Riders of the Long Road

by Stephen E. Bransford

Jonathan Barrat's search for his father, rider-preacher Silas Will, leads him to a career as an itinerant preacher, in a novel highlighting the accomplishments of the circuit riders and celebrating the bicentennial of the Methodist Church in America

Genres: Historical Fiction

304 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1984

Reviews

[Elena Hebson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been long enough that I completely forgot the ending of this and it took me off guard and made me cry, as I'm certain it did the first time I read it. I first read this because the author taught at the Bible college my dad was then attending, and my mother had found it randomly in our garage (from that one time she bought 1600 books by accident). I thought the coincidence was a good excuse to read it.

Looking back I probably was a little young to read it at thirteen, because the main circumstance the plot unfolds around is that this guy is trying to get to know his real father when he's spent his whole life believing he was the son of the man his mother was married to. There's some violence, some drunkenness, etc. There are also a couple situations where comments are made that really aren't as scandalous as I no doubt thought when younger, but they're a bit much for a young teen.

All that aside, this book is incredible in its descriptions. Particularly the descriptions of the town of Bath are very vibey, for lack of a better word. The characters are a rough bunch to like at first, but they definitely grow on you. And although the Biblical theme tied into the story is a hard one, it opens the way for some thought-provoking conversations. Definitely recommend if you're interested in circuit riders or this time period or place, or even if you're just looking for some good character relationship development!

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this story of the gospel being shared in the early American wilderness. His explanation of the weeds growing up with the wheat is worth noting. p. 216 "If God healed that child and knew that the roots of its sickness were tangled like hangman ropes around many other lives - I don't know how, underground, like roots we can't see, but God knows all of the debts of sin to be paid in this world, and He said the wages of sin is death - what kind of God would heal that child knowing that He would lose many lives in the doing of it? Or worse, lose eternal souls forever to his enemy, the Devil? Knowing God as I do, I must believe- though I cannot see it - I must believe that the child in the ground back at Logan's Fort is in the arms of God tonight and that we somehow paid the lesser of two terrible prices."

[Kevin Key · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. These men fought and died for their belief in Christ. It is an excellent description of the physical, spiritual, and psychological sides during the 18th century.

[Cws]

F Bra

[Paula Day Johns · Rating 4 out of 5]

The excruciating details of the hardships of circuit riders. Characterization is excellent! A historical fictional account.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marvelous read.