It is early spring, 1775. Nate, who lives with his aunt and uncle, has skipped school for the third time this month. He is troubled by many things, but most of all by the rift in what's left of his family. His uncle and brother had a terrible row the previous night. His uncle is a loyalist, his older brother a militiaman and ardent patriot. He had never seen his uncle so mad, and thought they were going to come to blows. Everyone talks of war. It begins when Nate's gets in a fight with his nemesis, Jedediah Weekes, and rather than face his uncle - the town constable - he decides to run away. Falling asleep behind a stone wall, he awakes the next morning to a startling, unexpected sight. Acting on impulse, he does something that changes his life, and the world, forever. Soon Nate and everyone around him are caught up in the epic struggle. This story is based on the events that took place in and around Boston between April and June, 1775, from the first shot at the Lexington Green to the Battle of Bunker Hill. It is not only full of action and adventure; it is a historically accurate portrayal of the times. Fictional characters interact with real historical figures, like Paul Revere and Dr. Joseph Warren, giving a compelling look at these great men as they might have been. While the tale told may not be what really occurred, it certainly could have happened this way. Who is to say? The Shot is a story of loss and discovery, glory and shame, as a boy comes of age and learns to deal with his anger and guilt, finding redemption in the crucible of battle, the greatest story that could never be told.
