Tomorrow, the War -- Max Watman, Hardcover

Tomorrow, The War is a sweeping historical epic that follows the intertwined lives of Jed Stokes, a restless wanderer shaped by violence, and Raleigh, a once-enslaved man seeking justice. After fleeing his troubled Jewish family in Virginia, Jed is drawn into the Mexican-American War before becoming a drifter, outlaw, and buffalo hunter in the untamed West. Meanwhile, Oliver Bodkin VII, heir to a failing Virginia plantation, attempts a radical experiment--raising his enslaved half-siblings, Temple and Raleigh, as equals. But their idyllic existence is shattered when outraged neighbors burn their home, killing Oliver and forcing Raleigh to flee. Believing Temple dead, he survives as an itinerant musician--until he discovers that his sister is enslaved once more under a cruel master. Teaming up with Jed, Raleigh stages a daring return to Virginia, leading to a heart-pounding rescue mission on the eve of the American Civil War. Perfect for fans of historical fiction and Tarantino-style action, Tomorrow, The War is a gripping tale of survival, rebellion, chutzpah, and redemption.

Author: Max Watman
Publisher: Heresy Press
Published: 01/06/2026
Pages: 408
Binding Type: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781949846768

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 11/17/2025

About the Author
Max Watman, who was raised in the Shenandoah Valley, completed his undergraduate studies at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond and went on to earn an MFA in creative writing from Columbia University. Watman authored several books, including Race Day (Ivan R. Dee, 2005), Chasing the White Dog: An Amateur Outlaw's Adventures in Moonshine (Simon and Schuster, 2010), and Harvest: Field Notes from a Far Flung Pursuit of Real Food (W.W. Norton, 2014) to great acclaim. Besides being a well-regarded writer of the South and a teacher at Virginia Commonwealth University, Watman has also worked as a farmer, a silversmith, a tutor, a greenskeeper, a warehouseman, a cook, and a musician.