Spirit of Independence [Paperback]

Keith Rommel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2001

Travis Winter, the Spirit of Independence, was viciously murdered in World War II. Soon after his untimely death, he discovers he is a chosen celestial knight—a new breed of Angel destined to fight the age-old war between Heaven and Hell. Yet, confusion reigns for Travis when he is pulled into Hell and is confronted by the Devil himself, somewhat disguised as a saddened creature who begs only to be heard.

Freed by a band of Angels sent to rescue him, Travis rejects the Devil’s plea and begins a fifty-year-long odyssey to uncover the true reasons why Heaven and Hell war.

Now, in this, the present day, Travis comes to you, the reader, to share recent and extraordinary revelations that will no doubt change the way you view the Kingdom of Heaven and Hell. And what is revealed will change your own afterlife in ways you could never imagine!

Product Details

• Paperback: 276 pages
• Publisher: Barclay Books, LLC (September 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931402078
• ISBN-13: 978-1931402071
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,128,532 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Keith Rommel lives with his family in Port Saint Lucie, Florida. Keith is a retailer, freelance writer and now a novelist.

This proves dreams come true.

Captivated as a young man by the story of a real-life tragic event of a family friend, Keith Rommel was inspired to write The Cursed Man: a novel of dark suspense with an ending so ominous, it has to be fiction. Keith Rommel has had several writer how-to articles published and is currently working on his next novel.

You can visit Keith on the web at http://keithrommel.weebly.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is refreshingly unique. A surprise a minute., November 6, 2001

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Spirit of Independence (Paperback)

In 1947, Travis Winter was on a covert operation in East Berlin when his captain shot him in cold blood. As he lay dying, a hand reached up from within the ground and pulled Travis though the layers of the earth until he reached Hell. The devil using the name Navarro insists they must talk, but before they chat angels arrive freeing Travis.

For the next half a century, Travis has been the SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE in God's Army. He serves as a modern day angel waiting to fight on the front lines when the Day of reckoning arrives. However his five decades of angelic living makes Travis question God's ruthlessness so he joins Navarro's minion as the cold war between Heaven and Hell has heated up to what seems like the final solution.

Anyone who enjoys the "Left behind" novels will gain immense pleasure from SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE, the first tale of the "Spirit Chronicles" series. Kith Rommel visualizes images so that even an atheist will believe in Heaven and Hell. Travis is one heck of a lead protagonist, as he seems so human even in the afterlife that he is a sort of modern day doubting everyman. Keith Rommel displays his talent with this powerful inspirational fiction.

Harriet Klausner

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cleaver and Creative!, December 17, 2001

By 

phillip tomasso III (rochester, new york United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spirit of Independence (Paperback)

Good vs. Evil. Evil vs. Good. Sounds like the same thing, right? Well, not in Keith Rommel's impacting debut novel, Spirit of Independence. Rommel confidently keeps the tables turning in this fantasy-like thriller involving good spirits and bad spirits, but which is which is the persistent question throughout the story.

The cast of characters is clever, the plot, intriguing. Travis Winter was a young soldier, murdered in 1944 during World II. Winter is now like an angel known as Spirit. While Navarro, who some might consider the root of all evil-the devil himself-calls on Spirit, pleading for Spirit to listen to his side of the story. And there is DemAngel, who was once a heavenly angel who preferred the demonic side of existence. And all of their paths cross when there is an attempted robbery. Spirit's daughter was the clerk. Spirit, using his power, steps in to save his daughter's life and chases after one of the fleeing thieves. When the theif vanishes through some type of mystical portal, Spirit follows and finds himself submerged in the conspiracy of an after-life time.

Heaven and hell seem to always have been at opposite ends of the battlefield. Most have always assumed that Heaven was synonymous with righteousness. Is it possible that we have the story wrong? Backwards? Who has ever stopped to listen to what Navarro had to say on the matter?

From beginning to end, Spirit of Independence held my interest. It is a well-written and fast-paced novel. It is written from many viewpoints, which was fascinating and unique. Imaginative scenes and creative settings are consistently woven into each of the chapters making for a fulfilling and satisfying read. I look forward to Rommel's next work in the series.

--Phillip Tomasso III, author of Third Ring, Tenth House & Mind Play

5.0 out of 5 stars The Devil himself makes a plea to Travis, April 12, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spirit of Independence (Paperback)

The first and debut volume of the "Spirit Chronicles" series, Spirit Of Independence by Keith Rommel is a fascinating allegorical fantasy novel of Travis Winter, a man who falls in battle during World War II and then learns he has been chosen as a celestial knight in the ancient war between Heaven and Hell. Yet when the Devil himself makes a plea to Travis, begging only to be heard, Travis learns that there is much more to the ancient cosmic feud than what appears. Though he distrusts the Devil's plea, he must set out on a personal quest to learn more about what drives the afterlife into such violent conflict, and what can possibly be done about it, in this incredible, powerful story of questing for truth and redemption in worlds both within and beyond mortal reckoning. Spirit Of Independence is very highly recommended for fantasy buff reading lists and community library fantasy collections.