Can Aaron kill? About to enter World War II the words of his friends haunt him. There was more. On the eve of going off to boot camp, when he tells his Ukrainian mother he is going to marry the pastor's daughter, she tells him he is Jewish and can never marry a Christian woman. Aaron and Mary defy their parents and marry anyway, and have a son.
As he fights his way across Europe, he observes destroyed churches and synagogues, death camps for Jews, and faces bible carrying Germans. He is haunted by questions about the differences in religions and why he was forbidden to marry the preacher's daughter.
After the war, battlefield nightmares turn him to alcohol and is forced leave home. Through a twist of fate, he confronts the German soldier who has haunted him. He learns he is not the evil nemesis of his nightmares and faces a choice that can allow him to return home.
About the Author :
Before embarking on a writing career, Richard was a healthcare executive, heading up three different start-up companies, one ranked fifth largest of its kind in the United States. A native Iowan he was blessed to live twenty years in beautiful Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and now in Arizona. He is a member of the Phoenix Writer's Club, The Authors Guild, the Arizona Author's Association, and the Arizona Traditions Writing Club, a local club he co-founded. He is a Surprise, Arizona Police Department volunteer citizen patrol officer. He is the author of novels, Aaron's War, A Love Divided by Time, Voyage of Life, The Other Half, and The Attic. He just completed his sixth novel, The Guts of Life. A summary of these novels can be found on the website Richard-McMaster.com
Review :
A coming-of-age story that grips your soul and takes you on a thought-provoking journey.
The premise behind this wartime tale, that a boy signs up to fight the enemy only to find out that he has a bigger stake in things than he realized, is one I haven't really encountered and it worked out well. Watching Aaron struggle not only with how to be a soldier in the middle of a war, but a Jew, was fascinating.
Extremely well written story that kept you on its path with characters that are real and relatable and brought you along on their ride with ease. It touches on a problem that has been ignored for too long telling of the PTSD that our fathers and grandfathers covered with alcohol.
Aaron's War, is the author's third and best, fictional novel. Both the title and cover provide possible hints as to the book's contents. The military helmet signals a war, the fencepost, fencing and long grasses imply a rural setting and the title suggests that Aaron may be fighting more than just a military war.
Our book club read this book - we were initially drawn to it as we live in Iowa and the book is set in Iowa. It made for a great discussion. The story centers around a WWII vet who endures the terrible effects of PTSD and it was very insightful. This is one man's fictional journey, but it could describe so many soldiers in so many wars.
Couldn't put it down once I started reading. So good our book club read it, providing much thought-provoking discussion about our family members in WW II. Wonderful word pictures about patriotism, romantic love, anti-Semitism, the horrors of war and PTSD, and finally HOPE. Would recommend Aarons War as an excellent read!
What seems to be just one more love story during WWII, Richard McMaster's book "Aaron's War" has taken his main character and painted him with unpredictable twists and turns to keep the reader intrigued to the very last page.
An engaging, informative and thought-provoking tale of survival, love and faith. Make room for Richard McMaster on your list of up-and-coming authors."
