Kingdom Forgotten: The rise and demise of a Mormon island king
A self-proclaimed prophet and king named James Jesse Strang had it all - power, fame and royalty - at least for a while.
James Strang ruled over his flock of Latter-Day Saints on a remote island in northern Lake Michigan in the mid-1800's, leaving behind a legacy of tyranny, piracy and polygamy.
With his tremendous ego and oratorical skills, Strang built up a community of over 2,500 Mormons and took political control of northern Michigan and its island inhabitants.
A clash of cultures soon followed as King Strang tried to impose his beliefs and laws onto both his followers and the non-believing, native islanders.
Kingdom Forgotten seamlessly stitches together the true events of James Strang's life with fictional characters that show what island life might have been like under Strang's rule. It is a story of kindness and killers; of ruthless pirates and innocent believers; of a Native American woman who had the courage to stand up to Strang, a man she both loved and hated; and it is the story of how one man's craving for power and control over others proved to be his ultimate undoing.
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A lush, multi-layered work of fiction that superbly mines a hidden gem of American history. Laurie Lounsbury beckons you to a time and place made so vibrant and real that you won't want to leave. Kingdom Forgotten does what fine historical novels should do: engagingly employ the past to illuminate and examine critical present-day issues.
--Russell Fee, author of the Sheriff Matt Callahan Mystery Series (set on Beaver Island)
"This is a fascinating glimpse into the little-known life and influence of an enigmatic and charismatic leader. Few historical fiction writers can both incorporate so much history and in a way that it becomes a full-fledged story all on its own."
--Sandra Haven, freelance editor for Reedsy and Crooked Lane Books; Senior Editor for Writer's Intl. Forum; contributing writer for Write-to-Done.
