What do you think?
Rate this book
The Orphan: A Novel of the American Revolution
Indentured teenager Rob Scot is a virtual slave until redcoats in the wake of Lexington and Concord murder his owner. Rob joins the Minutemen in routing British troops. Over the next six years, privation, suffering and combat transform the Minutemen into a real army and Rob into a real soldier, leading the victorious final Yankee assault at Yorktown.
261 pages, Paperback
Published June 2, 2020
5 people are currently reading
3 people want to read
About the author
J. Scott Payne
9 books13 followersI grew up in Kansas City and am a product of the William Allen White School of Journalism at the University of Kansas. After interning at the Kansas City Star, I did 1.3 hitch in the Army in Korea, Vietnam and -- worst of all -- Washington, D.C.
I returned to journalism but, tired of tropical weather, moved to Michigan where I've lived ever since, during that time doing graduate work at the University of Michigan.
Though retired now, I've been unable to stop writing. My first novel, A Corporal No More, will arrive on Kindle soon and I'm well underway on a second book.
I returned to journalism but, tired of tropical weather, moved to Michigan where I've lived ever since, during that time doing graduate work at the University of Michigan.
Though retired now, I've been unable to stop writing. My first novel, A Corporal No More, will arrive on Kindle soon and I'm well underway on a second book.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 28, 2020
In these troubled times when many in Washington are making a mockery of our Constitution, J. Scott Payne reminds us where we came from in his rousing saga of the Revolutionary War, THE ORPHAN.
THE ORPHAN is the story of Rob Scott, an immigrant from Scotland, who is orphaned during the voyage from the land of his birth to America. Taken under the wing of a kindly couple who are sailing on the same ship, he and his adopted parents are, upon arrival, indentured to a thoroughly unpleasant man.
The year is 1775 and, after a disturbing encounter with the British Army, Rob finds himself banding with a group he believes are farmers who are engaging the redcoats in open fire. The men he is fighting with, we find out are, indeed, Minutemen and, thus, begins Rob’s journey through the American Revolution.
THE ORPHAN is a rousing, multi-faceted, saga in which we get the chance to meet many of the illustrious fathers of our country, including General George Washington himself.
Author Payne takes us through the minutia of many famous battles and some not so famous, always keeping us focused on the experiences of a common soldier who, in essence, was the backbone of the Revolution.
Payne, once a reporter, who has penned several acclaimed novels of WWII and a breathtaking account of the Civil War, has now given us a birds’ eye view of what it was like to be a soldier in the Continental Army.
THE ORPHAN is most highly recommended, especially for those who love military history and are Revolutionary War buffs. Five great big shiny stars.
THE ORPHAN is the story of Rob Scott, an immigrant from Scotland, who is orphaned during the voyage from the land of his birth to America. Taken under the wing of a kindly couple who are sailing on the same ship, he and his adopted parents are, upon arrival, indentured to a thoroughly unpleasant man.
The year is 1775 and, after a disturbing encounter with the British Army, Rob finds himself banding with a group he believes are farmers who are engaging the redcoats in open fire. The men he is fighting with, we find out are, indeed, Minutemen and, thus, begins Rob’s journey through the American Revolution.
THE ORPHAN is a rousing, multi-faceted, saga in which we get the chance to meet many of the illustrious fathers of our country, including General George Washington himself.
Author Payne takes us through the minutia of many famous battles and some not so famous, always keeping us focused on the experiences of a common soldier who, in essence, was the backbone of the Revolution.
Payne, once a reporter, who has penned several acclaimed novels of WWII and a breathtaking account of the Civil War, has now given us a birds’ eye view of what it was like to be a soldier in the Continental Army.
THE ORPHAN is most highly recommended, especially for those who love military history and are Revolutionary War buffs. Five great big shiny stars.
August 10, 2020
An excellent read
Reading this book was like being in the middle of the war. The main character goes from being a young indentured servant to a real soldier in the war for independence. Mr. Payne’s story is so full of realistic detail, I could feel myself as a part of the struggle, battling cold, hunger, lack of supplies, questionable leadership, and more. Really, a terrific story. Highly recommended.
Reading this book was like being in the middle of the war. The main character goes from being a young indentured servant to a real soldier in the war for independence. Mr. Payne’s story is so full of realistic detail, I could feel myself as a part of the struggle, battling cold, hunger, lack of supplies, questionable leadership, and more. Really, a terrific story. Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews