Redemption Reviews
Daisy Nell
David Tory has created a delightful and insightful trilogy that has now brought us Redemption, the third book in the Stanfield Chronicles. These books are easily stand-alone historical novels, creating a story around the young Isaac Stanfield as he navigates his way from the early years of England’s exploration across the Atlantic Ocean into northeastern America. Throughout these chapters, actual historical characters merge with Stanfield’s fictional family and friends, keeping readers engaged as the narrative unfolds. What is insightful is the way in which David Tory steers his Isaac Stanfield through the political labyrinth of the known history of those times, while maintaining the personal value system that readers have come to expect of this protagonist. Redemption, the third book in this trilogy, brings readers to the early 17th century of Salem and Boston, with descriptions of roads and rivers, farms and forests that New Englanders will recognize as familiar yet vastly different from today’s landscape. As always in Tory’s storytelling, the political and personal issues are cleverly interwoven to keep us turning every page. Can this third book really be the last we hear from Isaac Stanfield? We hope not.
John Santos
Hurrah! The final act is worth the read!
Set in the early days of the settlement of Boston and Salem, Tory has written a wonderful story of mystery, family ties, and colonial resettlement. Weaving in actual historical figures, and tying together the early colonies of Massachusetts, New Amsterdam (NYC) and Bermuda. It’s a fun read, entertaining, and built in a credible way around historical events.
A fitting, if not sentimental, end to the trilogy and story of Isaac Stanfield. Well done!
Redemption might be the best of the three superb books by Tory but everyone seems to have their favourite, guess that means they are all good!
His books captivate and embrace you in the world of 17th century exploration and discovery with all the challenges and joys. From England to the New World to Bermuda, Redemption introduces a world that is fascinating. If you enjoy historical fiction this trilogy must be on your read list. But as this is book three, are we at the end???? Please tell me more are coming
It has been more than a pleasure to read The Stanfield Chronicles by David Tory. Redemption, the third volume in the adventures of Isaac Stanfield rounds out the exploits of our fateful protagonist. Over the course of the series Mr. Tory has allowed the reader to access several paths. One being the growth (Warts and all) of the burgeoning New World. The baby steps and fumbles of a land breathing the life of its first inhabitants from across the pond. Then we have Isaac. A seemingly unassuming young man set upon a course to nurture not only his own destiny but the dawn of The United States.
In Redemption we find Isaac and his growing family on the shores of the Massachusetts Colonies. Challenges lay ahead. Not only does the Stanfield family have to endure the challenges of a new world…Harsh winters, hostile neighbors and someone with a seemingly unending grudge against Isaac which could cost him his life. Redemption is nowhere near as fast paced as its siblings but that is ok. It does not feel like it was meant to be a rollercoaster. There is suspense, drama and a natural sense of things falling into place.
Mr. Tory has an unmatched ability to give us a ringside seat to an evolution of human destiny. It is almost as if Isaac can sense the triumphs, failures and rebirths of a growing nation far beyond his own years.
I’ve been waiting impatiently for the final part of Isaac Stanfield’s story, and it was well worth the wait. David Tory’s skill at weaving so many carefully researched historical realities into a page-turning thriller is unmatched. The book really brought home to me the skills, perseverance, common sense that those earliest settlers must have had to survive in this harsh New England.
Since I live just north of Boston, I particularly enjoyed his depiction of what the many sites near me must have been like in the 1600s. I enjoyed every minute of the book, perhaps my favorite of the three, although I wouldn’t have missed any of them, and they should be read in order.