
In a remote hill‑top village of just twenty houses, a tight‑knit group of thirty men answers the call to arms, marching off together as a single platoon. Their early months on the front are marked by cautious optimism, with few casualties and a sense that their unity will see them through. When a sudden, ferocious offensive erupts, the men find themselves isolated on a thin stretch of trench, the enemy sweeping past the units on their flanks.
Amid the relentless roar of artillery and the crack of rifles, the soldiers grapple with the stark reality that their home may soon be a memory without witnesses. Their conversations turn to the fate of Daleswood itself—who will remember the village as it once was when the war finally ends? The narrative captures the raw tension of battle and the haunting question of how a small community endures when its people are scattered across a distant, unforgiving front.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (137K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by William McClain and David Widger
Release date
2004-05-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1878–1957
A pioneer of modern fantasy, this Anglo-Irish writer filled his stories and plays with dreamlike kingdoms, invented gods, and a sense of wonder that later inspired generations of fantasy authors. He also lived an unusually varied life, serving in war, spending time at Dunsany Castle, and writing across many forms.
View all books