The Indentured

by Mike Prater

Overview

In seventeenth-century England, men were expected to grow up into the family business. John Dairyman, raised a humble, lowly dairy farmer, dared to rise above his station by becoming a blacksmith. But when his talents exceeded his masters, Johns life and the course of events that followed sent him on an amazing, life-changing journey that would take John to America.

The Indentured is a dramatic, action-packed love story that follows Johns exploits along with his beloved Chastity as they leave England for the wilds of the American Atlantic coast. Author Mike Prater draws from tales of his familys history, offering a unique historical perspective that allows him to capture life as it existed when the first Englishmen came to the undeveloped shores of North Americaincluding how they dealt with the turmoil during Englands civil war and the effects it would have on shipping, the people, and the settlements in the New World.

John and Chastity live in a time of great change. Yet together and with God, they will move ever higher in life and in faith as they reach for the renewed hope of a young new country and its many opportunities for growth, faith, and love.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781973631224
Publisher:	WestBow Press
Publication date:	08/03/2018
Pages:	314
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Mike Prater is a preacher, teacher, engineer, songwriter, singer, historian, brother, father, and friend. But to all hes simply Mike. Mike grew up in southern Ohio and was strongly influenced by the culture of the Appalachian people, and he never forgot his roots even though he moved from his home when he joined the US Air Force. The things he has learned and experienced since leaving his beloved home have provided a rich backdrop to his writing.

Editorial Reviews

2018-11-19

A blacksmith leaves his native England in search of a better life for himself and his wife in this love story set in the 17th century.

John Dairyman was destined to be just what his name indicated—a poor dairy farmer, just like his father, James. But when he's 12 years old, he's given a chance to apprentice with William, the local blacksmith—a lucky opportunity to improve his future prospects. John is an indefatigable worker, and uncommonly gifted—more like an artist than a tradesman—and his talent becomes widely recognized. However, William, an "intolerant and fiendish master," subjects John to cruel humiliation and physical abuse. At one point, William nearly burns his own barn down and blames it on his apprentice. Around the same time, John falls in love with Chastity, a beautiful neighbor. She not only teaches him how to read and write, but also introduces him to Christianity—a revelatory experience that changes his outlook on life, which Prater (The Long Road Home, 2014) describes in achingly earnest terms. To avoid William's wrath, John feels compelled to sign papers of indentured servitude and sets sail for Boston, but he falls prey to an unscrupulous captain who takes advantage of his skills. Chastity follows to become a governess in the New World, where she turns into the target of a man's predatory advances. The backbone of Prater's intelligent story is John's unbending character and his uncompromising submission to obligation. The author also artfully captures how human immorality can easily surface when opportunity allows it. However, the narrative often devolves into sententious proselytizing, and at times, the prose can be almost childlike in tone: "James knew an amazing gift had just been given him. The offer of such a gift filled him with warmth. He felt joy beyond all that could be imagined. He thought, So this is what I have been missing."

A melodramatic historical tale that's too eager to offer moral lessons.

Kirkus Reviews