For beginners, 'These Is My Words' is a great start. It's easy to read and has a very relatable protagonist. You'll quickly get immersed in the pioneer world through her eyes.
Survival is another key theme. They had to survive in harsh environments, deal with food shortages, and build new communities. In these fictions, you can see how they used their skills and the help of each other to endure. For example, building shelters in the middle of the wilderness.
One great work is 'These Is My Words' by Nancy E. Turner. It beautifully captures the life of a pioneer woman with strong characters and a vivid portrayal of the hardships and joys of the pioneer era.
'A Covenant People' is also worth reading. It delves deep into the history of the LDS pioneers. It not only shows their physical journey but also their spiritual growth. You get to see how they overcame difficulties like harsh weather, lack of resources, and conflicts with native tribes all while staying true to their beliefs. It's a great way to understand the LDS pioneer experience through historical fiction.
One characteristic is the focus on the challenges of settling new lands. Pioneers had to deal with things like building shelters, finding food, and facing harsh weather. Another is the interaction with native populations. Often in these stories, there are complex relationships between the settlers and the indigenous people. Also, the sense of isolation and self - reliance is prominent. Pioneers were often on their own in remote areas, so they had to be able to fend for themselves.
One great LDS pioneer story is that of the handcart companies. These brave pioneers, with limited resources, pulled handcarts across vast distances. For example, the Willie and Martin handcart companies faced extreme hardships. They endured harsh weather, lack of food, and still pressed on with their faith. Their determination to reach the Salt Lake Valley is truly inspiring.
LDS historical fiction makes the past more relatable. It puts faces and emotions to historical events. For example, a fictional story about a pioneer family can show their daily struggles and hopes, which helps readers understand the real - life experiences better than just reading dry historical facts.
Characteristics of pioneer historical fiction books are many. One is the sense of isolation. Pioneers were often far from civilization, and this is well - represented in such books. Another is the portrayal of resourcefulness. The characters have to use whatever they can find to survive. For instance, in books about the early American pioneers, they might use buffalo hides for shelter. They also tend to have a strong sense of family and community. Families worked together to build a new life, and neighbors helped each other. This is shown in many of these books like 'These Is My Words' where the community plays an important role in the protagonist's life.
It often shows the challenges and hardships of starting anew in a different time. There's a lot of focus on survival skills, building communities, and dealing with the unknown.
The characters in lds historical fiction books are usually complex. They are not just one - dimensional religious figures but have their own personalities, dreams and flaws. They grow and develop within the framework of the historical events and their religious beliefs. For instance, in some books, you can see a character who starts off doubting the LDS teachings but through a series of historical experiences, comes to embrace them wholeheartedly. This makes the characters more relatable. Also, these books often use historical research to accurately portray the time period, whether it's the clothing, the social norms or the political climate of that era related to the LDS history.