The Consequence by Gerald Jones is a poignant tribute to the people of one Welsh village who fought and died and loved. It is a powerful, impeccably researched story which resounds long after the final page is turned.

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Reqeust a review copy of The Consequence here.

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Set in the quiet Mid Wales village of Llandyssil against a backdrop of the First World War, The Consequence tells with moving reverence, the stories of ordinary lives turned extraordinary by the devastating events which unfurl around them.

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What follows is a captivating tale of war, love and courage; of the men who must abandon home and of the women they leave behind.

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Gerald Jones has dedicated many hours of his time to research and evidence of this is resounding. The novel is interwoven with wonderful historical detail unique to the local area, which serves to heighten the punishing reality of these young men and women’s experiences, making for a reading experience that is singularly immersive.

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“And it became not uncommon for men to open letters, addressed to them, which contained a white feather, a sign of cowardice. This sort of intimidation never happened to Jack or Bill, but they knew that sooner rather than later it would. So, when the new regulations were about to come in, the boys, including Jim, who was married with three children, decided to volunteer before the 2nd of March, as to volunteer would sound a little better than being conscripted. As Jim had said, “If I have to go to war, I will go with my friends.”

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The characters that walk the pages of this book are fictitious, but their stories will be told many times and by many who have lived their nightmares, shared their joys and felt their pain. To those ends, the word consequence was one they would collectively come to understand too well.

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Bill.
With his friends stood on foreign ground under a foreign sky. Their purpose; to fight in a war that would bring them honour, glory and the right of passage to a mind that was not as it was.

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Jim.
A father whose sole intention was to survive and go home.

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Jack.
The army had become a life he had got used to, only to return and live a life he no longer wanted.

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Megan.
The blacksmith's sister. A fifteen-year-old whose good fortune was to find herself in the company of people who loved her.

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Ian.
Whose conflict with the enemy was only exceeded by his conflict with God.

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Mavis.
The tempestuous lady who never really shook off the 'good time girl' of her past.

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Michael.
An Irishman whose life was his school, and he taught it well.
As the lives of these individuals are thrust together and apart by the unpredictability of war, they are forced to reconcile the decisions they make and accept the ultimate price they will pay for them.  

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Reviews for The Consequence

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“…Well written, with warmth and compassion and littered with historic detail throughout. The book for me was also thought provoking, in showing how our past endeavours shape our future life. I would highly recommend reading this book and hope there will be many more to come”

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“An excellent story of particular interest as it is set in a village just a few miles away and clearly written by one who knows his Great War history. Lots of accurate detail of the time. Highly recommended.”

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Review copies of The Consequence and interviews with the author are available now.
Contact us here for details.

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About the book

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Pages: 316

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Price: £8.99 (Paperback), £4.29 (eBook)

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ISBN: 9781913704568

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Copies of The Consequence are available for purchase on Waterstones and Amazon.

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About the author

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Gerald Jones was born in Newtown Mid Wales but raised in Llandyssil, a small village seven miles away.
He left school at the age of fifteen and started his apprenticeship as a bricklayer and has never left the building trade.
The Consequence is his first written work, he's had a long time to practice! His interest in the subject started in his late teens, he knew well at the age of ten two men who had been to Egypt during The First World War and had had for many years thought of writing a story on the subject. Over a period of time he has visited a number of countries, Egypt being one of them, paying a visit to Cairo and the British War Graves Cemetry in Alexandra. He started writing the book twenty years ago then he would put it away for a few years, this would be repeated time and time again until it was finished.
Through this novel he hopes the reader will gain an insight into the lives of the characters in his book, maybe they were not unlike the readers ancestors.

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ENDS