Customer Reviews

Sons of Thunder (Brothers in Arms Collection (Summerside Press))

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Incredibly romantic, tragically beautiful, heart-wrenching, and deeply moving, Sons of Thunder swept me away. This first novel in Susan's new series pulls you into each of the characters' lives in a powerful way. The passion, the heartache, the longing for love and acceptance. It's all in this story as well as the struggle to survive, the yearning for identity, the desire for someone Who will love you and always be there for you. This passionate tale of love and betrayal brilliantly portrays how an abiding faith in God is passed on by example and illustrated through an unwavering spiritual connection to the One Who is faithful and true. It also shows how God knows are greatest need and often allows us to go through the fire to bring us to where He wants us to be. Our trials cause us to grow up and live for others and not just ourselves.

There were so many incredible lessons to be gleaned within the pages of this powerful story that I could go on and on. The bottom line is that this was, in my opinion, Susan May Warren's best novel yet because she captivated me and made me care about every character in this story in a way that rarely happens when I'm reading. I've heard it said that the best stories are ones where the author imagines the worst thing that could happen to their character in every scene, then makes that very thing happen. Susan does a perfect job at building tension and providing a realistic plot that moved me to tears several times. And talk about edgy. Wow! But so tastefully done. These characters were so real to me and I learned a lot from them. Can you tell I loved this book? Sons of Thunder is making my top fiction list for 2010.

Without exaggeration, this is now my all-time favorite historical fiction novel. Susan May Warren beautifully and skillfully captures the time period and the setting. From Greece to Chicago to Minneapolis to the WWII battlefield...the storyworld is vibrant with detail and feeling. The plot never drags and the characters - especially Sophie, Markos and Dino - grab your heart right from the start. And, as several other reviewers have mentioned, the themes of redemption and deliverance are masterfully woven in.

I was truly moved by this story - and I had the evidence to prove it: tears! (I read this novel during a plane ride and I think the passenger in the seat next to me was a bit worried.)

Highly, highly recommended!

To date, I have only read one other book by Susan May Warren ([...]) - `Double Trouble' in her PJ Sugar series. It was funny and heartfelt. The latest release by Susan, `Sons of Thunder' is an exciting and intriguing tome. It could not be any more different than `Double Trouble;' versatility is the mark of a gifted author!

This story has three main characters: Sofia Frangos, and brothers Markos and Dino Stavros, all from Zante Island off the coast of Greece. All three of them left their home to start a new life in the United States after a traumatic incident. The time period is the early 1940s; during their time in the US, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii (which occurred on December 7, 1941).

Both brothers are in love with Sofia. The question is: Which `Son of Thunder' will she choose? The story takes us from the Greek Islands to the jazz club of Chicago to the battlefields of World War II.

Mrs. Warren ([...]) is very adept at keeping the plot moving and keeping the characters interesting. She has paid a lot of attention to the details of that time period. I always enjoy reading about others countries and other eras beside our own. Susan has definitely brought the time and the places to light. She brings actual events into the story - such as the Pearl Harbor attack - as well as weaving real people into the story - such as Al Capone and Bugs Moran.

I also appreciate how Susan weaves God's redemption into the story. In her Author's Note, Susan explains her interpretation of that specific era:

I think, in our world, we want answers immediately. But the heroes from the Greatest Generation understood that sometimes deliverance doesn't happen overnight. Sometimes they had to fight for it, hold on to it, open their eyes to see it. I wanted to paint a picture of deliverance - forgiveness, healing, redemption, and mercy - and give it room to work out in the lives of the characters...
I pray this story encourages you to see God's hand, delivering you through forgiveness, healing you of your diseases, and showing you His great compassion. (p. 8)

Here is an example of both Susan's wonderful writing style and bringing God into the story - in the words of Markos:

"....Maybe we're all supposed to be a little broken, a little afraid, a little overwhelmed by our own sweeping mistakes. Otherwise, we might believe we can save ourselves instead of letting God deliver us. Maybe being on our knees is the only way we can ever be used by God... Because without knowing what grace feels like, how will we ever really know how to give it away?" (p. 225)

I was engaged by these characters - which is a big component in the appeal of a novel - and hope Susan brings them back in some form in the future to continue their journey.

This book was provided to me by Summerside Press for review purposes in affiliation with the LitFuse Publicity Group.

Reviewed by Andrea Schultz - Ponderings by Andrea - [...]

Susan May Warren's historical fiction is strong--the book's setting is vivid, whether it's in Greece or a World War II battlefield. Handling multiple points-of-view can be tricky. But skilled writer that she is, Warren manages this by dividing the book into three distinct sections: Markos, Dino and Sofia.
Warren is brave enough to write about real life--complete with the triumphs and tragedies, the heartaches and the solaces we all experience. And in Sons of Thunder, as she does in all her books, Warren weaves a strong biblical truth. She doesn't shove it down your throat. Rather, she allows you to see the questions her characters are asking, the experiences they are living, the answers they discover--and wonder if you might make the same choices, accept the same truths.
Sons of Thunder brought me to tears more than once. Warren is a gifted writer. I'll be buying more than one copy of this book because I know I'll want to share it with my friends!

Sons of Thunder is a wonderfully written romantic and suspenseful book. Set in the early 1900's, it tells the story of 2 brothers who flee Greece for America. They are thrown into the American ways all the while trying to keep some sense of who they are. Added into the mix is a love interest who is torn between the two. Susan transports you from a fishing village in Greece to the mob war ridden streets of Chicago onto the World War II battlefields of Europe. Sons of Thunder is really the 3 separate stories of Brothers Markos and Dino and Sofia, the girl who has won their hearts.

Honestly though the thing that touched me the most about this book was the message. In every hurt, God heals and repairs. Through Him our regrets, transgressions, and emotional wounds will be wiped clean and cured. I think this is something that is easy for us to forget. Many of us have a hard time leaving a past behind when it is just that. The past. We must buckle down look toward the future and what we will do with our lives then.

I really liked this book. There was no preachiness; no hit you over the head with the gospel approach. Sons of Thunder is filled with heart breaking and sometimes violent images. But Warren delivers a message of God's love and grace in a quiet way that speaks louder than the evil and violence of the world.

(I got this book free in return for a review. All the opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.)

When I started reading this book I almost didn't get past the first chapter. I was so lost. The writing style was crazy confusing. It wasn't until later that I even understood who was who in the book. The characters were thrown at me like a basket of unfolded laundry. I had to really work to sort it all out.

That being said it did get better as the book went on but that was like riding with someone who is just learning to drive a manual shift. Sometimes it was really smooth and fun to read. Other times it was jumpy, bumpy and slightly uncomfortable. But I really wanted it to be good so I stayed on for the ride.

I have not read any of this author's other work so I have no comparison, but this book fell slightly short of the mark. It had great potential and good characters - they just never got their full due.

Other reviewers say to read some of the author's other works - I would do that and maybe save this one until later if you are dead set on reading it. I don't know if I would recommend it if you are on the fence. It wasn't well written enough.

This is not Susan Kay warren's usual kind of book. It was very dramatic and very hard to get into. I have been reading susan may Warren for a few years. I especially enjoy her contemporary suspense romance. The writing was wonderful as usual but I give this book a two star because of the story line. The story is a 15 year time span. To me it was too much like a soap opera. Girl knows brothers. Says she loves one but when he disappears, she turns to the other. it wasn't my usual type book. To me this was not a romance, but more of a story on the history of the time period with a characters thrown in. I will not stop reading Susan may warren's books, but i will read the reviews before downloading. In my overall opinion, if you enjoy light hearted funny romances, this is NOT for you.

Brothers Markos and Dino Stavros lived relatively idyllic lives as fishermen on the Greek island of Zante in the 1920s. Markos, the older of the two, quietly loved the beautiful Sofia Frangos, who worked in his family's taverna, and dreamed of a future with her. Those hopes were destroyed on the fateful night the Stavros patriarch and oldest son were murdered, and Markos himself was involved in the bloodshed when he killed one of their attackers. Trying to escape the past, Markos, Dino, and Sofia flee to America to start their lives anew, but instead of the sanctuary they'd hoped for, their "fresh start" turns into a crucible that will test their character and threaten to destroy the promises binding them together. Epic in every sense of the word, Sons of Thunder follows Markos, Dino, and Sofia from the gang-ridden streets of 1920s Chicago to the war-torn battlefields of Europe. Gritty and heart-rending, these three passionate individuals are broken and battered by the turbulence of the times they live in, only to discover the sweet promise of deliverance and redemption found in surrender.

I absolutely love it when I read a book and the journey within those pages meet me right where I'm at in my faith walk. Markos, Dino, and Sophia are three very different personalities, bound together by mutually shared tragedy and hardship. Despite the wildly varied paths their lives take, each one of them needs to learn what deliverance looks like in their lives - not something that can be forced or earned or saves them from trouble, but a precious gift that teaches them the true source of strength and deliverance is found in reliance on a never-changing God and His promises. This is probably Warren's grittiest, emotionally raw, real offering to date. The pain these characters endure and their joy at discovering hope and redemption brought me to tears on more than one occasion. Just when I think it's not possible for a favorite author to get any better, Warren surpasses herself with Sons of Thunder. This isn't a preachy novel at all - this is faith and hope finding individuals in their darkest hour, changing their lives forever. It's one of the best examples of seeing faith lived out in the pages of a novel that I've ever come across - spiritual truths are wrapped in compelling, unforgettable storytelling.

Since Susan May Warren is one of my all-time favorite authors, and World War II is the historic time period I love to study the most, this Brothers in Arms series is a dream come true. Sons of Thunder took a bit longer for me to really get into than other Warren novels, but once I found the rhythm of the story it grabbed my heart and refused to let go until the final pages. The novel is divided into thirds, the first section told from the point of view of Markos, then Dino, and finally Sofia. Since the book is basically three novellas strung together by common experience, the narrative can occasionally feel a bit choppy. That is most likely the reason this novel didn't "grab" me until towards the end of Markos's section of the story. There's so much action and emotional highs and lows packed within the pages of this novel, I would've been thrilled to see it as a trilogy. Warren presents a compelling, satisfying, life-changing story that left me wishing it would never end. With superb pacing, characters so real they'll break your heart, and a healthy dose of suspense set against the backdrop of world war, Sons of Thunder is a story to savor, the pages saturated with hope. I can't wait to read Warren's next installment in the series!

As a fan of Susan's books for the past few years, I have to admit I had a hard time getting into this book. I thought it was a good read but this one had a different feel than her regular ones and I can't say that it was my favorite. I found that it had too many things going on and it didn't have the usual flow that I enjoy from Susan's books (Usually I'm swallowed up by it and can't put it down). That being said, that is my personal taste on it because I enjoy her light hearted books a lot more but as a more dramatic book this one is wonderful.

**A complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review.