The Sound of Distant Thunder is written by by Jan Drexler. This is book one in the Amish of Weaver's Creek Series series. We transport back to Civil War era. The Civil War threatens a peaceful Amish community when the military draft forces them to participate. Jonas Weaver. wants to marry his sweetheart, Katie Stuckey, but he takes his brothers place and goes off to serve in the Union Army. Can their love withstand the distance?

I like how the author wrote about the Amish and their role with the Civil War. The book is well written and the characters are well developed.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy of this book - all thoughts are my own.

I’m new to this authors’ books and this one caught my eye because of the Amish theme, the Ohio setting and that it takes place in the Civil War era. I really loved the Ohio setting as I live very close to where the events in this book take place and I felt so much closer to these characters because of it. Jonas and Katie are so young and so in love that my heart broke for both of them as Jonas left to fight in the war. The family setting and strong and unyielding faith of these characters is so very inspiring and reading about them made me understand the sacrifice Jonas so loving made for his brother. The storytelling is quite superb; I only stopped reading for snack and bathroom breaks! If you love heartwarming characters, a family driven story of faith and/or the Civil War era this beautifully written historical Amish fiction book is a must read. I read a complimentary copy of this book and all opinions expressed in my voluntary review are completely my own.

The Sound of Distant Thunder by Jan Drexler takes place in 1862 during the Civil War. With the conflict picking up males are being conscripted and Jonas’ brother Samuel is called to war. He is married with a family, so Jonas heads off to the war office and goes in his place. The Amish don’t believe in fighting, but Jonas hasn’t been baptized yet, and promised himself he will serve but do it in a Godly way. He leaves behind his fiancee Katie. Will Jonas survive? Will Katie wait for him? How will Jonas reconcile killing the enemy with serving God?

This was an Amish story very different from what I had read before. The historical aspect of this story was very well written. It brought to the reader the differing views of war and killing held by the Amish as well as other Christians and Non-Christians. There were several characters that the reader comes to know well and care about. I was rooting for Jonas to find a way to survive the war and for Katie to find her place in the community while waiting for Jonas to return. I enjoyed the letters between Jonas and Katie that shared what was happening in their lives and how they were feeling about things while they were apart. My emotions were all over as I read about heartbreak, grief, love, and danger. Jan Drexler does a great job writing about situations and subjects not usually dealt with in Amish Fiction and I enjoyed her deft handling of them. This is the first book in a new series and I look forward to reading more about the Amish of Weaver’s Creek.

I really wanted to like this book (because of the absolutely gorgeous cover and the amazing reviews from friends), but it really disappointed me. I found it really boring and over-dramatized, and I felt like the ending + all the plot twists (except for the big one (view spoiler), but that one I never fully believed) were extremely predictable.

There is also this one cliche in Amish fiction that I didn't think would be in this book because a lot of other reviewers said it wasn't different from any Amish book they've read before... but it was there. (said cliche is when there is at least this one person- normally a parent of the main character- who is set out to disapprove and whine about his / her child's every action, claiming it's "foolishness") And that really annoyed me. xD

Overall... I don't dislike The Sound of Distant Thunder. I just expected it to be a lot better and, I guess, different from the average Amish book, which definitely wasn't the case. 2 stars.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Sound of Distant Thunder
The Amish of Weaver's Creek #1
By Jan Drexler

Katie Stuckey and Jonas Weaver know that they are meant to marry and they want to do it as soon as possible. But Katie's father thinks she is too young at 17 years. And Jonas he feels is just not responsible enough to marry his youngest daughter. Gustav is relieved when Jonas agrees to wait.

With the country caught up in a war about slavery and state rights, the Amish of Weaver's Creek are caught in their problem those who want to embrace the change of the world and those who want to hold tight to their traditions. War is the furthest thing on their minds as they refuse to participate in violence. But when Ohio implements a draft the Amish community is faced with a dilemma - take up arms (against the church), pay a fee to avoid serving, or pay a substitute to fight for them.

When Samuel, Jonas's older married brother's name is drawn he is faced with a dilemma. Samuel vowed to never pay a fee nor pay a substitute to take his place. As one who had joined the church serving in the war could cost him dearly - shunning. Jonas feels drawn to the war not that he wants to fight but he feels that God has something for him to do. Taking his brother's place means that Jonas will have to put his plans on hold and he will be separated from Katie.

With Jonas gone Katie faces challenges that will test her. Can she hold onto the promise that Jonas will return to her? Can Jonas stay true to his beliefs or will war change him forever?

The Sound of Distant Thunder is an apt title for this book as thunder is a reoccurring theme throughout - thunder that is accompanied by a storm and that that is the distant call of battle coming. I have not read Jan Drexler's work before so came to this book with no expectations. I found the first few chapters to be a little slow but once the book got into it with the characters established the pacing and story seemed to move along quicker.

Those who like historical American fiction will enjoy this one as it is set in the early 1860s and if you have a fondness for Amish fiction consider this a bonus read as it offers both. This book focuses on family and the idea of hold firm to your principles. Overall I would recommend this book which is the first in a new series The Amish of Weaver's Creek.

This is not a 'usual' Amish-centred book.
Although I have read a lot about the two World Wars, the subject of conscription for the Civil War was new to me, & especially the way it affected families who were pacifists. War is like a grenade thrown into a pond, & the ripples spread a very long way. Families are affected for generations afterward, their lives never the same.
It surprised me, how much I could identify with the characters from over 150 years ago - in the moral dilemmas they faced.
Another theme in this book is the power of words, how they can cast a blight on our lives a long way into the future.
I can't say I enjoyed the process of reading this book, as I had such a sense of dread hanging over me as to what may happen. (With some of the early hints, there were heavy subjects that I was not comfortable with.) This made me reluctant to keep reading, especially as I came to care about some of the characters.
And the lesson from this story? Always wait, before making life-altering decisions - no matter what other people advise you.

Jan Drexler has written an intriguing Amish novel set during the days of the Civil War. Jonas and Katie are endearing characters and their story is a sweet one. Fans of Amish fiction will like this book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I am not very familiar with this author so I was excited to read this book. It has some promising things in the book which kept me reading. I did have a very hard time connecting with the story at times though. I did like that it was set during the Civil War. It was interesting to read about the Amish during this time. Most books about Amish are not set during the Civil War.

Jonas is a good character with a few flaws. He is in love with the starry eyed Katie who only wants to be his wife. He on the other hand, has dreams of something else. Although Jonas shows signs of thinking of marriage I got the impression he was going to do something very seldom done by Amish.

He gets an opportunity to right a wrong by standing up for something he believes in. Slavery during this time was prevalent but Jonas does not condone it. I liked that he took his brother's place in the service. It was very courageous and I hoped being there would help him decide what he wanted to do with his life. During his service I enjoyed reading about what he went through and how war can cause emotional scars.

Poor Katie is distraught when Jonas leaves and I could feel her desperation. Was she worried about Jonas or that they hadn't married before he left? The best part of the story for me was the correspondence between Katie and Jonas as he is serving in the army.It reads like poetry and you can feel the depths of their passion for each other. Overall I have to say at the end of the book, I became a fan of the author. I love her writing style and ability to draw readers in with descriptions of Amish life and their commitment to each other.

I received a copy of this book from The Early Reviewers Program of Librarything. The review is my own opinion.

Sweet Amish historical romance set in the era of the Civil War. Katie and Jonas fall in love with one another in the sweet manner of first loves, but also struggle with the Amish concept of nonviolence and their roles and responsibilities during the Civil War.

Seventeen year old Katie is in love with Jonas, and he with her. Her dad feels she's too young to marry and wants her to wait until she's eighteen, which she agreed to, as she wants to honor her parents and have their blessing on the marriage. Jonas has already begun clearing a spot for their home and has two walls put up.
Katie has a fear that she has had a curse put upon her by a previous school teacher. She fears any man who gets too close to her will meet with an untimely demise.
Jonas is twenty years old and is taken with the talk and news of the Civil War. The Amish are peaceful people and do not fight. Jonas is against slavery and hopes the war will free all slaves. Then, there's news of a draft as more and more men are needed to fight. What will this mean for the Amish? They got granted permission to pay $200 per man, if drafted, rather than having to go fight. Or, they can hire someone to go in their place. Katie and Jonas' community are good with this, for the most part. Jonas brother, Samuel, had ran off his mouth that he would not pay the fine if his name were to be drawn, as he felt the money would be going towards the war, which he opposes.
As luck would have it, Samuel's name was drawn in the draft. What is he do to now? He has a wife, children, and witnesses to what he had said should his name be drawn. If he goes to war, he faces being shunned if/when he should return home as they are non-violent people.
Jonas told Samuel he would, instead, go in his place. He assured him he would return and as someone who had yet to join the church, he wouldn't face shunning. Samuel is very much against Jonas taking his place, but it happened anyway.
Jonas family and Katie are fearful for him and pray daily for his safety and return.
Before leaving, Jonas made his friend, Levi, promise to look after Katie for him while he's away. Jonas has no idea that Levi secretly wants Katie for HIS wife. Jonas is happy to check in on Katie and even pick her up weekly to take her into town to check for letters from Jonas and mail letters of her own.
Suddenly, the letters stop coming. What can this mean? The postmistress assures them that letters from military can take much time, but surely, they are coming.
You just have to read this fascinating story to learn the rest.
I received a complimentary copy from Revell and Netgalley and was under no obligation to leave a positive review. All opinions are my own

The draft for the Civil War has become a real concern for the Amish of Weaver's Creek in this new series. They are given a choice but some think the choices would be helping the War effort. Katie and Jonas are in love and eagerly wanting to begin their life together but will this war affect their future? This historical novel unlike other Amish novels tells a realistic story about an Amish community during the Civil War. Looking forward to the next book. Recommended!

This is my favorite genre, Amish, so I love anything Amish. Was so happy to be able to read this book. The story was wonderful and so interesting to me.And I totally live historical fiction, so this book was right up my alley.

It takes place during the Civil War and Jonas goes to war in place of his brother, even though he is Amish and a conscientious objecter.

Such a good story!
I received an ebook copy from NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

I think this is the first book that I have read that talks about the Amish during the Civil War. I love how the author handles what each of the family members are feeling during this crisis. I loved Katie and Jonas. It is hard enough for a person that wants to fight but then to add your religious beliefs into the mix can be very trying. I loved how this was all handled. I received a copy of this book from Revell for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

The Sound of Distant Thunder by Jan Drexler is the first story in The Amish of Weaver’s Creek series. Katie Stuckey is seventeen years old in 1862 and lives with her family on their farm near Millersburg, Ohio. She is ready to marry Jonas Weaver, but her father wants her to wait until she is eighteen. Jonas begins work on their home in his spare time. The Civil War is raging on and Jonas is against slavery. He knows the stance of the church on fighting, but Jonas has yet to be baptized. Conscription is enacted and the names for their county are drawn. Jonas is spared, but his married brother, Samuel is on the list. Samuel has a choice of paying the $200 fee or get a substitute. Samuel does not wish to pay the fee because the funds would go to the war effort nor is he comfortable with having someone go in his place. Jonas takes matters into his own hands and goes in Samuel’s place. He leaves a letter for his family, Katie and his friend, Levi. He asks Levi to keep an eye on Katie for him while he is away. Can Jonas and Katie’s love survive the choice he made and the separation? Join them on their journey in The Sound of Distant Thunder.

The Sound of Distant Thunder takes us back to April of 1862 to an Amish settlement in Ohio. I felt the author captured the time period with the viewpoints of the characters and the description of their everyday lives as well as their homes, clothing, literature, conveyances, and methods of construction. It must have been a difficult time to be a pacifist with the Civil War going on around them. Conscription had them battling their conscience versus their church teachings. Jan Drexler did a wonderful job at capturing the differing thoughts and the inner conflict. I thought The Sound of Distant Thunder was a slow paced story (it plodded along like an old horse). The first half of the book is Jonas and others rehashing the same issues regarding war over and over. Jonas debating if he will stay at home or go off to fight. The pace improves slightly after Jonas goes off to war. Christian views are prevalent throughout the book. Prayer, faith and turning our worries over to God are some of the themes. We get to see how the various Amish settlements had differences and their attempts to find common ground. The Amish in the story are portrayed as hardworking and caring individuals. I did not feel like I was reading the first book in the series. The backstory on the main characters was lacking. I was confused by Katie and her fear. She has a fear that men who are attracted to her will die. It is not fully explained until late in the book. It seemed unreasonable because she was not afraid Jonas would die if they married. Wouldn’t she be afraid to marry the man she loves? The ending was abrupt and felt incomplete. I was left with several unanswered questions. The romance between Katie and Jonas is sweet and heartwarming in the midst of such brutality. I am giving The Sound of Distant Thunder 3 out of 5 stars.

The author combined two of my favorite genres into one fascinating book. When I saw this book was about the Amish during the Civil War, I knew it would be the perfect book for me and I was absolutely right.

As Katie Stuckey and Jonas Weaver are planning to marry and he begins building their dream house, the draft office planned to draw names of draftees in Holmes county, Ohio. That presents quite a dilemma for the community of pacifists which was another interesting aspect to the story and was one of my favorite parts of the book.

I have to admit that the first few chapters moved pretty slow ,but I think it was because there were several characters that faced life altering situations as the war could take several young men from their community. Once the pace picked up, I loved this book as much as I expected to and I’m excited to read the next book in the series.

I received a copy from the publisher and was under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

THE SOUND OF DISTANT THUNDER is the first book in Ms. Drexler's Weaver's Creek series. Ms. Drexler is a talented author, who knows her craft and has a lovely voice, but I felt somewhat lost as I read and realized there were irrational fears that all men who like her or are attracted to her die. Except Jonas. I'm not sure why she doesn't have that fear about him. The fears never did play out as I thought they might and really weren't explained (unless I missed it).



The ending also seemed really rushed to me.



Katie is seventeen and Jonas is twenty and he wants to marry Katie but has to wait for her to turn eighteen and not only that but he is fascinated by the idea of war and when the opportunity comes up to go in his brother's place, he's on it.



Most of the story takes place with them separated. They write really sweet letters, but war isn't as romantic as Jonas thought and not only that but he's taken captive and imprisoned, and presumed dead.



There is a lot of civil war history in here, information on how an Amish person would serve in war (which I knew, because my Amish great (something) grandfather was drafted and served in the Civil War. It was interesting reading what my ancestor might have experienced.)



This book might appeal to fans of both Amish fiction and historical fiction. Probably more the Civil War era readers than other time periods. I enjoyed Ms. Drexler's first Amish series, and maybe the second one in this series will be better (the is a sample at the end of the book which I didn't read) and a letter from the author which I did read talking about how she got interested in this time period.



I was given a copy free. All opinions are my own.

I am a sucker for all things about the Civil War. “The Sound of Distant Thunder” by Jan Drexler provided me with a better understanding of the plight of those whose beliefs about the abolition of slaves and the process to end it produced sometimes bitter actions.

In this novel, we visit an Amish community in Ohio whose members are against war and aggression. However, the state may conscript men to fight who are opposed to waging war. In this case, Jonas Weaver, who has never officially joined the church, decides to fill in for his brother who has been called to serve. Since Jonas is not married and has no children, he decides that he would be the better person to serve. He erroneously thinks that it will be only a matter of months before the war is over. He is leaving behind his fiancee, Katie. They had planned to marry in a year and had already started building their home. Jonas tended to the wounded on the battlefield, friend or foe. He was captured by the enemy and served in one of their hospitals, but was missing and presumed dead by the Federal army. The book continues to tell the story of Katie, her sadness at Jonas’ presumed death, Jonas’ desire to go home, and the consequences of the war in the Amish community.

Ms. Drexler has written a very believable story here, but unfortunately, I did not get caught up in the novel as I am prone to do. However, I was drawn to read her next book in the series because of a preview at the end of the main novel. However, this was not one of my favorite stories.

I always enjoy Jan Drexler's books but I had a hard time getting into this one. For me, there were too many things going on and I felt inundated with a lot of information to process. The research done for the book was wonderful but it was a bit too much for me. I thought the characters were well written and likeable. I will definitely give the second book a try because I will have enough background from the first book.

What a journey you are about to begin as you begin this story, and how I loved being in this Amish settlement, but the times are scary, the Civil War has begun, and sides are divided here in Ohio.
There are several other happenings here, and we learn more about the Amish Faith and touch on what was going on in the 1860’s.
There is also a sweet love story budding and with all that is happening you will wonder if they will ever be able to marry.
I found this historical story quite interesting on many facets and look forward to the next book in this series.

I received this book through the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review.

Jan Drexler is one of the best writers of the Amish Romance stories. Due to her Amish ancestry, she has knowledge of their traditions and beliefs. Ms. Drexler does such a wonderful job of bringing them to life, you will find yourself genuinely caring . There are several great characters in The Sound Of Distant Thunder, but Katie Stuckey and Jonas Weaver are the two protagonist. They have grown up together, with their families farms right next door. Jonas at twenty and Katie at seventeen are hopeless romantics. Jonas has started building a house for them and they plan to get married that fall. Katie's father gets word and does not believe she is old enough, he convinces them to wait until she turns eighteen. But a lot of changes can happen in a years time.

The timeline of this novel takes place at the beginning of the Civil War. The military needed soldiers. Although the Amish are conscientious objectors, at that time there was a draft list. Jonas ends up going off to war to save his older brother Samuel, who's number was chosen. Samuel has a wife and children. Jonas experiences the devastation and horrors of war. A quote from one of his letters to Katie “The battle....what a small word to name this horrible evil. For it is evil, dear Katie. Have no doubt of that,”
Within the first few pages of the book, Ms. Drexler will take you on an unforgettable journey. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

I received a copy of this book from Revell Publishing through NetGalleys. The opinions expressed in this book are my own.