Publisher's Blurb

Samuel Val is blessed with a loving family and a tight-knit community in his Jewish village of Khruvina. He dreams of becoming Khruvina’s Rabbi, but his dreams are crushed when his family is slaughtered by Nazi Officer Viktor Naden, the Beast of Belorussia.

With Samuel left as Khruvina’s only survivor, he joins the anti-Nazi resistance group known as the Black Foxes. Determined to avenge his family, he swears to hunt down and destroy Viktor Naden. Samuel’s mission of vengeance, however, is put on hold when he is forced to escort a Jewish refugee to a safehouse operated by Black Fox Ten, a high-ranked member of the resistance.

While on his mission to save a life, Samuel discovers that the Beast of Belorussia might be closer than he thought. All at once, Samuel is given the chance to destroy Viktor Naden…but the cost will be high. Will Samuel sell his soul for vengeance?

Award-winning author Elyse Hoffman offers a heart-breaking and thought-provoking WW2 story.

My Review

Despite being brief, Elyse Hoffman's WWII historical fiction novella THE VENGEANCE OF SAMUEL VAL is a riveting read. In this short story, a young man seeks to get revenge on the SS Beast of Belorussia for the death of his family. This novella serves as a transition between the first book, Fracture, and the third book, Black Fox One, which has not yet been released. Although it may be readily read outside of the first novel.

Samuel Val, who lives in the Russian Jewish town of Khruvina, adores his family and neighborhood and aspires to become a rabbi.
The Nazis then invade the hamlet on the Sabbath, nail the temple doors shut, and set the town on fire, including Samuel's entire family. Viktor Naden, an SS officer, was in charge of this operation. Samuel is shot and left for dead when he tries to save his family, but he ends up being the sole survivor in his town.

He joins the Black Foxes, a group of rebels, out of a desire to exact revenge on his family. He finds the Beast's lair while leading a Jewish man to safety, at which point he must decide whether avenging his family is worth risking his soul for.

I appreciate the novella's innovative idea, which in just 110 pages takes the reader on the emotional and spiritual journey of a young guy. The fugitive Jew Amos, is brought over and used as the voice in opposition to Samuel's mindless vengeance that he is determined to carry out. Amos and Samuel's back-and-forth moral argument is masterfully performed, not only for the issue of atonement vs. repentance but also because all viewpoints are clearly depicted.

Final Verdict

 Ms. Hoffman's writing is poetic and educational at the same time, and it creates a picture of this historical period and location. I can't tell you what Samuel ultimately decides; you'll have to read the novella to find out.

Who Should Read This

Readers interested in WWII history should find this interesting!