Independence

by Chris Bennett

"If the gunpowder is too wet to fire ... then use the bayonet." —General George Washington

SPRING 1776. With Captain Daniel Morgan captured in Quebec, Lieutenant Ethan Chambers returns home burdened by guilt but determined to carry on his mentor’s cause. As the colonies push for freedom from the English crown, he raises a company of riflemen—farmers, tradesmen, and boys barely old enough to hold a musket—and leads them north to join
General George Washington’s battered army, defending against a massive British assault on New York.

Thrust into a nightmare of chaos and retreat, Ethan and his men are outnumbered, outgunned, and relentlessly hunted through rain, mud, and snow by British redcoats and Hessian mercenaries. Each step tests his resolve as he learns to lead under fire and begins to understand, for himself, the true meaning of independence. He discovers that courage is not found
in glory, and freedom is not won through speeches, but through resolve, discipline, and the willingness to endure when defeat seems inevitable.

As the Revolution falters and winter closes in, Ethan and his soldiers march beside Washington to the frozen banks of the Delaware River where they risk everything on one final, desperate gamble that will either save the cause or end it forever.

A sweeping tale of brotherhood, sacrifice, and a young officer’s rise to command during the darkest days of the American Revolution, when the future of a nation depended on the willingness of ordinary men to claim their Independence.

409 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 14, 2026

About the author

Chris A. Bennett grew up on the shores of Klamath Lake in southeastern Oregon. For a young boy it was a dream world of water, hills, forests, and abundant wildlife. His love for action and adventure morphed into a lifelong love for books when his Mom read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings to the family on a long road trip.

It was routine and normal for the family dinner table discussions to involve history, politics, and anything interesting going on in the world. So, when he attended the University of Oregon it seemed perfectly natural (and easy) to study history and political science. But everyone said you couldn't make a living in those fields, so he decided to try his hand at Computer Science. He's been writing professionally, in the software development business for more than 35 years now.

However, Chris's thirst for adventure never faded and he began to live out his love of history onto the pages of his first book, Road to the Breaking. Once he started writing he just couldn't stop and the result is The Road to the Breaking series; an epic journey across a young nation seething with debauchery, brutality, corruption, and political intrigue, unwittingly on the brink of an unimaginable disaster: the American Civil War.

Chris currently lives near Seattle with his wife Patricia. His three adult children Nick, Rachel, and Josh also live in the Puget Sound area.

Reviews

[Avellina Balestri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit I liked the first book better than the second, in part because the dynamic between the fictional protagonist, Ethan Chambers, and the larger-than-life historical figure of Daniel Morgan felt like the heart of the narrative. With Morgan a captive in Canada for almost the entire run of the sequel, that dynamic feels broken, and I was never entirely convinced Ethan was compelling enough to be carrying the main weight of the narrative alone. There are perspective shifts, but they frankly feel rather random, jumping in a bunch of characters' heads for a little while, then back out again, but lacking a clear sense of reason for doing so beyond showing more "things happening" during the run-time of the war. The inclusions of Nathan Hale (who the protag miserably fails to save) and John Andre (who, the story seems to be telling us, is doomed *because* of Hale) feel like a rather projected set up for a future installment that does little to add to this one; but my greatest complaint is really the character assassination of one of my very favorite historical characters who is one of the main characters of my own historical fiction trilogy: General John Burgoyne. The very idea of portraying Gentleman Johnny as being known for "brutality" is utterly laughable to me, but it felt like the author felt convinced that he needed to set up a villain most likely to come into his own during the sequel so that Morgnan's Riflemen can have a "big bad" to go up against. All that having been said...the author still has a talent for writing in a stylistic sense and clearly put a great deal of research and enthusiasm into exploring his chosen subject. I look forward to seeing what he does with the next chapter of the saga which will inevitably take us to Saratoga.

[Lisa Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this authors 9 book series about the Civil War. I was excited to read about Nathan’s ancestors in the revolutionary war. At times this book did not keep my interest. I was not as familiar with the battles or the major leaders. It doesn’t have nearly as many interesting side characters as the Breaking series. I will still read book 3.

[Janie Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Interesting

Independence is a page turner! I enjoyed the history that was presented in drama and with some laughs thrown in. I am anxiously awaiting Book 3!

[Bob Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent

This book and also book 1 were good reads for me. Historical fiction at its best. Looking forward to reading the next book.

[Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

History fiction based on and combined with fact

History mixed with fiction based on fact makes an excellent read.
Well worth your time.
I am careful with my recommendations.