The Fiddler's Gun (Fin's Revolution: Book I) [Paperback]

A. S. Peterson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2009 | Series: Fin's Revolution (Book 1)

Revolution. Secrets. Adventure.

America is on the brink of war with England, and Fin Button is about to come undone. She's had it with the dull life of the orphanage, and she's ready to marry Peter and get away from rules, chores, and a life looked after by the ever-watchful Sister Hilde. But an unexpected friendship forms between Fin and the fiddle-playing cook, Bartimaeus, which sets her on a course for revolution. With Bart's beloved fiddle and haunting blunderbuss as her only possessions, Fin discovers her first taste of freedom as a sailor aboard the Rattlesnake. She's hiding some dark secrets, but there are bigger problems for the crew: they are on the run from the Royal Navy, and whispers of mutiny are turning the captain into a tyrant. When Fin finally returns home, will she find Peter still waiting, or will she find that she's lost everything she once held dear?

Editorial Reviews

Review

I found myself stopping to reread passages because they were so beautifully written. The characters that populate the world of The Fiddler's Gun are so sharply drawn that I found myself thinking about them while I wasn't reading the book and that's one of the best compliments I can give any story. This is not a tame tale, there is violence and darkness but there's also love and hope and whispers of redemption. This is an adventure story and it's a love story. There are pockets of beautiful writing that will still your heart and characters that are impossible not to feel for. And it's also a bit of historical fiction! Truly, The Fiddler's Gun is reading at it's best. ----- Review from MyFriendAmysBlog.com

With dogged fidelity, Peterson captures the spirit, manners, and social conditions present during the American Revolutionary War. We meet colorful, credible characters who navigate the high seas of life and love, dependence and independence, war and peace, truth and consequence, and despite forays into dark places, The Fiddler's Gun is beautiful, lyrical, and redemptive. A.S. Peterson has crafted a work of compelling historical fiction which begs the question, "Can this really be a debut novel?"----- Review from The Phantom Tollbooth

Great books like The Fiddlers Gun give a lifelike voice to historic characters on whose fictional shoulders we stand. We peer into Fins story through the eve and eye of The Revolutionary War. Theres her best friend Peter LaMee, her foe Sister Hilde; humor, romance, betrayal, grand ships, swearing sailors, pirates, gallows, Red Coats, Tories, and the hunger for American independence. Though within the epic framework, Fin just craves acceptance and love, to be an orphan no longer to belong. Here we have a book that is a New York Times bestsellers equal produced in the very fashion of redemption.----- Review from Curator Magazine

About the Author

A.S. "Pete" Peterson is a contributing writer at The Rabbit Room (RabbitRoom.com), a community of writers and artists drawn together by a mutual desire to seek truth in storytelling. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee where he wishes he had more time to sail.

Product Details

• Paperback: 293 pages
• Publisher: Rabbit Room Press; 1st edition (December 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9780615325422
• ISBN-13: 978-0615325422
• ASIN: 0615325424
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #278,162 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

A. S. "Pete" Peterson served on a number of naval vessels while in the U.S. Marine Corps, none of them pirate ships. He is the author of two books, The Fiddler's Gun and Fiddler's Green, and he currently lives and works in Nashville, Tennessee where he is a founding member of The Rabbit Room (RabbitRoom.com), a community of artists, writers, and musicians engaged in an ongoing conversation about the importance of Story.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars No Damsels In Distress Here! January 6, 2010

By Sonia VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Wow! This has left me reeling! Meet Fin Button. She is seventeen years of age and has spent all but the first seven days of her life in an orphanage. Despite the nuns' desire to make her into a young lady, Fin has other ideas. Rather than sit with a needle and thread, she is out punching the daylights out of her fellow unruly male orphans, wearing pants, cursing, and she would much rather use a hammer and saw than be stuck in a kitchen all day. Unfortunately for Fin tho, the nuns do put her in a kitchen all day, but it is in this kitchen that she makes good friends with Bartimaeus, a former pirate "saved" from a life of crime.

While Fin wreaks havoc in the orphanage, America is on the verge of the revolutionary war with England. It is no surprise that such an independent, headstrong gal like Fin sides with those for independence and there is no love lost between her and the Red Coats. Unfortunately, an ill planned run away attempt goes sour causing Fin much distress with the above mentioned Red Coats, especially when they go after her dear Bartimaeus. She ends up running away again, this time leaving six dead Red Coats in her wake. She can never go back and this means leaving behind her boyfriend, Peter just days before they are due to wed.

With only a fiddle and a gun named Betsy, Fin turns to the sea. From here on out it is barroom brawls, piracy, mutiny, sword fighting, storms, capture, escape, canons shooting, and even a treasure map discovery. Assuming Fin survives the high seas, will she make it back to the orphanage and Peter? Will Peter even be waiting for her after two long years? Will she bring trouble back with her? After all, where Fin goes, trouble is soon to follow... And what of this treasure?

There are great secondary stories too. Bart is an old man who thought he had escaped his past, but discovers the past catches up. Fin deals with a lot of inner turmoil regarding her desire to be accepted by others and she questions her faith at difficult times.

I found it just a bit preposterous at first that a seventeen year old girl is allowed to run around free and in pants to boot in the 1700s, but had the author stuck to historical accuracy in this case, the fun would have diminished considerably. This is a young adult book and just extremely FUN. However, I feel adults will enjoy it just as much if not more. Fin is a very likable, spunky, fiesty, and very strong heroine. No damsels in distress here!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Goes Beyond the Story into our Hearts February 10, 2011

By Jessica Fisher

Format:Paperback

Some of our family's favorite read agains are The Wingfeather books by Andrew Peterson. So when I saw that his brother, A.S. Peterson, had written a book for young adults, I decided to give it a go. The reviews were good, and if DNA had anything to do with it, The Fiddler's Gun promised to be a good read.

And it was. While I am not sure I would call it "young adult" due to some themes that I think are too mature for my thirteen year old son, I can say that it is a beautiful story. There's adventure, there's love, there's death, yea, even some romance. And it's all good clean, romance, love, death, and romance.

The Fiddler's Gun is the tale of a young girl, Finn, during the days leading up to and during the American War for Independence. As the thirteenth girl born into a family, she was abandoned at an orphanage as a baby. She was a rebel from the start. The story follows Finn as she gets caught up in sailing, piracy, and yea, even fighting the Red Coats.

I'm actually afraid to say too much. It's more than pirates and adventure. There's sin and failing, love and redemption. Like his brother A.S. Peterson has crafted a tale that goes beyond the simple pages of the story.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Fiddler's Gun - The Find of the Decade July 23, 2011

By Steve Taylor TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Rarely do I come across a book that has everything a reader would enjoy. What started out to be a "Little House On The Prairie" type of story ended up being quite the exciting adventure. It transcends male/female novels and exposes the heart of mankind. Not only is the book a page-turner, it's a book one will think about reading all day while doing their daily tasks.

Our main character is a wiry, redheaded girl in her upper teens. All of us know someone just like her - adventurous, rebellious, full of vim and vigor but down inside a kind-hearted child that just wants to be loved. Because of some poor decisions she ends up in a world she never knew existed - a world of privateers, violent bloodthirsty men, sea battles and a world on the brink of a major war. Will she change her rebellious ways and go home or will she fight to stay alive in the world of men?

The characters are rich and deep. A. S. Peterson doesn't do a lot of describing but allows his fantastic gift of storytelling and skill of the English language to paint the heart of each character. My own mother's words were "I can't ever remember reading a book where the characters were so real and alive" (and she's been reading for since the fall of Rome so she's a good judge). One thing I did have to do was suspend a bit of reality when Fin was able to beat up seasoned seamen when it came to fisticuffs. In the real world that is not going to happen.

From a Biblical standpoint I did have two concerns you may want to be aware of. The first is that there is some foul language that one does not normally find in a book written by an author who professes Christ. It's 1700's piratey kind of cursing but cursing non-the-less. It did fit the story but I'm of the belief a good writer can find creative ways around such language. I'm 30% into book two and it would seem Mr. Peterson has opted not to use the colorful metaphors, which I find a good thing. Secondly the use of the unbiblical teaching of Double Calvinism seems to be theology taught and believed by the Christians in the town of Ebenezer where the orphanage lies. Although I have a hard time believing anyone could believe such a blasphemous dogma a well-known preacher by the name of George Whitefield did believe and teach this in the book so it is historically accurate. However when John Wesley appeared on the scene the false teaching (which he didn't believe) was not corrected. I'm still holding hope that Fin will find the truth by the end of book two.

If you're looking for a great adventurous story that's well written and loads of fun to read then by all means buy yourself this book. In fact while you're at it buy book two because you'll definitely want to read it too.

1 Star = Pathetic
2 Stars = Fair
3 Stars = Good
4 Stars = Excellent
5 Stars = Life changing

For those who give me a negative vote on my review please comment and let me know why. I'd like to improve my reviews so they can be helpful to those who read them. (I choose not to give a synopsis of the book because it's already given at the top of the books page.) Thank you.