Absolutely loved this book. It was amazing, and a great look into the war, the men behind it, and the actions that drove them.

100% recommended!

I didn’t know much, if any, about the Green Mountain Boys. I found this to be informative albeit a little dry. It was interesting to see how much discord there was between the American colonies and groups and also how many people were wooed (or an attempt was made) by the British to give up their cause. I’d recommend to fans of The American Revolution.

Really interesting, but I liked the subject matter more than the writing. A bit dry and dense for my taste. Worth reading if you're interested in the subject, but I wish it was in the hands of a more accessible writer.

Before reading this book I had only a vague idea who Green Mountain Boys of Vermont were, so it was interesting to learn more about their role in the American Revolution and the creation of the state of Vermont. I enjoyed the author’s style of writing. The history told by Christopher S. Wren was easy to follow and enjoy. His writing was historically accurate and it revealed dramatic events from American history.
It these times the independence of Vermont was uncertain and its future built on shifting sands. Ethan Allen and his brothers, cousins and friends all fought for what they perceived as their survival and triumph against difficult odds and enemies. Their visions of future weren’t always identical and some of them might see themselves more well-off as British subjects. Paradoxically their prolonged flirting with Britain might be essential for the successful creation of the state of Vermont against the opposition from the Southern states.
On a grander scale the author showed how the actions of individuals in the time of change could shape the destiny of the whole country. He wisely abstained from judging the people that he wrote about and showing them as black and white. Without a doubt they were a formidable force and a colourful bunch of misfits. Their disrespect for authority and deadly skills as fighters with tomahawks and muskets made them a rebellious force to reckon with.
My only “complaint” is that I would like to read more about how Ethan Allen and Green Mountain Boys of Vermont were perceived by their contemporaries and how their legend took roots in the collective imagination. Otherwise this book was a perfect treat for somebody interested in American history and especially in Green Mountain Boys of Vermont.

I received " Those Turbulent Sons of Freedom: Ethan Allen's Green Mountain Boys and the American Revolution" from the publisher via NetGalley. I would like to thank the author and the publisher for providing me with the advance reader copy of the book.

A refreshing and honest look at history that should be done more often. I recommend this book to all Americans. Know the truth about our past, not the glorified propaganda that seems to infect our schools.

Terrific story of the founding of the state of Vermont, Ethan Allen's life and the wae for independence. Well written and easy to follow all the characters involved.

Very well written. This work surprised me. This isn’t the history that I was expecting to read!

Glad I read this and it’s a good example of how important it is to question what we’ve been taught earlier.

An interesting read on historic men I honestly didn't know much about previously. I appreciate this look into history I wasn't quite aware of. The book was well written and definitely worth the read.

By the end of this book, I realized the word “turbulent” was actually a compliment. These men were tough, brave, and wild. They were homesteaders who cared about their families and were willing to die for their country. They were also quite the characters.

This book doesn’t focus on Ethan Allen but instead includes him along with a number of other people. I loved how the book wove together multiple stories.

The narrative is excellent. Wren is a master storyteller with a subtle and easygoing writing style. It was fun to read and kept me interested. I do love history anyway, but even so, sometimes I don’t enjoy a historical book. But this one is a great one.

Just to focus on Ethan Allen for a minute (even though he isn’t the sole focus of the book), the capture of Fort Ticonderoga is all I knew about him before. But there’s much more to his story. Ethan was an interesting person and had his contradictions. He was a rough backwoodsman with a silver tongue. He was also a staunch patriot who almost betrayed his country.

I think the back cover description is a little misleading. It says, “Wren overturns the myth of Ethan Allen as a legendary hero of the American Revolution and a patriotic son of Vermont and offers a different portrait of Ethan and his Green Mountain Boys.” I almost didn’t read the book because I was afraid it would vilify Ethan, but it didn’t and so I’m glad I gave it a chance.

The book’s tone is sympathetic toward Ethan and it doesn’t overturn his status, it just gives a more rounded and complete portrait of him. For 2/3 of the book, Ethan does heroic deeds. Later in the war, and the book, he tries to become the next Benedict Arnold (which is strange because he despised Benedict Arnold), though he doesn’t succeed. His motives are unknown.

Also, I was surprised to learn that soon after Ticonderoga, Ethan and the Green Mountain Boys parted ways and went down totally separate paths in the war (although Ethan’s brother continued to serve with them).

I loved learning more about the Green Mountain Boys and the northern part of the war. There are so many great stories in this book! Like the one about a wounded teenage drummer who had to make his way through enemy lines at night. Or the one about the time soldiers built military fortifications out of ice. Or the time soldiers went on a 600-mile trek through snow and water up to their waists, nearly starving to death along the way. There are so many amazing stories of danger and hardship. Stories of spies hiding in the woods, and ambushers getting ambushed. Of troops so low on supplies, they had to be armed with spears instead of muskets.

The northern war and all the people involved in it are lesser known than other parts of the war, so this is an important and fascinating book. I highly recommend it!

I am giving this book four stars with reservations. Most Americans who paid attention in History class would have given high marks to Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys. This book clarifies his participation in the revolution and puts him in a well deserved bad light. I am sure most Vermonters are unaware of his real history. The most glaring problem with this book was its treatment of the defeat of Burgoyne, or lack of it, at Saratoga. It seems the author or publisher left out a whole section related to Burgoyne's defeat by Gates. Vermonters had to have had some involvement but we will never know. The author also glossed over the history of the beginnings of Vermont. Where did the legislature come from? Who was Governor Thomas Chittendon? I did enjoy the American Revolutionary history in a section that is overlooked by most histories.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the eARC.
This was a confusing read for me...I couldn't figure out what Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys of Vermont's angle was. They seemed to be more like a greedy bunch of land grabbers than heroes. Allen didn't serve in the Continental Army, yet tried to take Britain's Ford Ticonderoga, which made him and Benedict Arnold bitter enemies. General George Washington was no fan of his either, he was leary of Allen. Allen also tried to capture Montreal, which earned him a trip to England in 1775 to be hanged, but was set free in 1778. New York wanted Vermont's land and Allen fought unsucessfully to bring Vermont back under British rule.
I wrongly thought this would be an adventurous historical novel, but it's a meticulously researched history book set in the years before the Revolutionary War. It would probably be a good addition to school libraries.

This is one of those books that reminds us that we need to examine our historic heroes and understand that they are real people and not just icons.