Owen Pataki

A veteran of the Napoleonic Wars must travel from revolution-torn France to Louisiana to rescue a young noblewoman, but he is quickly ensnared in a complex web of political intrigue and violence in this thrilling historical fiction adventure. As the War of 1812 rages across early 19th-century America, Marcel Moreau, wounded in service with Napoleon's Grand Armée, must journey to New Orleans to find Celeste de Beaumais, a young aristocrat who has fled the aftermath of the French Revolution and has settled herself on a sprawling Louisiana plantation. Standing in Moreau's way are various factions in and around the historic French Quarter—soldiers, slave hunters, marooned slaves, and Jean Lafitte's notorious Baratarian pirates—all of whom have their own interests and enemies. As he ventures deeper into the city and the vast cypress swamps beyond, encountering elements of Creole culture and Louisiana voodoo, Moreau will find that circumstances are much more complex—and dangerous—than he could have imagined. Meanwhile, a massive English fleet appears on the horizon, causing panic in the city and desperation from the outgunned and outnumbered Louisiana militia. Hoping to benefit from his years of military experience with Napoleon's Grande Armée, these French-speaking Creole farmers and townsfolk, and their American allies, enlist Moreau to help train them for the coming battle of New Orleans. As he does what he can to help this motley resistance movement—led by General Andrew Jackson and bolstered by Jean Lafitte's Baratarians—Moreau soon comes up against another enemy. With the city's eyes on the battlefield, a ruthless plantation master plots his own designs. But those who've escaped his clutches have no plans to return to a life in chains and have formed their own resistance. Moreau must now decide where his experience and instincts must be put to the best use.

A rich and sweeping novel of courage, duty, sacrifice, and love set during the French Revolution from New York Times bestselling author Allison Pataki and her brother Owen Pataki Three years after the storming of the Bastille, the streets of Paris are roiling with revolution. The citizens of France are enlivened by the ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity. The monarchy of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette has been dismantled--with the help of the guillotine--and a new nation is rising in its place. Jean-Luc, an idealistic young lawyer, moves his wife and their infant son from a comfortable life in Marseille to Paris, in the hopes of joining the cause. Andr , the son of a denounced nobleman, has evaded execution by joining the new French army. Sophie, a young aristocratic widow, embarks on her own fight for independence against her powerful, vindictive uncle. As chaos threatens to undo the progress of the Revolution and the demand for justice breeds instability and paranoia, the lives of these compatriots become inextricably linked. Jean-Luc, Andr , and Sophie find themselves in a world where survival seems increasingly less likely--for themselves and, indeed, for the nation. Featuring cameos from legendary figures such as Robespierre, Louis XVI, and Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, Where the Light Falls is an epic and engrossing novel, moving from the streets and courtrooms of Paris to Napoleon's epic march across the burning sands of Egypt. With vivid detail and imagery, the Patakis capture the hearts and minds of the citizens of France fighting for truth above all, and for their belief in a cause greater than themselves. Praise for Where the Light Falls "Compulsively readable . . . a compelling tale of love, betrayal, sacrifice, and bravery . . . a sweeping romantic novel that takes readers to the heart of Paris and to the center of all the action of the French Revolution."--Bustle "Succeeds in forcefully illustrating the lessons of the French Revolution for today's democratic movements."--Kirkus Reviews "Devotees of Alexandre Dumas and Victor Hugo will devour this tale of heroism, treachery, and adventure."--Library Journal "This is a story of the French Revolution that begins with your head in the slot watching how fast the blade of the guillotine is heading for your neck--and that's nothing compared to the pace and the drama of what follows."--Tom Wolfe