Biddle Buzz: Book Review: In His Stead; A Father's War

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Book Review: In His Stead; A Father's War

Recently I was contacted by IronWord Press and asked to review an Advanced Copy of In His Stead, by Judith Sanders.

From the beginning of the book, my curiosity pulled me in. I instantly felt intrigued by the words I was reading and the story line of In His Stead. Judith Sanders has a way of capturing the attention of her readers, leaving them wanting to know what the next move of Lane would be.

As a Retired Army Ranger, Thomas Lane had already spent time deployed in a war zone and had struggled at times with his own PTSD from Iraq. His eldest son, Tommy, had followed in his footsteps, leaving every families worst fears a reality. Tommy lost his life due to an IED and the Lane family learned the price of freedom and war.

Lane's youngest son Donnie found himself in a situation that left him enlisting in the National Guard. Within a matter of pages, readers find that the unit Donnie was assigned to was being called to action and would be deploying. After much debate and trials, Thomas finds himself in front of his sons command, JAG, and the post command - taking his sons place. As Lane re-enters the military, he is stripped of the rank he retired with and holds the rank of his son, a Private. He is faced with those that love him and refer to him as "Dad", as well as those that despise the fact that he is level headed and in his son's stead. Lane's character holds strength, dignity, compassion, loyalty, and so much love. By the end of the book, readers can't help but to feel the emotions him and his family felt and in a sense feel "attached".

Throughout the book, Sanders makes readers feel as though they are there in the midst of the action with the detailed description of each scene. While readers are absorbed in every word and action, they will feel as if they are saying their "see you laters", boarding the C-130, in the face of combat and holding their own weapon. Emotions from laughter, tears, frustration, anger, and heartbreak are felt through each page.

About the Author

Judith Sanders was born and raised in a rural town in New Jersey. She received her BS from Graceland College and worked as a registered nurse for many years, including serving the military as a nurse in Maryland. Sanders, a mother of three boys, now makes writing her full time career and divides her time between her homes in New Hampshire and North Carolina. Her first novel, Crescent Veil, is a reality fiction novel about a hunt for terrorists. With her second novel, In His Stead (A Father's War) Judith honors the memories of those fallen in war.