In the Days of Lachoneus — Alan Armstrong

In the Days of Lachoneus is an epic story of politics and patriotism, intrigue and murder,war and violence, love and betrayal, friendship and loyalty, believers and unbelievers, good andevil, set in the landscape of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. The historical background for the storyis the account in the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, of the fierce struggleto the death between the murderous counter-culture of the Gadianton Robbers and the liberty-loving society of the Nephites, a people descended from the tribes of Israel.The first volume in this three-book series is The Gathering, in which GovernorLachoneus of Zarahemla faces the challenge to surrender or be destroyed by Giddianhi and hisGadianton terrorists. The citizens of Zarahemla have beaten and driven the Gadiantons once,only to lose ground in a second battle. Emboldened by his most recent success, Giddianhi writesan arrogant letter to Lachoneus boasting that his army will wipe out the population of Zarahemlaunless they turn over all property and possessions to the robber band and join their secret society.Woven between the scenes of war, government and politics on a grand scale are personalstories of intrigue and young love. Traitors within Governor Lachoneus’s council plot hisoverthrow. Giddianhi’s ruthless rule over the Gadiantons is also not without its internal enemieswho design his demise. At the same time, Lachoneus’s beautiful daughter and his house servantare hopelessly in love, yet they are kept apart by class, station, and temperament.Dissention and apostasy among the Nephites of Zarahemla threaten the people with utterdestruction. Lachoneus fears that the decrees of God are about to descend upon his waywardpeople. When the letter from Giddianhi arrives, Lachoneus seizes upon this opportunity to callthe people to repentance and to unite them in a common cause that is bigger than their pettyjealousies and personal greed. He warns the people of the threat from the Gadiantons and issuesa proclamation throughout all the land for the people to gather together into a single body. Theywill build a fortress and organize an army and prepare for a fight to the death to defend theirlives, their liberty, their families, and their way of life.