And the Son will Rise

by Danielle Hircock

And the Son will Rise is a true story of courage, hope and survival, following the experiences of 18-year-old Douglas Cumper of the 24th AIF (Australian Imperial Forces) battalion during the First World War. Determined, venturesome and strong-spirited, Doug embarks on a perilous journey to the Western Front. Through confronting horrors of the front line, with his mates, he begins to question the value of life and how a turn of events can quickly tip the balance between life and death.

With trepidation, his family back home in Australia anticipates his return, while Doug feels the weight of new challenges, as he is forced to leave the past behind, becoming responsible for those men under his leadership.

And the Son will Rise demonstrates a great truth: that mateship is an anchor to the community of soldiers who share the goal of surviving, and returning home...

330 pages, Paperback

Published May 10, 2016

About the author

Danielle is a Sydney-based writer, with her first book, war biography, And the son will rise, published in May 2016. Please visit her official website to place an order or to give a review: https://daniellelahircock.wordpress.com/

She will sign books ordered and include a personalised message.

Danielle's areas of interest include biographical discourse, photography, multi-modal creative praxis, philosophy, poetry and Australian history, particularly military history.

Danielle is a tutor at the School of Humanities and Communication Arts at Western Sydney University, teaching two units in the Bachelor of Arts program.

Reviews

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not as clear on the first world war as I am the second, but this was an interesting look at portions of it through a distinctly Australian lens, showing the national feeling at the time, as well as the mateship and camaraderie that made the Australian Defence Force famous. I was a little disappointed with how the story ended, but it's non fiction, so I can't be too cut.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this on recommendation from my brother, who thought it would help with a uni course I am currently undertaking on the First World War. I am wavering between 3 to 3.5 stars for this book. Hircock has a strong writing style and her prose is emotive and easy to follow. I felt that the shifting focus between Doug, his sister and his mother was a bit distracting, although I appreciate that Hircock was trying to illustrate the issues that affected those on the homefront. This book was very well researched and it shows.