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5 stars for Potato Kingdom by @zak4prez911 #historicalfiction #civilwar #irish #bookreview



Title: Potato Kingdom


Author: Zach Ellenberger


Genre: Historical Fiction


Book Blurb:


Liam Bartley is an Irish boxing champion who lost his parents to the Potato Famine. When Liam's estranged brother, Owen, returns to Ireland and convinces Liam to take up their father's mantle as a freedom fighter with the Irish Republican Brotherhood, their lives are turned upside down when their secret organization is exposed by British authorities, forcing the brothers to flee separately to America where they end up on opposing sides of the Civil War. Now, Liam must do what is necessary to survive the war and find his brother so they can reunite and return home.


My Review:


Writing about the Civil War is nearly taboo in this day and age, but this author did a remarkable job using it in his plot. The story of Liam and Owen and their family and friends is brilliantly told. The twists and turns of the plot will keep readers eagerly turning pages.


As a Military Historian, I commend the author for his excellent research. The work done by Zach Ellenberger shines through in very accurate descriptions of key battles in the first three years of the Civil War. The author also gracefully places his main characters in the middle of historical places. This is done without the reader realizing it is only fiction to have Owen speaking to General Stonewall Jackson the evening of First Manassas. Extremely accurate, a pleasure to read. This shows a fiction author can use accuracy in his historical passages without negatively impacting the writing.


My Rating: 5 stars


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Author Biography:


Musician Being the offspring of two musicians who met playing in a band together, Zach's obsession with music began at an early age, playing everything from the guitar to the drums, piano, and bass. Since his early teens, Zach has played in dozens of bands, recorded several albums and toured the country. His music has been featured in commercials as well as movies including the 2011 film, The Entitled, starring Ray Liotta and Kevin Zegers.


Writer Looking to expand his creative horizons, Zach moved his writing focus toward fiction. While he enjoys writing in various mediums from short stories and novels to screenplays, his work spans several genres including historical, horror, contemporary, and sci-fi. His first publication, a horror short story titled, The Resurrectionist, can be found in Breaking Rules Publishing's The Hollow - Vol. 5: Where All Things Evil Lie. His first full-length novel, Potato Kingdom, is set to be self-published in late 2020, early 2021.


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Reviewed by: Mr. N

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