THE UNDAUNTED
The Miracle of the Hole-In-The-Rock Pioneers: 1862 - 1880
The journey was impossible. They had no other choice. At the call of their prophet, they left well-established farms and businesses to strike out yet again into the untamed wilderness. A small band of men, women, and children formed the 1879 pioneer company.
- Their mission: stand as a buffer between lawlessness and civilization.
- Their road: only what they created themselves, blasting out a perilous trail over slick rock and through desolate cliffs.
- Their hearts: UNDAUNTED.
When it comes to creating spellbinding historical fiction, nobody does it quite like Gerald N. Lund. In The Undaunted, he transports readers first to the coal mines of Yorkshire, then across the ocean and the plains to the territory of Utah, where, even in 1879, there is pioneering to be done.A little-known and perhaps even less-appreciated chapter in the Church’s history comes to life in this gripping story of a stalwart group of Saints called to create a settlement to serve as a buffer between the established communities of Utah and the lawless frontier of the Four Corners area. Their challenge will be enormous — but the biggest part of it just may be getting there in the first place.Skillfully interweaving historical figures and events with fictional characters, Gerald Lund takes us through the Hole in the Rock and over miles of uncharted country that even today is impassable without all-terrain vehicles. His account of the adventure, romance, and sacrifices of these undaunted pioneers will resonate with readers who love a good story as well as those who want to better understand the incomparable legacy and unconquerable faith of those valiant Saints.
- For more information, including a Traveler's Guide for the trail today, visit undaunted-thenovel.com
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BUY: Deseret Book | Amazon | BN
ONLY THE BRAVE
The Continuing Saga of the San Juan Pioneers: 1881 - 1888
As this standalone sequel to The Undaunted begins, four years have passed since the first Mormon pioneers made the harrowing journey to carve the Hole-in-the-Rock trail to the region of the San Juan River. In that time, the settlers have dug in deep to try to establish roots in this untamed and unforgiving desert in southeastern Utah, but life is still far from easy. Biting winds, devastating floods, scorching heat, barren terrain, and tensions with everyone from Indians to outlaws to competing ranchers have threatened the pioneers’ ability to thrive—or even survive.But the call from Church leaders to establish peaceful, stable settlements in the volatile region still stands, so young Mitch Westland and his family must find a way to make a home amid the harshest of circumstances. They soon learn that their only chance of success lies in uniting together with the other faithful Saints—including the Zimmers and their charming daughter, Edie.
Can the families withstand the blows that seem to come every step of the way as they struggle against man, nature, and their own fears to heed a prophetic call? Many settlers will try to conquer that rugged territory, but only the brave will prevail.
BUY: Deseret Book | Amazon | BN
TO SOAR WITH EAGLES
Sequel to Only the Brave: 1888 - 1919
In the untamed and unforgiving desert of southeastern Utah, Mitch Westland and Edie Zimmer are among the Mormon settlers determined to make their homes amid the harshest of circumstances. Threatened by Indians, competing ranchers, and cattle rustlers, the young couple must prevail against man, nature, and their own fears in order to fulfill their dream of establishing a ranch and a family of their own. This sequel to the bestseller Only the Brave covers the time period of 1888 to 1919 and merges the story of Mitch and Edie with the author's continuing series Fire and Steel.
BUY: Deseret Book | Amazon | BN
A Novel of the Willie & Martin Handcart Companies: 1856
"Was I sorry that I chose to come by handcart? No. Neither then nor any minute of my life since. The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay.” —Francis Webster, Martin Handcart Company, 1856
In the summer of 1856, three companies of handcarts were outfitted and sent west from Iowa to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake. All went well, and they arrived without undue incident. But two additional companies — one captained by James G. Willie, and the other by Edward Martin — left England late in the season. When they arrived at Iowa City, they were long past the time for safe departure across the plains. By the time they left Florence, Nebraska, with still more than a thousand miles to go, it was near the end of August. As if that were not serious enough, President Brigham Young thought that the arrival of the third company ended the migration for that season and ordered the resupply wagons back to Salt Lake. Fire of the Covenant is the story of those handcart pioneers and their exodus to the Salt Lake Valley.
Author Gerald N. Lund has used the same techniques present in The Work and the Glory series to blend fictional characters into the tapestry of actual historical events, making this a story filled with all the elements of great drama — tragedy, triumph, pathos, courage, sacrifice, surrender and faith.