A Soldier Far Away: A Historical Novel of the Swedish Campaign of the Thirty Years War

Merriam Press Historical Fiction. Escaping an English noose, Ainslie Souter, a Scottish highwayman, signs up to fight for a Protestant king in Europe’s last religious war. Hippolito Costello, a Dominican Inquisitor, joins forces with the Catholic side. One guided by pragmatism, the other by religiosity, both men find themselves pulled into and changed by a barbarity practiced by both sides in 17th century war-torn Germany. Towns and principalities suffer the worst as competing forces attempt to change the religious and political map of Europe. This historical novel brings readers into the great battlefields and mindsets of 17th century leaders, churchmen, militarists, and foot soldiers. In particular, the war will drastically change both Ainslie and Hippolito, and call into question their own humanity.