Redcoat

by Gregory Sass

Redcoat is a gutsy little book. In a frantic quick-march, the reader follows13-year-old Shadrack Byfield from his poor miller's home to the workhouses ofNewcastle, into the army and on to a troop ship bound for colonial service. Under GeneralBrock, Byfoeld descends into the crucible of war, deserts the army, picks up with a rebel Indianforce and is captured by his former regiment, at whose hands he learns the humiliatingmeaning of what it is to wear a red coat.Sass evokes the terrible twilight world of poverty from which his young hero escapesinto the still more nightmarish degradation of soldiering. The text is bewildering inplaces; meaning is outstripped by the gruelling pace. But this surrealdiscontinuity, especially notable in battle skirmishes, serves a dramatic purpose.Sass summons up a vision of warfare in which there are no sides, no strategy or grandplan, but only frightened lads pathetically scurrying around in the dark tryingnot to get killed. Young Byfield's most heroic act is to survive this worldof spontaneous fire, lice, vomit, amputations and the obscenity of pubishmentout of all proportion to crime. Sass delivers this important message ina compulsively readable story.' -- Tim Wynne-Jones, the Globe and MailGregory Sass was born in Berlin, Germany and educated inSweden, Canada and the United States. He has been successively a soldier, an editor, a teacher and a writer. His publications include eight text books onCanadian history and politics and a compelling account of a special educationclass, If I Tell You, Will I Feel Less Scared?

Hardcover

First published October 15, 1985

Reviews

[Anonymous · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling story. -- Canadian Literature

Redcoat is a gutsy little book... a compulsively readable story. -- The Globe & Mail