The Sound of Distant Thunder

The Amish of Weaver's Creek #1

by Jan Drexler

Katie Stuckey and Jonas Weaver are both romantics. Seventeen-year-old Katie is starry-eyed, in love with the idea of being in love, and does not want to wait to marry Jonas until she is eighteen, despite her parents' insistence. So much can happen in a year. Twenty-year-old Jonas is taken in by the romance of soldiering, especially in defense of anti-slavery, even though he knows war is at odds with the teachings of the church. When his married brother's name comes up in the draft list, he volunteers to take his brother's place. But can the commitment Katie and Jonas have made to each other survive the separation?

From the talented pen of Jan Drexler comes this brand new Amish series set against the backdrop of the Civil War. She puts her characters to the test as they struggle to reconcile their convictions and desires while the national conflict threatens to undermine and engulf their community.

Genres: Amish, Amish Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Christian Fiction

352 pages, Paperback

Published September 18, 2018

About the author

Jan Drexler brings a unique understanding of Amish traditions and beliefs to her writing. Her ancestors were among the first Amish, Mennonite, and Brethren immigrants to Pennsylvania in the 1700s, and their experiences are the inspiration for her stories. Jan lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota with her husband of thirty-eight years, where she enjoys hiking in the Hills and spending time with their expanding family.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, all I can say is, this story blew me away! Keep the tissues close by as you are reading THE SOUND OF DISTANT THUNDER by Jan Drexler. It is the first book in The Amish of Weaver's Creek series. Once I started reading, it was very hard to stop! The twists and turns made it impossible to put down, as I had to know what was going to happen to Jonas and his brothers after so much heartache! What an awesome story. All of Jan's characters feel genuine and relatable and put your emotions on one heck of a roller coaster ride. As you are reading, you will find yourself cheering for all of them, praying they can work out their problems and be happy once again. You will also wonder how much heartache a person can stand before they completely break down and shatter.


THE SOUND OF DISTANT THUNDER takes place in 1862 during the Civil War. Jonas' brother Samuel is called to war, but Jonas goes in his place. The Amish don't believe in fighting, but Jonas hasn't been baptized yet. It had me flipping through the pages like a woman on a mission. I had to know what was going to happen to Jonas and Katie and all of the secondary characters. THE SOUND OF DISTANT THUNDER is a heart felt story that will hold you hostage until the very last page. Once you start reading, it will be very hard to put down! I found myself wishing and hoping that Katie and Jonas' love would survive the war and the distance between them. Jonas and Katie's time apart is told over a series of letters.


THE SOUND OF DISTANT THUNDER isn't your typical Amish fiction story. It is filled with quite a few subjects that aren't usually included in Amish fiction but Jan Drexler really handled the situations perfectly. I was instantly emotionally invested in all of the characters. Jan Drexler really knows how to write about personal struggles, trusting in ones faith, and forgiveness. I can not wait to read more by this wonderful and heart tugging author. I have many of her older books to read and that brings me so much joy and happiness to know they are waiting for me! This is the very first book I've read by Ms. Drexler.


I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Books. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Shirley Chapel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Sound of distant Thunder by Jan Drexler is a book I shall long remember. I have always enjoyed reading fiction books about our civil war. This book was a story about how the civil war effected the Amish people. The author made the story seem so real. I was drawn in as though I were there in Weaver Creek Ohio in 1862. This is the first full length novel I've read by the author and I can't wait to read Book two in this series.
Jonas Weaver and Katie Stuckey are two young people in love. Neither are of age yet and for this reason Katie's father refuses to allow her to marry Jonas till after her 18th birthday. That doesn't stop Jonas from making plans to build their future house. But then along comes the Civil war! How does that involve the Amish since they don't believe in wars or participating in them?
The Amish have long believed it is sinful to take part in wars or join the military. But then the State of Ohio begins the draft of men who had not volunteered to serve in the Northern Army. The draft board has given the Amish the option of paying a fee of $200. or hiring a substitute person to replace them. Unfortunately someone in the Weaver family is on the draft list. There seems to be no solution to this problem since the Amish church would shun the person should they join the army and fight in the war. To pay the fee to get off the draft list would be giving money to support the war efforts. To hire a substitute would be like hiring someone to kill another. Going to Canada would be cause for shunning. How will the Weaver family solve this crisis and remain in good standing in the church?
This is a good book for all readers of historical romance, Amish fiction and Christian Fiction. So far it's been my best read of the year. I would have gladly given more than five stars in my rating of the book. I can't recommend it enough and hope you will decide to read it.
I downloaded a Kindle ebook from the Amazon Prime Library. A positive review was not requested. All opinions expressed here are my own.

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is at the top of her game in this book, the first in a new series taking place in Ohio. A fascinating historical Civil War times Amish book. This is the first Amish book I've read about the civil war and it was vividly described which I enjoyed a lot. The plot was well thought out and written and kept me interested and wanting to turn the pages quickly. A tumultuous time in history, it's obvious the author has a passion for history and I am looking forward to the next book in this series.
#TheSoundofDistantThunder!
Pub Date 18 Sep 2018
I was given a complimentary copy through the RevellReads program. Thank you. All opinions are my own.

[Maddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very different from any other Amish book I've read and I loved it.

So what's different about it? It's set during the Civil war. I don't think I've ever read an Amish book set during that time period. I'll be honestly and say that I wasn't sure if I'd like it, but guys, it was so good!

Katie Stuckey is in love and ready to marry Jonas Weaver, but her parents won't let her for another year. Only a couple months go by when Jonas's brother is drafted. With his brother refusing to go and fight, Jonas takes his place. I absolutely loved the parts of the story with Jonas in the war. There was a lot of action and questioning on whether Jonas would make it home or not. Speaking of Jonas..

GUYS this author just about killed me on whether or not he’d live. There is another guy interested in Katie and I thought from almost the very beginning that Jonas would probably die and Katie would end up with Levi. So basically my heart was being ripped out because I wanted her to end up with Jonas but I was really stressing that she wouldn’t. Literally the whole book I was thinking “I can’t take this anymore. PLEASE tell me he lives” So does Jonas live or does Katie end up with Levi? You’ll have to find out yourself. 😉

This is one of those books that's hard to put down, and I definitely recommend it! I read it in only a few days and loved it.

"I received a free copy of this book from Revell in exchange of my honest review. All thoughts are my own"

[Lilian · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book (because of the absolutely gorgeous cover and the amazing reviews from friends), but it really disappointed me. I found it really boring and over-dramatized, and I felt like the ending + all the plot twists (except for the big one where Jonas supposedly dies, but that one I never fully believed) were extremely predictable.

There is also this one cliche in Amish fiction that I didn't think would be in this book because a lot of other reviewers said it wasn't different from any Amish book they've read before... but it was there. (said cliche is when there is at least this one person- normally a parent of the main character- who is set out to disapprove and whine about his / her child's every action, claiming it's "foolishness") And that really annoyed me. xD

Overall... I don't dislike The Sound of Distant Thunder. I just expected it to be a lot better and, I guess, different from the average Amish book, which definitely wasn't the case. 2 stars.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from the publisher via NetGalley.com. All thoughts are my own.

[Missy · Rating 5 out of 5]

When my family migrated to Iowa from Canada in the 1850's, half of the brothers moved and half stayed. My cousin did a family history notebook and included different letters, pictures, that kind of thing. But the ones that really interested me were the letters from brothers in the US to the ones in Canada. One I read over and over said "Times are tense here. There are rumors of war."

This is the story of a young man, Jonas, and woman, Katie, in 1860's who are Amish. Because they are Amish they don't think they should go to war because of their beliefs. But when the government does the draft, one brother is on the list. Because the brother has a family, Jonas decides to go in his steed. His times are not easy, but because of his nature, he spends a lot of time in hospitals caring for men who are either wounded or dying. Back home Katie is feeling the loneliness of his absence, the hurt of his going, and the worry of his life.

This is the second book this year I have read about an Amish man going off to war. The first was set in during Vietnam. I enjoyed this book very much and hope to read the second soon.

[Maureen Timerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a journey you are about to begin as you begin this story, and how I loved being in this Amish settlement, but the times are scary, the Civil War has begun, and sides are divided here in Ohio.
There are several other happenings here, and we learn more about the Amish Faith and touch on what was going on in the 1860’s.
There is also a sweet love story budding and with all that is happening you will wonder if they will ever be able to marry.
I found this historical story quite interesting on many facets and look forward to the next book in this series.

I received this book through the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review.

[Mary Jackson _TheMaryReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me this was a confusing read. I was thinking this is not the first book in the series, I have missed something somewhere.
But yes it is book one in the series The Amish of Weaver's Creek but it left me feeling really lost.
The characters were likeable for the most part. The Amish are depicted in such a way that you know Drexler knows about Amish living.
The story had some holes in it.
I gave this book 3 stars. I rad book two in the series to see if it fills in the holes.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Sound of Distant Thunder by Jan Drexler is the first story in The Amish of Weaver’s Creek series. Katie Stuckey is seventeen years old in 1862 and lives with her family on their farm near Millersburg, Ohio. She is ready to marry Jonas Weaver, but her father wants her to wait until she is eighteen. Jonas begins work on their home in his spare time. The Civil War is raging on and Jonas is against slavery. He knows the stance of the church on fighting, but Jonas has yet to be baptized. Conscription is enacted and the names for their county are drawn. Jonas is spared, but his married brother, Samuel is on the list. Samuel has a choice of paying the $200 fee or get a substitute. Samuel does not wish to pay the fee because the funds would go to the war effort nor is he comfortable with having someone go in his place. Jonas takes matters into his own hands and goes in Samuel’s place. He leaves a letter for his family, Katie and his friend, Levi. He asks Levi to keep an eye on Katie for him while he is away. Can Jonas and Katie’s love survive the choice he made and the separation? Join them on their journey in The Sound of Distant Thunder.

The Sound of Distant Thunder takes us back to April of 1862 to an Amish settlement in Ohio. I felt the author captured the time period with the viewpoints of the characters and the description of their everyday lives as well as their homes, clothing, literature, conveyances, and methods of construction. It must have been a difficult time to be a pacifist with the Civil War going on around them. Conscription had them battling their conscience versus their church teachings. Jan Drexler did a wonderful job at capturing the differing thoughts and the inner conflict. I thought The Sound of Distant Thunder was a slow paced story (it plodded along like an old horse). The first half of the book is Jonas and others rehashing the same issues regarding war over and over. Jonas debating if he will stay at home or go off to fight. The pace improves slightly after Jonas goes off to war. Christian views are prevalent throughout the book. Prayer, faith and turning our worries over to God are some of the themes. We get to see how the various Amish settlements had differences and their attempts to find common ground. The Amish in the story are portrayed as hardworking and caring individuals. I did not feel like I was reading the first book in the series. The backstory on the main characters was lacking. I was confused by Katie and her fear. She has a fear that men who are attracted to her will die. It is not fully explained until late in the book. It seemed unreasonable because she was not afraid Jonas would die if they married. Wouldn’t she be afraid to marry the man she loves? The ending was abrupt and felt incomplete. I was left with several unanswered questions. The romance between Katie and Jonas is sweet and heartwarming in the midst of such brutality. I am giving The Sound of Distant Thunder 3 out of 5 stars.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sound of Distant Thunder by Jan Drexler takes place in 1862 during the Civil War. With the conflict picking up males are being conscripted and Jonas' brother Samuel is called to war. He is married with a family, so Jonas heads off to the war office and goes in his place. The Amish don't believe in fighting, but Jonas hasn't been baptized yet, and promised himself he will serve but do it in a Godly way. He leaves behind his fiancee Katie. Will Jonas survive? Will Katie wait for him? How will Jonas reconcile killing the enemy with serving God?

This was an Amish story very different from what I had read before. The historical aspect of this story was very well written. It brought to the reader the differing views of war and killing held by the Amish as well as other Christians and Non-Christians. There were several characters that the reader comes to know well and care about. I was rooting for Jonas to find a way to survive the war and for Katie to find her place in the community while waiting for Jonas to return. I enjoyed the letters between Jonas and Katie that shared what was happening in their lives and how they were feeling about things while they were apart. My emotions were all over as I read about heartbreak, grief, love, and danger. Jan Drexler does a great job writing about situations and subjects not usually dealt with in Amish Fiction and I enjoyed her deft handling of them. This is the first book in a new series and I look forward to reading more about the Amish of Weaver's Creek. I was gifted a physical copy of this book from a friend and I thank her very much for introducing me to this author and series.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

7 hours 4 stars
On my phone I listened to The Sound of Distant Thunder written by Jan Drexler and read by Amy Melissa Bentley.
Katie Stuckey and Jonas Weaver are both romantics. Seventeen-year-old Katie is starry-eyed, in love with the idea of being in love, and does not want to wait to marry Jonas until she is eighteen, despite her parents’ insistence.

[Kav · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Jonas never worked around a problem, he worked through it." (p 55 ) -- a father's interesting observation which plays out in unexpected ways throughout the course of this first book in Drexler's The Amish of Weaver Creek series.

And what a stunning work of historical fiction! This author does her research and then brings history to life with her stories. The Sound of Distant Thunder is more than a Civil War novel. Yes it includes battles and politics and violence but Drexler has created a very intimate look at these events through the eyes of her characters -- the kind that feel like living, breathing people it's easy for a reader to bond with.

And by doing that she has brought that time in history to a truly personal level. It made a real impact on me and I found myself mulling over parallels I see in this upside down 21st century world and the decisions and conflicts each of us is faced with daily. In some ways we are very much like Jonas -- but are we looking for ways around our problems or are we courageous enough to work through them?

For all his youth, Jonas is amazing hero material. Torn between his Amish faith and his desire to see slavery abolished -- and it seems like there is no way to honour both. I love the way the story unfolds. There's plenty of day-to-day Amish living in 1862 -- and historical Amish fiction is so fascinating! There's the sweet romance between Katie and Jonas -- the impetuous impatience of young love! But this is also a very interesting time in Amish church history as different districts battle over what being Amish really means. Conflicting opinions threaten their Old Order way of doing things. Intriguing parallels here between a nation fighting for change and a church struggling to keep change out.

Jan Drexler provides exquisite storytelling with the promise of more goodness to come as future books in the Amish of Weaver's Creek series release (hopefully in the very near future!)

Book provided courtesy of Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

[Mayda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katie and Jonas are clearly in love, but her parents believe that, at age seventeen, she is too young to marry, even in the Amish community where they live. Jonas, now twenty, agrees to wait one year, to ensure the family’s blessings on their union. He and Katie must first be baptized and join the church. They makes plans for a house, which Jonas begins to build on land his father gave him. But Jonas is conflicted about the War Between the States, and the reasons for it. Even though the Amish are pacifists, he is pulled toward the war. A draft is instituted to flesh out the volunteer ranks, and when his married brother is drafted, Jonas takes that burden on himself. Author Jan Drexler has raised several interesting points in the telling of this story. She explores the urgency of young love, the responsibilities the come with it, the consequences of upholding one’s principles, and the ugly aspects of war. Well-written with engaging characters, this is the first book in what promises to be be a engrossing series.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sound of Distant Thunder started out fairly slowly for me. There were lots of interesting characters in this novel and for awhile I wondered if these characters were connected to any other books that the author has written. I don’t think they are, but the author did reference people and events from the past which made me question that.

I felt that the story sped up about halfway through the book and I became more engaged in what was going on. I think the author has established an interesting community and a cast of characters that I will want to return to in future books. While there was some conclusion by the end of the novel, I felt that the ending overall left a lot open and unfinished in order to lead into future books.

(3.5 stars)

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

You can read this review on my blog:
https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...

[Rena Ackley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Katy and Jonas, their families and the other people in Weaver's Creek gave a wonderful glimpse into the life of the Amish and also the struggles of dealing with the "outside world". The book is set during the Civil War, and Weaver's Creek is in Ohio. When the time comes for the draft, since the Amish do not believe in fighting or having anything to do with the government, the government decides they may pay $200 per person who is chosen in the draft or send a substitute. Katy and Jonas have planned on marrying but her father thinks she is too young and must wait. There is a divide between the old order Amish and some Amish a little farther away that are wanting to change things. Within families there are secrets that have been kept that lead to misunderstandings. In short many things are much the same as they are for anyone else, do you pay money to a cause you don't believe in just to not serve, do you let someone else serve in your place who may die and their blood is on your hands, do you pretend things never happened and think they won't affect others. To find out what happens to Katy, Jonas, and their families, you will have to read the book. This is not my usual genre but once I got into the book I was hooked. I received it from Just Read Tours for Win A Blind Date With a Book. The only reason it took me so long is I have been dealing with a massive amount of migraines.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Amish romance novels. For some reason, it's a genre that just is a great read for me. They read fast and sweet and just help me relax and have a nice quiet moment to myself.

This Amish fiction work is a bit different from most though as it involves the Civil War. Amish are pacifists and don't participate in wars so that might just sound like a contradiction in itself. But just because the Amish don't fight in the war doesn't mean that it doesn't affect their lives.

The Civil War is a time period I have studied a lot and I really enjoy reading books that take place in this time frame.

Of course, when I opened my blind tour package and saw this book I was intrigued. What could a young Amish couple in love and the Civil War have in common? How would they mold together? Would Jonas leave the faith? What about Katie? She has something she's running from.

I really enjoyed this book! The author is amazing and knows how to create characters that will appeal to your heart. You become invested in the book and have to find out how it ends.

Though this is not a suspense book there are elements that keep you hanging and you just have to keep reading. It was very hard to put this book down, but alas my kids did need to be fed and clothed and unforunately I can't just sit and read all the time as much as I'd love to!

This book has some bad characters and some good characters. Not that they're not all well written, but that there are some that you really just don't like. And then there are the ones who you're not too sure about.

Levi was one of those characters for me. You learn early on he struggles with pride and that he has his eye on Katie even though everyone thinks he's going to court a different girl. Even though he knows Katie and Jonas have an understanding. This immediately makes me raise an eyebrow at him. He's on my list!

You have to read this book. I don't want to give anything away but you have got to read and see what happens to Katie and Jonas. Their families are forever intertwined and I really loved getting to know them.

Now I'm off to find the next book in this series. It's a must-read for me!

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from JustRead Publicity Tours. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with several other readers that this book read like the second book in this series and not the first. Although, I only had a bit of an issue with this factor for a short period in the beginning as I got myself established with the characters and their back stories.

Yet, I liked Katie and Jonas. They did share a nice connection with one another. Jonas had a mature nature about him. While, it des come back to the fact that I did feel like I had missed something with the way this book read like the second one in the series; the characters were engaging.

The second half of the book is better than the first half. The first half was slower to set the story and the mood. Yet, in the second half there was no need to explain anything. Plus, in the second half is where the story really picked up with action. Overall, a good story.

[Trixi · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I liked: The characters! Jan Drexler created characters that become real people with real lives in my mind. I found myself caring about the community of Weaver's Creek. I've read many Amish books over the years and admire their lifestyle and principles; their sense of community is strong and family ties are tight. What one family may go through, the whole community does and you can see this in the story. When the threat of the Civil War comes knocking on their back door, they must decide what the right thing to do is. Being Old Order Amish, fighting goes against their very beliefs and way of separating themselves from the world. I watched this play out in each of the characters; how they felt, thought and acted. Secondly, I loved watching the love story unfold between Jonas Weaver and Katie Stuckey. Already committed to each other and ready to marry once they join the church. I also saw Jonas struggle with both wanting to stay true to his roots and wanting to fight in the war to free slaves. Sometimes wanting to do the right thing or making the right choice never comes easy. Katie is ready to settle down and be a wife and someday a mother. She has a bright future in front of her but with Jonas's increasing talk of wanting to join the army, she struggles too. There's just a whole lot of other elements to keep the reader interested!

What I didn't like: For me, the story started slow. The characters were introduced at a rapid fire pace and I had a hard time (at first) keeping them straight. But press on I did because I've read many great reviews on Drexler's writing, and I'm glad I stuck it out! Lastly, I really dislike how this ended. There was not a satisfying enough conclusion for me. It brought up more questions than answers and had too many loose strings for my taste. Yes, it leads me to want to read the next book, of course! It's just frustrating to me as a reader to get to the end of a great story and be left hanging on some important elements.

In conclusion: It's a great story on how a person struggles with his or her own principles, beliefs and how these shape their lives. It's also about how, even in those struggles and uncertainties, we need to leave things in God's hand and trust Him to work things out in His own timing and way. A lesson each of the characters learn and great reminders to apply to our own lives. In spite of the things I didn't like, I will be reading the rest of this series. Jan deeply involved me in her characters lives and there are questions yet to be answered!

*I received a complimentary copy from Revell and Netgalley and was under no obligation to leave a positive review. All opinions are my own. *

[Cheryl Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was part of a Blind Book Tour and received “The Sound of Distant Thunder” by author Jan Drexler. The sweetness of young love, the conflict and sorrow of the War Between the States, the wisdom of married couples mixed with faith, family and freedom drew me in from page one.
Katie Stuckey is in love with the idea of being in love and does not want to wait till she turns 18 to get married although her dad feels she is too young. She wants to honor her parents and have their blessing. Katie has a fear that a was put on her by a previous school teacher that whomever she gets close to will meet their demise.
Jonas Weaver who Katie has her eye on does not want to follow the teachings of the church especially for the abolitionist cause. Jonas brother, Samuel who is married comes up in the draft list and Jonas volunteers to take his place. The Amish are a peaceful people and do not believe in war, they were granted permission to pay $200 per man if drafted, rather than go fight. Or they can hire someone to go in their place.
He and Katie are in love, can they stay committed to one another while Jonas is off fighting the Civil War? Or does Levi who Jonas asked to look after Katie have feelings for her? Jonas has no idea of Levi’s feelings for his wife.
I am looking forward to Book Two in the series, “The Amish of Weaver’s Creek and to find out what happens. I enjoy reading about the Amish, their struggles of faith, love and hope and see how they work through everything together.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher, Revell, in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Vikki Vaught · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet Amish historical fiction novel set during the American Civil War. I enjoyed the endearing characters, and the heartfelt plot. I'm glad I took a chance on this emotionally charged story. The narrator does an excellent job of bringing the characters to life. Happy reading and listening!

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Will a young Amish man decide to risk the shame of the church with his call to serve in the Civil War? Jonas, a young man in love with the beautiful Katie, senses the strong urging to join up with the in the northern war effort. This is an unusual Amish novel in the fact that it tackles the pacifist stand their church espousals. While I found the subject matter interesting, I felt like I had missed the first in a series as some previous, apparently life-changing events are alluded to without much explanation. I thought the character of Ned needed to be further developed as a rogue, lost young man.

The novel started slow but I found it more interesting the further I read. The love between Jonas and Katie, and especially the details about the house Jonas was building for her were especially endearing.

I received a copy of this book from the author through JustRead Tours and was under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed The Sound of Distant Thunder! I thought the relationship between Jonas and Katie was sweet. I could feel Katie's angst about wanting to get married even though her parents thought she was too young and I could feel her pain when Jonas went to war. Katie's mother's issues added some depth to the book and I liked how Katie was trying to deal with things herself, but ultimately accepted help. I love how the Amish are SO helpful to each other! I was nervous for Jonas in every war scene. These scenes were fast paced and not glossed over. I loved how Jonas was so caring toward the injured soldiers, even the enemy soldiers. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

THE SOUND OF DISTANT THUNDER is the first book in Ms. Drexler's Weaver's Creek series. Ms. Drexler is a talented author, who knows her craft and has a lovely voice, but I felt somewhat lost as I read and realized there were irrational fears that all men who like her or are attracted to her die. Except Jonas. I'm not sure why she doesn't have that fear about him. The fears never did play out as I thought they might and really weren't explained (unless I missed it).



The ending also seemed really rushed to me.



Katie is seventeen and Jonas is twenty and he wants to marry Katie but has to wait for her to turn eighteen and not only that but he is fascinated by the idea of war and when the opportunity comes up to go in his brother's place, he's on it.



Most of the story takes place with them separated. They write really sweet letters, but war isn't as romantic as Jonas thought and not only that but he's taken captive and imprisoned, and presumed dead.



There is a lot of civil war history in here, information on how an Amish person would serve in war (which I knew, because my Amish great (something) grandfather was drafted and served in the Civil War. It was interesting reading what my ancestor might have experienced.)



This book might appeal to fans of both Amish fiction and historical fiction. Probably more the Civil War era readers than other time periods. I enjoyed Ms. Drexler's first Amish series, and maybe the second one in this series will be better (the is a sample at the end of the book which I didn't read) and a letter from the author which I did read talking about how she got interested in this time period.



I was given a copy free. All opinions are my own.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a fan of Civil War and Amish genre books I knew this was a series I had to read by Jan Drexler. The Amish community of Weaver’s Creek was facing tumultuous times with the reports they were hearing of the battles between the north and south over slavery in 1862.

Katie and Jonas had their property to build their future home, but Katie wasn’t allowed to marry so young. Then the unexpected happened where Amish men were listed on the draft list. The church had made arrangements to pay the penalty fee of not going to war, but Jonas choose to take his married brother Samuel’s place. Katie was heartbroken but sent letters faithfully as their friend Levi Beiler took her to and from the post office in another town weekly. After all, Levi was a close friend to Jonas and he had asked him to care for Katie. There were many unexpected twists and turns in the story that I felt like I was living in the midst of the Amish community then was on the march or battlefield with Jonas. The characters were realistic with characteristics that were true and flawed along with their deep faith and commitment to the Amish faith. The ending was not what I anticipated but the excerpt from book two, The Roll of the Drums was included. I’m looking forward to reading the next book since it was recently released.

I’m a fan of Jan Drexler’s historical Amish stories and thankful she’s writing stories based on her own family legacy as they settled in America and faced the dangerous times during the Civil War Era of American History.

I was not required to write a review of this book since this was a purchased book of my choosing. All thoughts are my own opinion.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book started out slow but got better as the reading went on. I am having a hard time with how I feel about it.
Jan shows how the Amish of this time period struggle with their decisions and how it affects everyone even those that will be chosen to "take" their place. I think that this is what I"m having a hard time with. Because whoever goes in "their place" might not ever come back. I think everyone should have done their part in the war effort not just Englishers. Yes, I understand the Amish resistance but that doesn't make it right.

I love the fact that the story takes place in Ohio my home state. I liked looking at Ohio from a fresh perspective. A land that is virtually untouched the way it is now. Ohio is a beautiful state and I miss it sometimes.

The characters are wonderful. Katie certainly has backbone. She leans on the Lord. Something I certainly should be doing. There's nothing wrong with waiting for what's right. If your instinct tells you it's wrong you should listen. ( Something I don't always do either but I wished I did).

I applaud Jonas. He's my hero for many reasons that I"m not going to name because I don't want to give anymore of this story away. I only strongly recommend it

I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley. No compensations were received all opinions are my own.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Sound of Distant Thunder  is the first book of "The Amish of Weaver's Creek" series by Jan Drexler. I've read several Amish fiction books, but this is the first story set during the Civil War, which adds an interesting historical and cultural dimension. One of the main characters, Jonas Weaver, is especially torn between the pacifist principles of the Amish church and community, and his own personal views against slavery and interest in fighting in the Cause. Becoming his brother's substitute in the draft is the opportunity to act that Jonas has been waiting for, but he leaves behind his family, and his fiancee, Katie Stuckey, who he promises to return in just a few months to marry as planned. Meanwhile, Katie now lives in constant fear that Jonas will not in fact return home, and must carry on with only sporadic letters to reassure her that he is still alive.

I was intrigued by the unique setting of The Sound of Distant Thunder (I knew Amish were pacifists, but honestly I hadn't ever really thought of them in American history as far back as the 1800s), and the historical aspect is interesting, though not overly detailed. However, overall, I didn't find the story itself particularly engaging, or satisfying. In my opinion, The Sound of Distant Thunder was slow-paced, yet hard to follow; there were many characters that were hard to keep straight in general, and also too many peripheral characters' points of view that popped up here and there, which felt disjointed (rather than simply having only Jonas' and Katie's points of view). There were also random extraneous minor conflicts (i.e., division within the Amish communities and churches) that took away from the main story and, at least potentially, better development. There was at least one rather glaring backstory issue that was not well explained or resolved; on a different note, while I appreciated that Jonas' character was wrestling with the views of his religion/culture, it was primarily based on his desire to fight against slavery, rather than a real change in principle regarding pacifism, namely examination of "the Good Book" himself to see if the pacifist stance of the Amish community/church was even Biblical). And the ending was abrupt. ;-)

The Sound of Distant Thunder is the story of a sweet, innocent romance between two Amish young adults dreaming of their future together, and the devastating war between two ideologies among men in the United States threatening the future of the entire nation. While this book has some unique and interesting elements, it lacked the clarity and depth that may have brought the characters to life and been a compelling story. Content note: there are several references and descriptions of sexual harassment as well as war violence.

Disclaimer: This book was received for free from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for my honest review.  Note as with all reviews and references, I do not necessarily agree with (or am even aware of) any or all of the beliefs, views, etc. of the author; please read my disclaimer here.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical Amish fiction

I have read mostly fictionnaboit the Amosjbthat takes place in the 20th & 21st century, with the earliest setting in the 1920s. It was wonderful to read a book about the Amish during the mid to late 19th centuries.
The book is brutally honest about all the struggles of the era, in & out of the Amish community, trac9ng the very beginnings of Amish Mennonite & New Order Amish communities. Although it doesnt specifically say it is the start of such movements, one can easily see this is the genesis.
The story settles around a young couple, in love, & the civil war that still divides people even in a non-slave state. It shows how the violence that became the civil war had perhaps hundreds of violent episodes all over the country as people clasjed over the rights of the individual states to make decisions for their people v the abolotionist movement that insisted that the freedom of the slaves was a moral imperative. It shows the sincerity of each side's beliefs. This provides what I have found to be a unique point of view on the Civil War...that it was possibly simply the culmination of hundreds of smaller like conflicts, not onky in Kansas & Nebraska (where things got so bad that Kansas got the nickname "bloody Kansas" due to the extremely violent nature of the conflicts there). That the war was nothing more or less than a formalization of smaller conflicts that made riots into armed conflict with soldiers & generals running things.
The synopsis of the book relates that the young couple, not yet baptized into their Amish church, are planning on joining the baptismal class in order to get married immediately afterwards. The young man keeps abreast of the news because he knows war will touch his community & force hard decisions whether or not they desire it. He feels God is putting a birden on his heart, but doesnt know what until conscription -the draft - starts up. Although the government has come up with a way to allow the Amish & other sects with pacifist doctrines to opt out of military service, they're expensive, & the funds given will still be used to fonance the war. Both of the young people are the youngest in their families. When the young mam's older brother's namencimes up for the draft & he refuses to ppay a substitute or pay money into war coffers & uet, as a baptized member of the Amish community, he risks being shunned if he goes. The night befire he is due to report, the young man leaves a note that he has gone to take his brother's place. Since he isn't yet baptized, he can't be shunned, & as a single young man, has no wife to widow or children to orphan, & feels the Lord is guiding him to do this.
He leaves, & the story follows both sides of the time as seen through the eyes of the couple. God works things out in a unique way for them.
In the spirit of there being nothing new under the sun, there is one event that happens to the young woman that could be taken from our headlines today. Keep your eyes open for it. I personally know things like this affected 3 generations of my own family, so indeed, tjere is nothing new. Sin is as old as Adam & Eve.
This is a very well written & thoroughly researched book, the first in a trilogy, but it can also.stand alone. There is one sample chapter of the next book in the series, included in the end of this book.

[Angie Fehl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seventeen year old Katie Stuckey cannot wait to marry her twenty year old boyfriend Jonas Weaver. The feeling is mutual for Jonas, but while he looks forward to a future with Katie and enthusiastically jumps into building their home from scratch, his mind is also quite consumed with thoughts of the approaching Civil War, conscription and the abolitionist fight. Jonas battles conflicting feelings: technically, the concept of war goes against his Amish faith, yet he's not comfortable sitting idly by while others put their lives on the line to end slavery. He does have a little wiggle room in his favor in that he has yet to be officially baptized within the Amish faith, so if he chose to serve in the war, there would likely be less harsh consequence with the church elders.

Fate seems to make the choice for Jonas. When his married brother is drafted but unwilling to leave the family, Jonas volunteers to take his place. There is a historical mention within this story that explains that at the time of conscription, those with religious conflict (something similar to the more modern idea of "conscientious objector", I imagine) could opt to have another man go in his place or pay a $200 fine. Jonas asks his good friend Levi to look after Katie while he's away, not knowing that Levi secretly carries a strong flame for Katie himself.

Jonas goes off to the battlefield, doing his best to balance his duty as a soldier with continuing to honor his Amish beliefs (mainly, to do as little harm as possible). While Jonas is away, Levi finds the temptation to woo his buddy's girl almost unbearable.

I think this might be the first Amish themed novel I've come across that is set in Civil War years. The idea definitely pulled at my curiosity, but the execution did not quite hit the mark for me. Technically, the writing is fine, just DULL. The romance portions don't tug at the heartstrings and the plot lacks any sort of real tension to keep things lively. Everything is moving along just sort of there... baseline existing, but never quite giving me something to truly root for.

Also, there was a pretty underdeveloped element to Katie's background story that suggested she might be struggling with some PTSD-like behaviors following a sexual assault or attempted assault. It's hard to say though because it felt only vaguely woven into the story (as far as the details of WHAT actually happened), yet Drexler also tried to make it seem like it was a pivotal part Katie's emotional make up, hinting at how it might affect her future marriage. The whole thing just felt sort of sloppily interjected into the rest of the book. It would've been nice to see this fleshed out more.

The back cover features a blurb from Suzanne Woods Fisher hailing this book as "compelling and memorable". While I do enjoy Fisher's writing and would like to trust her vote of praise, on this one I will have to respectfully disagree. It's doubtful that I will have much interest in carrying on with this series.

FTC Disclaimer: Revell Publishers kindly provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions above are entirely my own.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jan's writing about the land in Ohio is like eating cake. It was so rich and full of details of the land, how the Amish live and live their lives separate from the world, and really gave true perspective on how one would choose between their religious beliefs and principles to what is instinctively right.

For historical reference, this novel takes place in the Civil War time period between 1862 and 1863. Jonas is torn between his faith - which refuses to remain united within the faith and amongst different congregations - and his desire to be a part of a war in order to free the slaves in the South. This was another cake moment for me as I read the conflict within Jonas. He wanted to do the right thing and free slaves, though his faith is against violence and support of violence. It was wonderful in Drexler's writing how she was able to set Jonas in this division of himself and watch him grow in this conflict and in himself. It was also interesting to continue reading on and finding out just where Jonas fit in with all this conflict. Truly great cake that I loved eating up.

The other main character is Katie. For myself, the story is more about Jonas and his character growth throughout this book instead of Katie. She really seemed to me such a boring character. She doesn't seem to grow or change regardless of the challenges she faces. She's very much a stagnant character. All Katie seems to do is think about the future and Jonas which is what a lot of young women do at that age but it would have been interesting to see some dimension inside her, to see her find her own calling in life or do something worthwhile in the book.

I don't mind when a book has different povs, in fact, I love being able to see other's opinions in a more intimate why rather than by one character. However, this was too much for me. Each chapter would start off with a different pov. And there would be at least 3 or 4 breaks within the chapter, each with different povs as well. I didn't know the characters well enough until maybe halfway through the book so I had to constantly flip back to see who I was reading about. Perhaps if the chapters and/or breaks were labelled with the person's pov, it might have been easy to follow. I was just confused a lot of the time when I'd get to the end of one break and the beginning of another.

I really do hope that Jan's next books cover these characters or the same family because I'd love to see how they continue on. I'd definitely continue with the series if so!

Spoiler Warning:

There also is a mild trigger for sexual assault in this book that comes up quite randomly and not appropriately added to enhance the story. As a reader, I wasn't attached to Katie and she seemed pathetic in relating this odd experience to Jonas' mother. Please note, I do not take mean to discount victims or instances of sexual assault, I just didn't see why it was needed in the plot as it didn't feel genuine.

[Meagan Myhren-Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sound of Distant Thunder
The Amish of Weaver's Creek #1
By Jan Drexler

Katie Stuckey and Jonas Weaver know that they are meant to marry and they want to do it as soon as possible. But Katie's father thinks she is too young at 17 years. And Jonas he feels is just not responsible enough to marry his youngest daughter. Gustav is relieved when Jonas agrees to wait.

With the country caught up in a war about slavery and state rights, the Amish of Weaver's Creek are caught in their problem those who want to embrace the change of the world and those who want to hold tight to their traditions. War is the furthest thing on their minds as they refuse to participate in violence. But when Ohio implements a draft the Amish community is faced with a dilemma - take up arms (against the church), pay a fee to avoid serving, or pay a substitute to fight for them.

When Samuel, Jonas's older married brother's name is drawn he is faced with a dilemma. Samuel vowed to never pay a fee nor pay a substitute to take his place. As one who had joined the church serving in the war could cost him dearly - shunning. Jonas feels drawn to the war not that he wants to fight but he feels that God has something for him to do. Taking his brother's place means that Jonas will have to put his plans on hold and he will be separated from Katie.

With Jonas gone Katie faces challenges that will test her. Can she hold onto the promise that Jonas will return to her? Can Jonas stay true to his beliefs or will war change him forever?

The Sound of Distant Thunder is an apt title for this book as thunder is a reoccurring theme throughout - thunder that is accompanied by a storm and that that is the distant call of battle coming. I have not read Jan Drexler's work before so came to this book with no expectations. I found the first few chapters to be a little slow but once the book got into it with the characters established the pacing and story seemed to move along quicker.

Those who like historical American fiction will enjoy this one as it is set in the early 1860s and if you have a fondness for Amish fiction consider this a bonus read as it offers both. This book focuses on family and the idea of hold firm to your principles. Overall I would recommend this book which is the first in a new series The Amish of Weaver's Creek.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Revell with no expectations but that I give my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.