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In the Fire of Spring
The acclaimed sequel to The Wings of the Morning. The Civil War is still 20 years away when Rose, an escaped mulatto slave, arrives in Pequot Landing and opens a free school for "colored misses." It fuels a firestorm between the powerful Talcott family—ardent abolitionists—and the wealthy, slave-owning Grimes family.
- GenresFictionHistoricalRomance
689 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
116 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Tryon
26 books294 followersIt was Noel Coward’s partner, Gertrude Lawrence, who encouraged Tom to try acting. He made his Broadway debut in 1952 in the chorus of the musical Wish You Were Here. He also worked in television at the time, but as a production assistant. In 1955, he moved to California to try his hand at the movies, and the next year made his film debut in The Scarlet Hour (1956). Tom was cast in the title role of the Disney TV series Texas John Slaughter (1958) that made him something of a household name. He appeared in several horror and science fiction films: I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958) and Moon Pilot (1962) and in westerns: Three Violent People (1956) and Winchester '73 (1967). He was part of the all-star cast in The Longest Day (1962), a film of the World War II generation, credited with saving 20th Century Fox Studios, after the disaster of Cleopatra. He considered his best role to be in In Harm's Way (1965), which is also regarded as one of the better films about World War II.
While filming the title role in The Cardinal (1962), Tom suffered from Otto Preminger's Teutonic directing style and became physically ill. Nevertheless, Tom was nominated for a Golden Globe award in 1963. He appeared with Marilyn Monroe in her final film, Something's Got to Give (1962), but the studio fired Monroe after three weeks, and the film was never finished. That experience, along with the Cardinal ordeal, left Tom wary of studio games and weary at waiting around for the phone to ring.
After viewing the film Rosemary's Baby (1968), Tom was inspired to write his own horror novel, and in 1971 Alfred Knopf published The Other. It became an instant bestseller and was turned into a movie in 1972, which Tom wrote and produced. Thereafter, despite occasional film and TV offers, Tom gave up acting to write fiction full-time. This he did eight to ten hours a day, with pencil, on legal-sized yellow tablets. Years later, he graduated to an IBM Selectric.
The Other was followed by Lady (1975), which concerns the friendship between an eight-year-old boy and a mysterious widow in 1930s New England. His book Crowned Heads became an inspiration for the Billy Wilder film Fedora (1978), and a miniseries with Bette Davis was made from his novel Harvest Home (1978). All That Glitters (1986), a quintette of stories about thinly disguised Hollywood greats and near-greats followed. Night of the Moonbow (1989), tells of a boy driven to violence by the constant harassment he endures at a summer camp. Night Magic, about an urban street magician with wondrous powers, written shortly before his death in 1991, was posthumously published in 1995. The dust jackets and end papers of Tom's books, about which he took unusual care, are excellent examples of his gifts as an artist and graphic designer, further testimony to the breadth of his talents.
While filming the title role in The Cardinal (1962), Tom suffered from Otto Preminger's Teutonic directing style and became physically ill. Nevertheless, Tom was nominated for a Golden Globe award in 1963. He appeared with Marilyn Monroe in her final film, Something's Got to Give (1962), but the studio fired Monroe after three weeks, and the film was never finished. That experience, along with the Cardinal ordeal, left Tom wary of studio games and weary at waiting around for the phone to ring.
After viewing the film Rosemary's Baby (1968), Tom was inspired to write his own horror novel, and in 1971 Alfred Knopf published The Other. It became an instant bestseller and was turned into a movie in 1972, which Tom wrote and produced. Thereafter, despite occasional film and TV offers, Tom gave up acting to write fiction full-time. This he did eight to ten hours a day, with pencil, on legal-sized yellow tablets. Years later, he graduated to an IBM Selectric.
The Other was followed by Lady (1975), which concerns the friendship between an eight-year-old boy and a mysterious widow in 1930s New England. His book Crowned Heads became an inspiration for the Billy Wilder film Fedora (1978), and a miniseries with Bette Davis was made from his novel Harvest Home (1978). All That Glitters (1986), a quintette of stories about thinly disguised Hollywood greats and near-greats followed. Night of the Moonbow (1989), tells of a boy driven to violence by the constant harassment he endures at a summer camp. Night Magic, about an urban street magician with wondrous powers, written shortly before his death in 1991, was posthumously published in 1995. The dust jackets and end papers of Tom's books, about which he took unusual care, are excellent examples of his gifts as an artist and graphic designer, further testimony to the breadth of his talents.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 3, 2017
This was a long drawn out family epic. Too bad we will never get part three, which was to be the conclusion.
In a way this series is on the same scope as Michener's "Hawaii".
Tryon's "Kingdom Come" stories should not be missed. They are very well thought out and the layering of the story telling was second to none.
In a way this series is on the same scope as Michener's "Hawaii".
Tryon's "Kingdom Come" stories should not be missed. They are very well thought out and the layering of the story telling was second to none.
April 3, 2016
Five stars. Yes, it's long, yes, it's epic...it's also Tom Tryon. When I read the first Kingdom Come book, I was distressed to find out it was a trilogy for Mr. Tryon had passed. I am very grateful that the estate published this book along with the delightful Opal and Cupid. Thomas Tryon is one of my very favorite authors...this coming from an extremely jaded reader! He will always have a place in my heart and I am very, very happy I was able to read this book.
December 27, 2011
I would have liked this book more if it wouldn't have been so unnecessarily wordy - which is funny because I write that way too. Instead of 700 pages it could have retained the story with all of its details in about 300 pages. Ah well - happy to move on with my pleasure reading.
July 27, 2012
Tryon's attempt at an historical epic. Meh.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews