Once again I'm faced with a book in a series I haven't read. This volume, the last in the "Prelude to Glory" series, brings to a close Ron Carter's epic retelling of the founding of the American people and her government structures. My initial fear was that I would not be able to follow the story, lacking the information given in the previous eight volumes. To my relief, this book stands alone quite nicely. Some of the characters are, no doubt, carry-overs from the previous volumes. But the story itself hangs together beautifully with no prior knowledge of those characters.

The central figures in this exciting novel are members of the Dunson Family, of the firm of Dunson and Weems. Composed of experienced detectives and counterintelligence agents, the Dunsons work closely with the President of the United States to infiltrate, and sabotage, the French and British navies, whose interference with American trade following the close of the Revolutionary War threatens the very existence of the developing republic.

Picking up the story in 1807, Carter takes us through the tumultuous years that culminated in the War of 1812 (thus the title for this entry in the series). There's plenty of action, especially at sea, but the intrigue is equally thrilling on land, as the Dunsons, and others, hone their skills and serve their country in a way that would ultimately change history. Of course, the Dunsons are a fictional family, but their roles are typical of the dedicated and determined lovers of freedom who actually carried out deeds such as those depicted in the book.

History and fiction are carefully parsed in the notes at the end of each chapter. Carter has evidently researched his subject exhaustively. In my view, his presentation of history is better than that offered in Gerald Lund's "The Work and The Glory." He seems more focused on events and the flow of the story than on building up his fictional characters.

One gets a sense of the quality of the writing from this extended citation from chapter 10. It describes President James Madison, and offers a vivid verbal picture of the man and his times:

It was uncertain whether the high ceiling and the massive oak desk with the great, overstuffed chair behind and the four large matching chairs in front made the man seem small, or whether the smallness of the man made the room seem large. It was only known that when President James Madison, diminutive at scarcely over five feet and one hundred pounds, slender, delicate, heart-shaped face, blue eyes, soft voice, sat behind the desk in his private study in the Executive Mansion, he somehow seemed dwarfed, misplaced, overpowered. The illusion soon faded when one engaged him in discussion on any topic the visitor might choose. Then his visitor discovered him to be a giant among men. The range and depth and orderliness of his mind and his logic startled men who perceived themselves as being among the wise and learned of the world, and left them less sure of themselves, struggling to match the loftiness of his intellect. His strength lay in his rare ability to reduce the chaotic mess of world affairs to a simple, logical, organized, understandable whole, and lay a plan filled with hope. It was also his weakness. The chaotic, messy world did not function on principles of logic, simplicity, rightness, and organization. It functioned as it had from the dawn of time -- a chaotic, messy stew of sinners and saints, heroes and villains, and the unpredictable whims of the human race. The world respected no human plan. Rather, in ran over men's plans in its relentless march into the future, and the saints and sinners of the next generation were left to struggle and win and lose. (p. 197-8)

What a grand picture of a man of strengths and weaknesses, a man needing more agile minds to guide him through the minefield that is American history.

Perhaps I'll see the entire series some day, and actually find time to read it. I hope I do. I learned a bit about our history from reading this book, and appreciate the work and dedication that went into its production.

By the Dawn's Early Light is recommended for older teens and adults, and should achieve wide readership.

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Jeff Needle
January 18, 2006