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The Callahans #2
Spirit of Union: Conflict, Vol. 2: 1898-1919
It's 1917 and America has entered World War I. The Callahans have enjoyed relative peace and prosperity, but now their son has joined with thousands of other young men in "the fight to save the world for democracy." When a tragedy befalls their family, it brings with it a stern test of love. Set against turbulent, turn-of-the-century events in world history and filled with vivid historical scenes as well as tender emotion, Conflict takes the reader around the world. Author Gordon Ryan has captured the flavor of an earlier day, but he has also crafted a moving story about the forces that can unite or destroy a family regardless of the age in which they live.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
400 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 1998
10 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
About the author
Gordon Ryan
23 books14 followersPassed away November 14th, 2012. He was 69.
Gordon Ryan was a writer with a varied history. He lived and worked in six foreign nations and a dozen or more states, including Alaska. He served in the 1st Recon Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps in the aftermath of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and in the Air Force in Thailand during the Vietnam War. He also served as a member of the American Embassy staff in Dublin, Ireland, during the violent seventies. His first published novel, Dangerous Legacy, was released in 1994 and he published ten more over the intervening years with the three Pug Connor novels, the last one released in early 2011.
Gordon Ryan was a writer with a varied history. He lived and worked in six foreign nations and a dozen or more states, including Alaska. He served in the 1st Recon Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps in the aftermath of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and in the Air Force in Thailand during the Vietnam War. He also served as a member of the American Embassy staff in Dublin, Ireland, during the violent seventies. His first published novel, Dangerous Legacy, was released in 1994 and he published ten more over the intervening years with the three Pug Connor novels, the last one released in early 2011.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 17, 2012
This is the second book in the Spirit of Union series by Gordon Ryan. I read the first book several weeks ago and found it interesting. It was interesting because of the historical period, the characters and because of the insight into the LDS world.
This story picks up following the tragic ending of the first book. Katrina, having been widowed in the raid on the New Hope settlement, is left to scavenge for herself and begin to raise the baby of her friend Teresa who was killed in the attack on New Hope. And Tom, having made a fortune in the early days of the gold rush in Alaska, returns to the lower 48 in hopes of being able to clear his name of the justifiable death during his initial trek from New York City to Salt Lake City.
Tom joins forces with Katrina's brother Anders and sets out to see if Katrina can be found. They do find her and discover that their love for one another has sustained them through the dark days and they begin their life together in a small civil ceremony before returning to Salt Lake City. Using Tom's substantial fortune, they begin a life that few can imagine. Tom also uses his new found fortune to help those in need through an endowment at Holy Cross Hospital that is cared for by Sister Mary.
An extended honeymoon in Europe allows for several things. It allows time for their mansion to be built and ready upon their return. And it "allows" for the first expansion of the Callahan clan as Katrina becomes pregnant while on their extended honeymoon through all of Europe. Tom uses his fortune to build a new bank and he partners with his friend to help him manage it.
Meanwhile, Anders asserts himself and leaves the somewhat domineering father that he and Katrina have lived with. He takes Tom's place in working at Holy Cross Hospital and ultimately finds himself in Cuba along with the Catholic nursing sisters rendering aid and comfort to the soldiers in the war. Anders loses an arm rescuing wounded soldiers, but finds strength and character in that experience that will prove to be of great value. In fact, upon return to Salt Lake City following the war, he fulfills a promise he made regarding a pair of dying soldiers. And in fulfilling that promise he meets the young woman who will soon be his wife.
Both Tom and his brother-in-law succeed and prosper. Tom in business and Anders in politics.
Tom and Katrina's family grows. Although he nearly loses Katrina in the birth of the twins. Doctors urge Katrina not to have another child for fear that it may end her life. And against better judgement, she and Tom have one more child, Benjamin. The family is happy, yet there is an underlying tension that exists because of the differences in faith as expressed and held by Tom and Katrina. Tom is unwilling to convert or embrace Mormonism and Katrina will not consider Catholicism. This tension is greatest when it comes to Tom's mind concerning the eternal fate of his children since they have not been baptized in Catholic tradition. And even before that when Tom is unable to offer a priestly blessing to Katrina during her brush with death in giving birth to the twins.
The book closes with Katrina, 3 of the 4 children and Katrina's parents returning from a 6 month extended visit to Norway and the land of their heritage. Tom stays back home to deal with a conflict and labor strife in one of the mines that he and the bank owns. With the successful end to that labor conflict, Tom generously changes the transportation back to the US from a luxury liner to the latest and super luxurious new vessel, the HMS Titanic. And tragedy strikes.
Tom burns with anger and guilt because of the tragedy. What will happen because of his anger and guilt? I guess I will have to read book three to find that out.
This story picks up following the tragic ending of the first book. Katrina, having been widowed in the raid on the New Hope settlement, is left to scavenge for herself and begin to raise the baby of her friend Teresa who was killed in the attack on New Hope. And Tom, having made a fortune in the early days of the gold rush in Alaska, returns to the lower 48 in hopes of being able to clear his name of the justifiable death during his initial trek from New York City to Salt Lake City.
Tom joins forces with Katrina's brother Anders and sets out to see if Katrina can be found. They do find her and discover that their love for one another has sustained them through the dark days and they begin their life together in a small civil ceremony before returning to Salt Lake City. Using Tom's substantial fortune, they begin a life that few can imagine. Tom also uses his new found fortune to help those in need through an endowment at Holy Cross Hospital that is cared for by Sister Mary.
An extended honeymoon in Europe allows for several things. It allows time for their mansion to be built and ready upon their return. And it "allows" for the first expansion of the Callahan clan as Katrina becomes pregnant while on their extended honeymoon through all of Europe. Tom uses his fortune to build a new bank and he partners with his friend to help him manage it.
Meanwhile, Anders asserts himself and leaves the somewhat domineering father that he and Katrina have lived with. He takes Tom's place in working at Holy Cross Hospital and ultimately finds himself in Cuba along with the Catholic nursing sisters rendering aid and comfort to the soldiers in the war. Anders loses an arm rescuing wounded soldiers, but finds strength and character in that experience that will prove to be of great value. In fact, upon return to Salt Lake City following the war, he fulfills a promise he made regarding a pair of dying soldiers. And in fulfilling that promise he meets the young woman who will soon be his wife.
Both Tom and his brother-in-law succeed and prosper. Tom in business and Anders in politics.
Tom and Katrina's family grows. Although he nearly loses Katrina in the birth of the twins. Doctors urge Katrina not to have another child for fear that it may end her life. And against better judgement, she and Tom have one more child, Benjamin. The family is happy, yet there is an underlying tension that exists because of the differences in faith as expressed and held by Tom and Katrina. Tom is unwilling to convert or embrace Mormonism and Katrina will not consider Catholicism. This tension is greatest when it comes to Tom's mind concerning the eternal fate of his children since they have not been baptized in Catholic tradition. And even before that when Tom is unable to offer a priestly blessing to Katrina during her brush with death in giving birth to the twins.
The book closes with Katrina, 3 of the 4 children and Katrina's parents returning from a 6 month extended visit to Norway and the land of their heritage. Tom stays back home to deal with a conflict and labor strife in one of the mines that he and the bank owns. With the successful end to that labor conflict, Tom generously changes the transportation back to the US from a luxury liner to the latest and super luxurious new vessel, the HMS Titanic. And tragedy strikes.
Tom burns with anger and guilt because of the tragedy. What will happen because of his anger and guilt? I guess I will have to read book three to find that out.
Read
February 20, 2017A good read for sure. I'm afraid that #3 of this series might not have been written. I can only imagine what happens to Tom and Katrina.
January 26, 2012
I enjoyed this continuation of the series. I purchased the complete series, so I am getting confused as to where one book ends and the next starts. I think the descriptions are a bit off on Amazon's site. But this is definitely a great series if you like historical fiction. The spiritual debate ongoing between Katrina's Mormon faith and Tom's Catholicism is interesting. I can understand the "unequally yoked" feeling Katrina has, I just wish she would also see that Tom is in the same situation. Still an excellent entertaining read.
May 5, 2008
There was a lot of history that I didn't know much about in this novel. I have fallen in love with the Callahan family and the relationships that they share as parents and children.
January 15, 2012
This was my favorite out of the series.
December 13, 2010
Enjoyed
August 2, 2011
An okay book, but the end had a bit of the okay, is he really going to place them there, in that particular situation. A bit far fetched. I'll still probably eventually read the third book.
Want to read
October 1, 2011book 2 of the Callahans; i have book 1 on Kindle as well.
January 3, 2012
I actually didn't finish- Book 1 was great- this one didn't keep my interest as much.
February 19, 2012
Book #2 of the Callahan saga. Very good.
August 10, 2012
Not as good as the first book but I will give the third on a try
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews