Enigma

Road to the Breaking #2

by Chris Bennett

“How can I call myself a man of good conscience, when I myself am no better than a slaver?”

It’s summer 1860, and former army Captain Nathan Chambers has returned home to Virginia to claim his inheritance: a large plantation with more than one hundred slaves. Nathan wants no part of slavery and intends to sell the farm and all its slaves. But even as he arrives home, enduring fearful and downcast stares from despondent black faces, he knows what he must do … and the price he must pay for doing it.

As Nathan works to carry out his ambitious plans, he is troubled by rumors of secession and war, even as a villainous neighbor plots a violent end to their decades-long family feud.

And then Evelyn arrives … strikingly beautiful, spirited, and intriguing, she is the daughter of an old family friend. But the more Nathan is drawn in by her charms, the harder she pushes him away …

The Road to the Breaking Series is an epic tale of a young nation seething with debauchery, brutality, corruption, and political intrigue, unwittingly on the brink of a deadly precipice: the American Civil War. In Book 2 of the series, Nathan Chambers has returned from the violent army life out West, only to face a heart wrenching Enigma at home.

516 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 22, 2021

About the author

Chris A. Bennett grew up on the shores of Klamath Lake in southeastern Oregon. For a young boy it was a dream world of water, hills, forests, and abundant wildlife. His love for action and adventure morphed into a lifelong love for books when his Mom read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings to the family on a long road trip.

It was routine and normal for the family dinner table discussions to involve history, politics, and anything interesting going on in the world. So, when he attended the University of Oregon it seemed perfectly natural (and easy) to study history and political science. But everyone said you couldn't make a living in those fields, so he decided to try his hand at Computer Science. He's been writing professionally, in the software development business for more than 35 years now.

However, Chris's thirst for adventure never faded and he began to live out his love of history onto the pages of his first book, Road to the Breaking. Once he started writing he just couldn't stop and the result is The Road to the Breaking series; an epic journey across a young nation seething with debauchery, brutality, corruption, and political intrigue, unwittingly on the brink of an unimaginable disaster: the American Civil War.

Chris currently lives near Seattle with his wife Patricia. His three adult children Nick, Rachel, and Josh also live in the Puget Sound area.

Reviews

[Ian Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book follows Captain Nathan Chambers, who has returned from a period in the US Army that involved the Mexican war, and various actions in Texas against criminals and Indians to take over the family estate in Virginia after his father has died, and he is accompanied by a small number of men who served under him. He has an inherent dislike of slavery, but has about a hundred slaves. He decides he will free them, but first he must educate them in the ways of the world, and he hopes some will remain as paid employees to keep the estate going. It is July, 1960, and a new party is emerging up North, with a fellow called Lincoln aiming at being President. The North is in favour of abolition, the South is anything but.
The book tries to illustrate the social conditions of the time, and most of this feels right, but of course I don't know. If you get old enough to find some of what happened in your youth starts to be thought of as "historical", you learn it tends to be interpreted in ways that would not have occurred to those then. In this respect, there is a tendency of the soldiers to be busy expressing their feelings in an empathetic way, more desirable now. I think not. The story also tends to proceed very slowly, as if the objective is to spin out the basic plot into more books. The net result is that there are a number of threads, but they do not really get resolved. For me, a book in a sequence should resolve something, but all the threads seem to be left dangling at the end. Having said that, the writing is good, the main characters are believable, although the character Evelyn, when she has to make a decision, makes a believable one, but the reason why she does I found unlikely. Caveat: I have seen someone else make a similar decision for very similar reasons, but not the specific one. The great point about this book, though, is it creates a believable atmosphere for the period, and that gets its grading.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK 

Enigma continues the story of book one in the series, Road to the Breaking, and it’s good to read these books in order because one picks up where the other one leaves off. I enjoyed following the story of Captain Nathan Chambers as he heads to Virginia to claim the inheritance left to him. This could prove a problem because Nathan wants nothing to do with slavery or owning the slaves on the farm. Again Chris Bennett writes an amazing story that will keep you reading till the very last page. The characters from book one as well as new characters introduced are so well creates and tell their story well as the plot unfolds. And I love all of the historical details throughout the book. You historical fiction buffs will have a great time with this series. Every part of it is so interesting and intriguing. And again, the ending kind of leaves readers hanging and waiting for the next book before we really see what’s going on. I look forward to reading book three and I highly recommend book one, Road to the Breaking and book two Enigma for you to read now. I think you will find this a very worthy series. Enigma is a worthy Five stars for me. 

A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Píaras Cíonnaoíth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-crafted historical fiction...

Enigma (Road to the Breaking Book 2) by Chris Bennett is a superbly written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The threads of storytelling are expertly woven in this historical drama that it guarantees the attention of the reader. Skillfully constructed and set against the backdrop of Virginia in the 1860s, this epic tale will have you turning the pages from beginning to end. In addition, the characters are drawn with great credibility and conviction.

The book description gives a sneak preview: ‘It’s summer 1860, and former army Captain Nathan Chambers has returned home to Virginia to claim his inheritance: a large plantation with more than one hundred slaves. Nathan wants no part of slavery and intends to sell the farm and all its slaves. But even as he arrives home, enduring fearful and downcast stares from despondent black faces, he knows what he must do … and the price he must pay for doing it… As Nathan works to carry out his ambitious plans, he is troubled by rumors of secession and war, even as a villainous neighbor plots a violent end to their decades-long family feud… And then Evelyn arrives … strikingly beautiful, spirited, and intriguing, she is the daughter of an old family friend. But the more Nathan is drawn in by her charms, the harder she pushes him away … The Road to the Breaking Series is an epic tale of a young nation seething with debauchery, brutality, corruption, and political intrigue, unwittingly on the brink of a deadly precipice: the American Civil War. In Book 2 of the series, Nathan Chambers has returned from the violent army life out West, only to face a heart wrenching Enigma at home.’

This was a fascinating and captivating read that had me immersed from the beginning. The story flowed from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows exceptional ability when it comes to storytelling. There are plenty of attention-grabbing moments in this page turner that will take the reader on a truly mesmerizing journey.

There’s no doubt that Enigma is an exceptionally well written book. The contrast between tone and content is a characteristic talent of only a few authors. Bennett pays as much attention to his sentences as he does to his plots, shifting or consolidating meaning with the use of a single word. His writing is impeccably honed, full of juxtapositions and qualifications that help to create an authentic atmosphere throughout.

If you are looking for a well-written historical fiction with amazing characters and a gripping plot then Enigma by Chris Bennett will not leave you disappointed. Highly recommended.

[Brian Aird · Rating 4 out of 5]

Change Begins With Compassion

Enigma (Road to the Breaking Book 2) by Chris Bennett is a powerful book about life, perspective, personal values, a nation on the brink of war with itself, the values of old thinking clashing with new and a multitude of other swirling human dynamics.

Set in 1860 in the state of Virginia, Captain Nathan Chambers, a former military officer, is returning to his boyhood home. Things appear to be the same, but he has changed.

Slavery is still the base and accepted way of life. Nathan Chamber's plantation home has 112 black slaves. 16 of those "possessions" are considered too young and eight are assigned to attend to the needs of those who resided in the "big house." It is hard to imagine possessing people and considering them as property; $1,500 is a terrible price tag to put on a human life regardless of color. The retired captain is learning that people are not possessions and are not property with a price tag. They are people and belong to the same human race with names and individuality.

Chamber intends to sell the plantation and the associated property. But what will become of these fellow human beings? Where will they go? Will families be separated? Such are the questions that begin to weigh heavily on the resurrected conscience of this young man.

Added to the book's plot is the age-old contentious relationship with a neighbor that appears to be headed down a violent resolution.

Also, added to the gripping plot is the appearance of Evelyn. She too has her own indomitable spirit coupled with her compelling beauty. Nathan, of course, is drawn like a magnet to metal, but she keeps him at a safe distance.

Enigma (Road to the Breaking Book 2) by Chris Bennett is a wonderfully written book that captures the full historical era of the leading edge of the Civil War in the state of Virginia. It is a story replete with Southern charm and mannerisms, plantation life, and southern aristocracy. It is also a raw look at slavery, the loss of dignity amongst those it enslaves, and the abuse displayed when those who choose to master others are evident.

The narrative is well-written with the beautiful use of descriptive language to capture a moving, compelling and engaging novel about life, love, the evils of injustice, and redemption.

[Angela Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enigma continues an incredible series for history lovers. The author's research and background shine in this novel as he creates such a flawless journey back in time for readers. Even more so than the first book, this novel and its characters felt so real that it was difficult to see the story as anything less than a memoir or biographical novel. Readers will find new characters to further the story--and characters from the first book that grow stronger and even more entwined in advancing the plot. The darkness of slavery combines with the characters' moral soul searching and self-discovery to offer readers quite an adventure in another place and time.

Readers should plan to read the series. You could probably read Enigma without reading the first book--but, you would miss so much value that went into the character and setting development in book one. The first book set the stage for the series--and this one takes the characters further along a path. Like the first book, loose ends remain at the end, so you should plan to continue with the next book in the series.

Would I recommend Enigma by Chris Bennett? If you enjoy realistic, historical fiction--I would certainly recommend reading this series. I think the series will flow best if you read the novels in order as a series. I was definitely invested in the characters and the stories--and enjoyed both of the books. As with the first novel, there wasn't a lot of resolution to this novel--and, unfortunately, I don't have the 3rd book on hand to continue for the weekend! I definitely recommend the novels that I have read so far--but, I would probably suggest getting the complete series as I expect there will be loose ends remaining in each novel until the final chapter of the last book!

I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy from the author. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

I read the first book, Road to the Breaking, and was glad I had Enigma to continue the story because there wasn’t a resolution.

There are two main plots in this book. The first is about the horrid practice of slavery in America and Nathan’s fight to help the slaves he inherited from his father along with his plantation. He wants to do what is right but is having trouble not only with neighbors, but the slaves understandably don’t trust him.

The second plot begins about halfway through the book when Evelyn and her mother arrive at the plantation. Most of the second half of the book is about their budding romance.

The characters are well developed, and I like Nathan and his men as well as his mom and Megs, the slave who took care of him as a child. I still don’t know how I feel about Evelyn.

The author’s writing flows well. This book doesn’t have as much action as the first book but a lot more romance and politics. There is quite a lot of description – a little more than I like, but that’s a personal preference.

Like the first book, Enigma leaves some things unresolved. I recommend having all 5 books in the series before you start reading them.

[Guy Wheatley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series. I read and enjoyed the first book, but this one is even better. I’m talking “Gone With The Wind,” good. I’d certainly recommend reading the first book, but this one will stand alone if you haven’t.
The title comes from an Indian story about the end of the world. The setting is the Antebellum Virginia of 1860. Nathan inherits his father’s wealthy plantation and Senate seat. But he is morally opposed to slavery. He’s realistic and knows that change will be slow. He has to navigate a narrow path between what is morally correct and what is attainable. To make things more complicated, a woman comes into his life.
These are well developed characters the reader will come to care for. We, as readers, know of the coming storm. It’s interesting to watch the events and attitudes that lead up to it. Clearly a “Breaking” is coming. I’ll have to read the coming books as I cross my fingers that Tom and Adilida as well as Nathan and Evelin will find their way back together. I suspect there will be several more books that will take us to, through, and past Civil war. I’ll want to read them all.

[Book Dragons TBR · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off if you haven't read The Road To Breaking you may not want to read this review. While it doesn't have spoilers for this book - it does have spoilers for the first.

Captain Nathanial Chambers has returned home to claim his inheritance. The only problem is that his inheritance is a plantation and all the slaves that go with it. Nathanial hates slavery. In this book you watch Nathanial make some of the most important decisions of his life. Between a violent family feuding neighbor and the gorgeous Evelyn - he's got his hands full

A phenomenal look at Pre-Civil War times. 1860 was a time of hardship not only for the slaves but also for the people that were against it. It would have been such a hard era to live through and this book brings out the emotions that I'm sure we felt by many. The writing is incredible with the author giving you a sense that you are right there alongside Nathanial. Character development was great on the first book but this book you get an even deeper look into Nathanial and his thought process. The plot is extremely interesting and will keep you guessing. Overall a great read that anyone would enjoy.

[Pegboard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enigma (Road to the Breaking, #2) by Chris Bennett covers a time in our history when the law allowed men to own others. Captain Nathan Chambers returns home after the death of his cruel and harsh father. Traveling with some of his most trusted soldier, he begins his life as a plantation owner. This was his home thirty years ago as just a teenager, leaving it all behind because of the heavy hand of his dad. His beliefs and treatment is foreign to the way his farm hands and black workers are used to. Someone is out to sabotage him and is dangerously close to taking more than his land. I enjoyed the history of this novel. The integrity and honesty of the main characters makes this an enticing read. Often only the negative parts of history are remembered and not the individuals that wanted to make thing right.

[Mia C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a middle length book written by Chris Bennett. Enigma is the second installment on the Road to the Breaking series. Set in the year 1860 in Virginia, A former army captain has just come back to claim his inheritance, a farm with a lot of slaves which he wants to sell. There it all starts and then his plans take a turn.
The story is very good and the plot develops smoothly from beginning to end. Though I felt dome parts were a bit slow, the story caught my attention and held it until the end.
The author set the story in an interesting moment in time and was able to describe it perfectly - a world completely different to the one we live in today. Moreover, characters were carefully developed, making them as real as possible.
All in all, this is a read that I certainly recommend because it was a very good one.

[Ivana S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Enigma" is the second book in the Road to the Breaking series. It is a non-stop reading. This novel has it all: It has history, drama, mystery and a lot more. It’s a fast-paced story and it is brilliantly plotted.

The author did a great job with this novel because the characters are well-thought and well-described, the dialogues are very realistic and this makes it easy to be inside the story; also because the setting is presented with photographic details so I could imagine that I was living in the year 1860 as the characters in the book.

In brief, I think this book is perfect for people of my age because it touches some sensitive topics.

[Jkane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was exactly what you would have wanted after reading the synopsis to book one. The Captain begins this book by arriving in Virginia, and from there he must learn to deal with his new role as master of a plantation powered by slaves. As part of the South, he is surrounded by those who not only favor slavery, but believe it is critical to the survival of the South, to the point where secession is on the table if slavery is threatened. He clashes with a few, is befriended by others, and develops a love interest. Most importantly, he takes the steps that he believes are necessary to abolish slavery. I listened to this on Audible and I look forward to the next installment.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of reading the first book from Christ Bennett’s Road to the Breaking, also, called Road to the Breaking. It is among my favorites of the year, so I was excited to have the opportunity to read the second installment called Enigma. I was definitely not disappointed. Since this is part of a series, I highly suggest for readers to read the books in order.

In Enigma, readers will catch up with Captain Nathaniel Chambers, the main character of the Road to the Breaking. He finds himself in a difficult situation when he inherits his father’s family plantation. He despises slavery and is now a slave owner. He does not want any part of it and wants to do the right thing. However, the rumors of a possible war and states seceding, he struggles with his decision. I was captivated with this story and could not put it down until I was completely read to the end. I loved it!

Enigma is getting a very well deserved five plus stars from me. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy reading historical fiction. I am looking forward to getting my hands on the third addition from the Road to the Breaking series, Sedition, to see what will happen next. I have no doubt, it will be as great. This one should not be missed and definitely worth a read.

I received a paperback copy of Enigma from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

[Bob Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enigma

Another well written historical fiction by Chris Bennett continues the series. Nathan (Captain Chambers) and his band of former Soldiers have arrived at Mountain Meadows where he takes the rains of running the farm and romance enters his life. He begins his efforts to improve the lives of the farms slave's.
Recommend this book reading the series in order.

[Richard Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

This second book of the series brings the characters up to the year before the War Between the States. Things are slowly becoming more complicated for Captain Chambers and his family on the plantation. I don’t want to give away anything more about what occurs during this time.

[Bob · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bad Plot twist

Unneeded plot twist. did you just get bored with the story? You could have used another character, using this character was just laziness. Not sure if I will continue with this story. It does not fit the storyline. This is my wife's account, so blame me for the bad review. bobdaman6 at out look dot com

[Misty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enigma (Road to the Breaking Book 2) by Chris Bennett was a great continuation of the series and I found it an even better read that book one. The former army Captain Nathan Chambers has returned home to Virginia to claim his inheritance: a large plantation with more than one hundred slaves.

[Phyllis Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great history lesson

Enjoyed the history and the story of slavery in that time. Was very impressed to know their were many who understood that it was terribly wrong and were willing to do their part to help.

[Brenda J. Naeger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enigma

This a great book in a series about the the events leading up to the civil war. The character development is real and builds steadily within the pages. I 'm getting ready to start book three and continue the story.

[Melanie Fincher · Rating 5 out of 5]

History, warfare, love and loss all in one story telling stories.

I’ve absolutely loved this series. I’ve learned a lot of history and it is impossible to not be intrigued by the huge cast of characters

[Gertrude Stoner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exploring the Enigma

I love stories like this, of love ,mercy for the downtrodden ANd the. Promise of a happy outcome at the end.

[Polly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the adventure

[Chaplain Stanley Chapin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful read

I have enjoyed the series, my only negative comment, would be that the author, sometimes seems to caught up in the prose and over does it.

[Charlotte Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read!

I like a good book that includes Jesus and doesn't have a lot of bad language. This is another good book by Chris Bennett! I hope number 3 is available.

[John Kinnison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book

Sort of a historical novel, loved it, to a us civil war "nut" I highly recommend it, you will enjoy.

[John Kounas · Rating 2 out of 5]

A number of interesting Characters but much irrelevant detail

Author has too many plots and devotes excessive detail of no value to the story line. I quit reading because of this

[Ann Damron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book!

[Lisa Roark · Rating 5 out of 5]

hard to put down!

I love the characters and the good heart of the Captain… I wonder sometimes if there were more people like him during this time in the real world.

[Michael Armfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

good story

Great story… well written. Good portrayal of the Virginia plantation.
On to the next in the series, hopefully as good as

[Lester Wong · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it.