The Blood of Heaven

Wascom's debut novel elucidates the messy nature of nation building on the early American frontier. Set mainly in West Florida (comprised of parts of current-day Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana) around 1800, the book follows Angel Woolsack through his transformation from preacher to robber to freedom fighter to hero for independence from Spanish rule as Angel joins his adopted brothers in the effort to free West Florida. Aaron Burr features as a fascinating and enigmatic character involved in the ongoing plotting. Ideals of manifest destiny mask the violence and internecine warfare, which is more about settling scores than about freedom. The struggle between wealthy slave holders and populist leaders like the Kemper brothers makes the novel an interesting examination of class warfare. Angel develops insight when he becomes blind and then is blinded to the suffering of others when his sight returns and he becomes a black-market slave dealer.