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Two Americas
The First Lady of the Confederate States of America is assassinated as she dedicates a new warship at the Hampton Roads Shipyard. A tragedy, but not unexpected between enemies.
Except the Confederate vessel is an aircraft carrier. The year is 2013.
And the assassin is a U.S. terrorist.
By taking advantage of its early motivation and superior organization, the South won the Civil War in 1862. Today, the two Americas – the United States and the Confederate States – coexist uneasily. The United States has never recognized the sovereignty of the Confederacy, and still claims the South as its territory. Many people in both countries still carry hate and bitterness from what has become a century and a half of violence. America vs. America begins with the murder of the First Lady of the Confederacy, a much-beloved figure. War fever spreads quickly through a stunned and grieving Confederacy.
Chase Randolph is the Director of the Confederate Bureau of Investigation. He is in a race against time to find the killers and quell a political uprising at home before the continent becomes embroiled in a devastating war.
Two Americas is a fast-paced, thriller packed with tense action. It will appeal to readers of such authors as Vince Flynn, Harlan Coben, and David Baldacci.
Except the Confederate vessel is an aircraft carrier. The year is 2013.
And the assassin is a U.S. terrorist.
By taking advantage of its early motivation and superior organization, the South won the Civil War in 1862. Today, the two Americas – the United States and the Confederate States – coexist uneasily. The United States has never recognized the sovereignty of the Confederacy, and still claims the South as its territory. Many people in both countries still carry hate and bitterness from what has become a century and a half of violence. America vs. America begins with the murder of the First Lady of the Confederacy, a much-beloved figure. War fever spreads quickly through a stunned and grieving Confederacy.
Chase Randolph is the Director of the Confederate Bureau of Investigation. He is in a race against time to find the killers and quell a political uprising at home before the continent becomes embroiled in a devastating war.
Two Americas is a fast-paced, thriller packed with tense action. It will appeal to readers of such authors as Vince Flynn, Harlan Coben, and David Baldacci.
300 pages, ebook
First published August 9, 2012
About the author
Robin Chalkley
6 books2 followersRobin Chalkley has been writing copy for more than 30 years, having worked in a number of regional advertising agencies as well as currently in his own freelance business. In 2003 he was honored by the Advertising Federation of the Roanoke Valley with its prestigious Silver Medal.
Robin is the creator and primary writer for two websites: http://www.GreatAmericanThings.net and http://www.CaribbeanHoneymoonTravel.com. He has completed one novel, and is now working on Torch, a new novel about an ex-con who tries to clear his former cellmate. In 2011, he earned first place in the Winston-Salem Writers Flash Fiction Contest; in 2012 he again won first place in Flash Fiction and second place in the Short Story category.
A native of Newport News, Virginia, he is a 1973 graduate of Virginia Tech. After living in Roanoke, Virginia for most of his adult life, he moved to his current home near Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 2002. He has two wonderful sons, and is very happily married to his wife, Jeannie.
Robin is the creator and primary writer for two websites: http://www.GreatAmericanThings.net and http://www.CaribbeanHoneymoonTravel.com. He has completed one novel, and is now working on Torch, a new novel about an ex-con who tries to clear his former cellmate. In 2011, he earned first place in the Winston-Salem Writers Flash Fiction Contest; in 2012 he again won first place in Flash Fiction and second place in the Short Story category.
A native of Newport News, Virginia, he is a 1973 graduate of Virginia Tech. After living in Roanoke, Virginia for most of his adult life, he moved to his current home near Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 2002. He has two wonderful sons, and is very happily married to his wife, Jeannie.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 1, 2013
Summary:
I read this as a Kindle book which I purchased for $2.99 from Amazon. I found it to be a very good thriller set in an intriguing alternate world. Overall I rate it at 3.5 stars (rounded to 4 since Goodreads doesn't do 1/2s).
Setting/World
The "Two Americas" setting in the book was well developed and believable. The Confederacy (which included Kentucky and Utah) wasn't defeated in the Civil War and was recognized as an independent nation throughout the world except by the United States. 150 years after the war, there was still much tension between the two countries with a significant percentage of Confederate leadership in favor of war with the US.
Plot
The thriller plot moves at a brisk pace and contains enough twists and turns to keep things suspenseful to the end.
Characters
In my opinion here is where the book is a little weaker. The main "good guys" are pretty well developed and behave consistently throughout. The villains are a little cartoonish, particularly as the plot wraps up.
I read this as a Kindle book which I purchased for $2.99 from Amazon. I found it to be a very good thriller set in an intriguing alternate world. Overall I rate it at 3.5 stars (rounded to 4 since Goodreads doesn't do 1/2s).
Setting/World
The "Two Americas" setting in the book was well developed and believable. The Confederacy (which included Kentucky and Utah) wasn't defeated in the Civil War and was recognized as an independent nation throughout the world except by the United States. 150 years after the war, there was still much tension between the two countries with a significant percentage of Confederate leadership in favor of war with the US.
Plot
The thriller plot moves at a brisk pace and contains enough twists and turns to keep things suspenseful to the end.
Characters
In my opinion here is where the book is a little weaker. The main "good guys" are pretty well developed and behave consistently throughout. The villains are a little cartoonish, particularly as the plot wraps up.
August 24, 2012
Excellent, fast-paced thriller!
I was intrigued by the novel’s alternative history setting where the North does NOT win the Civil War, leaving both sides to contend with an uneasy peace that advances through to the present day. The book does a great job creating good guys and bad guys in both the “Confederacy” and in the “United States” so I had a hard time picking sides, even if I was inclined to do it.
The book starts off with a bang--literally--as a bomb goes off, and things unravel from there. Throughout the story, the tension mounts as everything moves closer and closer to war. Tension--conflict--love it!
My favorite character had to be Sergeant Diane Sunderewski (Sunny)--a quick-witted, State Police officer from Pennsylvania--a real kick-ass kind of girl. But all the characters seemed like real people just trying to do their job in a sticky situation.
Two Americas is definitely worth reading, and I’ll be on the lookout for the author’s next book!
I was intrigued by the novel’s alternative history setting where the North does NOT win the Civil War, leaving both sides to contend with an uneasy peace that advances through to the present day. The book does a great job creating good guys and bad guys in both the “Confederacy” and in the “United States” so I had a hard time picking sides, even if I was inclined to do it.
The book starts off with a bang--literally--as a bomb goes off, and things unravel from there. Throughout the story, the tension mounts as everything moves closer and closer to war. Tension--conflict--love it!
My favorite character had to be Sergeant Diane Sunderewski (Sunny)--a quick-witted, State Police officer from Pennsylvania--a real kick-ass kind of girl. But all the characters seemed like real people just trying to do their job in a sticky situation.
Two Americas is definitely worth reading, and I’ll be on the lookout for the author’s next book!
July 30, 2016
Well thought out, clever treatment of a country that remains divided. Suspense, mystery, political science, and a darn good story!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews