Private Summerson meets his match and much else in the woods near the town of Grafenwöhr.
PFC Quincy Summerson begins his military adventure in 1968 in Bavaria realizing that his presence stirs the paradigm - the thin line between twilight and night. His hyperactive imagination gets the better of him, and soon the world enlists him for a predestined purpose - to travel on the road to Grafenwoehr, where the woods is alive with myth and folk lore.
Set in a tense Cold War atmosphere during both the invasion of Czechoslovakia and the Vietnam call to arms, The Road to Grafenwöhr is one man's emotional journey to square nature's justice with humankind's disregard for it. It’s a summons for a least likely and reluctant champion. But those called to service rarely choose where they serve. They just answer it, ripening to their purpose. For Quincy Summerson, a hero’s life is not his choice, but can he ignore the call? Can he stay off the road once the twilight snares him?
The authors states: "The Road of Grafenwöhr owes its existence principally to my own good fortune to be stationed in Germany and that bustling Bavarian town between 1967-68. Although the work is far from autobiographical, most of the events of a historic and pictorial nature (and even some used for the fantasy) are recounted from my direct experiences. Such is the web we weave. "
It is dedicated to the memory of his father, Donald P. Patterson of the USS Thomas Jefferson, a combat veteran of six WWII invasions — "and also to the memory of all the brave heroes who — from Bastogne to Peleliu — have made our world possible through their sacrifice."
Professional Reviews One of my favorite Patterson Novels
Rating: 5 of 5 stars, TMBOA Recommended!
Author: Edward C. Patterson
Format: Kindle, Paperback
Traveling to his unit in post war Germany, Quincy Summerson finds the locals, their heritage, language, architecture, and culture fascinating. They too, find him of great interest given the unique birthmark displayed prominently on his cheek which legend portends it to be a harbinger for both great evil and good. Quincy's journey takes him further and further into heart of Bavaria as visions begin to plague him. As they increase in frequency and violence Quincy learns he has been called not just to serve the United States but an even higher purpose.
Readers may be initially turned off by the title of Patterson's latest work. But I must say, this was one of my favorites from him. Patterson takes his expert prose and characterization skills and infuses them into an intriguing setting of a young man stationed in Germany during the height of the cold war with an eclectic group of roommates where everyone prays to avoid reassignment to Vietnam--except for one man. Sprinkle in some fantasy elements and Patterson has created a genre I've not previously experienced but very much enjoyed.
The plot is very tight and the storyline moves. If you already are a Patterson fan, I think you will definitely enjoy The Road to Grafenwohr. If you've never read him and you are looking for something different, give this one a try - you won't be disappointed.
- Todd Fonseca, TBOA.Com
The Road to Great Writing
When I'm in the mood for fine writing, interesting characters, unexpected turns, I scan the long list of books by Edward C. Patterson. My third outing with Mr. Patterson was "The Road to Grafenwohr" and once again I was deeply impressed by the storytelling talent of this man. "Road" is a fascinating mix of reality and fantasy woven together with writing that can turn lyrical or gritty with the twist of a phrase. Quincy Summerson is a green recruit ordered to the German/Czech border during the height of the Cold War. An obvious facial birthmark always set him apart in his Brooklyn beginnings; in Germany it marks him as a mythic hero. Patterson paints his manuscript first with dabs of mystic moments, mixed with solid realities of military life. By the end of the piece, the mystical has overtaken the mundane to a classic conflict of good vs. evil. All the while the reader grows more involved with the cadre of characters surrounding Summerson. At the core of every Patterson book are characters to care about. He is one of the best authors to emerge from the Indie Author movement. Discover his gems and enjoy the work of a very gifted writer.
- Dana Taylor
Authentic and engrossing
This is the first novel I've read by Edward Patterson. I spent a couple years in Germany, and "The Road to Grafenwohr" captures that experience masterfully. A lot of the universal elements that make up the life of a soldier in Germany are described perfectly in this story. I love the way the German landscape is painted, and many, little bits of German culture are described precisely. The added specter of Vietnam during the era of this book gave it another layer. It is a very interesting story that I enjoyed immensely.
Edward Patterson is truly a master wordsmith. He weaves together a quite authentic, realistic plotline of a young soldier finding his way in Germany with elements of fantasy in such a way that the entire story is captivating. I couldn't wait to get to the next page. His characters are authentic and well developed. I truly cared about what was happening with each of them, and he has done a wonderful job of capturing the bond soldiers share. I really liked the way the characters matured with the plot. The ending is terrific. This is a very good book. I look forward to reading more of Mr. Patterson's work.
I truly enjoyed reading your preview of the Road to Grafenwohr". Brought back memories for me as well, having been stationed in Baumholder Germany three years in the early seventies. My Armored reconn unit was assigned to the 1/87th Infantry 8th Army Division over there.
