Heroes of Glorieta Pass

by Brad E. Hainsworth

Heroes of Glorieta Pass is a compelling, unforgettable story of love, loyalty, intrigue, and war, set in America’s western territories during the Civil War. The Confederacy attempted to split California from the Union, controlling access to the West by blocking commerce and immigration along the Platte River Trails, and gaining access to the mineral wealth of the Southwest. These efforts affected the lives of many, including Latter-day Saints, testing their vision of the future and their loyalty to the Constitution and to their war-torn nation. This story of those people and times concludes with a critical – and thrilling – battle fought between Union and Confederate forces high in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico, along the Santa Fe Trail at Glorieta Pass. This page turner presents a fascinating new perspective on the Civil War.

Genres: Historical Fiction

374 pages, Hardcover

First published September 9, 2005

Reviews

[Kim Dennis]

I couldn't finish this. I was really looking forward to this book, because I love studying about the Civil War and I love learning new things, so this book seemed great for me...not so much.

I was put off at the beginning because the Southerners' conversations were written in dialect -- suh for sir, and ah for I, etc. Dialect conversations slow me down when I'm reading because I have to interpret, which annoys me. However, there wasn't a ton of it, so I continued to read. I was not much further into the book when I started to look for historical notes. No notes. Other than the obvious, Brigham Young, Orrin Porter Rockwell, etc., I had no idea who was real and who wasn't. I wanted to know that as well as what situations were real. I looked online for something about an attack on the Platte River Station, and I couldn't find anything -- doesn't mean it didn't happen, just means if it did, it wasn't a big deal to most people. However, I, as a history lover, want to know if it actually happened or if it was a plot device.

Nevertheless, I persisted. It was really hard for me to get into the story, but when I did, I started to enjoy it okay. However, there was a conversation that supposedly took place between Albert Sidney Johnston and California Senator William Gwin that made gave me pause. Okay -- I've read a lot of historical fiction. I have no problem with an author creating a conversation that didn't happen to further the plot. However, if an author is going to do that, at least make it a conversation that COULD have happened. In this conversation, Johnston was complaining about the South starting the war too soon. Gwin fired back with the victories the South had had up to that point. Something about that seemed off to me, so eventually I ended up looking it up. Johnston left California in May and the battles Gwin referred to happened starting in July. Again, I realize that authors sometimes play around with a timeline to fit what they need. I'm more or less okay with that IF they include notes explaining what they have done, but as previously mentioned, they don't exist in this book. I finally decided not to finish it. I was not enjoying the story enough to find it worth my time to fact check everything I questioned.

Normally when I don't finish a book, I give it one star, but I don't feel like this book deserved that. I can see that someone not obsessed with historical accuracy might like it. I just hope that people who read it don't take what he's written as gospel truth.

[Albert LeBlanc]

This fast moving historical novel started out as a project by three retired professors at Brigham Young University. One died before the project began, the second lived to complete a few chapters, and Professor Hainsworth lived to finish the book. Professors (like me) are not noted as the most interesting storytellers, but I think Hainsworth has written a better book than the last several ones I have read by authors who are famous for their fiction. There is a convincing love story, vignettes of Brigham Young, violent outbursts of the Apache uprising of the era, a visit with Mexican aristocrats, and a description of the only Civil War battle to take place in the far West. There is plenty of violence, but I think it is handled tastefully. Perhaps the greatest weakness in the book is its somewhat abrupt transitions. I thought that the author(s) put no filler material into the book -- every page moved the story forward, and that is a great virtue in a book.

[Roy Owen]

Good historical fiction, not at all what I was expecting. Very abrupt finish to tale.

[Ciarra N]

Heroes of Glorieta Pass, by Brad E. Hainsworth and Richard Vetterli, is a story during the Civil War that is set in the western territories. In a third person narrative, it told how the Confederate Army tries to attempt to split California from the Union and control commerce and immigration in the West. Clay Ashwood, the protagonist, is sent to prevent this from happening. This story was filled with romance and action. Its themes of courage and loyalty were a huge part of this story. This book overall was not the greatest. Its plot had many sub-plots which became confusing in determining what the main plot was. The story was also very predictable and the style of the writing was very formal, almost like a textbook, which made it boring to read. Anyone who likes to read predictable stories and wants to read from a different perspective on the Civil War will like this book.

[Sandy]

Book summary: Heroes of Glorieta Pass is a compelling, unforgettable story of love, loyalty, intrigue, and war, set in America's western territories during the Civil War. The Confederacy attempted to split California from the Union, controlling access to the West by blocking commerce and immigration along the Platte River Trails, and gaining access to the mineral wealth of the Southwest. These efforts affected the lives of many, including Latter-day Saints, testing their vision of the future and their loyalty to the Constitution and to their war-torn nation.

Good read, followed by sequel titled: Revenge and Redemption (book 2 of 2)

[Shauna]

This is a story of a battle at Glorieta Pass in AZ or NM during the civil war. The confederates are trying to obtain California, thinking that it if California were to declare itself an independent nation. Then the union would lose the war. Brigham Young has pledged allegiance to the union and sends Clay Ashworth, a non-morman Utahn to aid the Union soldiers.

The author has woven a love story into a historical accounting of a civil war battle. This interesting for the history and kept me turning pages for the good guy, bad guy conflict and the romance.

[Heidee]

I loved this one! It shows that the Civil War wasn't just faught in the eastern USA. I liked how Brigham Young was in this book. I was SO proud of Clay for some of the choices he made, and other times I wanted to hit him.

[Terrie]

I never knew there were any battles of the Civil War west of the Mississippi! I learned something new--what more could you want from an historical-fiction novel involving real-life characters such as Abraham Lincoln, Brigham Young and Porter Rockwell! Very likable hero and heroine.

[Trudena Fager]

Interesting battle of the CIvil War fought in the West. I enjoyed the fictional aspect as well. Recommended to me by a student.

[Sheryl]

This book was termed historical fiction but I was never sure what was fiction and what was fact. It was kind of interesting though. The love story was a little lame though.