Upon the Mountains

by Gale Sears

World War I is raging in Europe. As America is drawn into the bitter conflict, Nephi Erickson comes to believe enlisting with the Marines is not only his duty, but also his best chance at making some much-needed money. He feels he has failed in his promise to care for his wife, Alaina, and their small daughter, Katie. As he leaves their tranquil Salt Lake City hillside home for a barren battlefield where disease can be as deadly as the enemy, Nephi has no idea that Alaina is carrying their second child — a child he may never see. With her husband half a world away, Alaina derives some solace from the fact that her younger sister, Eleanor, lives nearby. Nineteen-year-old Eleanor — the only woman studying medicine at the University of Utah — is soon immersed in researching treatments for the influenza pandemic ravaging the world, a scourge that will soon touch her life all too closely. An unforgettable historical drama of innocence lost - of memorable characters struggling to hold on to truth and meaning in an age of turmoil - you'll be captivated by Gale Sears' graceful weaving of time, place, and powerful emotion.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Lds Fiction, Lds, Romance, War, Novels

285 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Mommywest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set during World War I and the huge influenza epidemic, this story gives the reader a glimpse of what life was like for several family members and their friends in various locations. Also, one of the characters is a female studying to be a doctor, so the reader learns about women's rights and their struggles during that time period. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, but if the reader pays attention, it's not really a problem. I enjoyed learning more about World War I because World War II is talked about so much more than "The Great War," and there's a lot more literature about it out there. This book made me want to read other books about that time period. I also learned a lot about the flu epidemic and how truly horrible it was--and it was interesting to read this book during the H1N1 outbreak, too. As with any historical fiction or non-fiction, I find myself "likening" the things the people I'm reading about are going through to our time/our lives/my life. I find I learn a lot more that way, people from that time become more real to me, and my gratitude increases. Not only is this a great story by itself, but it also contains great lessons in faith and finding the strength to live right and well through all kinds of challenges.

[Teri · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this very stirring and magnificent climax to this vast series, I can confidently say this novel richly deserved its being a final in two categories in the first ever LDS Whitney Awards this year. From Beacon Street in San Francisco, where Ina Bell, Kerri McKee, Bid Randall, Elizabeth and Kathryn Lund live, to Sutter Creek, Ca, where The Robinson's, Daniel, The Rosamund's and Philomene Johnson all live, to Salt Lake City, where Alaina, Eleanor, Grandpa Erickson, Mother Erickson live. Eleanor takes on the life of a Med student, doing research on the 1918-19 Influenza Pandemic, where it comes a little too close to home. Across the ocean in Belguim and France, we learn of all the atrocities of The Great War through the eyes of Nephi, Daniel and James, who witness the horrors of war. What is so horrifying is that with both military and civilians, there was an estimate of 13 million casalties!!!! There were over 500,000 horses and mules lost during The Great War and the estimated deaths attributed world wide to the Influenza Pandemic were 26 million!!!! I put this book as one of my all-time favorites and highly recommend this book to everyone.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful story of a young LDS couple and their family and friends during World War I and the influenza pandemic of 1918. It's a great historical fiction and there are some wonderful facts about that time period at the end of the book that I found very interesting, albeit sad. It wasn't violent but it was a bit graphic regarding the aftermath of war, some description of soldiers who had been maimed and/or killed.

[Roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The one grandfather that I got to know, served in WWI in the Army Medical Corps, doing some of the same things as the character James in this book. He never liked to talk about the war. I can only imagine that Shell Shock was not often diagnosed, probably because most veterans never sought help. Although that generation has all moved on (as best as I understand it anyhow) this book should help the succeeding generations to understand this time period and people better, perhaps even more clearly. I know I feel like I do.

It's message of faith is awe inspiring and promotes a spirit of true learning. None of the characters made it out without some heartache, but all also made it out with some learning having been made, with at least a path toward lasting peace seen. This is one of those books that leaves you better than it found you and I am very glad I read it.

One final note about the flu pandemic portrayed in the book. The author does state some facts at the end that points toward her narrative as having cut it short and while there are some reasons to explain it away, I am glad she doesn't shy away from all the truths. With the world losing 26 million to the flu pandemic then, after already losing 13 million to the horrific war, it is a wonder more didn't lose hope from all that happened at that time. Just for perspective, the COVID-19 pandemic of today has reportedly (according to WHO) taken just under 7 million people. Not sure what the difference in numbers says about the two viruses or about the people of the two time periods, but it is still an interesting difference.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is one of the first books I've read that takes place during WWI. My heart broke as men had to live through the horrors of war and its devastation...and the after effects. Great counsel given to various individuals in the book (great helps for anyone dealing with various trials)...I want to pass the book on to those I know who are struggling to find answers as they face the problems of life. It is, of course, often hard to understand how great evil can exist when wars are raging and hundreds of thousands are dying.

It was also great to relate to the main family in the story as we have the same surname and my name if very close to that of one of the sisters. Helped me to be endeared to them. It was great to see a woman courageous enough to break through stereotypes and desire to become a doctor. Sad to be reminded of the death toll during the war and even worse to know of the death toll from the pandemic flu.

[Aneesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This third book in the series makes it all worth it!!!! I will be honest, I didn't love Alaina in the first book (perhaps mainly due to the narrator that made her sound extremely whiney) but it was worth every second of reading the first two books to get to *this* masterpiece. This story is both powerful and poignant. The author weaves together lives and hearts across the globe in a way that will change your perspective forever. The heartbreaking challenges and losses during World War I are capturing over and over from every angle, until the final picture is complete. I LOVED it. I cried and cried, tears of utter heartbreak as well of joy. The chapter covering the end of the war left me sobbing. I'm crying again just thinking about it as I write this review. Read this!! You will Love it.

I listened to the audio version on Deseret Bookshelf and the narrator was PHENOMENAL. She did voices, and accents, and she was absolutely perfect.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually listened to this audio book. It is about one family (and their relations) during WW1. I did feel like the author tried to cover too many stories at once. Maybe it was the audio book, but I felt like she was jumping from one story to the next, not allowing enough character development. I felt compassion for these people though and hope that we have learned from war in the past to prevent such travesties in the future.

[Sharyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the last book of the trilogy about Alaina, Nephi, their extended family and communities. Centering on WW1 and the flu epidemic, the characters weave through trials and struggles of survival.

[Sage · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was actually quite good! Would’ve been better without so much misogyny (usually directed at Alaina but also frequently at Eleanor) but overall pretty good

[Tasia Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Way too abrupt of an ending but the other books are out so I went straight to the next one. Great series!

[Teri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book.

I read a lot of political, educational, historical books, so from time to time I like to read what I call my "vegging books." This is one of them. I like clean romances, mysteries, historical fiction, etc.

This book was longer than most of the vegging books I read, and I appreciated that because this time around I enjoyed a longer story line (most vegging books are shorts, so I tend to read 2-3 in a row to satisfy my mental "down time".)

This book's intended audience (though clearly can be enjoyed by any) is Latter-day Saints and there are only a handful of scriptures quoted (very appropriate for the immediate situation taking place within the story), that alone with the story line helped more clearly show the applications of such scriptures in real life. I appreciate it as I always like being able to apply scripture understanding to my daily life and how to be live a better life, in a way that only scripture can do.

The story line was very engaging, and easily to follow. I don't appreciate (notice I did NOT say "like" or "care for", because I do still like them and care for them) books where the characters and story lines get so convoluted that I feel I need pen and paper to 'map' it all out in order to keep it all straight. This book did not do that, so it was an easy read.

I like the WWI setting too, and I feel like the parts that described the war and what the characters went through could easily fit into a movie screenplay. The whole book felt like I was watching a movie - that is how entertaining and engrossing it was, without going overboard.

Would not hesitate to recommend this book to anyone 13+. It has some good "morals of the story" and some solid examples of lives well-lived, something that our current world is in desperate need of, I think.

[Michelle Llewellyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unbeknownst to most readers who pick up this book, Upon the Mountains is actually the third and final book in a series by Gale Sears. The first two are Autumn Sky and Until the Dawn both easily forgettable titles. You won't be missing much if you skip the first two.
This is a work of historical fiction set in 1918 during WWI. Written in third person, taking place on two different continents, narration jumps around among a huge cast of characters, at least ten. San Francisco, Sutter Creek, California, Salt Lake City, Utah, France, Belgium, you may need to take notes while reading because it's all very hard to keep track of, making this book a challenge to get through.
There are married characters, single characters who need to be paired off, and good luck keeping the three soldiers' storylines all straight and separated because they're all fighting on separate fronts, along with all their war buddies, some of whom won't make it. And let's not forget Katie, the most annoying three-year-old you'll ever meet in a work of fiction.
There are also many typographical errors throughout the text. With so many characters, even the author herself forgets who Philomene Johnson is marrying (see page 269).
With no swearing, sex or violence, thanks to the author's LDS standards, this book is appropriate for any reader ages 12 and up. Not a bad read but unfortunately this is one of those books you'll forget the minute you finish slogging your way through it.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had potential to be really good. The two issues keeping it from being better for me are 1) too many characters to make smooth reading, and 2) there was obvious a prequel to this book though the preface nor cover indicated such.

There were so many different characters in different towns it made it difficult to read. The characters and places weren't even necessarily seperated by chapters so you never knew quite where you were until a paragraph or two into each section. It just didn't flow to me.

The author kept making mention of details of the lives of characters as though we already have an intimate knowledge of these people. I think in a good series you should still be able to pick up any of the books and still enjoy the story with or without knowledge of the previous actions of the characters. I would have liked better even if there was mention that this was a sequel like in the preface or even on the cover of the book.

The subject matter was interesting and it had potential. I especially found it fun to read about WWI since there are so many books about WWII I found it kind of refreshing.

[Rayni]

Upon the Mountains - Book 3 of 3 - Charlene Hirschi review from 3/28/08 Cache Magazine.
Review from Covenant Books:
World War I is raging in Europe. As America is drawn into the bitter conflict, Nephi Erickson comes to believe enlisting with the Marines is not only his duty, but also his best chance at making some much-needed money. He feels he has failed in his promise to care for his wife, Alaina, and their small daughter, Katie. As he leaves their tranquil Salt Lake City hillside home for a barren battlefield where disease can be as deadly as the enemy, Nephi has no idea that Alaina is carrying their second child—a child he may never see.

With her husband half a world away, Alaina derives some solace from the fact that her younger sister, Eleanor, lives nearby. Nineteen-year-old Eleanor—the only woman studying medicine at the University of Utah—is soon immersed in researching treatments for the influenza pandemic ravaging the world, a scourge that will soon touch her life all too closely.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book.
World War I is raging in Europe. As America is drawn into the conflict, Nephi Erickson comes to believe enlisting with the Marines is not only his duty, but also his best chance at making some much-needed money. He feels he has failed in his promise to care for his wife, Alaina and their small daughter Katie. As he leaves their Salt Lake City homer for the battlefield where disease can be as deadly as the enemy, Nephi has no idea that Alaine is carrying their second child, a child he may never see.
Alaina derives some solace from the fact that her younger sister, Eleanor, lives nearby. Eleanor is the only woman studying medicine at the University of Utah. Soon she will be immersed in researching treatments for the influenza epidemic raging the world. This scourge will soon touch her life very closely.
This historical drama of innocence lost is a powerful story with powerful emotion in Utah as well as the European countries.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the Third book in the "Autumn" Sky series. Please note that this book does not stand alone. You will want to read the first books in this series (Book 1: Autumn Sky, Book 2: Until The Dawn) before reading this book. While this book was written well, I think the author tried to do too much in one book. In all the books in this series, but especially this book, the author split her focus among multiple major historical events/issues including opioid addiction, the Spanish Influenza pandemic, and the World War I. For me, the changes between focus felt more like separate books with overlapping characters than one cohesive story.

[Jesse Whitehead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Few books have the emotional impact that this one does. I’m not saying that it’s great writing, in fact there are parts that are so clunky that they induce cringes. What I’m saying is that the book clearly displays the characters and makes them likeable enough that it tears you apart at all the right moments.

This is probably one of the best examples I’ve ever read of historical fiction. The characters are as ignorant as they should be for their time. World War I rages across Europe and when it ends the soldiers come home to an epidemic outbreak of the influenza. People die and are maimed brutally.

It’s a great book that will leave you with a greater appreciation for what your ancestors probably experienced first hand.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had so many main characters in so many different settings it made it hard to follow. It jumps around between at least 8 different settings, each having it's own set of characters to keep track of. On top of that sometimes the character is referred to by their first name, sometimes by the last name, and sometimes by a nickname. I was halfway through the book before I felt like I was really enjoying it. The last quarter of the book was pretty good, but I just didn't think it was worth wading through the rest of the book to get there.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book three. It is heartbreaking the atrocities of this war. On top of all that, influenza takes its own toll on the lives of these characters that are so familiar to me. I found that I couldn't wait for the war to end so that Nephi and James would come home hopefully alive.

Eleanor becomes more of a main character in this story. She is remarkable and speaks her mind so openly that it's fun.

I loved the ending to this trilogy.

[Ndshill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the third and concluding book of the series. I listened to this while returning home from AZ in March. It was the most interesting historically of the three. It dealt very well with WWI and the flu epidemic. I was disappointed that she wrapped everything up in a fairy tale ending. I would have prefered a hint that some relationships would mature into marriage rather than have everyone all matched up perfectly at the end.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells the stories of WWI from the perspective of a wife of a marine and the wife's sister, a nurse during the influenza pandemic. The reason I love historical fiction is that I learn more about history than I would if I were to read/study a history textbook. I love that I now know that there was an influenza outbreak that killed more than the casualties from WWI, even though it was so hard for the people to live at that time.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like this book as much as her other 2 books I've read--The Silence of God and Belonging to Heaven. But I do want to read it again because I want to understand the people better. Who belongs to whom; Who served together in the war, etc. For some reason I had a hard time keeping all the people straight. I did like to read what went on over in Europe during the war. My grandfather served our country in the army during WWI in Europe.

[Lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It is a WWI book with LDS characters. I've read a lot of WWII books but not much on WWI. It was interesting to see all the new things they were experiences--telephones in homes, still riding trains, tanks and airplanes with machine guns attached in war....

[Tiffany Southern · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like Michelle Bell or LDS historical fiction you'll love this book. I cried like a baby at the end. Takes place during WW1. Try and read the first two books before reading this one, but is a good book even if you haven't read the rest of the series.

[Tara · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was ok. It could have been much better if the author would have focused in on just a few of the storylines instead of running so many different situations through the book. I felt like I didn't have time to connect to the characters before I was reading about someone else.

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to read this one becuase it is the third book in the series and the author made the characters so likable that I had to find out what more I could about them. I liked this book, although some of the descriptions were hard for me to read...too gorey for me.

[Universitybabe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, This book was good but probably the least favorite of the series. A lot of extra characters were thrown in and time flew without an idea of the people and their feelings. Could have been better, I felt like she was in a hurry to end the story.

[Mindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started reading this book, and didn't realize that it had a prequel, so I stopped and went back to read the first two books, then returned to it. It tied up all the loose ends, and was a good conclusion to the story. Relatively entertaining.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this the best out of the series, although (as I found out) it wouldn't be great without reading the others. It almost came out a bit too pat, but I had a lot of empathy for the characters and loved that they were able to get back to the farm.

[Kisty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this series! You can tell you've read a good book/books, when days after you're still thinking of the characters and their lives! The first book in the series is Autumn Sky and the second is, Until the Dawn. This is the 3rd book in the Trilogy. Each book drew me in deeper and deeper!