Liberty Man by Brad Livengood

About the Book

Brad Livengood's Liberty Man is a heartfelt novel set during the American Revolution. The story follows protagonist Gabriel Brower who, although at first glance is just an average blue-collar worker trying to get through a trying period, suddenly finds himself face-to-face with William Kinney -- an American Revolution soldier ... who has been dead for more than a century.

The reader learns about William's affecting story, including a quest to find his  lost love who has been kidnapped by the Major. Readers are exposed to, not only the historical elements of the American Revolution time period, but themes that transcend time period -- such as friendship, love, sadness, and death. The universal mysteries of the human condition are explored with an engaging narrative that keeps your attention from start to finish. Livengood intertwines the stories of Gabriel and William, showing the reader their differences, but more importantly, their similarities. With succinct, concise narration and affecting dialogue between two people from different time periods, Livengood layers his writing, creating a central narrative thread from separate stories. He explores themes central to American history, such as liberty, as well as elements of the Gospel and the search for redemption. One of Livengood's strengths is writing characters that are flawed but likable -- partially because we can see pieces of ourselves within them. 

If you are a fan of historical fiction novels that explore deep truths with complicated characters, then Liberty Man by Brad Livengood is worth checking out!

An excerpt from Liberty Man:

January 30, 1781

We march as silent practitioners in the eternal madness of war, slashing through a sea of Carolina mud. Willingly we profane the sanctity of life. Willingly we emerge from the dawn as objects of loathing, as we turn our backs on home and abundance to join in this miserable carnival of torment, this final eclipse of light. 

We are called to a halt, although still in formation. We rest our chins on the tompions of our weapons. General Davidson and his staff splash by us on their horses, directing us toward the Catawba. The British are upon us. I imagine the might of their tread like the rumblings of an earthquake coming toward us, sweeping all in their path. It is whispered that we are to hold them at the fords of the river. This is a preposterous assumption, for we have barely one hundred fifty souls in our column. The reality soon becomes clear. We are to be sacrificed. 

The men are nervously conversational. Some whisper of home and their families. Some speak quietly of death, as if they do not wish the fates to hear of their conversation. Andrew muses about honor, concerned, like many, of how he will meet the onslaught. Do we die ingloriously, crumpled in the mud? Or shall our bones be remembered, our memory admired? 

“Quiet in the ranks,” our captain shouts. “We are close enough to give away our position.” 

I am so weary that I stumble and lean against Scipio. I feel I am dying in small increments.

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