The Caught in Conflict Collection Series

"This riveting, haunting tale will leave readers clamoring for more." Best Books It's A.D. 79 on the slopes of Vesuvius. With no warning the mountain has erupted into violent, terrifying life. Those who can, flee, but one old man, Lucius Quintus Claudianus, sits in an abandoned villa in Herculaneum, struggling to finish a story only he can tell. Seventy years before, Lucius was the sole survivor of three Roman legions, ambushed and slaughtered in the wilds of Germania.Lucius's tale is of dark forests, evil swamps and horrific pagan sacrifices, but it is also the story of his friendship with Freya, a Cherusci warrior. As soldiers caught up in treachery and war, they must choose between their culture and their friendship. And it's a choice they have to get right because the consequences of being wrong could mean death. "…a complicated storyline which contains rich historical detail reminiscent of the great Rosemary Sutcliffe, as well as universals about war and cultural identity." The Star Phoenix "…this richly detailed and well-narrated Roman-era historical novel…is a hugely rewarding novel that has much more than its exciting and bloody battle scenes to appeal to…readers. Highly Recommended." Canadian Materials. The Caught in Conflict Collection is an imprint of fast-paced, historically accurate, morally-complex quick reads for Adults and Teens. In each of the titles the main character(s) (a Roman Legionary; a civilian in the Indian Mutiny; volunteers on both sides of the American Civil War; a Scottish soldier in WWI; a holidaymaker in Spain when the civil war breaks out there; and German and Russian soldiers in WWII), become enmeshed in conflicts immensely more complex than they anticipated and are faced with moral dilemmas that they never even imagined. The historical background to each of the dramas is extensively researched and the moral dilemmas are common to all human conflict.

"The tension and action of the battle and the intense danger of the escape from the massacre will keep readers turning these pages." Quill & Quire To Jack O'Hara, recently arrived from Canada to live with his aunt in Cawnpore, India is an exotic place of wonder and mystery, but war and horror are bubbling just below the surface. When the violence explodes, Jack and a thousand soldiers, women and children must fight for their lives, trapped in an inadequate entrenchment under the brutal summer sun. As the survivors watch the bodies pile up around them, there is little they can do except pray that a relief column can reach them before starvation and massacre end the tragedy. "This is an absolutely terrific book…Never lagging with a credible hero and an exotic setting…The pacing is flawless." Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction Jury Citation The Caught in Conflict Collection is an imprint of fast-paced, historically accurate, morally-complex quick reads for Adults and Teens. In each of the titles the main character(s) (a Roman Legionary; a civilian in the Indian Mutiny; volunteers on both sides of the American Civil War; a Scottish soldier in WWI; a holidaymaker in Spain when the civil war breaks out there; and German and Russian soldiers in WWII), become enmeshed in conflicts immensely more complex than they anticipated and are faced with moral dilemmas that they never even imagined. The historical background to each of the dramas is extensively researched and the moral dilemmas are common to all human conflict.

"…action-filled, tightly written prose. Realistic battle scenes illustrate the senselessness of war…the story offers a fresh take on the conflict - the idea of Canada as refuge for fugitive slaves and the irony of how it was nearly drawn into the war on the side of the South."- Albany Public Library, NY Nate MacGregor knows he must fight for his Southern homeland in the coming Civil War, but for his cousin Walt in Canada West it's not so simple. Walt knows slavery's wrong but, as the tensions increase and war breaks out, the danger of Britain, and Canada, being sucked into the conflict on the side of the Confederacy increases. The two cousins are linked by Sunday, an escaped slave who is using the Underground Railroad to escape from Nate's plantation and get to Canada. As the war gathers momentum, Walt, Nate and Sunday are drawn farther and farther in, until they arrive at a shattering conclusion during the battle of Shiloh. Wilson "…makes sure that each character is well-rounded, with interesting sides to tell in the story…Easy to read, yet based on historical facts, this book takes the Civil War period in history from a dry read based on statistics, to a real situation being played out on both sides of the 49th Parallel. The impassioned beliefs and actions of people on both sides of the conflict captures the interest and makes the horrors of war real. It was so well-written that I was drawn in immediately, and I usually avoid anything to do with war…History can be interesting." Resource Links "Wilson takes a hard look at war and its consequences through the eyes of young protagonists…(he) provides his usual challenge to black-and-white thinking, prodding readers to think critically. Heroes are hard to come by in this historical fiction, and ethical choices are as difficult to determine as they are to make."-Quill & Quire The Caught in Conflict Collection is an imprint of fast-paced, historically accurate, morally-complex quick reads for Teens and Adults. 

"Wilson does not shy away from the horrors of war. His writing makes the sounds, smells and choking dust seem all too real. He brings to light lesser-known wartime issues such as Southerners who opposed slavery and Northerners who resented freed slaves—thus showing that the Civil War wasn't a simple case of North versus South, but a war that tore families and the country apart."-CCBN The sequel to Flags of War, continues the adventures of two cousins, Walt and Nate McGregor, and of Sunday, the former slave on Nate's father's plantation. They have survived the carnage at Shiloh. But the Civil War rages on. Nate returns to the family plantation to find it in ruins. In despair he turns back to the only life he knows—the army. Meanwhile, Walt and Sunday re-enlist to fight for their beliefs, no matter how great the danger. The three young men meet again at the notorious Libby prison in Virginia: Nate as a guard, Sunday as a slave and Walt as a prisoner. Their grim reunion at Libby—where prison walls divide them—highlights the complexity of a war that tore a nation apart. Can the three battle-scarred soldiers hope for anything more than survival? "Readable and exciting."-Booklist "…this book looks at the Civil War from the eyes of soldiers who come to realize that their enemies are just men like themselves."–South Carolina State Library. The Caught in Conflict Collection is an imprint of fast-paced, historically accurate, morally-complex quick reads for Teens and Adults.

"This riveting look at the Civil War's horrifying Andersonville prison through the eyes of an 18-year-old inmate has the power to shock and to compel…a tension-filled story packed with appalling events that really happened...This engrossing novel leaves an enduring impression." (Kirkus Reviews) After the older brother he worshipped is killed in battle, Jake Clay joins the Union Army in the spring of 1864, determined to do his bit and honor his brother's death. His dreams of glory vanish, however, when he is wounded and taken prisoner in his first battle at Cold Harbor, Virginia, and confined to the Confederate prison camp at Andersonville, where 30,000 soldiers face violence, disease and starvation. Frightened and disillusioned, Jake takes up with Billy Sharp, an unscrupulous opportunist who shows him how to survive, no matter what the cost. By the war's end Jake's sleep is haunted by the ghosts of those who have died so he could live. When the camp is liberated, Jake and Billy head north on the Mississippi riverboat Sultana, overcrowded far beyond its capacity. Unknown to Jake, the fateful journey up river will come closer to killing him than Andersonville did, but it will also provide him with his one chance at redemption. "…this is a thoughtful, provocative work." (Booklist 2009-10-15) "[Wilson] has captured the struggles of young soldiers faced with making impossible choices in order to survive in war…Wilson's gripping descriptions of bloody battles, abominable prison conditions, and man's inhumanity to man will capture the imagination of readers." (Resource Links) "Wilson paints an engrossing picture of the brutal life of these soldiers" (Quill & Quire) "This book does a great job of depicting the horrors of war…The accuracy of the story is amazing, the characters are well-developed, and the plot is engaging. Readers who like historical fiction, war stories, and survival books will all enjoy reading Death on the River." (TeensReadToo.com) "A well-written book that will provide the reader with an understanding [and] insight into the perils of war...Recommended." (Tri State YA Book Review Committee) "Illustrates very well that under circumstances like these, there are no easy, "good" choices, and it avoids casting "good" and "bad" around North/South lines...The depiction of the harsh life of a prison camp is accurate and worth a read." (CCYAB Book Notes) The Caught in Conflict Collection is an imprint of fast-paced, historically accurate, morally-complex quick reads for Adults and Teens. In each of the titles the main character(s) (a Roman Legionary; a civilian in the Indian Mutiny; volunteers on both sides of the American Civil War; a Scottish soldier in WWI; a holidaymaker in Spain when the civil war breaks out there; and German and Russian soldiers in WWII), become enmeshed in conflicts immensely more complex than they anticipated and are faced with moral dilemmas that they never even imagined. The historical background to each of the dramas is extensively researched and the moral dilemmas are common to all human conflict.

"Wilson offers a unique perspective on this fascinating era…even minor characters are brought to life." Library Journal Ted Ryan and his parents have a chance to escape the drudgery of the Depression in Canada for a holiday in Europe. Unfortunately, it is the summer of 1936 and Spain, where Ted longs to see a bullfight, is exploding in civil war. Swept up in the chaos, Ted finds himself alone and searching for his missing father. The only person who can help him is Dolores, a beautiful Spanish revolutionary who can explain what is going on, but who is in just as much danger as Ted as they travel across the war-torn countryside. "…replete with the constant menace of danger and death…Recommended." Canadian Book Review Annual "…moves along at a breakneck pace." CCL The Caught in Conflict Collection is an imprint of fast-paced, historically accurate, morally-complex quick reads for Teens and Adults. 

New York Public Library Selection Stellar Book Award honour book White pine Award honour book "A compelling, fascinating, and ultimately disturbing book that is not to be missed." East Central Regional Library, Cambridge, MN It's August, 1914 and Jim Hay thinks war is a glorious adventure. He can barely wait for his turn to fight, but as his father marches off to battle Jim must be content to record his thoughts and dreams in his journal. Amidst the war fever, Jim's home life suddenly becomes tragically complex and, when he does at last join up, it is as much to find a refuge as it is to seek glory. What Jim discovers in the trenches of France is enough to dispel any romantic view of the war. Soon his longing for adventure is replaced by a basic need to survive, and the final tragic outcome, as Kitchener's New Army goes into battle on July 1, 1916, is one he never could have imagined. "Wilson brilliantly captures the thoughts, feelings, and naivete' of a young man caught up in a conflict he does not fully understand and is ill prepared to face. The format effectively draws readers into the narrative, and characterization is solid throughout. Historical anecdotes lend even more somber realism to the story. Jim's growth as a human being, his increasing self-awareness, and, especially, his shocking fate are not soon forgotten. A compelling, fascinating, and ultimately disturbing book that is not to be missed." Robert Gray, East Central Regional Library, Cambridge, MN "Although this novel focuses on World War I, it's a timely reflection on the realities of war that presents a powerful, timeless anti-war argument…the diary form lends immediacy and intimacy to the gripping story, which Wilson has based on actual diaries kept by members of the Highland Light Infantry." Connie Fletcher The Caught in Conflict Collection is an imprint of fast-paced, historically accurate, morally-complex quick reads for Adults and Teens. In each of the titles the main character(s) (a Roman Legionary; a civilian in the Indian Mutiny; volunteers on both sides of the American Civil War; a Scottish soldier in WWI; a holidaymaker in Spain when the civil war breaks out there; and German and Russian soldiers in WWII), become enmeshed in conflicts immensely more complex than they anticipated and are faced with moral dilemmas that they never even imagined. The historical background to each of the dramas is extensively researched and the moral dilemmas are common to all human conflict.

"…a though-provoking novel about the experiences of war." CCBN Over the course of a single night in 1945, in a ditch by the flickering light of a burning Tiger tank, a young German soldier tells his life story to a wounded Canadian. Growing up in Germany in the 1930s, Dieter has been seduced by the pomp and propaganda of the Nazis. Now, having seen battle and having discovered the evils his countrymen are capable of, the best he can hope for is survival.   "Equal parts philosophical debate and historical fiction, this book, like Wilson's And in the Morning, presents a compelling and thoughtful story of war that should appeal to a wide range of readers." Q&Q The Caught in Conflict Collection is an imprint of fast-paced, historically accurate, morally-complex quick reads for Teens and Adults.

"This absorbing, well-crafted tale…is a haunting description of the tragedy and irony of war…In this vivid narrative, the awful cacophony of war comes to life…the skilled author succeeds without moralistic preaching in highlighting the harsh reality, the utter misery, and the heartbreak of war in this intricate but fascinating book." VOYA Set during the Battle of Stalingrad, three participants—one Russian soldier, one German soldier and a boy caught in the middle—struggle to survive the largest battle in human history. None of them know how their fates will be intertwined as the cataclysm engulfs them. "Four Steps to Death is a thoroughly anti-war novel…Wilson shows just how miserable and futile the practice of war is for those who must fight." Quill & Quire "The action-filled text flows easily from steppe to city battle scenes…Wilson takes an overlooked moment or perspective in history and makes it come alive." Albany Public Library, NY The Caught in Conflict Collection is an imprint of fast-paced, historically accurate, morally-complex quick reads for Adults and Teens.