Ray Deptula

Stephen Suttles

An absolute pleasure to read this book! As an American soldier, the attention to historic details I had never heard before and the heros conflicted personal history were totally relatable and kept me turning pages. I cant wait for the audio version or movie to hear these characters in their early colonial voices and accents.

Mayhem

As both a UK and US dual national who served as a commissioned officer in the Royal Navy between 1977 and 2005, I found this book a fascinating read. The perfect blend of history and fiction it paints a vivid picture of life either side of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. You will be missing out if you pass on buying this book.

Jennifer Penna

I will start off by saying I have a hard time enjoying historical fiction, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The writing style, character development, historical facts-reeled me right in! I loved how the author aligned facts with a fictional character and his strife during the Revolutionary War. It even has a surprise plot twist I didnt see coming! Loved it!

DH

The juxtaposition of the day to day life of the main character, Jack Halliday, to the events swirling around him is captivating. Set during the Revolutionary War, Hallidays internal conflict as a soldier with a conscience creates a journey with intriguing twists and turns. As a bonus, the historical lessons I learned from this book has given me another perspective of an era that changed the world.

Timothy F. Straus

I can not remember when I last read a novel, but I believe it was well over 20 years ago. And yet, I have over 2,000 books on my Kindle; unfortunately for my sanity, I wish I could read a novel. They bore me. I congratulate Ray Duptla on writing a detailed historical novel, filled with facts and insights, that kept me reading to the last word. Points of history new to me, encased in a fast-moving story that held my attention. A well-written, fascinating story that I strongly recommend to all!!

Navy87Guy

Mr. Deptula has written an engaging historical novel with a unique perspective. A mix of history and human interest, A Dog Before a Soldier provides a fascinating insight into life on the eve of the American Revolution. Jacks struggle as a British soldier in America is very relatable, and it is a wonderful way to highlight the disparities in British (and American) views on the Colonies grievances. Amongst the storyline narrative, he weaves a masterful history lesson on the frustrations and actions that drove the colonists to choose independence.

The narrative is enjoyable and his historical references are well done. The story is very enjoyable and well worth the read. The masterful depiction of the Colonial struggle is historical fiction at its finest!

Stephen J Coonen

Deptula nails it! A Dog Before a Soldier is a masterpiece at several different levels.

Historically, the author captures a grand breadth of events succinctly and with precision giving the reader a much broader perspective for understanding the various elements that led to America’s war for independence. Deptula’s own military experience is readily evident in his explanations of strategies, tactics, and leadership that help the reader gain a better idea of how and why the political decisions and battles played out in the way that they did.

Deptula is an exceptionally gifted writer. His prose paint perfect pictures of clarity, easily bringing the reader into the scenes with him. The development of the important historical figures offers a richer perception of events and Deptula manages to weave the fictional characters expertly into the novel thereby creating an historically accurate piece with an overlying storyline which keeps the reader turning the pages to learn what happens next.

shellyD

Terrific read for anyone not just those that like fact based fiction. Was fortunate to have read the original book and this focused look at part one of the story was excellent. Really enjoyed the combination of historical context around the most consequential events in American history. Bravo Zulu and am looking forward to the next installment.

Gregg Sears

GREAT mix of historically accurate scene setting and historical fiction following a character through an enlistment in the British Army. I was VERY impressed by the writing and character dialog, the format of a history chapter followed by a character event chapter, and the story that takes the book on its course. Was sent this by a friend and didnt have the highest expectations from a first-time author and career Navy pilot but was blown away by the quality of the story and the writing. Thanks Ray!!! Keep them coming!!!

Craig Felker

Writing solid history is difficult. Blending it into an engaging narrative is more demanding. Ray Deptula accomplishes both extremely well in A Dog Before a Soldier. The narrative captures the American struggle during the war for independence. The historical context adds realism to the narrative. A must read, particularly as we head towards the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

C.C. Felker, Ph.D

Cari Sisserson

I really liked A Dog Before a Soldier by Ray Deptula. It’s not your typical Revolutionary War story—it feels a lot more personal and real. The main character, Jack, isn’t some larger than life hero at all. He’s just trying to survive and figure out where he belongs, which made the whole story feel more relatable.

I also liked that it shows the war from a different perspective, especially fighting on the British side. It’s not black and white, and you can see how complicated everything was back then.

Overall, it’s a really solid historical fiction book that paints a picture that’s much more nuanced than some of the typical insights of a similar genre. It’s a story that makes you think about what people actually went through and how their circumstances shape the beginnings of our country.

Kathleen Walls

A Dog Before A Soldier is a unique look at the American Revolution and what led to it. Instead of looking at it from an American viewpoint, the protagonist here is a young Englishman, Jack Halliday. Driven out of England by a horrible childhood, he first embarks as a sailor on a slave ship. Later, with no other viable choices, he joins the English army. Jack’s adventures are interspersed with chapters telling the actual history of what is happening. You feel like you know Jack personally. The book takes several unexpected twists that keep a reader fascinated. It’s the first in the series Those Damned Yankees. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in history.