How accurate are the Civil War battles portrayed in the book?
Paul: The battle descriptions were taken from official reports. I tried to put the characters in the middle of the action and keep the battle descriptions as accurate as possible. Reed Benson seems almost too good to be true at times. Do you consider him a weak character when compared to the intensity of say, Joshua Hurt? Paul: No, he possesses a quiet strength, something that Joshua doesn’t have. Most readers see Reed as a breath of fresh air after the section on Joshua, a good contrast in terms of caring. Reed cares, Joshua doesn’t. Some might see that as weakness, but I feel Reed is strong and doesn’t have to prove it. Ann: I don’t see Reed as a weak character at all; in fact, I was surprised by the question. I think some might ask that only because, in contrast to Joshua, he was an angel. I see him as a pillar of strength and a survivor. I guess the same question could be applied to Anna, in comparison to Pearl’s character. Does Anna seem weak? Paul: I think Anna is overwhelmed, at
