Publication Date: September 8, 2024
1943
Twenty-four year old Bernhardt Lang is swept along by the currents of war, until an unexpected ally helps him live a life of his own making, in a place he could never have imagined himself existing.
1965
Twelve-year old Joseph Holliman is drowning in a life no one should have to endure. When he crosses paths with Frank Gardner, everything he thinks he knows about the meaning of family is changed.
Between the Clouds and the River is a journey from the burning sands of war-torn North Africa to the mountains of Montana and British Columbia, an emotional tale of deception, revelation, identity, and belonging that reminds us all that in the end, love is the only truth.
A young boy with a hellish home life gets a taste of joy through the actions of an old man.
Between the Clouds and the River provides a dual storyline of past and present, highlighting the beauty of human interaction. Author Dave Mason delves into the past with a German soldier who escapes an American detention camp in Montana before being deported.
Meanwhile, in the present, Joseph Holliman finds mercy at the hands of Frank Gardner after allegedly damaging a shed. As restitution, Joseph must report to Frank on Saturdays to help with chores.
The interaction between the two characters is beautiful. In spite of Joseph’s apparent muteness, Frank engages him in conversation and gives the boy a sense of belonging. The physical damage inflicted by his father is nothing compared to the emotional wounds Joseph suffers.
As the author weaves the connection between the two storylines, readers will gain a better understanding of the definition of family. The pieces slide into place, serving up an excellent conclusion.
Between the Clouds and the River serves up richly detailed characters caught up in thought-provoking situations.
Born in England and raised in Canada, Dave Mason is an internationally recognized graphic designer and a cofounder of a number of software companies. His first novel, EO-N, is the recipient of twenty-one literary awards including the Hemingway Award for 20th Century Wartime Fiction, and has been acquired for film and television. He divides his time between Chicago, Illinois, and Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.
