The End Begins Glimmering Light
Book review: 'Glimmering Light' is action-packed, end-of-world taleBy Melissa DeMouxFor the Deseret NewsFollowing a terrorist attack which incapacitated all electronic devices through a powerful electromagnetic pulse, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have trekked to the Salt Lake Valley to regroup in the first novel in Margot Hovley's The End Begins series. In her second novel, Glimmering Light, Hovley continues the story of a family of Washington Saints seeking safety and peace in a world turned upside down. After a treacherous journey from Washington to Utah, Amelie Hatch is recovering from the strain on her crippled leg. Surrounded by her family, she is ready to begin building a new life, despite her yearning for her boyfriend, Zack Allman, who is stationed in Provo as part of the new Nauvoo Legion. As tensions rise between deceitful government factions, the leadership of the LDS Church feels compelled to move the body of Mormons to the safety of an established settlement in Missouri. Amelie and her family scramble to gather their meager supplies and prime for another arduous journey this one in winter. In Provo, Zack has been assigned to an exclusive cavalry group charged with the transport of a delicate and secret cargo to the Missouri settlement. Missing Amelie intensely, he is alarmed when he is chosen as part of an elite three-man decoy group intended to pull enemy focus from the main cavalry team. Unfortunately, enemy powers will stop at nothing to squelch the movement of the saints and steal the precious cargo. Amelie and Zack face dangerous odds as they each wend their individual way to the promised safety of Missouri. Mobs, storms and perilous troubles assault them on the crossing threatening to sever their love and faith. As they rely on new friends and their own simmering affections, they move forward in the hope of a better life one they can share together. This book is much more polished and clean than the first. The characters are well-developed, and the plot is skillfully planned and full of life. Amelie and Zack each face unique challenges which help them grow and also draw readers into the heart of the story. There is a focus on faith in God and the teachings of the LDS Church, but the book is not preachy. Although there are romantic undertones to the tale, the affections shared are clean and simple, making the story appropriate for readers of any age. --The Deseret News