The US Review of Books (USRB) highly praised “In His Footsteps” by Ben Steinlage

“In His Footsteps” by Ben Steinlage is acclaimed by Amanda Hanson of the US Review of Books.

Author Ben Steinlage: Though born in California, he now lives in New Mexico with his wife. He is the father of six children and seven grandchildren. Professionally, he was a consultant in the printing industry. Now that he is retired, he spends a good part of his time writing and helping other writers.

His writing began more than fifty (some) years ago as a hobby. This past time has led him to become a published writer. As a writer, he likes challenges, which means he writes in a variety of genres. To date, he has written (though not all published) better than thirty stories of historical fiction, from murder mysteries to fantasy. It wasn’t until 2007 that his wife decided it was time to share his works with the world that he became a published author. To his surprise, he found that others enjoyed his stories as much as his family. 

In offering this story to the many readers out there, he hopes this story will be as enjoyable as his past stories.

“In His Footsteps” is a story that was written with our country’s veterans in mind. It is also for the survivors left behind—the ones who died in battle.

The story presents Jeff O’Connor, who is a thirty-plus-year-old man who lost his father in the Vietnam War. He wakes up one morning feeling like his life isn’t worth as much as it once was. Though he is a successful businessman and a father of two, his wife has divorced him. He figures his problem comes from not having been raised by his parents but by his grandmother. 

Though she did her best, she couldn’t give him what he needed—information about his father. To add to that, she told him all about his mother, but she wouldn’t talk about her son. It was this lack of information that didn’t allow him closure. He feels that if he had a better understanding of who his father was, it would help him. Though he knows that he’ll never get his father back, he feels the next-best thing would be to walk “in His footsteps.” 

Doing what he proposed to do may give him something to start a new life with. Though he sees some problems with what he decides to do, he also feels it will be worth it. As with so many things we decide to do, he finds himself with more than he expected. One of the things he learns is that no matter what you do, you’re apt to touch the lives of others.

So, if you’re up for a story full of adventure, action, mystery, suspense, and a few tears, start turning the pages for a story you will find hard to believe.

Here’s an excerpt from the US Review of Books that highlights:

“Steinlage’s work centers around the themes of searching for one’s father, the experiences of being a single mother, and the challenges faced by returning veterans. The author delves deeply into Jeff’s emotions as he reflects on his fatherless life, feeling a gaping hole that causes immense frustration. In the book, the author creates a clear distinction between Jeff’s mother and grandmother. Jeff’s mother did not know Jeff’s father very well and, therefore, cannot provide any information about him. In contrast, his grandmother knew him very well but refuses to speak about him because of the choices he made. Additionally, the book highlights the negative reception that Vietnam War veterans received upon their return to the United States. This book is sure to captivate readers with its numerous unexpected twists and turns, making it an enjoyable read.”