Title: Steamboat Seasons: Dawn of a New Era
Author: Kendall D. Gott
Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
ISBN: 978-1-63630-078-8
Pages: 290
Genre: Historical, Fiction
Reviewed by: Susan Brown
Pacific Book Review
Three pulls of the signal horn and a Hip, Hip Hooray tune announces the arrival and departure of the Captain and his steamboat crew on rivers that crisscross the heart of America. This sequel, by the author of Steamboat Seasons and Backwater Battles, is a continuance of the fictional story of the Captain’s exploits, now in the post-Civil War years.
The Captain returns to St. Louis, Missouri with Ann, a childhood sweetheart, to resume his civilian profession as a riverboat pilot. The country is in the throes of recovery, but progress is slow and much remains unchanged. The rivers, a welcome refuge for the Captain, are overflowing with boats, all trying to regain a foothold in the struggling river economy. The shipping company he sails under is not immune from this struggle and the Captain is focused on helping the company stay afloat by moving consignments of goods and people up and down the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, as well as adjacent tributaries.
It’s a turbulent time. The devastation of the Southern economy creates a maelstrom of complications for those trying to conduct business. The Captain, doubtful about a successful recovery for the South, says, “I’m not so sure I like this new era, Bemis. It appears to me we have lost a certain measure of our innocence. Honor between men seems lacking. Raw greed and the quest for power seems to rule the day.”
He persists, however. We follow him as the giant paddle wheel at the stern of his ship propels him from port to port. Along the way, there are numerous escapades that engage him and his crew. Additionally, he and his company are in a fight for their lives to stay in business, not just with other steamship operators, but also from the newly developing railroad operations.
Although this book is a fictional narrative about the steamship era, it is brimming with historical insights. The author, a retired historian and author of a number of studies on American military history, has a commanding perspective on Civil War history and its repercussions on the country. He provides a compelling discernment into the consequences of the war. Using the Captain as his voice he writes, “They (Confederates) had a sullen defeated look about them as they ambled about trying to find a future.”
He adds, “But in the eyes of many, ending slavery did not mean equal economic opportunity, justice under the law, or freedom of movement,” as well as, “The reconstruction of the Union could be a messy process indeed. No one seemed to have the answers.” The author does not give us this answer, but he does pilot the reader through the end of the Captain’s time aboard his ship.
What will the Captain do in light of his company shutting down operations? His final word on this to his employer is, “This America and I have the means to undertake a host of opportunities. I believe I know what I am going to do.” Vague, yes, but perhaps author Kendall D. Gott intends to make this series a trilogy. Let’s hope he does.
