The Return
  • Published:
    Apr-2017
  • Formats:
    eBook
  • Main Genre:
    Christian
  • Purchase:
  • Share:
Named one of Shelf Unbound's 2018 Notable Indie Books and winner of Interviews and Reviews' 2017 Silver Award for Historical Fiction.

Jakob Hochstetler's refusal to take up arms against the Indians who attacked his Amish family's home on the Pennsylvania frontier during the brutal raids of the French and Indian War cost the lives of his wife and two of his children. Carried away with his younger sons, Jakob is enslaved by the Seneca, while Joseph and Christian are adopted into different divisions of the Lenape tribe and struggle to adapt to new lives.

Jakob plots a perilous escape in spite of overwhelming odds against succeeding. But even if he can get away, could he survive a harrowing journey over the hundreds of miles of rugged terrain that lie between him and his Northkill community? Does home still exist? Are his older son and daughter, Johannes and Barbara, still alive? Will he ever find his boys and bring them home?

“An absorbing sequel to Northkill, The Return concludes the story of the authors' Amish ancestors, Jakob, Joseph, and Christian Hochstetler, as each contends with Indian captivity and wrestles with issues of identity, family, and spiritual truth. Skillfully researched detail -- both the 18th century Amish world and that of Native America -- heart-wrenching emotional journeys, and profoundly rendered themes of grace and God's sovereignty combine to create a tale I couldn't read fast enough, yet didn't want to end.”
-- Lori Benton, Christy-award-winning author of Burning Sky,
A Flight of Arrows, and other historical novels

“The Return is frontier fiction at its finest, made all the more remarkable given it is the authors' own family history. Compelling and heartbreaking yet always full of hope, with enduring spiritual truths woven by master wordsmiths, this story is not only difficult to put down, it has a timeless quality that leaves you pondering for days. Beautiful!”
-- Laura Frantz, bestselling author of A Moonbow Night

“The Return is a marvel. With unflinching commitment to history and an artist's palette of imagery, the authors have offered a rare and important tale that will break your heart and piece it back together again. My life is richer for having experienced this novel.”
-- Jocelyn Green, award-winning author of the bestselling The Mark of the King

“The Return continues the agonizing story of capture, exile, enslavement, harrowing escape and reunion of a family torn asunder by war. It captures in terrible and poignant detail the emotional and spiritual tug of war between conflicting loves, loyalties, and beliefs born of the human will to survive. Even more beautifully, The Return reminds us that betwixt and between life's deepest struggles, there is a divine integrity to reality that transcends our many cultures, creeds, failures and victories. I didn't want this story to end, it is that good. And, for me, a descendent of the family whose story is told here, it hasn't!”
-- James Hostetler Brenneman, President, Goshen College

“I was delighted to read The Return, a wonderful and enthralling story that continues the saga of Northkill about a family that could be yours or mine. Distant cousins J. M. Hochstetler and Bob Hostetler bring to life the tale of their common ancestor, Jakob Hochstetler, and how he and his sons braved Indian captivity and later returned to their own people to forge new lives in their Christian communities. I admire and appreciate that no blame is cast or bitterness is held against their Native American captors. The importance of such stories cannot be underestimated. We all need to know the past so we can make a better future.”
-- Louise M. Gouge, author of A Family for the Rancher
Sub-Genres
People / Creatures
Click on any of the links above to see more books like this one.



EDITIONS
Sign in to see more editions
    • First Edition
    • Apr-2017
    • Sheaf House Publishers
    • eBook
    •  
    • Apr-2017
    • Sheaf House Publishers
    • eBook (Kindle)



View the Complete J.M. Hochstetler Book List