In the Shadows of the Sun

"This is a startlingly good novel. Alexander Parsons is a hugely talented writer and unlike anyone else of his generation." - Robert Boswell, author of "Century's Son"" " In his poignant novel, award-winning writer Alexander Parsons has captured the brutality of war, both on the front lines and at home. Set in the high desert badlands of New Mexico and the ravaged, war-torn landscape of the Philippine jungle, "In the Shadows of the Sun" is the story of the Stricklands, a ranching family struggling to hold on to their way of life in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor. After seeing their son, Jack, leave to fight in the war, they are confronted with an eviction notice from the United States government, which is expanding a bombing and gunnery range to include their land and home. As they fight to preserve their ranch, an illicit affair and murder threaten to rip the family apart. A world away, Jack is caught in the Pacific Theater of War, where the Allies have suffered devastating loss and defeat. He endures the horrors of the Bataan Death March and Japanese prison camps, hoping to survive long enough to make it home. "In the Shadows of the Sun" vividly illustrates America's journey through the war and post-war period, a passage lit by the fierce glare of the atomic bomb. At once a stunning portrait of the desolate beauty of the southwest and a harrowing and poetic lament about the very personal tragedy of war, this unforgettable novel delves into the nature of family, sacrifice, and that which binds us together in the face of unforgiving circumstances and tragedy.

Review :
""In the Shadows of the Sun" is a very impressive novel--it's vivid, it's convincing and it's moving." - Larry McMurtry, author of "Lonesome Dove" "Alexander Parsons has struck the richest vein of the American tragedy in the Philippines--the story of its disproportionate impact on the young men of New Mexico. In this beautiful novel, with its spare but keen sense of pathos, Parsons shows us how events of history leave concentric ripples that are deeply felt across years and continents." - Hampton Sides, author of "Ghost Soldiers" "I can't think of anything I've read that held me as spellbound as this superlative book. "In the Shadows of the Sun" is vividly authentic whether Parsons is describing the high mountain desert of New Mexico, the jungles of the Philippines, or the characters that traverse these landscapes. The book is a riveting page-turner." - Thom Jones, author of "The Pugilist at Rest" "In tautly etched vivid prose, Alexander Parsons has created landscapes of the natural world and the human psyche that plumb the depths of the relentless questions of existence. To read "In The Shadows Of The Sun" is to enter a trance of storytelling that left me blinking and breathless. No other novel in recent memory strikes so deeply with such elegance and heartbreaking beauty." - Jeffrey Lent, author of "In the Fall" and "Lost Nation" "With "In the Shadows of the Sun," Alexander Parsons establishes himself as the new authority on the American Southwestern experience. The novel is gripping, with beautifully drawn landscapes, and memorable characters who haunt the reader long after the last page is turned." - Mark Jude Poirier, author of "ModernRanch Living" ""In the Shadows of the Sun is a very impressive novel--it's vivid, it's convincing and it's moving." - Larry McMurtry, author of "Lonesome Dove "Alexander Parsons has struck the richest vein of the American tragedy in the Philippines--the story of its disproportionate impact on the young men of New Mexico. In this beautiful novel, with its spare but keen sense of pathos, Parsons shows us how events of history leave concentric ripples that are deeply felt across years and continents." - Hampton Sides, author of "Ghost Soldiers "I can't think of anything I've read that held me as spellbound as this superlative book. "In the Shadows of the Sun is vividly authentic whether Parsons is describing the high mountain desert of New Mexico, the jungles of the Philippines, or the characters that traverse these landscapes. The book is a riveting page-turner." - Thom Jones, author of "The Pugilist at Rest "In tautly etched vivid prose, Alexander Parsons has created landscapes of the natural world and the human psyche that plumb the depths of the relentless questions of existence. To read "In The Shadows Of The Sun is to enter a trance of storytelling that left me blinking and breathless. No other novel in recent memory strikes so deeply with such elegance and heartbreaking beauty." - Jeffrey Lent, author of "In the Fall and "Lost Nation "With "In the Shadows of the Sun, Alexander Parsons establishes himself as the new authority on the American Southwestern experience. The novel is gripping, with beautifully drawn landscapes, and memorable characters who haunt the reader long after the last page is turned." - Mark Jude Poirier, author of "Modern Ranch Living