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War in the Wasteland
Nigel Hopkins finds himself in the trenches of World War I under the command of teenage atheist, Second Lieutenant C.S Lewis. Nigel and his war dog must learn the source of true courage while facing a desperate enemy in No Man's Land in the final offensive of the war. Meanwhile, underage WAAC Elsie Fleming, working at the field hospital in Etaples, will have her idealism about war challenged by brutal realities she sees in the broken men who return from the front and the many who never return.
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Published August 15, 2017
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About the author
Douglas Bond
79 books228 followersDouglas Bond, author of more than thirty books--several now in Dutch, Portuguese, Romanian, and Korean--is father of six, and grandfather of eleven--and counting--is Director for the Oxford Creative Writing Master Class and the Carolina Creative Writing Master Class, two-time Grace Award book finalist, adjunct instructor in Church history, recent advisory member to the national committee for Reformed University Fellowship, award-winning teacher, speaker at conferences, and leader of Church history tours in Europe.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 28, 2016
This book was absolutely amazing! It is by far my favorite Douglas Bond book. Such raw emotion and vivid descriptions on the Front, yet everything was handled tactfully. I can see myself reading this one again and again!
September 1, 2016
Honestly one of the best books I've ever read. Bond manages to capture the imagination and heart of the reader and give a history lesson while at it. Especially great for CS Lewis lovers like myself.
September 12, 2023
This book was required reading for a high school English class. In the back of the book there is a World War 1 timeline and glossary. This was helpful as you read the book. I also used Google Translate to figure out what the Germans were saying in a few places. By the end of this book, you will have learned a lot about World War 1.
I loved the stories of the dog named Chip. He was a smart dog who could fetch amazing things.
This book is historical fiction and has C.S.Lewis as one of the characters, so that is a bonus. He was not a Christian at the time of his serving as a lieutenant in WW1, but he did have logical and interesting dialogue with characters that were Christian.
Some quotes I underlined...
"If there was no God there would be no atheists."
"I only remembered it," said Nigel, "because I just read it here, in Hamlet." He thumped the volume with his knuckles. "If I may say so, Jack, it does appear that Shakespeare, like Johnson, believed in God, a God who purposefully shapes our lives. Don't you think Johnson would here press his advantage, and remind you to be more careful of your reading if you intend on remaining a sound atheist."
One character in the book, Wallace, seemed to enjoy the killing. It later tells us that he killed the Germans to stop the killing. This was a different perspective.
Also, in another place, Sergeant Ayers gave a speech when the group had to shoot one of their own. Here is the speech. He is speaking to the soldier who put the whole platoon in danger by falling asleep on his watch and is now facing the firing squad.
"For you, it's come to this: military justice in wartime. I wish it were otherwise. I wish there was no war on. I wish the German Army would go home. I wish every man in our army did his duty. But there's a war on, and there are men who choose to be derelict in their duty and, thereby, place their mates in peril. 'What's done is done, and cannot be undone.' And justice must be served for it. May God have mercy on your soul."
One of the men had a blank round. No one ever knows who fired the blank, but it helps with their conscience.
I loved the stories of the dog named Chip. He was a smart dog who could fetch amazing things.
This book is historical fiction and has C.S.Lewis as one of the characters, so that is a bonus. He was not a Christian at the time of his serving as a lieutenant in WW1, but he did have logical and interesting dialogue with characters that were Christian.
Some quotes I underlined...
"If there was no God there would be no atheists."
"I only remembered it," said Nigel, "because I just read it here, in Hamlet." He thumped the volume with his knuckles. "If I may say so, Jack, it does appear that Shakespeare, like Johnson, believed in God, a God who purposefully shapes our lives. Don't you think Johnson would here press his advantage, and remind you to be more careful of your reading if you intend on remaining a sound atheist."
One character in the book, Wallace, seemed to enjoy the killing. It later tells us that he killed the Germans to stop the killing. This was a different perspective.
Also, in another place, Sergeant Ayers gave a speech when the group had to shoot one of their own. Here is the speech. He is speaking to the soldier who put the whole platoon in danger by falling asleep on his watch and is now facing the firing squad.
"For you, it's come to this: military justice in wartime. I wish it were otherwise. I wish there was no war on. I wish the German Army would go home. I wish every man in our army did his duty. But there's a war on, and there are men who choose to be derelict in their duty and, thereby, place their mates in peril. 'What's done is done, and cannot be undone.' And justice must be served for it. May God have mercy on your soul."
One of the men had a blank round. No one ever knows who fired the blank, but it helps with their conscience.
January 24, 2024
'War in the Wasteland' delivers a most realistic portrayal of life in the trenches of WWI. Through the eyes of both a private in the trenches and a WAAC nurse attending the maimed and wounded, the stark realities of this war are shown in their realistic and awful proportions. The whole novel makes for an adrenaline-producing read, especially through some intense battle scenes. The war's psychological effects on the soldiers are keenly felt as they wrestle with the horrific scenes they witness and the life ending choices and actions they encounter. Douglas Bond writes this novel realistically without romanticizing brutality; thus, some scenes are graphically portrayed in their depiction of war violence. Throughout the storyline a question is asked: Can God be found in the midst of the atrocities and horrors of war? This question is answered with a resounding "yes." 'War in the Wasteland' is one of my top reads of WWI.
August 30, 2021
A heartbreaking but realistic picture of the warfront in 1917-1918. Loved seeing this early side of C.S. Lewis and how his war experiences prepared him for his work later in life. The banter between Lewis and Johnson was great! I stayed up way too late to finish this, but it was totally worth it. A new Bond favourite!
May 13, 2025
I will definitely read more by Douglas Bond. Simply written but hauntingly told, this is a fictional account of the Front during WW2, portraying the British side, entrenched and embattled. It’s a surprising story of soldiers battling for the soul. You won’t be disappointed. Bond uses accounts of the war from CS Lewis and even quotes from his writings in places. Very rich!
February 20, 2018
Historical fiction from World War I with several characters from the writings of C.S. Lewis along with dialogues created from J. R. R. Tolkien's reflections on his time in the war. This makes for a different type of read.
December 31, 2018
4.5 STARS.
A moving World War I story, following young Nigel Hopkins and his loyal dog, Chips. It shows the tragedies of war, the camaraderie, and the stinging losses of friends. Be prepared for tears at the end.
A moving World War I story, following young Nigel Hopkins and his loyal dog, Chips. It shows the tragedies of war, the camaraderie, and the stinging losses of friends. Be prepared for tears at the end.
March 19, 2025
War in the Wasteland is an excellent yet sobering fictional personalized account of a few of those who had the terrible destiny of participating at the Battle of Vimy in WW1. I recommend it highly, especially to those who think war is fun and desirable.
March 13, 2020
Very good book for those interested in WWI history. Loved the fact that C. S. Lewis was included.
March 21, 2024
Great book! It made me feel as though I was in the trenches of World War I. All books by Douglas Bond are great, and this one is no exception.
April 17, 2018
War is not glorious contrary to the propaganda fed to young men by poets, journalists and recruiters. No, it is a gritty affair, and WWI was just as bad if not worse than many wars. Terrible living conditions in the trenches, young men on both sides who hated being there but were sent by their respective leaders, killing machines in the form of planes and bombs and machine guns that were newly brought into action. It was messy and brutal and brutalizing, and Bond does a good job of portraying it without being all bloody and overly detailed.
I have a couple of negatives, however. How did Chips reappear so fortuitously, and how did Elsie recognize him when she had never seen him before? How did Wallace know what the Germans had done to his sister? These are little details that are unanswered and detract from the story. Yes, the author uses his privilege of not having to share everything, but questions do arise. I like tighter writing.
There are numerous positives. I liked the themes of camaraderie, courage, fear, selflessness, leadership, and the good-natured theological/philosophical debates between Lewis and Johnson. The descriptions of conditions in the trenches were well done, enough so that one might smell the stench and feel the dampness. Nigel and the others are quite believable as characters. The various quotes from Shakespeare were a nice touch.
This is a book boys should read. It will inflame their passions but give them a realistic view of war.
The history is accurate, and the story moves along nicely to a decent ending.
I have a couple of negatives, however. How did Chips reappear so fortuitously, and how did Elsie recognize him when she had never seen him before? How did Wallace know what the Germans had done to his sister? These are little details that are unanswered and detract from the story. Yes, the author uses his privilege of not having to share everything, but questions do arise. I like tighter writing.
There are numerous positives. I liked the themes of camaraderie, courage, fear, selflessness, leadership, and the good-natured theological/philosophical debates between Lewis and Johnson. The descriptions of conditions in the trenches were well done, enough so that one might smell the stench and feel the dampness. Nigel and the others are quite believable as characters. The various quotes from Shakespeare were a nice touch.
This is a book boys should read. It will inflame their passions but give them a realistic view of war.
The history is accurate, and the story moves along nicely to a decent ending.
August 26, 2016
The War in the Wasteland
Set during WWI, the book is simultaneously the story of the war as seen by one young private, and a look at C. S. Lewis's early life, while he was an atheist.
I was worried about this book. I've read a couple of Douglas Bond's books, and enjoyed them, although they are definitely young adult level. However, putting C.S. Lewis into a story as a character? I was skeptical about whether he could pull it off, but over-all, I was pleased with the result. One key element was to have Lewis be a secondary character, not the main one. Also, I liked the way he put in some quotes from Lewis's writing as the words of one of the other characters arguing with him.
Set during WWI, the book is simultaneously the story of the war as seen by one young private, and a look at C. S. Lewis's early life, while he was an atheist.
I was worried about this book. I've read a couple of Douglas Bond's books, and enjoyed them, although they are definitely young adult level. However, putting C.S. Lewis into a story as a character? I was skeptical about whether he could pull it off, but over-all, I was pleased with the result. One key element was to have Lewis be a secondary character, not the main one. Also, I liked the way he put in some quotes from Lewis's writing as the words of one of the other characters arguing with him.
October 25, 2016
Another good read from Douglas Bond
I don't know if Mr. Bond has ever been in war. Certainly no one today knows first hand what the trenches were like in WWI. However, Douglas Bond did an admirable job bringing it to life (Or rather, death, would be the more appropriate word) and incorporating some of the real life facts and character from the life of C.S. Lewis to show how this time helped change him from bitter professing atheist to one of the greatest Christian apologists of all time. Though I personally prefer reading his own writings or biographies, this book was well worth reading. It was entertaining, enjoyable, and educational.
I don't know if Mr. Bond has ever been in war. Certainly no one today knows first hand what the trenches were like in WWI. However, Douglas Bond did an admirable job bringing it to life (Or rather, death, would be the more appropriate word) and incorporating some of the real life facts and character from the life of C.S. Lewis to show how this time helped change him from bitter professing atheist to one of the greatest Christian apologists of all time. Though I personally prefer reading his own writings or biographies, this book was well worth reading. It was entertaining, enjoyable, and educational.
June 14, 2016
Fiction is a habit that I gave up because theology has consumed my reading time, recently though Douglas Bond came out with a work of fiction that caught my eye. I set everything aside except devotional reading and burned through it. Good story, nice character development and no anti-hero(s), it was enjoyable with a good message that was not over the top but thought provoking. I would well recommend it to those whose outlook on life is of the post modern type.
October 9, 2019
An engaging, brutally honest telling of World War I, though no doubt still a sanitized version of what it was really like. Excellent interplay of fictional and nonfictional characters (including C. S. Lewis). I also like the details about trench art.
July 1, 2016
Creative use of Lewis' later writings mixed into fictional conversations of younger Lewis during WWI.
April 30, 2017
I really like C.S. Lewis and Mr. Bond is a very good author, so I thought this might be an intriguing book. I was not disappointed. Mr.Bond handled the seeming absurdities of the Great War wonderfully as seen through the eyes of two fictional characters: Nigel, a young British soldier placed in a platoon led by 2nd Lt. Lewis, and Elsie, a young WAAC working at a field hospital. Mr. Bond creatively incorporated thoughts from the writings of C.S. Lewis into dialogue between Lewis and his friends. Besides learning things about WW I that I did not know before (for example, how much they used dogs for communication), I got a glimpse of how Lewis might have been in his atheist years. This would be a great home education resource; a glossary of WW I terms and a timeline are included at the back of the book, and a study guide is even available on Mr. Bond's website.
July 31, 2017
This book kept me reading! As a reader, I was quickly absorbed in the story. One thing that struck me was the fact that so many soldiers were barely men...more like boys! I just thought of all the guys I knew who'd have been off to fight...some to never return.
This was also an interesting look into the life of the young and unsaved C.S. Lewis. The only reason I'm giving this 4 stars is because I think the writing itself could have been a little better. Over all, a good read.
This was also an interesting look into the life of the young and unsaved C.S. Lewis. The only reason I'm giving this 4 stars is because I think the writing itself could have been a little better. Over all, a good read.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews