Prelude to Glory, Vol. 6: The World Turned Upside Down

Prelude to Glory #6

by Ron Carter

The realities of the French joining the war paralyzed England. It's powerful navy and army posed a mortal threat. In 1778, the decision was made to abandon the New England states in favor of conquering the Southern states first.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Lds, Lds Fiction, Religion, American History

672 pages, Hardcover

First published July 8, 2010

About the author

Ron Carter (1932-2008) was born in Salt Lake City and reared in Twin Falls, Idaho. He served received a bachelor’s degree in industrial management from Brigham Young University. He received a juris doctor degree in 1962 after attending the law schools at George Washington University and the University of Utah. Recently he has been a research and writing director for the Superior Court system of Los Angeles County, California. He published his first work in 1988.

Ron is married to LaRae Dunn Carter of Boise, Idaho, and they are the parents of nine children. The family resides in Park City, Utah.

Reviews

[Rex Cluff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume continues the saga of the American Revolution to the point of Cornwallis surrender at Yorktown. The fictional families continue their thread but the bulk of this volume is historic and presented in fascinating detail. The great thing I take away from this entire series is the many blunders made by the British that allowed the US to stay in the game and eventually prevail. They missed so many opportunities to defeat the US. The difference being that the Americans never gave up and persisted in spite of their overwhelming hardships. The British arrogance caused them to underestimate the American forces willpower and the spirit of freedom that drove their cause. The Americans acknowledged the hand of providence in every engagement. I am awed by the comparison between Washington in America and Moroni in America with his Nephite armies 2000 years previous to this story. Both were fighting for freedom, family and faith.

[Leslie Lamb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the highlights of this book is that Eli got married and was gone for at least a year. His wife had a baby, but sadly, she didn’t make it. Eli’s sister will take care of the baby while he goes back to war. Kathleen and Matthew finally come together and get married. She has a baby boy, he’s able to come back from the war for a short time to witness it. Benedict Arnold gets caught in treason. General Washington comes to his house when he hears about it. Benedict Arnold escapes on horseback and then by boat. He sends mail to Washington and says his wife is “innocent.” The British spy they caught in part of Arnold’s plan was hung. At the end of this book the Americans win a huge battle against the British. Cornwallis surrenders and they lay down all their weapons.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This entire series is great! Highly recommended if you enjoy learning American History (from what I've learned over 40 yrs, the historical part of his "historical fiction" is on spot 99% of the time. The author makes it interesting and real, and you do feel like you're a fly on the wall witnessing history as it happened, as opposed to witnessing history with a 20/20 hindsight.

[Travis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have tried so hard to finish this series, it is just to hard. I am sorry to say this is the last book I will read of this series and it has taken me over a year to make it half way through this book.

[John Worthington · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series - I have learned so much about the Revolutionary War. My dad and I read this series together 10 pages at a time. On to volume 7

[Danni · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting.

[Irene Anderson]

outstanding

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice way to read history.

[Ralph · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an abridged reading of the book. I think they took way too much out.

[Hilaree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Current fave order: 1,2,3,6,5,4

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jake Hecht
3rd Period

I recently read the 6th book in the series, The World Turned Upside Down. This was a book I had been wanting to read for the past few months, since I read the last book. This book if very comprehensive in the way it describes the events of the revolutionary war. The World Turned Upside Down takes place just before the End of the Revolutionary war. The book goes through the thoughts of many characters, included in those are Matthew Dunson, Billy Weems, and George Washington.

The main conflicts in this story is that the army can't be paid so they have to stay at Yorktown for a while, and the other main conflict is that America money isn't worth anything, so everyone is becoming poor. When the soldiers are finally sent home, they are promised they will be paid for their services. That solves the problem of the soldiers being kept out on duty, but the problem of Americans being poor probably won't be solved until the next book.

Near the end of the book Matthew and Billy go out on a limb and purchase a shipping company using their soldiers pay promises. The main thing Matthew and Billy learn is percervierence and the ability to overcome challenges.

The setting of this story, just after the Revolutionary war has come to an end, puts Matthew and Billy in a tough situation. They are just getting home after about 9 years of being a soldier, and are struggling to get accustomed to normal life. There family's are poverty stricken, and there is nothing they can do. They decide they would rather do something than sit around and be mad about their life, so they buy the shipping company.

[Sheri · Rating 1 out of 5]

I own this series of books, but I quit reading them when I found a MAJOR flaw in the story line; and I didn't like how the author jumped from hither to yon on the way the war was played out on so many fronts. He stated that he did it because the reader would have a hard time following the many fronts that the revolutionary war played on. At this I took offense, because obviously the guy couldn't give his reader the benefit of the doubt of being intelligent. If I can follow a Tom Clancy book that jumps from place to place. I think that I could keep things straight. I think that it was the author that couldn't think things through, so each book is played out with just one battle front. So I learned a lot about the Revolutionary War, but because his timing was messed up, I don't know what happened when. Why he continued on with more books is beyond me.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most fascinating piece for me in this sixth volume in the Prelude to Glory series was the information about the how's and why's of Benedict Arnold's traitorous actions. While Arnold was a definite heroic man in the Revolutionary War (and before), he was a very greedy man whose horrible younger life of want, neglect, and abuse left him feeling he was owed something. In his situation, he kind of acted like Judas in the Bible in that he thought his actions would benefit himself richly while also bringing about a better outcome for all involved.

The volume ends with what, ultimately, was the final major battle of the Revolution at Yorktown. We owe a tremendous debt for our freedom to the French!

[Jenifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this whole series because it allowed me to learn much more about our countries beginnings than I ever learned in school--but I enjoyed it this time. A fictional family and their friends make the journey through the revolutionary war and on into the establishment of the United States government and the rough economic times that followed the war. Book 9 jumps ahead in time to the war of 1812.

[Sheila]

Having underestimated the resolve and strength of the Continental Army in New England, Great Britain adopts a new strategy in the war to subdue the American rebels. British general Sir Heny Clinton leads British and German forces in an invasion of the South, hoping to use success there as a springboard to subdue the Northern colonies.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy this series, but I really enjoy this kind of history. It gives alot of detail about the battles and historical characters, so if you're just interested in the fictional characters whose lives are followed through the history, it may become combersome, to some readers, in parts with too much historical info.

[Kathi Salter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a 9 book historical fiction series about the Revolutionary War. It is written very well. His writing style is very similar to Gerald Lund's writing style. It gave me even greater respect for our Founding Fathers and all the brave men and women that helped to give us the freedoms we enjoy today. Don't forget to read the footnotes for interesting information.

[Justin Metcalf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poor ickle Cornwallis...too "ill" to surrender his sword signifying the official surrender. This is a great interpretation of the Revolutionary War, as are the rest in this series. After a 10 year gap from book 5, I proudly announce that I am again enjoying the inspiring writings of Mr. Carter and am excited for the final 3 books in the series.

[Megan Alton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really want this series to follow the Dunson family throughout events as other historical fiction books I've read have done. It just doesn't. I enjoy the history but sometimes the details make things a little dry. I will finish the series when I get around to it, but I have to get some fluff now.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun series with a great mix of well researhed history of the US Revolutionary War (with footnotes) and fictional personal items to bring the story to life. The fictional characters are well placed to bring the story out.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the series a lot, but I read the first 6, and the war ended. There 3 more books to go...! I am going to read them, but then I started college, and have had no time to get back to them. Good books though.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's interesting to learn more of the facts behind Benedict Arnold's treason. He had been such a hero earlier in the revolution. Some of the details are repetitive I notice since I'm reading them one after the other.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this however I was dissapointed how some battles were retold, what seemed like, word for word as they were written in previous volumes. That was disappointing. Over all I really liked the book.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 6 of Prelude to Glory about the Revolutionary War. This part of it happened in South Carolina and up in Yorktown up North. By this time, 6 years after the war started, the French joined the Americans with ships, equipment and men. This turned the tide of the war.

[Doug · Rating 2 out of 5]

The series has gone off the rails a bit. All of a sudden the plot speeds up so that years are covered without the detail the reader expects from earlier books. So many important events are just skipped.

[Kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series was so amazing to help me grasp the feel for the Revolutionary War.

[Stefie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The end. We are what we are because of the Founding Fathers and their amazing fight for our freedoms. God bless America. God bless the men that died and die for our freedoms!

[Claire]

ditto

[Linda Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was not as good as the first 5, but interesting nevertheless, it seemed to drag somewhat

[Liesl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good series and goes into great detail on the revolutionary war.