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Jeffrey David Payne

Teoksen Far From The War tekijä

1 Work 11 jäsentä 4 arvostelua

Tekijän teokset

Far From The War (2011) 11 kappaletta

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As a seventeen year old she has always been confident in what she wants from life and where her future will take her. What she wasn't ready for was the harsh reality of politics, where truth is sacrificed for loyalty, power is all important and money is the only thing that matters. Wars have been started over less; however the start of this war was still a surprise to a country suddenly thrown into civil turmoil.

It began with a military presence. It seemed peaceful enough at first, taking up position in Washington D.C.. By the time shots were fired she was ready to leave her position in the capital and head home to the safety of Orcas Island. But by then the war was well underway and at every turn she was met with the dangers of the front line. However no matter where she went, how far she travelled, she was never far from the war.

Far From The War is a griping and intelligent read that takes you on a journey across country and into the heart of a war that, depending on who you talk to, is being won and lost with each passing day. Although our heroine maybe young and somewhat naive, she shows great strength and determination as she experiences firsthand the horrors, heartbreak and hope that is felt by those touched by war. An accomplished story about one girl who never gives up, or gives in, until she finds her way back home.
… (lisätietoja)
 
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LarissaBookGirl | 3 muuta kirja-arvostelua | Aug 2, 2021 |
Originally posted on Little Book Owl

I will admit that I have never read a book based around politics and war. I was surprisingly pleased with it, though, and thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

The beginning was just a little slow for me. I am completely clueless and politics and all that, even more so considering it is American politics, so I was confused with all of the technical and political parts explored towards the beginning.

Esther was an interesting character to follow. I loved her wit and humour. Whenever Esther engaged in conversation with others, she managed to pitch in and provide some funny one-liners. I also really admired her boldness, bravery and determination. When it came to the war aspects, Esther's mind was set on survival. She was determined to get home and did whatever it took to get there. Not once did she consider giving up.

On the other hand, when the love interest was introduced, Esther took the initiative to make a move herself. I loved seeing the roles reversed with their relationship, and it was done in such a way that the male was not deemed as any less of a "man", so to speak. She was bold and did not hesitate to take chances. I loved the relationship between the two characters. Although I felt it was a little rushed, I understand that the story occurred over a long period of time, and it skipped forward a few months every so often.

The people Esther met and befriended on her journey home added so much depth to the story, and unfortunately more tragedy and pain for Esther. She grew so close with a select few, and the war ripped them away from her. This was bitter sweet - Payne crafted lovable and humorous characters, and just as you grew attached to them (alongside Esther), a sudden turn of events would take them away.

The action in this book was quite graphic and gruesome. This was shocking and confronting, but I did not have any issues with it, in all honesty I liked how Jeffrey Payne did not attempt to hide the harsh nature of war. It assisted with the realism and visual impact of the novel, but for those of you who may have an issue with this, be wary of the fact that it gets a little bloody. I would not recommend this book for younger readers, because of this factor. It is set during a civil war, and the conflicts Esther faces are described in a little bit of detail.

I loved how the book ended. It wrapped up quite nicely, yet still leaves you wanting to know what happens next, and how things turn out with the love interest. The second book, The Mail Still Runs is released next year, and I am really looking forward to continuing on with the story!
… (lisätietoja)
 
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LittleBookOwl | 3 muuta kirja-arvostelua | Jul 30, 2012 |
Honestly, I don't even know where to begin with this review. I expected this book to be a good read, perhaps even average, but I quickly found that it was so much more than that. Far From the War tells the story of Esther, a strong female character and her internship at the House of Representatives as part of her goal to become involved in politics one day. As the government, politicians, and military become completely corrupt and everything pretty much shuts down, Esther's experiences show what an absolutely frightening world this would be and how every person is basically left to fend for themselves with little chance of survival.

With his writing, Payne creates a shockingly complex yet very believable state of the world for the characters. I think it definitely fits into the category of books you could read over and over again and notice something new each time, because there's just so much going on. I was slightly on edge while reading because honestly it frightened me a bit how realistic it all sounded, and how it seemed that we could very easily end up in a similar situation. Many parts of the book were somewhat disturbing and graphic as they described the violence and corruption taking place, and I could feel my stomach turn a few times while reading, but these scenes were necessary to get the point across and not overdone or exaggerated, in my opinion. Just a warning for those of you who may have a hard time reading about such things. The whole topic of the novel is somewhat disturbing, not in an overtly grossed out kind of way but more in a way that really gets you thinking about the state of things and just one possibility of where we might end up if things ever took an awful turn for the worse.

The first chapter was a bit mundane, but after that it started picking up, and I was drawn in. I found many aspects of the book refreshingly unique, such as the setting of Esther's internship and the overall turn of events that took place. I experienced a whole multitude of emotions while reading, from excitement and happiness about the relationships she formed along the way, to fear and horror when everything seemed utterly hopeless, and even tears of joy at the end. It is very rare that a book makes me feel such strong emotions as this one did, and even rarer that a book will make me cry.

I'd go as far as to say that Far From the War has earned a spot among my top ten favorite books, because it was just that amazing. I am very eagerly awaiting the second book in the trilogy, but sadly it's not due to be released until next July. So for now, I will just have to strongly recommend this novel, as I know it's one of those that will stay in the back of your mind and keep you thinking long after finishing it. I don't even feel like my review adequately captured all of my feelings about the book, but if it sounds at all interesting, please do yourself a favor and pick up a copy.
… (lisätietoja)
 
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XNirvanaFreakX | 3 muuta kirja-arvostelua | Sep 12, 2011 |
Product Description
Economic ruin and partisan rancor have pushed America to the brink of a new civil war. Esther is caught in the middle, serving as a page in the United States House of Representatives when rogue politicians and military leaders stage a modern day coup d’état. When the coup turns violent, she abandons Washington, D.C. for home. She must learn to survive on her own as transportation and financial networks fail, as the war disrupts food and water supplies. The result is a cautionary tale about political extremism and the true cost of war.

MY REVIEW

This book should be required reading for all politicians. Civil War in America. People fed up with big government. It's very hard to tell who are the traitors and who are the rebels. My allegiance flipped so many times during the coarse of the novel.
The book features a very strong main character. Esther Casey. A 17 years old congressional page (Republican). She has lived her entire life in awe of the governmental process. Upon arrival in Washington DC, she begins to realize all in not as she imagined. Bitter rivalries exist between the parties of government. It's nothing like the debate team back home. Civil War break out and she must find her way back home to Orcas Island, Washington.
This book is part one of a trilogy. The first few chapters were somewhat slow as they began by laying the groundwork for the series. The story draws you in. The author has an unbelievable ability to make you 'see' in your minds eye the action occurring in the story. This is easily one of the best books I've read this year. Not too happy that I have to wait until next July for part 2 of the series. Interesting that it comes out shortly before the next Presidential election. Washington DC--stand up and take notice. We are getting sick of your foolishness. I detect a hint of prophecy in this book.

In short, an excellent story. Can't wait for part 2! 5/5 stars
… (lisätietoja)
 
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ljldml | 3 muuta kirja-arvostelua | Sep 12, 2011 |

Tilastot

Teokset
1
Jäseniä
11
Suosituimmuussija
#857,862
Arvio (tähdet)
3.8
Kirja-arvosteluja
4
ISBN:t
1