A great book you've never heard of.

So here is my recommendation for this book, The Fiddler's Gun by A.S. Peterson of Rabbit Room fame. "The Rabbit What?", you may ask. The Rabbit Room (rabbitroom.com) is a communal website hosted by Andrew Peterson and friends. Named after the room in the Eagle and Child Pub where Tolkien, Lewis and others of the famous "inklings" met to drink, talk, argue and laugh. The virtual Rabbit Room is just that, a group of friends who are also artists sharing common discussion about culture, stories, music and faith. If you like blogs, this is a fun one to add to your reader. It's a great place to find out about some good music, books and film that you may have otherwise not heard of in the current atmosphere of big advertising where the thing with the most bucks behind it's publicity is the thing you hear about.

Through the Rabbit Room I discovered that A.S.(aka Pete) Peterson was writing his first novel and letting the public in on the process through a website (http://thefiddlersgun.com). I was intrigued by his ideas for the story and began following his progress at the site and through Twitter. This was a fun build up to the release of the book...we got to experience the author's frustration, uncertainty and joy and most things in between. He opened himself to those of us following and I can't decide if it made me want to try my hand at writing a book or never, ever attempt anything so vulnerable. I guess time will tell. So, when it's all said and done, did the story deliver?

After following the process so long, I was pleased to be able to buy my book right from Mr. Peterson's hand (notice the signature in the picture above) at the Ryman Christmas concert (where many Rabbit Roomers were lurking about) of Behold the Lamb of God. Well, there were a few books in my way but finally, I read it.

I loved it.

This is one of those stories that you never tire of hearing. It carries with it, in the best way, echos of stories you love to wrap yourself up in and marinate in the language. Beautifully told, this is the story of a girl, who is all of us, finding out who she is destined to be. It's a story of redemption, not in spite of but through mistakes, misunderstandings, pride, foolishness, heartache, courage, friendship and love.

In The Fiddler's Gun, we follow Fin Button, an unwanted orphan girl coming of age in the time of the American Revolution through real danger, difficult choices and narrow escapes. This is not a children's book, the story sees Fin through some very dark and scary places (I recommend it for teens on up) and it is well worth the journey.

Peterson writes riveting action sequences that keep you reading way past your bedtime. And what I loved most about the book is the deceitfully simple beginning that matures into a well woven tale of unfolding mystery (wow, I should write movie trailer copy). And I can't wait to read the conclusion in the forth coming "Fiddler's Green" which according to the Twitter updates is past chapter 17.

You can get your copy of The Fiddler's Gun in the Rabbit Room online store (HERE). And if all that doesn't make you want to read it, this will...

From the prolouge by A.S. Peterson...

"...time has a way of leading a person along a crooked path. Sometimes the path is hard to hold to and people fall off along the way. They curse the road for it's steep grades and muddy ruts and settle themselves in hinterlands of thorn and sorrow, never knowing or dreaming that the road meant all along to lead them home. Some call that road a tragedy and lose themselves along it. Others, those that see it home, call it an adventure."