant to go away from the ranch, but he was obedient to his master.
‘Humans could learn a lot from horses, Poseidon. It takes a lot to break the wildness out of you, but once you are broken, you are forever obedient to your master, as long as they don’t mistreat you.’ He looked around at the rolling hills. ‘God, help me be completely broken by You and always obey without question.’”
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: “She skimmed the titles and touched the bindings with the reverence of a true book connoisseur.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “The scowl was starting to become a permanent fixture on his face. Almost as permanent as his nose. I should just give up. I’ll never catch ’em.
“Sure you will. Jest head northwest, find a town, and ask about ’em there.
“Yeah. Like no one will get suspicious ’bout me? And by then my face’ll be plastered on wanted posters everywhere.
“No it won’t. You were the only smart one and you wore a mask. They have no idea what your face looks like.
“Jed jerked his head up from his contemplation of the grass beneath his feet. ‘That’s right.’”
A Favourite Quote: “Joshua pulled on the reins to direct Poseidon back toward town. Poseidon was reluctant to go away from the ranch, but he was obedient to his master.
‘Humans could learn a lot from horses, Poseidon. It takes a lot to break the wildness out of you, but once you are broken, you are forever obedient to your master, as long as they don’t mistreat you.’ He looked around at the rolling hills. ‘God, help me be completely broken by You and always obey without question.’”
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: “She skimmed the titles and touched the bindings with the reverence of a true book connoisseur.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “The scowl was starting to become a permanent fixture on his face. Almost as permanent as his nose. I should just give up. I’ll never catch ’em.
“Sure you will. Jest head northwest, find a town, and ask about ’em there.
“Yeah. Like no one will get suspicious ’bout me? And by then my face’ll be plastered on wanted posters everywhere.
“No it won’t. You were the only smart one and you wore a mask. They have no idea what your face looks like.
“Jed jerked his head up from his contemplation of the grass beneath his feet. ‘That’s right.’”
May 11, 2019
I appreciated the message of this story, but I had a bit of a hard time connecting with the characters. I liked them (some of them, at least) from what I saw of them, but I just didn't feel like I really understood what drove them or why they made the choices they did. Sometimes Joshua and Ruth ended up feeling a little too perfect, since we didn't really see much of their struggles, while I had a hard time sorting out Jed's motivation for different actions when his thoughts and emotions tended to skip around. Not really feeling like I knew the characters also made it hard to understand what drove some of the important scenes. Even with all that, though, I did actually cry at the end, even if I'd seen it coming. :'(
There were some other things that felt like plot holes (possibly because I just needed an explanation) and times when the story felt like it moved too fast, especially in the second half. The time skips were also a little hard to keep up with, but I admit that that's a weakness of mine, so that one may be on me. ;) Also, I expected the violence with it being a Western, but there was one scene involving the mistreatment of a woman that really disturbed me. Even though it was cut before anything happened, it was very clear what was going to/had happened, and that bothered me significantly for the rest of the book.
I did really appreciate the message of the book, I liked Joshua and Ruth, and the end was very touching. I just had a hard time connecting with the book in the way I wanted to. But I plan to give the next book in the series a try and see if I enjoy it a bit more. :)
Content--violence and gunplay, including deaths; mentions of wounds and blood; mentions of a child being beaten; various criminal acts, including robbery and murder; a woman is assaulted by a man (offscreen, but it's clear what will/has happened); mentions of prostitutes and saloon girls; mentions of low-cut dresses; mentions of swearing; one use of "hell" (as a metaphor); mentions of drinking, drunkenness, and gambling
There were some other things that felt like plot holes (possibly because I just needed an explanation) and times when the story felt like it moved too fast, especially in the second half. The time skips were also a little hard to keep up with, but I admit that that's a weakness of mine, so that one may be on me. ;) Also, I expected the violence with it being a Western, but there was one scene involving the mistreatment of a woman that really disturbed me. Even though it was cut before anything happened, it was very clear what was going to/had happened, and that bothered me significantly for the rest of the book.
I did really appreciate the message of the book, I liked Joshua and Ruth, and the end was very touching. I just had a hard time connecting with the book in the way I wanted to. But I plan to give the next book in the series a try and see if I enjoy it a bit more. :)
Content--violence and gunplay, including deaths; mentions of wounds and blood; mentions of a child being beaten; various criminal acts, including robbery and murder; a woman is assaulted by a man (offscreen, but it's clear what will/has happened); mentions of prostitutes and saloon girls; mentions of low-cut dresses; mentions of swearing; one use of "hell" (as a metaphor); mentions of drinking, drunkenness, and gambling
January 13, 2014
Age Appropriate For: 13 and up for mild violence, and criminal activity
Best for Ages: 13 and up
I must admit, I didn’t think I was going to like this story or rate it very high after the first few chapters. After all, it was obvious the author has lots of room for improvement. However, in the end, I ended up giving this book four stars. Why? The story touched my heart.
It is true that sometimes this story seems to ramble. Occasionally, I felt a bit lost as to what was going on. Sometimes, the author told instead of showed. Yet, despite the imperfections in this story, the last few chapters made up for all its short comings.
The western setting felt like old Roy Rogers or Lone Ranger movies. It was fun and familiar, nothing jarring or out of the ordinary.
Joshua and Ruth start out feeling a little fake to me, but their characters strengthen as the story goes on. Joshua especially becomes a hero I admire. He protects his sister from harm and does what is right even when it was hard. The faith of the two siblings was very evident. They quote scripture often (toward the beginning it was a little over done, but it got much better) and are not ashamed to talk of their standards or beliefs with others.
My heart went out to Jed. Because of his rough childhood, he feels forced to fall into the wrong crowd. You can feel the tension within him sometimes of wanting to do what is right, but feeling trapped by his past. Jed ended up making the book work very well. Although sometimes, I didn’t understand why he was doing what he was doing.
There were some characters and scenes I didn’t think added to the book. Annabelle seemed to be thrown in for no reason other than to state the wrong kind of attention low cut dresses could make. Also, sometimes showing time passing didn’t work very well.
The ending, as I said, made up for all the short comings. Although not what I was expecting, it was so much more satisfying than anything I could have imagined. I even jot a little teary. I wish I could explain more, but I don’t want to give anything away.
I recommend this books to those who like surprise endings, strong faith, and western stories.
December 16, 2013
My initial expectation of 'A Mighty Fortress,' by Faith Blum, was that it would be a journey through the trials and tribulations of a group of poor farmers in the 19th Century American Wild West. So I was most pleasantly surprised when the book introduced the protagonist, a wild red head named Jed Stuart. It quickly became apparent that Jed was in fact one of the book's main characters, and chapters typically alternated between Jed's descent into lawlessness, and the lives of brother and sister Joshua and Ruth.
'A Mighty Fortress' is Christian fiction, but makes no attempt to create a false, rosy picture of life, but shows it in all of its horror and beauty. Joshua and Ruth set a wonderful Christian example. Jed, on the other hand, is a character we could at times sympathize with, and at others despise, and I lamented the fact that he constantly made the wrong choices.
I was pleased that I was unable to predict the ending.
A most enjoyable read.
'A Mighty Fortress' is Christian fiction, but makes no attempt to create a false, rosy picture of life, but shows it in all of its horror and beauty. Joshua and Ruth set a wonderful Christian example. Jed, on the other hand, is a character we could at times sympathize with, and at others despise, and I lamented the fact that he constantly made the wrong choices.
I was pleased that I was unable to predict the ending.
A most enjoyable read.
October 10, 2023
This was a very captivating book! I can't wait to read the next ones in the series. Apart from the writing feeling a little weak at times and the salvation scenes a little fake, it was very entertaining and inspiring. But the ending though. *bursts into tears* Such heartbreak😭
November 22, 2013
A fantastic book by a first time author who has clearly thought about the story with a simple yet clear Gospel presentation. A must read for both historical fiction fans and Christians
July 11, 2019
I actually love the song that is the title of this book--or at least the last lines of the last verse. (Good German hymn, you know. Blame Sarah Sundin and Blue Skies Tomorrow. ) So the last chapter or so of this book redeemed a lot of the not-as-good things that I read in the middle.
It was really interesting to have half of the entire book from the POV of the 'antagonist'. Honestly, I didn't seem him as much as the antagonist, for the simple reason that Joshua, the other POV, wasn't enough of a protagonist, since he didn't have much of a character arc. Jed, on the other hand, experienced most of what a character arc should consist. I wasn't really sure how Jed had such a strong conscience, since his relationship with his da was terrible (no godly teaching or example there), and his relationship with his sister wasn't really explained until very late. (And then I didn't know if he was just remembering things wrong)
As I said, Joshua didn't have much of a character arc. He didn't really have any flaws, besides a three-day argument with his brother that led to no further conflict. I would have liked to see his job as a deputy/sheriff affect his character more. His relationship with Ruth was nice, though.
The spiritual content, though not overwhelming, per say, was at times not completely realistic. For example, it was admirable of Ruth and Joshua to quote Bible verses while running from Jed, but there was no mention beforehand of them knowing long passages of scripture, nor either of them struggling to remember some words of a verse. Isn't that just a practical question? Also,
I was glad about the ending though, with its un-cliché-ness. It was sad, true, but it fit exceptionally well with the song's message.
It was really interesting to have half of the entire book from the POV of the 'antagonist'. Honestly, I didn't seem him as much as the antagonist, for the simple reason that Joshua, the other POV, wasn't enough of a protagonist, since he didn't have much of a character arc. Jed, on the other hand, experienced most of what a character arc should consist. I wasn't really sure how Jed had such a strong conscience, since his relationship with his da was terrible (no godly teaching or example there), and his relationship with his sister wasn't really explained until very late. (And then I didn't know if he was just remembering things wrong)
As I said, Joshua didn't have much of a character arc. He didn't really have any flaws, besides a three-day argument with his brother that led to no further conflict. I would have liked to see his job as a deputy/sheriff affect his character more. His relationship with Ruth was nice, though.
The spiritual content, though not overwhelming, per say, was at times not completely realistic. For example, it was admirable of Ruth and Joshua to quote Bible verses while running from Jed, but there was no mention beforehand of them knowing long passages of scripture, nor either of them struggling to remember some words of a verse. Isn't that just a practical question? Also,
I was glad about the ending though, with its un-cliché-ness. It was sad, true, but it fit exceptionally well with the song's message.
September 14, 2016
If you like sweet very Christian characters reaching out in forgiveness to a hardened criminal then this is for you. There is lots of Scripture quoted and the hymn 'A Might Fortress' is referenced on occasion.
Jed is one bad man but we see his rough childhood and are often invited into his point of view so we feel sympathy for him. Some of his victims are Christians who decide to show love, mercy and forgiveness towards him.
I do wish we could have seen Elizabeth's changing feelings towards Jed, rather than just being told about them-it would have felt fairer to see her express some anger first.
I was glad Jed's story wrapped up as it did but I wish there had been an ending for some of the other characters too. I was hoping for a little romance but that was not a part of this book.
Jed is one bad man but we see his rough childhood and are often invited into his point of view so we feel sympathy for him. Some of his victims are Christians who decide to show love, mercy and forgiveness towards him.
I do wish we could have seen Elizabeth's changing feelings towards Jed, rather than just being told about them-it would have felt fairer to see her express some anger first.
I was glad Jed's story wrapped up as it did but I wish there had been an ending for some of the other characters too. I was hoping for a little romance but that was not a part of this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2015
I hate to write these words - the meaning behind this novel and the intent behind these words is good, as I am a God Fearing, and God loving man -
But Christian undertones aside cannot make up for the poor decisions in this book.
The hardest part to follow is chapter to chapter jumps back and forth between two sets of characters, which normally is easy and fine, but it also changes time, and that is distracting - jumping back and forth eight years throws off the groove of the story, even though the author is trying to get you to know each of the characters a bit at a time.
The second problem is that in the chapters, there is a rush to get through time to make the story further in the past try to catch up to the more future time, and it gets rushed and it feels rushed.
I understand what the author wanted to do, but the good intentions do not make this an enjoyable read - and the 'western' dialect felt forced and unnatural, with some words and phrases sneaking in that would not fit the time period.
Also, the 'funny' story that was told by the coach guard was told in such a jumpy way, that the humor got lost in telling how funny the story was to the listener, that the reader doesn't get to enjoy the moment.
I received this as a Good-reads reward, and I am always honest with my reviews, and I apologize to anyone who does not agree with my assessment, but this is a poorly structure tale that does not entertain.
But Christian undertones aside cannot make up for the poor decisions in this book.
The hardest part to follow is chapter to chapter jumps back and forth between two sets of characters, which normally is easy and fine, but it also changes time, and that is distracting - jumping back and forth eight years throws off the groove of the story, even though the author is trying to get you to know each of the characters a bit at a time.
The second problem is that in the chapters, there is a rush to get through time to make the story further in the past try to catch up to the more future time, and it gets rushed and it feels rushed.
I understand what the author wanted to do, but the good intentions do not make this an enjoyable read - and the 'western' dialect felt forced and unnatural, with some words and phrases sneaking in that would not fit the time period.
Also, the 'funny' story that was told by the coach guard was told in such a jumpy way, that the humor got lost in telling how funny the story was to the listener, that the reader doesn't get to enjoy the moment.
I received this as a Good-reads reward, and I am always honest with my reviews, and I apologize to anyone who does not agree with my assessment, but this is a poorly structure tale that does not entertain.
July 13, 2017
A Mighty Fortress was amazing! It was so fun to watch how Faith Blum weaved the hymn, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, throughout the whole story. It was always running through my head while I was reading. One thing I loved about this book was the faith and forgiveness of the characters. They were always quoting scripture, praying, or singing. It was just wonderful! There was one scene halfway through the book that I didn't like. However, it was over quickly and I later found out the reason for it. I already bought the next book in the series, Be Thou My Vision. Thank you, Faith, for the wonderful story! I look forward to reading more of your books!
September 25, 2016
Well...that was different...
I sure didn't see that ending coming, and I'm feeling numb. I must go watch some mindless TV to forget that last scene
I sure didn't see that ending coming, and I'm feeling numb. I must go watch some mindless TV to forget that last scene
December 6, 2016
Wonderful story!
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were all so realistic. I will miss Jed, Joshua, Ruth, and all the others since they feel like family now.
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were all so realistic. I will miss Jed, Joshua, Ruth, and all the others since they feel like family now.
February 4, 2019
I enjoyed reading this book. But, I have problems with some parts of the book. First let me say this is not a romance novel.
The whole point of the book is to communicate the need to be "born again." And that anyone can be forgiven. There is no other point to the book.
The Author tries to equate what Saul did before he became Paul with the book character, Jed Stuart. However there is a very big difference in the two. One, Saul did what he did because he thought what he was doing was right. His opinion did not change until Jesus appeared to him, took his sight, and sent him to Ananias to restore his sight. He was strong in his Jewish faith. Jed Stuart the character is this book first believed in God. There are points when he is thinking about his life as he is involved with the gang and hiring himself as a hired gun where he has these little arguments with God. He knew what he was doing, cold blooded murdering of people just because they happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. This included men, women, and children. Didn't really think twice about it once it was decided the deed needed doing. I have not read in the bible of anyone who committed cold blooded murdered for their own gain being forgiven. There are plenty of people in the scriptures that did just that, Herod for one and Cain for another. There are others. Once, Paul saw the error of his beliefs and was converted by Jesus Christ himself. Saul who became Paul then pursued his new Christian Faith as he had his Jewish Faith before. There is no comparison between Saul who became Paul and the character Jed Stuart.
I am just not certain that a person who has done the things this character Jed Stuart did for the reasons that he did them could ever truly repent and be converted.
There were a lot of twists and turns in the book that kept my interest. Wondering just what was going to happen when Jed caught up with Joshua and Ruth. I feel the book was well written. I just don't entirely agree with the points of doctrine the author was trying to communicate. Especially not in the case of a cold blooded murderer and assassin. And, not one that knew what he was doing was totally wrong.
"A Mighty Fortress" by Martin Luther is one of my favorite Hymns.
I would have liked to have seen if a romance would develop for Joshua, Ruth, and Elizabeth. But like I said this book had nothing to do with romance.
The whole point of the book is to communicate the need to be "born again." And that anyone can be forgiven. There is no other point to the book.
The Author tries to equate what Saul did before he became Paul with the book character, Jed Stuart. However there is a very big difference in the two. One, Saul did what he did because he thought what he was doing was right. His opinion did not change until Jesus appeared to him, took his sight, and sent him to Ananias to restore his sight. He was strong in his Jewish faith. Jed Stuart the character is this book first believed in God. There are points when he is thinking about his life as he is involved with the gang and hiring himself as a hired gun where he has these little arguments with God. He knew what he was doing, cold blooded murdering of people just because they happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. This included men, women, and children. Didn't really think twice about it once it was decided the deed needed doing. I have not read in the bible of anyone who committed cold blooded murdered for their own gain being forgiven. There are plenty of people in the scriptures that did just that, Herod for one and Cain for another. There are others. Once, Paul saw the error of his beliefs and was converted by Jesus Christ himself. Saul who became Paul then pursued his new Christian Faith as he had his Jewish Faith before. There is no comparison between Saul who became Paul and the character Jed Stuart.
I am just not certain that a person who has done the things this character Jed Stuart did for the reasons that he did them could ever truly repent and be converted.
There were a lot of twists and turns in the book that kept my interest. Wondering just what was going to happen when Jed caught up with Joshua and Ruth. I feel the book was well written. I just don't entirely agree with the points of doctrine the author was trying to communicate. Especially not in the case of a cold blooded murderer and assassin. And, not one that knew what he was doing was totally wrong.
"A Mighty Fortress" by Martin Luther is one of my favorite Hymns.
I would have liked to have seen if a romance would develop for Joshua, Ruth, and Elizabeth. But like I said this book had nothing to do with romance.
November 24, 2018
This is (I believe) the first published book by Blum, and it did show in some places. We're introduced to quite a few characters right at the beginning (many of whom could've safely been left out) and some of the POV switches were a bit clunky. But I was impressed by the complexity of the story and how the author didn't shy away from writing gritty characters. Though I should warn a potential reader, the antagonist molests a young girl, which is alluded to, but not described.
I was enjoying the book up until the end. While trying to show the antagonist his need for salvation, our protagonist states: "You are not rotten to the core. I believe you still have some good hiding down in your heart somewhere."
*frustrated sighing*
According to the Bible, "There is none righteous, no, not one," (Rom. 3:10) and "...yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil..." (Ecc. 9:3b). There's so many other places where the Lord makes it clear that man truly is wicked to the core! God doesn't save us because we've got a little bit of good in us. Titus 3:5 says, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost."
But what frustrated me even more was that after becoming "saved," the antagonist never asked forgiveness from the protagonist, the people he hustled cattle from, or the girl he molested. He never even told them he was sorry!!! WHAT???!!! And you expect me to believe he's truly saved??? NUH-UH. If this happened in real life, I'd call this guy out for faking conversation so he could try to save his neck.
I'm giving this book three stars for theological reasons and the bit of violence.
I was enjoying the book up until the end. While trying to show the antagonist his need for salvation, our protagonist states: "You are not rotten to the core. I believe you still have some good hiding down in your heart somewhere."
*frustrated sighing*
According to the Bible, "There is none righteous, no, not one," (Rom. 3:10) and "...yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil..." (Ecc. 9:3b). There's so many other places where the Lord makes it clear that man truly is wicked to the core! God doesn't save us because we've got a little bit of good in us. Titus 3:5 says, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost."
But what frustrated me even more was that after becoming "saved," the antagonist never asked forgiveness from the protagonist, the people he hustled cattle from, or the girl he molested. He never even told them he was sorry!!! WHAT???!!! And you expect me to believe he's truly saved??? NUH-UH. If this happened in real life, I'd call this guy out for faking conversation so he could try to save his neck.
I'm giving this book three stars for theological reasons and the bit of violence.
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