In the Fire of Spring

Tom Tryon's first novel,"The Wings of the Morning", was published in 1990. Sadly, this wonderful author died in 1991 and this sequel, Fire of the Spring", was published by his estate in 1992. I would recommend reading these books in order. Together, they contain a thirteen hundred page portrait of Talcots and the Grimes, two feuding families who live in Pequot Landing, Connecticut just prior to the Revolutionary War. This is one of those big, juicy novels populated with so many characters that one is thankful for the the list of their names and relationships in the front of the book I loved Tryon's detailed descriptions of his characters and their surroundings. The reader learns the color and style of clothing and can "see" the backdrops on which his drama plays itself out. Kingdom Come, the wealthy Talcot's home and the snug little cottage of aging Aunt Hat are among many places that are enriched by his ability to "set the scene." The trials of those who wish to abolish slavery, the love triangles and entanglements of its central characters, keep the reader engrossed and turning pages well into the night. Sadly, Tryon had planned to write a Kingdom Come series and now we'll never learn the futures of his wonderfully delineated characters.