Far On The Ringing Plains

Praise for Far On The Ringing Plains Two guys writing, seamlessly blending the lives of three guys in WW 2 at Guadalcanal. Real people all—gritty and honest. Real life—not glossed over, not ignoring weakness and uncertainties. Real questions—the kind we all ask, whether we’re in war, in school, on the job or in the family. Real faith—expressed in that real world amidst the questions. Real change—these three warriors develop during the book, sometimes in surprising ways. Men will love this, they can visualize the descriptions, can see themselves there, and can identify with the three-dimensional characters. And the quality of the story and the writing will grab them up to the last page. Five out of five stars. Whether military vets or not, whether male or female, all readers will appreciate how two writers seamlessly open up the lives of three WW 2 soldiers on Guadalcanal. Real, gritty, more questions than easy answers. Tim Riter, author of God, a Motorcycle, and the Open Road and Not a Safe God. This is a book about war, about three Mennonite boys (for they truly were boys) who, for different reasons felt the need to join the Marines during WWII and quickly become men as they struggle though boot camp and head into battle. This is not a love story. “War isn’t supposed to be a love story.” (Billy Martens). This story is well written. It was hard to put down. The characters are real and believable. I can’t believe I am saying this, but I am eager to read the next book in this series. Maria Weeks “Far on the Ringing Plains,” is an excellent coming of age tale that reads fast—a real action thriller set in World War II in the Pacific Ocean during the bloody island hopping campaign. Authors Pura and Craig have fashioned settings that continuously form and shape the main characters from boys into men. The constant action, battle and danger build the characters from their first day on Guadalcanal. The challenges life and war throw at these young US Marines propel them towards their unknowable wartime fates. How they confront that fate and who they become when they do gives us a very accessible novel full of reader surprises. Spec4 Reb Blake II Fire Crash Rescue 1st Infantry Div Phi Loi Army Air Base Republic of South Vietnam 1967—1968 Five Stars out of 5 stars—If you like history, learning about WW II and really getting to know what happened during the war time, this is a great book to read. It has action, love for the fellow men who served our country and what they had to miss in their lives. And also the voice of a mother and of God during battle… even my husband enjoyed this book.. When I read it I felt like I was the one in the foxhole, while the snipers were shooting. Craig and Pura did a great job making it so real… Barb Beechy Captivating, each chapter reaches deeper into the WWII military experience of three very different young Mennonite men. Truly an excellent reading experience by authors who have completed their research in history and life in WWII military. Connie Spradling Lynch “Far on the Ringing Plains” is a historical fiction. It tells the compelling story of three young men of Mennonite faith as they grow from their neighborhoods into U.S. Marines fighting on far off Islands in the Pacific theater. It is accurately told in its detail of the time period and point of view of its characters. Willard Carpenter SSG U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Ret. The first book in The Islands Series will keep you gripping your seat. Fast-paced and gritty, this well scripted book puts you right in the characters’ minds and hearts as they grapple with what it means to be a warrior and a Mennonite Christian. It kept me interested through the entire, often violent and bloody tale. By the end, I cared so much about Billy, Bud, and Johnny, that I keep wondering how after the hell these men endured, they could return stateside to apple pie and Pepsi Cola? Would love to read that story, too! Kudos to Patrick E. Craig and Murray Pura for a stellar, gutsy tale. Jeanne Dickson