"...A tonic to the spirit, a salve to the soul." (The Undaunted, Lund) (5)

The Undaunted is a very powerful, insightful and enjoyable book as one follows David Draper as he grows and develops on these pages from a 6-year old child working in the coalmines of Yorkshire, England to a strong man of body and spirit, assisting the men and woman that left Cedar Cedar, Utah in October 1879 to establish a settlement in the Four Corners region of Utah/Arizona. An expedition that was supposed to take six week, but was so difficult it took six months.

While this incredible expedition to the Four Corners area does not start until page 514 of this 800 page book, the reader is able to enjoy the character development and life of David and John Draper and their journey through life.

Gerald N. Lund, does such an incredible job telling a story, and making "Historical Fiction" one of my favorite genres. I feel like I know the Drapers, the Mckenna's, Jen Neilsen, Platte D. Lyman and George Hobbs and various other in the book as he brings them to life through his story and the real story from the various writings from their journey.

The research and the calling out of the research in footnotes and chapter notes makes the book all the more enjoyable as it all helps you grasp that there really is a Hole in the Rock Trail, that this group of stall-worth people did what many called impossible.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Format: Hardcover