Freedom’s Fire

by Katelyn Douglas

Leon Wagner, a determined Jewish man, finds himself trapped in the brutal reality of a Nazi concentration camp. With every ounce of his strength, he clings to the belief that he will be reunited with his beloved wife, Aadelheide, and their children. Through beatings, starvation, and the constant threat of death, Leon's journey is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of hope.

Riker Schind, an SS Lieutenant, struggles with his conscience as he uncovers the horrific truths behind the regime he serves. Haunted by his past and the role he plays in the suffering around him, Riker's journey towards redemption is fraught with peril and soul-searching decisions. His encounters with prisoners, especially with Leon, challenge his beliefs and force him to confront the darkness within his own soul.

Will Leon find the strength to survive and reunite with his family? Will Riker redeem himself from the shadows of his past? Or will they never see the light on the other side of the tunnel?

Genres: Historical Fiction

295 pages, Paperback

Published August 19, 2025

About the author

Katelyn Douglas is an author with a passion for spreading truth and her faith through fiction whose novels combine her love for History and the hope of the Gospel. She is known for her gripping and gritty narratives and relatable characters, is notorious for working on several projects at a time, and writes deep stories of faith that affirm the truth that there is no one too far gone for God to redeem.

Reviews

[Raven Markov · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a powerful story that dives into the experiences of individuals in the Holocaust. With interwoven messages about hope and redemption amid tragedy and despair, this story portrays grace and salvation in a beautiful and raw way.
I loved seeing the rich character development of both Leon and Riker throughout the book. Their journeys kept me invested in the story through their transformation and growth along the way. Only to be completed with a heartwarming ending that has me itching to see what happens in book #2!!

[Lexi T. Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, I accidentally finished that in one sitting. It was . . . wow. Just wow.
I need to read the rest of the series. This is one of those books you recommend to emotionally devastate someone because you know it’ll be worth it in the end.

Probably not a great read for those who can’t handle the tragedies of history or avoid sad books in general. It’s got a bittersweet ending and a lot of rough themes/scenes throughout, but knowing the redemption arc continues in the next books is heartening.

I need to read the next books.

This is a positive review, for those who were confused. 💔🥺

[S.L. Klein · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heart-wrenching testament of God's faithfulness, even when it's too hard to see Him moving. In Freedom's Fire, Douglas shines a light on one of history's darkest times, highlighting the despair while hinting at hope. With relatable characters and profound wisdom, his first book in a trilogy will leave you desperate to know the ending.

[Aubrey Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this book. The author's passion for God's love and mercy are evident throughout the pages of Freedom's Fire. While these themes could be illustrated in many a setting, she has risen to the challenge of painting them against the backdrop of the German side of the Second World War. This is important and timely. Eighty years on, a more accurate portrayal of the German story is needed, and Ms. Douglas offers us one in the pages of this book. My hope is that she will continue to learn as much as she can about this complicated and nuanced topic, which is too often misrepresented, and that she will continue to share her findings through wonderfully complex, relatable, and memorable characters.

[Ev · Rating 1 out of 5]

The way I want to unread this book so much. What is this for a piece of shit. It‘s so historically wrong it hurts me physically. First of all - has the author any knowledge of Jews? Jesus is not important in the Jewish religion and also they don‘t read the bible. Why tf should they read the bible, it has nothing to do with their beliefs or religion. Also how have the Jews in this book enough energy in the evening to even do something except sleep i mean the concentration camps were literally there to kill them through work. It‘s completely unrealistic and also the fact that the SS general didn‘t know what he got himself into wtf. What is he, blind? At least after crystal night everyone new what was happening especially since he was in the SS and the SS and the SA led that. That book is bullshit for representation of WW2 and it angers me that people will read that book and find it educational even though its historically wrong. It feels like the author didn‘t even research.

[Savannah McCrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars! Review to come!

[Heather Longtreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freedom’s Fire is an amazing beginning to what is bound to become a favorite series, and a must have for any accurate historical fiction lovers! The story was amazing and very touching. It was very accurate to the time, and the characters struggles, fears, and actions were authentic and realistic. Fin has to be my favorite by far, closely followed by Riker.
A HUGE plus for me was the fact that there was no trashy romance. I have become accustomed to reading historical fiction, (especially WWII era books) with an eye out for things going sketch. I’ve chucked several books that take a hard left in the area of guy-girl relationships. This book was such a refreshing change from that! The love between Leon and his wife, and Riker and his wife was sweet and gentle without becoming graphic. It was like a breath of fresh air to read.
The characters were engaging, the story was exciting and well-told. I laughed and cried, and even scolded characters a few times.
Also, I loved the beauty of the characters faith and relationships with God. Christianity was woven into the very foundations of this book, and it was honest and heartfelt. Not preachy at all!
I really can't wait for the next book to be released! It is going to be so fun to read, and I already have money set aside. The minute it's out, I'll be buying it. I can't say I've done that for many series, but this one was something else.

[Sara Thren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book.
Wow.
It's raw, it's beautiful, it's historically accurate, and, *saturated* in faith. The characters are vivid and relatable.
I cried twice.
Maybe my favorite thing about this book is the author's commitment to keeping the romantic content wholesome and sparkling clean. I've been forced to DNF more than one WWII era novel because of the fade-to-black romance scenes and I never once worried that Katelyn would do this.
Overall, really recommend for readers of historical fiction, particularly for lovers of raw and emotional, direct prose.

[Zreads · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Holocaust is a very sensitive topic, and a book that aims to spread the Gospel using the Holocaust is inherently problematic and dangerous.

[Sariel Persis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was just so absolutely phenomenal!!! I was blown away by how wonderfully it was written. Katelyn’s prose is just amazing!!! There were various noises of distress for the characters and many repetitions of “Leon/Riker, grow a brain cell!!!” I knew it would be a good book because I have friends who have recommended it, but I was blown away by just how good it is!!! I have read a LOT of historical fiction, and studied WWII history extensively because I was going to major in that historical era (which didn’t happen, but I still study WWII history). This is quite possibly the best historical fiction I have read. I really loved the attention to detail and the characters. It is historically accurate, which is great!!! I cried like 3 or 4 times—and I don’t cry at books very often. This book is going on my favorites shelf for sure.