by Gary Cullen (Author)

Set in the borderlands of Alsace during the turbulent years of the French Revolution and the rise of Napoleon, Alsace Under the Shadow of Napoleon follows the coming-of-age of Jean-Luc Calliet and his closest friend, Adrien Bauck.

Their childhood is shattered when a traveling guillotine arrives in their quiet town of Colmar, bringing the violence of the Revolution to their doorstep. Forced to witness the execution of a beloved priest, the boys begin to understand that their homeland-caught between French and German identities-is no longer safe from political suspicion and ideological conflict.

Amid this unrest, a moment of hope emerges with the birth of Adrien's sister, Anna Lise, whose life becomes intertwined with Jean-Luc's from the very beginning. As the years pass, the boys grow into young men, shaped by hardship, family bonds, and the shifting tides of history.

Through encounters with soldiers, exposure to war stories, and even a brief meeting with Napoleon himself, Jean-Luc is drawn toward a future in the army, while Adrien wrestles with the possibility that his family may be forced to leave Alsace for a safer life in Russia.

As revolution gives way to empire, the novel traces the loss of innocence, the forging of identity, and the enduring strength of friendship and family. At its heart, it is a deeply human story set against a time of sweeping political change-where ordinary lives are forever altered by the ambitions of nations.

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