5-star Rating and First Place Chaucer Award Winner

A saga writ large on the stage of 17th Century Central Europe, Hope of Ages Past portrays the deeply personal impacts of religious faith and love amidst the brutality of war. Bruce Gardner, delving deeply into the philosophical issues at the core of the Thirty Years War, very deftly maintains an over-arching theme of religious differences - and similarities - in the midst of a thrilling, continually evolving panorama of warfare, intrigue, and romance. Interlocking the two storylines - interpersonal and international - is the repeated possibility for human compassion to emerge despite deep religious disagreements. Gardner’s skillfully drawn characters, both Catholic and Protestant, are confronted with choices – to kill, to help, or to ignore their fellow human beings in times of terrible suffering. Gardner fairly and intelligently presents the positions of both groups.Love conquers hate and uplifts two great faiths in Bruce Gardner’s Hope of Ages Past, contrasting romance, religion and family cohesion with the upheaval of battle and blood, all balanced by a thought-provoking, well-considered overview of the western world’s Christian heritage. 

5-star Rating

Hope of Ages Past by Bruce Gardner sets itself apart from the crowd in a big way. A great mix of fact and fiction, loaded with historically and culturally relevant details that takes us back to the 30 Years’ War in Europe. Great rising action and intense conflict, but there is also a riveting human story here, dealing not just with war and religious persecution and intolerance, but with friends, family, and even romance. It’s not always easy to reconcile fact with fiction, and I appreciate how Gardner made it both readable, and also educational. Great job using the characters – real historical figures and fictitious ones— in a way that really showed the story and the experiences as if we are there too. There are enough descriptions where you can picture everything perfectly, but not so much that it bogs down the pacing. Right from the beginning Gardner plops us down into the world-changing and history making drama, and has such a cool mix of historical events, people, battles, political maneuverings from a bird’s eye view, not like something you read in a history book. I learned something and had fun too. Because of the overarching storylines relating to real events (or plausible scenarios for the era/characters) it just felt more realthan I anticipated -- not totally contrived which is important for enjoying a book like this.  It makes you think of the history of Christianity and Catholicism in a different light especially regarding religious wars, and it’s amazing to think how long it lasted and how many millions of people perished. Peter and Hans’ story over the years is one that I think will resonate with readers, and romantic/sexual storyline is a welcome break from the constant strife. Lots of violence and adult scenes so best suited for mature readers.  Recommend. (5 stars) 

5-star Rating

In Hope of Ages Past, Gardner gives us a flowing, detailed, suspenseful, and action-packed narrative that skillfully blends his protagonists into the historic setting. The characters are well- developed and believable. I especially liked Peter, who seemed the kind of pastor who both recognized his own imperfections and uplifted others in their moral and spiritual struggles. I was reminded at times of the stories of the early Christian martyrs. How much more difficult can it be to truly embrace forgiveness, when those who claim faith in the same God as you are the ones doing the pillaging, raping, and torture? An engaging read that blends war, faith, and romance into a story that is both entertaining and edifying.

Starred Review

Hope of Ages Past is a dazzling historical novel in which fictional and real-life historical characters intermingle seamlessly. Gardner ably breathes life into these characters, and part of this talent lies in how he creates realistic, thought-provoking interplay between them all. Throughout the novel, Gardner is repeatedly able to accurately reflect subtle shifts in his characters’ emotions by employing elegant, cutting, well-timed dialogue. He combines this with a plot that burns with suspense, intrigue, and passion, bolstered by thorough historical research. The end result is a compelling page-turner that won’t allow readers to rest before they reach the final page. Overall, this is a sharply written offering that’s thrilling and shocking in equal measure.A gripping novel that effectively captures the predicaments of those caught up in one of history’s bloodiest wars.    — Kirkus Reviews