Rumors of War (Children of the Promise, #1)

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Rumors of War (Children of the Promise #1)

4.26 of 5 stars 4.26 · rating details · 7,233 ratings · 773 reviews

"Every era has its own refiner's fire, and World War II put general Church membership and Utah to a test," Dean Hughes explains. In Children of the Promise, his first historical fiction series for adults, Dean shows through the eyes of the Thomas family how LDS families were tested to the limit.

"Most people agree it was a fascinating time in world and American history. In...more

Hardcover, 500 pages

Published June 14th 1997 by Deseret Book Company

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites by Chris Heimerdinger

Best LDS fiction

6th out of 417 books — 327 voters

Grip of the Shadow Plague by Brandon Mull

Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull

Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary by Brandon Mull

Best of LDS Fiction

9th out of 193 books — 202 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Dec 23, 2009 Terrie rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: LDS or history lovers.

Shelves: all-time-favorites, adult-historical-fiction

Let me start by saying that I HATE LDS fiction because it follows the formula of member meets non-member,they fall in love, non- member joins the church. BORING!
BUT this series was nothing like that. The story takes place during WWII and starts out in Sugarhouse area of Salt Lake (where I grew up) with a typical LDS family whose dad is the Bishop. These are very real characters that I grew to love. I've said before I have only read 2 books in my life where I sobbed. I cried so hard reading these...more

5 likes · like · see review

Nov 11, 2007 Emily rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: lds, historical-fiction, fun-easy-reading

I am going to do a general review of all 5 books in this series. I loved them and really enjoy historical fiction. I loved how each character was developed and integrated into the story perfectly so as to include many of the different aspects and perspectives of a life-changing time in history. Two thumbs up to be sure.

3 likes · like · see review

May 12, 2012 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a review of the entire "Children of the Promise" series by Dean Hughes, including Rumors of War, Since You Went Away, Far From Home, When We Meet Again, and As Long As I Have You. I loved these books--the first (Rumors of War) took a few chapters to get me hooked and then I finished that one and read the rest eagerly--until I got to the last one (As Long As I Have You)--more about that later. These books will definitely appeal to LDS readers who enjoy historical fiction and wrestling wit...more This is a review of the entire "Children of the Promise" series by Dean Hughes, including Rumors of War, Since You Went Away, Far From Home, When We Meet Again, and As Long As I Have You. I loved these books--the first (Rumors of War) took a few chapters to get me hooked and then I finished that one and read the rest eagerly--until I got to the last one (As Long As I Have You)--more about that later. These books will definitely appeal to LDS readers who enjoy historical fiction and wrestling with some of the issues that naturally arise in LDS families in or out of wartime.

I have read a lot of historical fiction and history about World War II, so these books were definitely my cup of tea. Hughes takes the reader through the lives of the Thomas and Stoltz families and their acquaintances, family, and friends as they deal with the impending war, the war and the "home front," and the lives of the characters for a short time after the war. He creates people whom you grow to love and care about. His research is accurate and he manages to cover or at least touch on many important aspects of the war in Europe (especially Germany and, to a lesser extent, England), D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge; in the Pacific with Pearl Harbor, the Bataan Death March and other POW and Navy/Marine experiences; and the effects of the war on civilians in the combat areas in Europe and England and back in the United States in Salt Lake City, where the Thomas family is based.

Hughes doesn't just present facts, but intertwines the lives of the characters with historical events, including the pertinent history of the LDS Church at these times and places. He also deals with major themes, such as the possible conflicts between being a Christian Latter-day Saint immersed in military culture, with the duties of a soldier. The commandment to love all of God's children is, of course, tested in a time of war. Also, we see people waiting for news of loved ones who may be in danger or, alternatively, who represent home and safety. Through the lives of his characters, Hughes explores aspects of faith, wanting to get away from the familiar and "spread your wings," parents dealing with issues of control while trying to respect their children's agency and adulthood, the new roles and attitudes of women that developed during the war, and the conflict inherent in profiting legitimately by supporting the war effort (such as manufacturing weapons or their components) and yet profiting from--well, war.

Hughes juggles the characters' lives skillfully. Although his technique of moving from one character's story to another in a new chapter or mid-chapter can sometimes be a bit of a jolt, for the most part the author's timing is good when he decides to drop one thread of the story and pick up another. I looked forward to reading these books every day, and was upset knowing that I was approaching the last book and soon would be finished with the series. Ironically, Hughes makes the parting easier, because the final book is not as engaging as the others, although it is still very good. Its main problem is that three of the characters are dealing with the same problem--the aftermath of having served in the military and the decision whether or not to share their experiences with their loved ones. In the case of two characters, the reader knows what their experiences were. When the third finally reveals his "secret," it has been built up to the point of being anticlimactic--tormenting to him, but not a big surprise to the reader who knows anything about human nature in wartime or crisis. The reader may grow tired of having three characters whose thoughts and problems are so similar to each other. Nevertheless, I had grown to care enough about these characters and the others that I enjoyed the final book and was actually relieved to be let out of the series without the "mourning" I had anticipated.

The only other flaw I noticed in the books was a revolving door of suitors for one daughter (Bobbi), and repeated misunderstandings of or backsliding about mutual feelings, that seemed at times contrived to avoid resolving her story line too soon. One of the best aspects of the books is the continued personal development of the characters, even those whom the reader may judge too set in their ways to change, or too minor compared to other characters to command the author's attention. Hughes did a great job of developing characters, young and old, men and women, in the context of their experiences in the war or on the home front. As I wrote earlier, I loved and was engrossed in these books. I can't imagine that Hughes could do as terrific a job in his follow-up series, "The Hearts of the Children," but I am going to read them, because even if they are only two-thirds as good as "Children of the Promise" they will be worth the time.

(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jun 23, 2008 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked this whole series. As a person who is usally skeptical about any fiction published by LDS publishers, I expected to think it was dumb. It wasn't. I cried. It was a real book, not one written just to sell stuff to Mormons.

I actually had to read it. When I was at BYU I signed up for an LDS Literature class. My thought was: Really, how hard could reading a lot of Jack Weyland be? But you know what? That was a super awesome class! And we didn't even read 'Charly'.

The name 'LDS Lit' wasn't e...more

3 likes · like · see review

Nov 01, 2008 Christina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: with-derek, fiction-historical, fiction-lds

The Thomas family is about to face WW2. Alex, a missionary in Germany, loves the German people. Bobbie breaks off her engagement and joins the military as a nurse. Wally chooses to join the Air Corps as an escape from responsibilities of life, and is captured as a POW.

The entire series is well researched and in depth. He does a good job of placing characters in many of the important events of the war (sometimes he's even a little too obvious about it). The characters are multi-faceted and develo...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 06, 2009 Melynna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Let me start by saying two things:
1) I'm usually not a big fan of LDS fiction. It tends to be kinds dorky and a little too in-your-face spiritual. Not to mention badly written. But I liked this book. It wasn't like that at all.
2) I took a creative writing class from Dean Hughes, and he's totally and completely awesome. I'll try not to let that fact slant my review.

I really liked this novel. It has well developed characters and story line, and it's super clear that Hughes did his research (it's a...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 26, 2012 Pamela rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Children of the Promise by Dean Hughes was wonderful!! I found myself reading and reading I finished the series in just a few weeks. It covers the time span of just before World War II broke out through the end of the war and some post war. Great history and interesting to see what the church did during that time.

It also had many gospel concepts that were great to reflect on and learn more about. Two that have stuck with me since I finished. First that I have a great heritage. In the books t...more

like · see review

Jul 15, 2012 Stan Crowe rated it 4 of 5 stars

I think one of the best things about Dean Hughes' authorial style is that it's clean and transparent. The story pulls you in, but you're not constantly being reminded that you're *in* a story--that, to me, is a mark of a skilled author.

I had to laugh, a little, when I realised that after reading (well, listening to) several of the "Hearts of the Children" series that I had become engrossed in what essentially amounts to and LDS literary soap opera. But Hughes has definitely done his homework, ma...more

like · see review

Mar 21, 2011 A Toothbrush rated it 5 of 5 stars

I approached this novel enticed by the promise of it being an engaging World War II narrative. As a skeptic of LDS literature, let me just say that this book did nothing less than exceed all my expectations for a great work of not only historical fiction but LDS fiction as well. Hughes' voice is a refreshing addition to the LDS literary scene and should stand as an exemplary representative of what LDS authors should strive to achieve in their own literary pursuits.

Opening the novel, I was able t...more I approached this novel enticed by the promise of it being an engaging World War II narrative. As a skeptic of LDS literature, let me just say that this book did nothing less than exceed all my expectations for a great work of not only historical fiction but LDS fiction as well. Hughes' voice is a refreshing addition to the LDS literary scene and should stand as an exemplary representative of what LDS authors should strive to achieve in their own literary pursuits.

Opening the novel, I was able to lick the beaters of the treat that was to come with an awe-inspiring preface provided by the author. Hughes states his devotion to historical accuracy as being supreme to his plot. Intense review of weather reports, local newspapers headlines, and world events actually forced the author to adapt and even change elements of his story boarding to make his story comply with the accuracy requisite of a great piece of historical fiction. Such in-depth back work separates Hughes from his peers as a great author.

His devotion to historical accuracy lends a certain credibility to the story and characters as the plot begins. The reader is engaged in the lives of well characterized individuals that made up the novel's protagonist family because of the real-ness of their discovery of the unfolding happenings in world politics. Knowing that allows the general readership to insert themselves as a "+1 member" and struggle alongside the rest of the story's LDS family to resolve the tensions of religion, war, relationships, and individual hardship. Hughes attention to detail without overbearing the reader in a Tennyson approach evidences the thoroughness involved in every element of the novel's production.

Sharp criticism only comes in reconciling his ability to make a self-contained novel. This is permissible, in my opinion, due to the intent of the whole of the series. The book engages the reader and leaves them desiring to pick up the next volume to continue the story. Personally, I appreciate a novel that spills over into the next volume in a series and provides many more pages to turn and internalize. I find myself dissatisfied with a one-and-done plot and cast of characters. The story's capacity to satiate and produce hunger in its reader is in line with an author who understands his craft and can use each volume to market the next.

Final review, Hughes first edition into the Children of the Promise series is definitely worth the time and money. The easy-read styling of text makes the book a hard one to put down. The historical accuracy and crisp LDS incorporation marks the author as a sentinel in the LDS literary scene to be studied by his peers. Will I be picking up the next volume in the series, Since You Went Away? Absolutely, and so should you.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jan 13, 2011 Heather Septon rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love this book. I already read it once a couple years ago, but I decided to read it again. I coudn't remember everything that had happened so clearly, and I want to be able to read all five books in the series. The first one doesn't get too much into the war, but it just says how much if effected the lives of everyone who had to live through it all.
There is this family who are the main characters in the story. It's the Thomas family. The dad is the stake president for the LDS church for their...more

like · see review

Sep 03, 2010 Brittney rated it 5 of 5 stars

Historical fiction of an amazing time period. I've always been fascinated by this time period... probably because of the love and respect I've always had for my grandparents. I thought I knew about ww2 pretty well but after reading this story and seeing it through the fictional families eyes, I learned so much. What a stressful time. It just amazes me that it all ended up the way it did. I had no idea how unprepared America was for ww2. Really shows how the only way the war could have ended the...more

like · see review

May 19, 2010 Laura Gubler rated it 5 of 5 stars

American history is my absolute favorite school subject! This is the reason Historical Fiction is my favorite book genre. WWII, however, has always been the part of our history that I only learned what was needed to "pass the tests" this being because of all the things that happened to the Jews. It was always a very hard thing for me to think about. I have owned the Children of the Promise book series for over 5 years now and finally brought myself to read them THANKS to my father in law. This b...more

like · see review

Mar 13, 2013 08AustinC rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-reviews

The main issue of the book is Alex trying to get out of Germany and Bobby is in love with the wrong person. The setting is important to the story because if it wasn't it would be a whole different story. Bobby: is the oldest in the family, studies English. Alex: is the missionary. Wallie: fearless, good with the girls. Summary: Alex is on his mission in Germany with his companion. Every once and a while they are met by this man named Kilermon. Kilermon is a Gustapo who doesn't like them. Then Hi...more

like · see review

Feb 04, 2012 Emma rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is about a Mormen family during WWII. Focusing on each member during different chapters, this novel allows you to see many aspectys of WWII, including a soldier, a POW, and a nurse in the navy. This book teaches readers about overcoming trials and becoming closer to your family through hardships. As each person faces and defeats their own issues, hope grows and spreads a sence of peace throughout the novel. The facinating action that carries the Thomas family throught the war is simil...more

like · see review

Jul 23, 2008 Cordell rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is by far the best book of the series, book 1. The whole series is Historical Fiction about an LDS (Mormon) Family. Vol 1 and 2 tell a story about this family during WWII, and tie it into the histroy of the LDS chuch. By book 3 the story has taken on its own life about seperation and love and longing and droped much of the historical fiction part. So if your reading to get LDS history that part kind of dies out but the story is still compelling and wonderful.

1 like · like · see review

Jan 04, 2009 Ingrid Lola rated it 4 of 5 stars

When I was in 8th grade, for a school project I had the chance to interview Dean Hughes about his research on World War II, and talk to him about his "Children of the Promise" series - which follows a Salt Lake family throughout the war, on the homefront and the battlefield - and his novel "Soldier Boys" about a Mormon kid's experience on Omaha Beach on D-Day.

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 26, 2009 Renee rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you're in to LDS fiction, this is a good book. If you aren't, you probably wouldn't care for it.

I enjoyed the book. I found it interesting to read about a different era in LDS history than what we usually hear about. While this series is centered around a fictional family, the non-fiction parts are well researched. I learned more about WWII and what was going on in the church during that time.

On the downside.......sometimes I got bored. The editing probably could have been a little tighter,...more

like · see review

Aug 04, 2012 Candace rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am not LDS. I heard about this author when I still lived in Utah from many LDS people who recommended him highly. I took the plunge and walked into a Desert Book store and bought all five books in the Children of the Promise series. This book is magnificent. The research is brilliant. Hughes literally took me to all the places the characters visit from Lagoon circa the 1940s to foreign countries all over the place. At time the book was difficult to read as one of the main characters suffers gr...more

like · see review

Feb 19, 2009 Cissy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I've read the first two in this series and plan to finish out the entire series, but I'll only review this one. Dean Hughes writes a good historical fiction story. I like learning about WWII, especially how it affected actual families in actual towns in the USA. He also manages to cover several theaters of the war, which I also liked. He incorporates plenty of cultural information--e.g. clothing, entertainment, habits, prices--and also interesting LDS tidbits. In general, I enjoyed the story. Un...more

like · see review

Jun 07, 2009 Mandy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Mandy by: Mom

Thought I'd give it a shot. My mom loves this series. We'll see...

Well, I did it. I'm not a super fan of the LDS fiction genre. It's generally super cheesy and unrealistic and preachy. But I love historical fiction, and Rumors of War delivered a great story. Set in the years leading up to World War II, the story details the lives of members of the fictional Thomas family. The tale switches from Alex, serving a mission in Germany, to Bobbi, engaged to the perfect man (according to her family, at...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 18, 2012 Tara rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this series. I was a little hesitant to read this series because I feel like some LDS writers can be a little cheesy. . but this was not the case! Hughes did a wonderful job of showing how war affects everyone. I loved how he had characters not only in America, but in Germany too. I know it's a fictional story, but he did try his best to gather accurate sources to portray how life would have been during World War II. I fell in love with the Thomas family and cried when they cried and lau...more

like · see review

Feb 14, 2011 Bonnie rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this series. It was an excellent historical fiction novel. It followed a family through World War II and included what the feelings and atmosphere was like before, during and after the war here in Utah and abroad. I found it especially interesting because I tried to picture my own Grandparents who experienced this time and it helped me to grasp a little more where they are coming from.
The characters were well developed and intriguing. I liked that it showed the war from different perspe...more

like · see review

Feb 02, 2012 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was skeptical when I picked up this book from the library, but I love the WWI era and had several people suggest this series. Also, I'm becoming more and more of a prude and often find myself annoyed and shocked by the lack of morality and stuff in modern fiction. 'Nuf said. Although I wanted to whack a few of the characters upside the head at times, (mostly the dad and other authority figures) I think their attitudes were rather consistent with the time period. I think that's what I liked the...more

like · see review

Dec 15, 2012 Tiffany rated it 4 of 5 stars

I love this series of books. It is a great history of the World War II and how it affected a regular family trying to deal with the changes the war brought. It is LDS historical fiction, so it's about an LDS family living in Salt Lake City during the war. It follows the story of the six children in the family. The four oldest go off to fight the war; Alex in the army, Wally in the Army Air Corps, Bobbi as a nurse in the navy, and Gene in the Marines. It is an amazing read about their experiences...more

like · see review

Sep 01, 2009 Muirhorses rated it 5 of 5 stars

great historical fiction. I liked the whole series.Since You Went Away Far from Home When We Meet Again As Long As I Have You

like · see review

Mar 29, 2012 Kylene rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I decided to read this book after listening to the author speak at a TOFW event. I really liked this book. It's a great story for people who are fans of historical literature. The book is especially interesting to me as it focuses on the lives of a fictional LDS family during WWII. It's definitely a clean read, which I also enjoyed.

That being said, I wasn't always a fan of the author's tempo or writing style; it felt a bit jumpy to me. I also didn't like how the book just dropped off. For me, I...more

like · see review

Mar 15, 2013 Lori rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm not normally a fan of LDS fiction but I LOVED this book! The characters are well-developed and I quickly became invested in them and their lives. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series (there are five books). Dean Hughes does a fantastic job of transporting the reader to the time and place. He excels at showing the fear of living in Nazi Germany and the total control the Nazi regime had over it's citizens. He also shows the uncertainty and the fear Americans faced as they heard...more

like · see review

Mar 29, 2010 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

I usually don't go for the LDS books, but I got this for my birthday one year and I have read the entire series 4 or 5 times since then. I'm a history fanatic and it gives a few different perspectives on the second world war. The characters are all very human, and are easy to understand and sympathize with, and remind me of many people that I know and love. Something else that I love about these books are that they don't spend most of the time worrying about romance. It's just as much about love...more

like · see review

Jan 23, 2011 Julia rated it 4 of 5 stars

I've never read any books about World War II before, until now. I can't believe it's taken me so many years to pick up this series. I used to work for Deseret Book almost 7 years ago & I always saw quite a few copies of this book & the rest of the books in the series go out of the warehouse. I was never curious until I was browsing at Deseret Book at Layton Hills Mall the other day with a friend. I finally decided to give them a try. I'm SO glad I did!! This first book was really interes...more

like · see review

Mar 15, 2011 Jamie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, historical-fiction, lds

This review is for the whole series. I liked this Historical Fiction piece. It's centered around WWII. It concerns and LDS (Mormon) family and I liked it because it sought to give you insights into different aspects of the war. The family had an older son who served his mission in Germany who is sent back to fight against the people he taught. It follows a family he taught. It follows the home front. One of his sisters becomes a nurse and a younger brother ends up serving over in Japan. I don't...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (4)

Genres

Historical Fiction

174 users

Lds > Lds Fiction

98 users

Christianity > Lds

87 users

Religion

44 users

History > World War II

13 users

Romance

12 users

Adult

11 users

Religion > Church

10 users

Christian Fiction

6 users

Adult Fiction

6 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Dean Hughes

Dean Hughes is the author of more than eighty books for young readers, including the popular sports series Angel Park All-Stars, the Scrappers series, the Nutty series, the widely acclaimed companion novels Family Pose and Team Picture, and Search and Destroy. Soldier Boys was selected for the 2001 New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age list. Dean Hughes and his wife, Kathleen, have three...more

More about Dean Hughes...

Books by Dean Hughes

When We Meet Again (Children of the Promise, #4)

Since You Went Away (Children of the Promise, #2)

As Long As I Have You (Children of the Promise, #5)

Far From Home (Children of the Promise, #3)

The Writing on the Wall (Hearts of the Children, #1)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Rumors of War

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: Rumors of War
avg rating	preview: Rumors of War Goodreads rating: 4.26 (7233 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/571508.Rumors_of_War?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1244338709l/571508.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/571508.Rumors_of_War?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Rumors of War by Dean Hughes[/url]

Rumors of War (Children of the Promise #1)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website