An Exceedingly Moving Historical Fiction Story

I enjoyed reading “The Cause of Darkness a Story of the Civil War” by John W. Bebout who in my opinion is a brilliant writer with an exceptional ability to describe scenes and characters as if you were personally in this fast-action historical fiction story.

The title of the book intrigued me until I read the opening quote,

“If the soul is left in darkness, sins will be committed. The guilty one is not he who commits the sin, but the one who causes the darkness. -Monseigneur Bienvenu in Les Misérables”

I believe this story will make anyone who reads it reflect on the causes of darkness in our world today which will hopefully make the world a more peaceful and positive place.

As I read this story, which is told in the first person, I felt the events unfolding were rising out of the book displaying all in a spectacular movie. For example,

“The sounds of battle rose to an unbearable level that assaulted all our senses. It was a mad symphony of bangs and whirs and crashes accompanied by the deep percussion of the cannons. Terrified, Jed and I sat with our knees pulled up to our chests with our arms over our heads until the constant roar of cannons eventually became more sporadic, interspersed with the pop-poppop of muskets off in the distance. When I finally dared to look up, it was an astonishing sight: light streamed into the barn through what must have been a thousand holes. Although the barn had not sustained a direct hit, nearby explosions had riddled the walls and roof with shrapnel. That Jed and I were alive and untouched was nothing short of a miracle.”

I liked the way the author steadily increased the tension and drama as this book progressed showing the grim realities and cruelties of war in a way that made me reflect on the extreme importance of peace in the very troubled world we have today. The author clearly shows and gave me a reminder there is no humanity when it comes down to kill or be killed, as well as how extremely loving we can be.

I also felt this was one of the best historical fiction stories I have ever read with exceedingly high tension as well as low points all mixed with dramatic twists and turns which produced a cornucopia of emotions. I felt, the author described and set the scenes quickly and very realistically using an economy of words. For example,

“On our ride over from Warrenton, the cavalrymen had ridden in a loose double-column with one scout far out in front of us and another following in our rear. But before we entered New Market, Lieutenant Marcus ordered a parade formation. He and I rode at the front while directly behind us rode two troopers, one carrying a large American flag and the other the company colors. Behind them, the men trotted along in a tight, double column. The men rode with perfect posture and looked magnificent in their cavalry jackets. The brass on their Spencer carbines, holstered within easy reach on their saddles, glistened in the rays of the lowering sun.”

I thought the author intelligently and very cleverly varied the scenes and in this fast-paced story. I also found the story intriguing, dramatic and entertaining written by a very gifted author. Highly recommended!

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