Joseph Paladin is a national hero everyone thought they knew - a former major in the United States Army, retired colonel in the Maine Republic Militia, and considered one of the key founders of the New American Confederation. His legendary odyssey to reunify a fractured nation in the aftermath of the great flu pandemic is a household story. In his long awaited memoir, Paladin shares untold stories of his past, including a shocking secret that he's harbored for decades. Is he really the person who many hold in high esteem?

"Fottler departs nicely from the usual survival fiction formula." —Publishers Weekly

"The author has done a wonderful job creating a suspenseful tale of a post-pandemic-apocalyptic world. His characters are well drawn and authentic and define the desperate world in which they live. I highly recommend this book." —T.L. Needham, Windy City Reviews (Chicago Writers Association)