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Cover of Between the Clouds and the River

1943: Twenty-four year old Bernhardt Lang is swept along by the currents of war, until an unexpected ally helps him live a life of his own making, in a place he could never have imagined himself existing.

1965: Twelve year old Joseph Holliman is drowning in a life no one should have to endure. When he crosses paths with Frank Gardner, everything he thinks he knows about the meaning of family is changed.

Between the Clouds and the River is a journey from the sands of North Africa to the snow-capped mountains of Montana and British Columbia, a compelling and emotional tale of deception, revelation, identity, and belonging that reminds us all that love is the only truth.

Between the Clouds and the River

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2019: Alison Wiley, a once-idealistic biotech CEO, is processing her new reality: she’s the last bud on the last branch of her family tree. On the heels of her mother’s illness and crushing death, she's pulled into a seventy-four year old mystery by a chance discovery on a Norwegian glacier.

1945: RCAF Squadron Leader Jack Barton flies combat missions over occupied Europe. Major Günther Graf, a war-weary and disillusioned Luftwaffe pilot, is trapped in the unspeakable horrors of Nazi Germany. Their paths, so different yet so similar, are connected by a young victim of appalling cruelty.

A story of love and loss, cruelty and kindness, guilt and redemption, EO-N's sweeping narrative takes readers on a riveting journey—from the destruction and horror of war to the relentless pressures of contemporary corporate greed—weaving together five seemingly separate lives to remind us that individual actions matter, and that courage comes in many forms.

EO-N
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HONORS

Between the Clouds and the River

2024 BookFest Silver Award for Historical Fiction
2024 Bookfest Bronze Award for Historical Mystery

EO-N

2021 Acquired for film and television.

2022 HFC Gold Award for Historical Mystery
2022 Shortlisted for HFC Book of the Year

2022 BookFest Silver Award for Historical Fiction
2022 Bookfest Bronze Award for Historical Mystery
2021 Hemingway Award for 20th Century Wartime Fiction
2021 Tyler R Tichelaar Award for Best Historical Fiction
2021 Reviewers Choice Gold Award for Historical Fiction
2021 Reviewers Choice Silver Award for Mystery
2021 Indie B.R.A.G. Gold Medallion
2021 Literary Titan Gold Medal
2021 Independent Press Awards Distinguished Favorite
2021 Next Generation Book Awards Best First Novel
2021 Next Generation Book Awards Finalist for Best Historical Fiction
2021 National Indie Excellence Awards Finalist for Best Military Fiction

2021 NYC Big Book Award Distinguished Favorite

2021 Millennium Book Award Category Winner for War Story Fiction
2021 Incipere Book Awards Category Winner for Historical Fiction
2021 Chicago Writers Association Book of the Year Finalist / Traditional Fiction

PRAISE FOR EO-N

PRAISE FOR
BETWEEN THE CLOUDS AND THE RIVER

"Quietly powerful… a serious but accessible novel that earns its moments of hope. It asks hard questions about nationality, belonging, and the arbitrary nature of borders without offering easy answers. Yet for all its gravity, it maintains a fundamental warmth… a genuine pleasure. A thoughtful, moving book that lingers in the mind. Fair warning: keep tissues handy for the final chapters."

BookShelfie

"Mason weaponizes profound symbolism and poignant prose… The tone, often gritty and grounded, softens in moments of reflection and human connection. Lovers of historical fiction rich with wisdom will find this book haunting but healing."

BookLife

"…a beautifully crafted tale of resilience, identity, and the transformative power of human connection. Nuanced storytelling and deeply developed characters bring to life a narrative that thoughtfully explores redemption and the meaning of family."

Literary Titan

"The type of novel you’ll want to savour—one you won’t want to rush through—as you won’t want to reach the end and have nothing left to read. The story is exquisitely told, and the characters are unforgettable."
Yarde Reviews

"A thought-provoking reflection on what it means to be human. A stunner."
The Prairies Book Review

"Beautifully captures the complexities of the human experience. Between the Clouds and the River sets course to leave an unforgettable mark on the contemporary historical fiction landscape."
Sheri Hoyte / Reader Views

"Lyrical and precise. An evocative and deeply moving novel… both harrowing and uplifting. Between the Clouds and the River is an unreservedly recommended Golden Quill read."

BookViral

"Mason’s prose is masterful… a singular voice… Between the Clouds and the River is a thought-provoking piece of writing that keeps you awake, turning pages, long into the dark."

DK Marley / The Historical Fiction Company

"...a stunning entry into the literary world... a moving historical fiction adventure that will keep you entranced and linger in your thoughts long after you turn the final page. It's easily one of the most intriguing novels I've read this year."

Sheri Hoyte / Reader Views

"EO-N is that rare mix of history, mystery, and thriller that keeps us turning the pages, but beyond that, it's a story of true human compassion in a time of crisis—the kind of story that gives you goosebumps and makes you want to go out and change the world. It's a novel to read, reread, and be inspired by."
Tyler R Tichelaar

"Captivating, engaging, engrossing are terms often used in publicity for a book, but for EO-N, these words are absolutely accurate. This is an accomplished novel, beautifully written."

Discovering Diamonds

"...a thriller in every sense of the word. EO-N is a thought-provoking, emotionally resonant historical fiction novel that is consistently entertaining, and has a depth that will appeal to anyone looking for a meaningful story."
Literary Titan

"EO-N will open your eyes. What a terrific debut novel this is."

Dennis Hetzel / BookTrib

"A page-turner with real depth, Mason writes with an impeccable eye for detail to deliver a taut, compelling read with a superbly executed plot."

BookViral

"I'm struggling not to reveal the genius in the construction of this book. What an immense scope this book takes while holding you in the palm of its hand."

Marssie Mencotti / Windy City Reviews

"...a compelling and touching story."

Entrada Publishing

"In this poignant story, Mason has deftly threaded together a gripping adventure, a history lesson, and a cautionary tale of loss, redemption, and humanity."

The Prairies Book Review

"...an impressive work by a first-time novelist."

Readers' Favorite

"...as heart-wrenching as it was uplifting... be ready for an emotional journey..."

OnlineBookClub

"This is not just historical fiction, this is literature, in all its raw, sometimes visceral, moving, touching, heart-wrenching, visual, emotional, lush, brutal, beautiful, cinematic, and as-real-as-a-book-can-get pages."

DK Marley / The Historical Fiction Company

PRAISE FOR
EO-N

NEWS

September 22, 2021: Motion picture and television rights to EO-N have been secured by producers Ruvé and Neal McDonough.

Perhaps best known for his long list of notable acting performances in such iconic productions as the Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning series Band of Brothers, as well as Yellowstone, American Horror Story, and Minority Report—among many, many others—Neal and his wife Ruvé have also partnered to produce a growing catalogue of projects including The Warrant (2020), Boon (2022), and Drops of Jupiter (2023), with additional titles in various stages of development. I was truly honored to hear Neal describe his own EO-N reading experience as "riveting and cinematic."

About

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Born in England and raised in Canada, Dave Mason is an internationally recognized graphic designer and a cofounder of a number of software companies. His first novel, EO-N, is the recipient of twenty-one literary awards including the Hemingway Award for 20th Century Wartime Fiction, and has been acquired for film and television. He divides his time between Chicago, Illinois, and Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

Want to learn more?

ReaderViews Interview / November 2020