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The Army of the Republic: A Novel

by Stuart Archer Cohen (Goodreads Author)

3.6 of 5 stars 3.60 · rating details · 151 ratings · 41 reviews

In an America stretched by crisis to the breaking point, billionaire entrepreneur and government insider James Sands is riding high. Over the protests of civic groups and the increasing alienation of his wife, Anne, Sands is poised on the brink of an immensely risky and controversial deal that will give him control of all public water in the Pacific Northwest.But when his...more

Hardcover, 432 pages

Published September 2nd 2008 by St. Martin's Press (first published 2008)

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Dec 10, 2008 S. Wilson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Stuart Archer Cohen’s new novel is, to say the least, polarizing. His world view and philosophical outlook inform both the message and the tone of the book. So, needless to say, some readers are not going to be pleased with what they find between the covers. But, if you can put your firm and unwavering convictions aside and allow this tale of dictatorship and dissent to speak to you, you might actually enjoy the ride.

One way in which the book will not change some minds is through the hyper-reali...more

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Nov 26, 2008 J.C. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to J.C. by: Amazon Vine Program

Shelves: 2008-reads, arc

Project Mayhem on Steroids

I don't know where to start. I was completely blown away by this book. Army of the Republic is similar to Fight Club, only bigger, grander, and more organized. Everything in Fight Club is in this book, with the biggest difference being the other viewpoints in a revolution.

While reading, we follow along from the first person viewpoints of a militant, a civil protest organizer, and a CEO. I am normally not a big fan of first person, but Cohen does it with such style and...more

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Jun 11, 2011 David Maine rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Army of the Republic is a book about a near-future dystopia that focuses on trends in contemporary media and domestic politics to gain much of its force. There are three main characters, and their stories intertwine in surprising and satifying ways, but for many readers much of the interest will lie in the social environment, which bears eerie similarities to our own: the Fox News-like commentators, the corporations who control vital resources (in this case, water), the privatized police for...more

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Feb 07, 2011 Paul rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, four-star-plus-reads

For the past two years I've been seriously thinking about what American working people might do if the government allows employers to destroy labor unions and cancel pension obligations. I've been entertaining fantasies of assassination teams, composed of unemployed and retired auto workers, picking off high-profile CEOs and high government officials. The world of The Army of the Republic features unrestrained capitalism and a Bush-like corporate government busily going after the few freedoms re...more

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May 22, 2010 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-books

Daaaaang. That was my first response upon finishing The Army of the Republic. This story here is angering, creepy, scary, and thought-provoking at the same time. One might go so far as to suggest that if, at the end of the book, you're not mad, then you might want to revisit.

I admit, it took me a long time to get through this book. I'd pick it up, read it, put it down, take it to work, read it on lunch, read it in the waiting room, cart it around, and finally finished it. This isn't a negative r...more Daaaaang. That was my first response upon finishing The Army of the Republic. This story here is angering, creepy, scary, and thought-provoking at the same time. One might go so far as to suggest that if, at the end of the book, you're not mad, then you might want to revisit.

I admit, it took me a long time to get through this book. I'd pick it up, read it, put it down, take it to work, read it on lunch, read it in the waiting room, cart it around, and finally finished it. This isn't a negative reflection of the book, necessarily; there's a lot to digest here, and a lot that needs to be thought about.

With that said, this is definitely a theme-driven book. There's a message in this story, and everything- the tone, the narrative style, the characters, you name it- is there to present that message. In the author information page, his extensive travels in Latin America were mentioned as inspiration for this story, and I definitely saw elements of the dictatorships and political unrest the region has experienced.

At its core, The Army of the Republic focuses on the showdown between corporate interests and those who would maintain the status quo, represented by James Sands, and Lando, leader of the Army of the Republic and advocate for radical change. America in this book has been overrun by special interests in the worst possible way; everything, from natural resources to the outcomes of elections to the basic rights and freedoms of individuals, is dictated by a guy in an office somewhere whose job it is to make sure that certain people get elected, certain contracts go to certain places, and damn the opinions or freedoms of anyone who gets in the way.

The story twists and turns through the planning and execution of demonstrations, through the actual execution of corporate executives and others, through Lando trying to reconcile his persona within the Army with his SECRET (even though I figured out his secret pretty early on, it didn't diminish the impact of the final pages of the book at all,) through James Sands figuring out that playing with snakes will get you bitten; it's really, really hard to discuss this book without giving everything away or just doing a straight up analysis, chapter by chapter.

Whatever your personal political persuasions may be, The Army of the Republic has some serious questions for you to consider. Maybe you think that privatization is awesome and big business is the name of the game. Well, in the world of this novel, how much of your freedom and choice would you be willing to give up to preserve that position? What happens when you object to practices and the other side just plain doesn't care? Or better yet, what happens when they send their privately run security squads to hunt you down and you can't go to anyone for help, because those outlets, like the police, have all been privatized as well? James Sands, the face of the corporations, makes decisions to preserve his position without considering what the ramifications might be; he thinks he's willing to pay any price required and finds out that he couldn't be more wrong.

Or maybe you think the protesters are totally on the right track. Stick it to the man! Power to the people! Wait, how does killing people you find objectionable or who represent causes that are abhorrent to you make you less of a murderer than the other side? What happens when people aren't satisfied with changes you've made and want more blood, more violence, and more death? Don't you have to rewrite history so that your atrocities are covered up, your takeover looks peaceful, and your legitimacy is established? Didn't you just look at a monster and find yourself there instead? Lando certainly grapples with this issue; the Army certainly gets results but at the end of the day, they are the monster in the closet of the reform movement; Lando somehow thinks that his "public" persona can somehow be kept separate from his private one and definitely pays a stiff price for that misguided notion.

I could go on and on and on and on, but The Army of the Republic does a much better job of illustrating how, at the end of the day, we are all connected to, beholden to, and obligated to each other. Even the first person narrative, despite the story having several different narrators, wove everyone's voice together so seamlessly that after awhile I wasn't sure who was talking, and I think that was the point. At the end of the day and for better or worse, what we do, both as groups and as individuals, affects other people, and that's something that's good for people on all points of the political spectrum to remember.

Overall Grade: B

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Jul 25, 2011 Alfredo rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a very scary book. While it is definitely tilted to a leftist view of America, it is undeniable that some of the scenarios it presents are very plausible.

The book takes place around a series of events in Seattle in a near future America where government corruption and corporate power have alienated people who now organize into either social protestors or armed guerrilla groups.

While the book is an exciting thriller, it also brings up some intriguing ideas about how the unholy alliance b...more

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Oct 27, 2008 Bill Gray rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book struck me as a 21st Century update of Edward Abbey's "The Monkey Wrench Gang," set in the Pacific Northwest rather than the deserts of the southwest. It combines good storytelling with a chilling eye for current political trends. It's a disturbing story that could be set in the year 2013 after "four more years of Bush." My greatest regret is that it hasn't been required reading for anyone casting a vote in October or November of 2008.

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Jun 08, 2009 Brian rated it 2 of 5 stars

This was an interesting read. One part Sinclair Lewis' classic dystopic novel, "It Can't Happen Here" and one part Rage Against the Machine. Maybe with a bit of Dan Brown apocolyptic tension (minus the religious conspiracy groups) thrown in. It was definitely a quick read. Lots of high tension and suspense. The author writes from the perspective of three characters all in the first person tense. Unique and makes it personal, but not believable. It also became tedious to try and guess whose persp...more

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Jul 30, 2011 Chanelle Berlin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: female-protagonist, homicide, political, revolution

It took me about 100 pages to really get into the thrust of this story, when the writing finally started exploring the ways three main POVs overlapped and why beyond the surface. When I picked this up, I expected it to be more entrenched in a modern American revolution, but in actually this is about a series of events that sparks one.

Interestingly, the characters I liked the most and wanted to know a lot more about were not the three protagonists. Instead, I would love, love, love to read more...more

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Dec 30, 2010 Daniel Cunha rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book, and was surprised that I did. I feared before engaging that it would be more pamphlet than literature, that it could go overboard and fanatical to a point that just wouldn't be intellectually stimulating. Well, it isn't, and it didn't. The book is fun too read, well constructed and with very rounded out characters. interesting and informative on the state of the ecology discussions (or confrontations) in western society, and as close as we get understanding the struct...more

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Jul 10, 2009 Tom rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was very hesitant to post a review about this book, but I ended up liking it a lot more than I thought I would at the first, so I decided to go ahead and do it.
The feeling of foreboding I got while reading it was very similar to The Road, although the Road was a far superior book. The characters are up against odds that let you know from the outset, this is not going to turn out well.
My one major complaint with the book was the juvenile dialogue. Not that the ideas were juvenile, but the way...more

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Oct 31, 2008 David rated it 4 of 5 stars

Its not going to win any awards but it made me smile and feel paranoid at the same time

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Sep 20, 2011 Alicia rated it 3 of 5 stars

I want to give this book a higher four-star rating but because the end, or LACK of ending, disappointed me and pissed me off so much I just can't. Amazing writing, had me ignoring my boyfriend for a couple days so I could get this read. But I am so sick and tired of script and movie writers who think this "no ending" is an actual ending. Did he forget the whole "resolution" aspect of a story that we're taught in elementary school?!

Exhilaration read! If you can deal with the cop out ala The Myst...more

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Mar 30, 2012 Caroline rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-fun-fiction

There was a lot to like about this book. There was excitement, a (albeit a bit contrived) love story, Oedipal troubles, assassination, and even the occasional good giggle.

The story is essentially about a young revolutionary trying to stop the world from ending thanks to corporate greed; his love interest, another young revolutionary who is the Martin Luther King to his Malcolm X; and a corporate Big Wig, who is determined to see the privatization of all water throughout the country. As things u...more There was a lot to like about this book. There was excitement, a (albeit a bit contrived) love story, Oedipal troubles, assassination, and even the occasional good giggle.

The story is essentially about a young revolutionary trying to stop the world from ending thanks to corporate greed; his love interest, another young revolutionary who is the Martin Luther King to his Malcolm X; and a corporate Big Wig, who is determined to see the privatization of all water throughout the country. As things unravel on all parts, characters must face the uglier parts of themselves and the country they all believe themselves to be saving.

If you are a staunch Republican, should you read this? Probably not. It is definitely slanted to the left, and paints a picture of (economic) conservatives as being greedy, self-serving, and generally inhuman. On the other hand, I found that there was some truth to what certain characters said. For example, James Sands, water profiteer, complains over and over that people keep thinking that the water should just belong to everybody, but it doesn't. He insists that water is a resource that belongs to him and is doled out based on what he decides. This "me first" attitude is something commonly heard across the political spectrum, which is perhaps why the author declines to ever mention the political party of President Matthews.

(view spoiler)

All in all, a highly entertaining, thought-provoking book. This might require another read for me to get a full grasp of the political nuances. (less)

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Sep 24, 2008 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone interested in revolutions

Shelves: amazon-vine, 2008-books-read

The Army of the Republic is definitely an important novel to read. As it says on the cover, read it while it's still fiction. In this work of fiction, America's economy has collapsed and big companies are buying up even city water supplies to make a sizable profit. The USA is ripe for revolution as the people get poorer and large companies get richer. Some groups are hoping for revolution through non-violent protest. However, the Army of the Republic feels the need for a show of force -- murderi...more The Army of the Republic is definitely an important novel to read. As it says on the cover, read it while it's still fiction. In this work of fiction, America's economy has collapsed and big companies are buying up even city water supplies to make a sizable profit. The USA is ripe for revolution as the people get poorer and large companies get richer. Some groups are hoping for revolution through non-violent protest. However, the Army of the Republic feels the need for a show of force -- murdering corrupt businessmen and bombing monopolistic companies. Both the non-violent and violent protesters feel that their way of solving the country's problems are correct, but they eventually band together to try to incite the necessary change.

Each chapter is told from one of 3 different characters' points of view. This is an extremely effective strategy on the part of the author because it lets the reader understand various ways of seeing revolutionary ideas. Through Emily, the reader becomes acquainted with the theories of non-violent resistance. Through Lando, the reader comes to understand the attitudes of those who feel violence is the only way to get the country's attention. And through Jim, the reader delves into the feelings of the executives who have created the problems in the first place.

This novel isn't necessarily a page-turner, but I felt compelled to finish it because a need for revolution could come to any generation. The decision to call for revolution is not one to make lightly because it nearly always is carried to its end through violence even if it starts as non-violent protests.

My only qualm with this novel is that I had hoped that it would have been more literarily great. I had hoped for something that would be so shockingly wonderful that I'd have to give it 5 stars and suggest it to all my friends who would greedily devour the pages. Unfortunately, the writing didn't quite have that effect on me.

Note: While I critique both purchased and free books in the same way, I'm legally obligated to tell you I received this book free through the Amazon Vine program in return for my review. Blah blah blah.(less)

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Sep 22, 2009 Courtney rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction, sci-fi-speculative

while it gets a bit bogged down in the nitty gritty details of politics, both radical and corporate, the premise is certainly timely. perhaps more so pre-election, but time will tell. well-created characters and the underlying theme of "pictures vs. words" is fascinating. it makes one think about some really difficult questions pertaining to our current media situation.

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Aug 04, 2011 Toby Gradkowski rated it 4 of 5 stars

Trippy little book here. Actually no little at all, pretty hefty in fact. Futuristic thriller about a domestic terror cell in the USA, asks some good questions about whether terrorism is really terrorism if it's fighting against oppression. Zippy action scenes and some romance that's just okay. Wasn;t crazy about the ending but getting there was fun.

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Jan 18, 2012 Steven Hildreth Jr. rated it 4 of 5 stars

The end was predictable, and the politics slanted heavily left and green, but in the end, the characters made it worth the read. The feel is very dark and gritty, almost to the point of noir infused with the romanticism of a revolutionary. Cohen does a good job of compelling the reader to push forward, turn the page, and hone in on the resolution. He also does a good job of attempting to not make those that he disagrees with out to be complete idiots. All in all, a solid, well-written book.

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Jun 18, 2009 Eric Pollard rated it 1 of 5 stars

Made it half-way through before my daughter suggested I just throw it back. Must read for those who are sure that the government, in collusion with the commercial-industrial oligarchs, are making our country less habitable, less free, and less safe.

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Jan 06, 2011 Jay rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: abandoned

I abandoned this book because I can't stand reading books featuring blatant author self-insertion. The plot of this book is interesting, and Cohen occasionally writes some clever action scenes, but the protagonist is a frustratingly bland one-dimensional mouthpiece for his political beliefs.

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Feb 15, 2010 Peter rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: environmental, fiction, fantasy, science-fiction, thriller, snitch, politics

An intriguing eco-terrorist novel of the near future. Cohen does a very good job of creating the mind set of people who can and will achieve change by any means necessary. This is not a happy ending novel but it is a novel worth spending time with.

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May 01, 2012 Sheehan rated it 5 of 5 stars

This fiction hit home for me, it is a well written narrative of the choices we make when we decide between peace and violence, patience and action in resolving disparity.

By far the best book I have read this year.

No time for a proper review, but it's solid, and relevant.

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Nov 08, 2012 Nicholas Mastrodicasa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Interesting book about a pessimistic but well defined and as such seemingly more realistic future. I learned quite a bit about political activism good and bad, very interesting read.

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Sep 27, 2012 Joel Williams rated it 3 of 5 stars

A fast read which presented a realistic fictional corporation that goes way too far in stopping supposed "eco-terrorists". In the end everyone get's their just deserts.

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Jan 30, 2009 David rated it 4 of 5 stars

great political thriller about a potential revolution right here in the West. All you lefty anarcho-whatever types, read this and get creamy all over!

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May 13, 2009 Martin Streetman rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: hippies and the man

I'm not sure what I thought this book would be when I picked it up. I was thinking a dark cyberpunk story of the future part blade runner part dark angel. What I got was all that and more, not a pretty picture. If I could sum it all up it would be that it is way to close to home, and by home I mean the here and now. It is really a story about protesters of one kind or another, the media, the government, the corporations. Good interplay of characters, not a happy ending. Set mostly in Seattle so...more

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Dec 17, 2008 Stu rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-suspense-thriller-mystery-ho

It was actually a pretty good book, but the end made me drop a couple of stars off the rating.

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Mar 24, 2010 Sjloriabatch rated it 1 of 5 stars

One HUGE plus about this book, it gives an a fairly in depth look at nonviolent movements/tactics, which I thought was very cool and enlightening. But Cohen drops you into a United States basically on the brink of civil war with almost no explination. Although he flushes it out a bit more the country's situation comes off as a bit forced. The character's and their relationships are a bit stale and predictable (come on, Lando has daddy issues, seriously?)and end up being a bit boring. A fun read...more

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Jun 14, 2011 Evan added it

Cliffhanger ending
Very engaging

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Dec 31, 2009 Seaellem rated it 4 of 5 stars

nineteen-eighty-four
was the pleasant view of our
government future

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About Stuart Archer Cohen

Invisible World (Reganbooks/HarperCollins 1998)
The Stone Angels (Orion, 2003)
The Army of the Republic (St. Martin's Press, Sept 2008)

Born Cincinnati 1958.
Walnut Hills High School
Johns Hopkins Univ.
Columbia University, 1981 (No degree)
Moved to Juneau, Alaska 1982
Opened Invisible World, 1985 (Wool and Alpaca)
China, 1991, began to turn the big wheel of Inner Mongolia, Buenos Aires and Alaska (saludos...more

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“As he ducked out into the rain, I had a notion that filled me with fresh resolve, even though I knew that the same notion had crushed a million hearts before mine and would go on crushing them as long as anyone tries to rescue a person or a country or anything else that's valuable and endangered. I thought, I can save this man.” — 1 person liked it

“In that moment, I understand the way that the noblest yearning for duty and sacrifice can be mixed up with all that is savage and shameful, like in the Bible, where a just and merciful God tells you to kill everyone, kill the children, kill the livestock, kill John Polling, leave nothing alive to sully this pure and just world. Except when it's all done you find out that wasn't really God after all, just some politician, or maybe it was God, but he taps you on the shoulder and says, 'No, dude, that isn't what I meant,' and leaves you sitting in a Dairy Queen in Bothell with blood on your hands and no further orders...” — 1 person liked it

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