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The Camera
A young priest, Father Leauvin, is sent to the front during World War One in Verdun, France. His faith is shaken, not by war, but by love.
At the steps to his church, Father waves at a charming young lady. He turns and goes in the church where he gathers his things for his voyage to the front. One of his things is a camera, a Tourist Multiple.
He has a passion for taking pictures and this singular hobby drives his bishop, Bishop Manteau, to wonder where Father Leauvin’s heart and soul reside, with Christ or with his personal pleasures.
The bishop warns Father to mind his feelings and his faith.
Father Leauvin goes to the front and is given an escort, Sargent Phillipe Bouchard.
Sgt. Bouchard is happy to have Father with him. He’s happy because to escort a priest around means that he’ll avoid going into no man’s land. No man’s land is the dead ground that lies between the German trenches and the French trenches. Machine guns, sniper rifles, mortars and heavy artillery have their sights on that void between the enemies.
Father is mortified when the German’s attack and carnage spills over onto his cassock; he runs onto no man’s land and offers help to a downed soldier. The soldiers leg is a meaty end and Father finds himself lost in the melee; his faith and courage flee.
After the attack, Father regains his strengths. He takes pictures of the wounded, dying and the dead for the sake of other people to know what happens in war. Afterwards, he admires a picture of a woman that he met and ponders life outside his calling.
Therein lies his dilemma. He’s unsure whether to keep with his calling to Christ or give into his personal desires.
At the steps to his church, Father waves at a charming young lady. He turns and goes in the church where he gathers his things for his voyage to the front. One of his things is a camera, a Tourist Multiple.
He has a passion for taking pictures and this singular hobby drives his bishop, Bishop Manteau, to wonder where Father Leauvin’s heart and soul reside, with Christ or with his personal pleasures.
The bishop warns Father to mind his feelings and his faith.
Father Leauvin goes to the front and is given an escort, Sargent Phillipe Bouchard.
Sgt. Bouchard is happy to have Father with him. He’s happy because to escort a priest around means that he’ll avoid going into no man’s land. No man’s land is the dead ground that lies between the German trenches and the French trenches. Machine guns, sniper rifles, mortars and heavy artillery have their sights on that void between the enemies.
Father is mortified when the German’s attack and carnage spills over onto his cassock; he runs onto no man’s land and offers help to a downed soldier. The soldiers leg is a meaty end and Father finds himself lost in the melee; his faith and courage flee.
After the attack, Father regains his strengths. He takes pictures of the wounded, dying and the dead for the sake of other people to know what happens in war. Afterwards, he admires a picture of a woman that he met and ponders life outside his calling.
Therein lies his dilemma. He’s unsure whether to keep with his calling to Christ or give into his personal desires.
121 pages, Paperback
Published August 15, 2017
About the author
Michael S. Lachance
4 books29 followersI have a passion for “against the odds” stories. One of my favorite is Treaty of Versailles, The Power of Love.
Erich returns to his roots in the Nazi party to save his gay lover. The gestapo arrested Nikki and put him in Sachsenhausen Prison Camp and Erich is determined to save him or be killed with him. The story line required a lot of research and one of the gestapo headquarters near my character's home was destroyed. So, research helped me and I found out that the German government built an airport on the same spot.
In my research about the Roman Empire and my story, The Witch and The Roman, I traveled to Ostia Antica, Italy and walked the streets of my characters home in the ancient Roman village. I traveled to Rome and walked the Appian Way and toured the city. I'm grateful for the opportunity for the experience and it helped me write my book.
Two great European stories and my characters face near impossible odds.
I’m published in twenty-eight countries and I’m a member of Goodreads and Amazon Authors. I spend time with an espresso and my dog, Maisie.
Hey, thanks for reading about me and if you have a question, ask.
Yours truly,
Michael Lachance
Erich returns to his roots in the Nazi party to save his gay lover. The gestapo arrested Nikki and put him in Sachsenhausen Prison Camp and Erich is determined to save him or be killed with him. The story line required a lot of research and one of the gestapo headquarters near my character's home was destroyed. So, research helped me and I found out that the German government built an airport on the same spot.
In my research about the Roman Empire and my story, The Witch and The Roman, I traveled to Ostia Antica, Italy and walked the streets of my characters home in the ancient Roman village. I traveled to Rome and walked the Appian Way and toured the city. I'm grateful for the opportunity for the experience and it helped me write my book.
Two great European stories and my characters face near impossible odds.
I’m published in twenty-eight countries and I’m a member of Goodreads and Amazon Authors. I spend time with an espresso and my dog, Maisie.
Hey, thanks for reading about me and if you have a question, ask.
Yours truly,
Michael Lachance
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 11, 2019
I won this book/novella from Goodreads and I’m so happy that I received this novel.
This descriptions of the landscape of war and each character is written in such a way that you could visualize the events as they unfold. In parts, I had to re-read sections in the book because I wasn’t sure which character was talking and what characters was listening.
In my opinion, this book was a conceptual piece. The reader is put directly in touch of the choices that are demanded of oneself or the choices that a person has the opportunity to decide under their own control.
Fascinating novel!
This descriptions of the landscape of war and each character is written in such a way that you could visualize the events as they unfold. In parts, I had to re-read sections in the book because I wasn’t sure which character was talking and what characters was listening.
In my opinion, this book was a conceptual piece. The reader is put directly in touch of the choices that are demanded of oneself or the choices that a person has the opportunity to decide under their own control.
Fascinating novel!
November 1, 2019
Unlikely
I liked the simpleness of the story. It did seem highly unlikely that the events could occur in real life as they did in the book.
I liked the simpleness of the story. It did seem highly unlikely that the events could occur in real life as they did in the book.
November 4, 2019
I won this Kindle edition book in a Goodreads
Giveaway. Thank you to everyone involved.
Loved the book. Amazing characters!!
Giveaway. Thank you to everyone involved.
Loved the book. Amazing characters!!
October 4, 2017
Great attention to detail. Made me feel like I was living on the front line. Didn't want to put it down until I knew the fate of Father Lauvin!!
December 2, 2019
Reading this book felt like i was right there with them. Not sure if it was a happy ending !?!? - I guess no war has a happy ending! Well written, i would definitely recommend ...
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews