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Edward C. Patterson
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The Road to Grafenwöhr Kindle Edition

by Edward C. Patterson (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 34 ratings
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Set in a tense Cold War atmosphere during both the invasion of Czechoslovakia and the Vietnam call to arms, The Road to Grafenwoehr is one man's emotional journey to square nature's justice with humankind's disregard for it. It’s a summons for a least likely and reluctant champion. But those called to service rarely choose where they serve. They just answer it, ripening to their purpose. For Quincy Summerson, a hero’s life is not his choice, but can he ignore the call? Can he stay off the road once the twilight snares him?

PFC Quincy Summerson begins his military adventure in 1968 in Bavaria realizing that his presence stirs the paradigm - the thin line between twilight and night. His hyperactive imagination gets the better of him, and soon he's enlisted for another purpose - to travel the road to Grafenwoehr, where the forest is enlivened by ancient lore.
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  1. Print length
    374 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    March 2, 2011
  5. File size
    836 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
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  8. Enhanced typesetting
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  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Review from Goodreads by SharonFive starsAugust 13, 2013I am constantly impressed by Edward C. Patterson's novels, and The Road to Grafenwöhr is no exception. It's the story of PFC Quincy Summerson, a Vietnam era draftee, who is sent to the kaserne at Grafenwohr as a radioman but is taken into the headquarters as a clerk instead.

There, he not only makes new friends, such as his bunkmates Striker, Ratzenberger, Pedillo and Mathias, but also some enemies: two motor-pool baddies named Verdigris and Stabbler. Summerson endures the usual round of hazing for being a smart guy with a gift for languages ... and his odd birthmark.

In fact, the locals seem to remark on it a lot ... and some of them are scared of it. The three knitting ladies, and their companion Luddy, whom he meets on the train into Grafenwohr are only the first.

And then, Summerson starts seeing ghosts.

This novel is a clever mixture of historical fiction, based on some of Patterson's experiences in the military, and paranormal. The characters are well-drawn, multi-dimensional people, not just cardboard caricatures. The situations, even the ones with paranormal overtones, are interesting. Patterson's prose invokes some vivid imagery, particularly when he talks about Summerson's visit to the grounds of a former concentration camp. I actually had goosebumps.

About the Author

Edward C. Patterson has been writing novels, short fiction, poetry and drama his entire life, always seeking the emotional core of any story he tells. With his eighth novel, The Jade Owl, he combines an imaginative touch with his life long devotion to China and its history. He has earned an MA in Chinese History from Brooklyn College with further postgraduate work at Columbia University. A native of Brooklyn, NY, he has spent four decades as a soldier in the corporate world gaining insight into the human condition. He won the 2000 New Jersey Minority Achievement Award for his work in corporate diversity. Blending world travel experiences with a passion for story telling, his adventures continue as he works to permeate his reader's souls from an indelible wellspring. His novel No Irish Need Apply was named Book of the Month for June 2009 by Booz Allen Hamilton's Diversity Reading Organization. His Novel The Jade Owl was a finalist for The 2009 Rainbow Awards. Published Novels by Edward C. Patterson include No Irish Need Apply, Bobby's Trace, Cutting the Cheese, Surviving an American Gulag, Turning Idolater, Look Away Silence, Oh, Dainty Triolet, The Road to Grafenwöhr, The Jade Owl (Jade Owl Legacy Series Book I), The Third Peregrination (Jade Owl Legacy Series Book II), The Dragon's Pool (Jade Owl Legacy Series Book III), The People's Treasure (Jade Owl Legacy Series Book IV) and Southern Swallow Series (Book I - The Academician and Book II - The Nan Tu). Coming soon: Southern Swallow Series (Book III - Swan Cloud; Book IV - The House of Green Waters; Book V - Vagrants Hollow), Belmundus and Green Folly. Look also for In the Shadow of Her Hem (Jade Owl Legacy Series Book V) and A Reader's Guide to Author's Jargon and Other Ravings from the Blogosphere. Poetry books available are The Closet Clandestine: a queer steps out and Come, Wewoka & Diary of Medicine Flower. Also Are You Still Submitting Your Work to a Traditional Publisher?

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B004QGYBKE
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dancaster Creative (March 2, 2011)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 2, 2011
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 836 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 374 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 34 ratings

About the author

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Edward C. Patterson

Edward C. Patterson

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Author Edward C. Patterson has been writing novels, short fiction, poetry and drama his entire life, always seeking the emotional core of any story he tells. He has currently over 50 published books. He is known for spinning magical and fantasy yarns grounded in history and favors epic tales revealed in books series. His flagship works are The Jade Owl Legacy Series, The Southern Swallow Series, the Nick Firestone Mysteries and the 15 book series, The Adventures of Lord Belmundus (in progress).

In many of Patterson's novels, he combines an imaginative touch with his life long devotion to China and its history, having earned an MA in Chinese History from Brooklyn College with further postgraduate work at Columbia University. This background is the cornerstone for The Jade Owl Legacy, The Southern Swallow Series and Master Wu's Bride, works drawing on Sung and Ming Dynasty History and Culture. History has played a major part in the coming of age tale Little Vin at Dreamland, while Cherokee History and Culture form the basis of the fantasy series The Adventures of Lord Belmundus.

Patterson's military experience is reflected in such works as Surviving an American Gulag, The Road to Grafenwoehr and Pacific Crimson - Forget Me Not. His gay life-way and work in diversity is reflected in his novellas No Irish Need Apply, Cutting the Cheese, Bobby's Trace and Mother Asphodel; and in larger works - Turning Idolater and Look Away Silence.

A native of Brooklyn, NY, Patterson has spent over five decades as a soldier in the corporate world gaining insight into the human condition. He won the Year 2000 New Jersey Minority Achiever Award for his work in corporate diversity and is a proud U S Army Veteran of the Vietnam Era. Blending world travel experiences with a passion for story telling, Patterson's adventures continue as he works to permeate his reader's souls from an indelible wellspring.

His novel No Irish Need Apply was named Book of the Month for June 2009 by Booz Allen Hamilton's Diversity Reading Organization. His Novel The Jade Owl was a finalist for The 2009 Rainbow Awards.

He is the proud founder of Operation eBook Drop which, in its heyday, distributed over a million eBooks to deployed Armed Forces members from over 2,000 independent authors. He has guest blogged extensively and has appeared on the Bobby Ozuna - Soul of Humanity Show. He is also proud of his Cherokee heritage, knows seven languages (including Cherokee) and is a contributing member of the ACLU.

"The little voice from between the lines can become a lion's roar, one listener at a time."

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
34 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Todd A Fonseca
5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorite Patterson Novels
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2011
Verified Purchase
Rating: 5 of 5 stars, TMBOA Recommended!

Author: Edward C. Patterson
Format: Kindle, Paperback

Traveling to his unit in post war Germany, Quincy Summerson finds the locals, their heritage, language, architecture, and culture fascinating. They too, find him of great interest given the unique birthmark displayed prominently on his cheek which legend portends it to be a harbinger for both great evil and good. Quincy's journey takes him further and further into heart of Bavaria as visions begin to plague him. As they increase in frequency and violence Quincy learns he has been called not just to serve the United States but an even higher purpose.

Readers may be initially turned off by the title of Patterson's latest work. But I must say, this was one of my favorites from him. Patterson takes his expert prose and characterization skills and infuses them into an intriguing setting of a young man stationed in Germany during the height of the cold war with an eclectic group of roommates where everyone prays to avoid reassignment to Vietnam--except for one man. Sprinkle in some fantasy elements and Patterson has created a genre I've not previously experienced but very much enjoyed.

The plot is very tight and the storyline moves. If you already are a Patterson fan, I think you will definitely enjoy The Road to Grafenwohr. If you've never read him and you are looking for something different, give this one a try - you won't be disappointed.
5 people found this helpful
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AnFL2992
5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging and unique
Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2011
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One of the most interesting and original books I've read so far this year. The scenery and atmosphere of the time and place, vividly described - an American military base, German-Czechoslovak border, 1968 - opens to the reader like a flower, petal by petal, until we are truly there. The main protagonist is somewhat mysterious - we can't see him quite clearly perhaps because he doesn't quite see himself, but everything and everyone else is very real, despite the dreamlike quality of the book. The narrative moves forward in a good pace, and I found it unexpectedly captivating and unpredictable. I will not reveal the plot here but I just couldn't put this book down.
The author has a skillful way of organically implanting paranormal elements in the setting described with utmost realism. Most of all, I liked Quincy and his friends (Ratz in particular), their relationship, not always easy or simple but oddly comforting in the world of men that epitomizes both the best and worst of humans, loyalty and cruelty stripped to the bare bones. This book is a fine example of excellent writing skills and inventive plot that manages to convey something very personal without being explicitly confessional. Definitely worth reading and highly recommended.
4 people found this helpful
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Dana Taylor
5.0 out of 5 stars The Road to Great Writing
Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2011
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When I'm in the mood for fine writing, interesting characters, unexpected turns, I scan the long list of books by Edward C. Patterson. My third outing with Mr. Patterson was "The Road to Grafenwohr" and once again I was deeply impressed by the storytelling talent of this man. "Road" is a fascinating mix of reality and fantasy woven together with writing that can turn lyrical or gritty with the twist of a phrase. Quincy Summerson is a green recruit ordered to the German/Czech border during the height of the Cold War. An obvious facial birthmark always set him apart in his Brooklyn beginnings; in Germany it marks him as a mythic hero. Patterson paints his manuscript first with dabs of mystic moments, mixed with solid realities of military life. By the end of the piece, the mystical has overtaken the mundane to a classic conflict of good vs. evil. All the while the reader grows more involved with the cadre of characters surrounding Summerson. At the core of every Patterson book are characters to care about. He is one of the best authors to emerge from the Indie Author movement. Discover his gems and enjoy the work of a very gifted writer.
4 people found this helpful
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LumpyOatmeal
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding
Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2023
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Very glad I read this. I'll definitely be reading his other books.
One person found this helpful
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soldner
4.0 out of 5 stars Very intertesting
Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2013
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I was stationed in Germany in the 70's and 80's but only went to Graf once. Still much of the descriptions could be the same for other parts of Germany. This is not an 'army' tale. Road was a very interesting story with surprising twists. Well formatted for a Kindle fire.
3 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars The Gabelbein Completes His Mission
Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2021
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An imaginative story that weaves German culture, folk tales, ghosts, and the supernatural with U.S. Army soldiers serving in Germany during the Cold War. The author keeps the reader engaged right to the satisfying ending. Highly recommended.
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Jeffry S Hepple
5.0 out of 5 stars The Road to Grafenwöhr is trip worth taking
Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2011
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Ostracized and ridiculed as a child, because of a birthmark on his face, Quincy Summerson has grown up to be a loner. During the Cold War, while PFC Summerson is on the way to his new duty station near Grafenwöhr, Germany, he learns that the birthmark yields power and responsibility as old as the Kingdom of Bavaria.

The Road to Grafenwöhr is a coming of age story with elements of magic and mysticism that will keep you entertained from the first to the last word. This is Mr. Patterson's best work yet.
7 people found this helpful
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Cobratfman
5.0 out of 5 stars Very entertaining.
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2014
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Having served three years in Graf; I delighted in the memories which brought all the familiar buildings, streets and towns back into focus. Many great times and experiences were realized at Graf. The character thread of Chico was well thought out, written, and enjoyed throughout the book. Great job in the telling of the tale.
3 people found this helpful
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