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Operation Enduring Unity #1
Power Games
Welcome to the future of America. Land of chaos and home of the ambitious...
A botched assassination on the eve of Election Day throws the routine transfer of presidential authority on its head and shuts down the Federal Government.
With Congress and the Supreme Court locked in a constitutional standoff, rabble-rousing state governors fueling the fire and shadowy opportunists pulling strings, the nation teeters on the verge of a Second Civil War.
As the politicos play their games and lose control, the scourge of 21st century hyper-war is unleashed upon a shattered nation. Fancy speeches aside, the lives of millions will not ride on the politicians and generals, but on the shoulders of the pawns they tossed into the meat grinder.
Pawns like Sergeant Major John Brown, a hard charging paratrooper, who’s about as political as a potato, yet incites a second revolution. Or young Sophie Kampbell, a social justice crusader, who despises violence in every form until tragedy shoves her into the arms of the mysterious “Freedom Brigade” militias.
Power Games is the first installment in the epic Enduring Unity military thriller series. If you like Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy or Red Phoenix by Larry Bond, then you'll love this explosive adventure packed with constant thrills, twists and high stakes from cover to cover.
Q&A with Richard
How would you describe Power Games in one sentence?
Well, I’d say an Amazon reviewer summed up the tale much better than I ever “A 21st century remake of Dr. Strangelove.”
So what’s your political agenda? Is this story right or left wing propaganda?
Like the first US Civil War, politics has little to do with the fighting. Once blood is shed, once that terrible genie of violence comes out of the bottle, how do you switch off the self-feeding cycle of fear and revenge? This is a story of extremism run wild and the young men and women that must put out the fire; not about politics.
Where’d you get the idea for The Operation Enduring Unity series?
Like most authors, I write what I want to read. If you aren’t passionate about your work and don’t get sucked into your fantasy world, how can you expect readers to be? So I set out to create a grand military thriller about large-scale, modern combined arms warfare, in the vein of my favorite writers, Tom Clancy, Ralph Peters and Harold Coyle. I ached to read realistic military fiction that covered everything from the rhetoric-stained halls of power to the full-spectrum of air, land and sea warfighters, as well as the innocents and war profiteers in between.
Of course, that required a realistic backstory. That’s where things got interesting and unique. Total war in the near future against Russia or China just seemed too implausible, which left only one real threat to America- itself. From there, the political maneuverings, the collapse of the Federal Government and the crisis of faith for fighters took center stage and dominated the story.
Lincoln said it best in his Lyceum Address, 22 years before the first Civil
“All the armies of Europe, Asia, and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest, with a Bonaparte for a commander, could not by force take a drink from the Ohio River or make a track on the Blue Ridge Mountains in a trial of a thousand years.
At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I If it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us; it cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot then we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide.”
A botched assassination on the eve of Election Day throws the routine transfer of presidential authority on its head and shuts down the Federal Government.
With Congress and the Supreme Court locked in a constitutional standoff, rabble-rousing state governors fueling the fire and shadowy opportunists pulling strings, the nation teeters on the verge of a Second Civil War.
As the politicos play their games and lose control, the scourge of 21st century hyper-war is unleashed upon a shattered nation. Fancy speeches aside, the lives of millions will not ride on the politicians and generals, but on the shoulders of the pawns they tossed into the meat grinder.
Pawns like Sergeant Major John Brown, a hard charging paratrooper, who’s about as political as a potato, yet incites a second revolution. Or young Sophie Kampbell, a social justice crusader, who despises violence in every form until tragedy shoves her into the arms of the mysterious “Freedom Brigade” militias.
Power Games is the first installment in the epic Enduring Unity military thriller series. If you like Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy or Red Phoenix by Larry Bond, then you'll love this explosive adventure packed with constant thrills, twists and high stakes from cover to cover.
Q&A with Richard
How would you describe Power Games in one sentence?
Well, I’d say an Amazon reviewer summed up the tale much better than I ever “A 21st century remake of Dr. Strangelove.”
So what’s your political agenda? Is this story right or left wing propaganda?
Like the first US Civil War, politics has little to do with the fighting. Once blood is shed, once that terrible genie of violence comes out of the bottle, how do you switch off the self-feeding cycle of fear and revenge? This is a story of extremism run wild and the young men and women that must put out the fire; not about politics.
Where’d you get the idea for The Operation Enduring Unity series?
Like most authors, I write what I want to read. If you aren’t passionate about your work and don’t get sucked into your fantasy world, how can you expect readers to be? So I set out to create a grand military thriller about large-scale, modern combined arms warfare, in the vein of my favorite writers, Tom Clancy, Ralph Peters and Harold Coyle. I ached to read realistic military fiction that covered everything from the rhetoric-stained halls of power to the full-spectrum of air, land and sea warfighters, as well as the innocents and war profiteers in between.
Of course, that required a realistic backstory. That’s where things got interesting and unique. Total war in the near future against Russia or China just seemed too implausible, which left only one real threat to America- itself. From there, the political maneuverings, the collapse of the Federal Government and the crisis of faith for fighters took center stage and dominated the story.
Lincoln said it best in his Lyceum Address, 22 years before the first Civil
“All the armies of Europe, Asia, and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest, with a Bonaparte for a commander, could not by force take a drink from the Ohio River or make a track on the Blue Ridge Mountains in a trial of a thousand years.
At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I If it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us; it cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot then we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide.”
242 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 21, 2013
57 people are currently reading
507 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
November 17, 2013
At first I thought this was going to be very male, political and American which in parts it is. It is packed with combat action and the roles of Jessica and Sophie make this book appealing to a wider audience.
It has a great balance of action, political argument, intelligent plotting and side-switching. We see the views from the top, the president, and all the way through the generals, the soldiers, the Bible-bashers, the news reporters, the protesters and the innocent bystanders.
It's a massive story and I don't mean word count. It's exceptionally well written with a fast pace which fits with the action scenes perfectly.
I could almost believe that the author had travelled forward in time and came back with an account of what was going on.
Personally I would have liked more dialogue, but as it's an action based story with a lot of noise, had it been a film, I understand why it is written the way it is.
A very clever book and I learned a lot from it.
It has a great balance of action, political argument, intelligent plotting and side-switching. We see the views from the top, the president, and all the way through the generals, the soldiers, the Bible-bashers, the news reporters, the protesters and the innocent bystanders.
It's a massive story and I don't mean word count. It's exceptionally well written with a fast pace which fits with the action scenes perfectly.
I could almost believe that the author had travelled forward in time and came back with an account of what was going on.
Personally I would have liked more dialogue, but as it's an action based story with a lot of noise, had it been a film, I understand why it is written the way it is.
A very clever book and I learned a lot from it.
May 10, 2014
I can’t shake this book.
By definition, this novel is a military-thriller; but I found the political narrative chilling as well. Does the idea of a modern Civil War in the United States sound implausible? Not after Peters builds a solid step-by-step case - one that leads us right down that proverbial slippery slope. I found myself thinking later about many of the battles and political scenes as if they were history; something I’d seen on last nights news. That’s why some of these ideas are hard to erase.
I’m a big Lee Child fan and Child has obviously researched his subject matter well. Peters, on the other hand, who is ex-military, lives and breathes this stuff and brings a casual authenticity to the characters and events.
Any criticism? Peters introduces a ton of interesting characters throughout the book - a gutsy reporter, egotistical politicians, grunts, crusty generals - and a lot of cannon fodder. I would have loved to have seen one central antagonist knit the whole narrative together; someone with the military know-how, toughness and tongue-in-cheek attitude Peters brings to the genre.
My vote is for Sargent Sophie - she's a great character that I hope returns later in the series.
Looking forward to reading his next novel.
By definition, this novel is a military-thriller; but I found the political narrative chilling as well. Does the idea of a modern Civil War in the United States sound implausible? Not after Peters builds a solid step-by-step case - one that leads us right down that proverbial slippery slope. I found myself thinking later about many of the battles and political scenes as if they were history; something I’d seen on last nights news. That’s why some of these ideas are hard to erase.
I’m a big Lee Child fan and Child has obviously researched his subject matter well. Peters, on the other hand, who is ex-military, lives and breathes this stuff and brings a casual authenticity to the characters and events.
Any criticism? Peters introduces a ton of interesting characters throughout the book - a gutsy reporter, egotistical politicians, grunts, crusty generals - and a lot of cannon fodder. I would have loved to have seen one central antagonist knit the whole narrative together; someone with the military know-how, toughness and tongue-in-cheek attitude Peters brings to the genre.
My vote is for Sargent Sophie - she's a great character that I hope returns later in the series.
Looking forward to reading his next novel.
December 4, 2013
This was an extremely ambitious book. I grabbed it expecting a quick action adventure in a modern civil war setting, but it was even better than I expected. Something like Catch-22 meets Red Storm Rising.
My only real complaint is how lightning fast the story progresses. He's got so many minor, seemingly innocious details snowballing into mega disasters, but rarely reminds you of the cause and effect. Sometimes the story is less like a book and more like a puzzle!
Still, a very realistic, sarcastic blast! I'll be looking for the rest of the series.
My only real complaint is how lightning fast the story progresses. He's got so many minor, seemingly innocious details snowballing into mega disasters, but rarely reminds you of the cause and effect. Sometimes the story is less like a book and more like a puzzle!
Still, a very realistic, sarcastic blast! I'll be looking for the rest of the series.
December 7, 2013
I took a chance with this because of the money going to a veteran charity. I wasn’t expecting to find a 2nd Civil War breaking out today plot that believable… I was wrong! I disagree with the economic picture he paints, with how quickly the new nation’s economies are rebuilt, but the politics and mistakes leading up to the fighting in the first place could easily happen.
There’s also enough realistic war action and humor to give you a break from the politics from time to time. All in all, not the greatest book I’ve ever read, but the best in a long time!
There’s also enough realistic war action and humor to give you a break from the politics from time to time. All in all, not the greatest book I’ve ever read, but the best in a long time!
April 3, 2014
A book like this one benefits massively from the author’s first-hand experience, but it takes a talented writer to be able to translate this experience into words – and Richard Peter does that effectively and effortlessly. This is a fantastic debut novel: fast-paced, full of action, political turmoil and intelligent plots. It’s well-formatted and I really like the book cover as well. I think this could easily adapt to the big screen or a TV series – and I’d love to watch it. An impressive book that is well worth checking out.
July 20, 2014
Note: I received a copy of "Power Games: Operation Enduring Unity l: The Second Civil War" in return for an honest review.
Is it just me? Seems like politicians only care about themselves or the party they represent. I'm sickened when watching the President give his annual State of the Union Address; party opponent members shun him and criticize everything he says. What happened to the constitution? Are these politicians in office only for "Power" and benefits of the position? Are the best interest of citizens represented when new laws or interpretations are needed, or are the politicians, instead, supporting their special interest groups and those individuals with deep pockets? It's only my personal opinion and after reading Richard Peters' tome, I'm a little worried because what happens in this story could very well take place in America in the not so distant future.
Power Games begins with the assassination of a presidential candidate just prior to the election. This is a first in history and black and white rules do not exist to deal with the issue at hand. How do we move forward? What is the solution? The politicians can't decide and interpretations are a dime a dozen. The government is unhappy! The citizens are unhappy! The governor of Florida takes matters into his own hands - the state secedes from the union and will operate as an independent. Washington is angered and declares war against the state of Florida. Americans against Americans for the second time. State National Guard units and militias vs. the entire military force of the United States. The first part of the book was difficult to get through, at least for me, because of all the political rhetoric. I did eventually begin scanning through the pages until the action began.
Battle descriptions, weapons, tactics and discussions between troops is spot on in this story. It's clear that the author calls upon his personal military war experience when writing. The initial battle and strategies are incredibly detailed and changing constantly on both sides, it is confusing, at times, to follow and determine who is doing what to who. The author does a much better job in the future battles moving forward.
As Florida continues to hold their own, other states begin supporting the single southern state and threaten to secede as well. It doesn't take long for the western states to ban together, secede, and form their own government - Washington is now fighting a civil war on two fronts. Meanwhile, several foreign countries show an interest in trying to get something for nothing and take action against the U.S. Nukes are used, citizens killed, lives disrupted and the battles continue to play out.
The ending leaves it wide open for another installment to this story. It is difficult to review this book because of so much going on, plot and subplots are constantly changing. There is no defined hero or heroine in this story and one wonders who to root for, who is good, who is evil. The book is short - 217 pages - and the author does an excellent job at keeping it all together. Great job Mr. Peters! I would recommend this to anyone interested in politics or modern warfare and hope nothing like this ever happens to us.
John Podlaski, author
Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel
Is it just me? Seems like politicians only care about themselves or the party they represent. I'm sickened when watching the President give his annual State of the Union Address; party opponent members shun him and criticize everything he says. What happened to the constitution? Are these politicians in office only for "Power" and benefits of the position? Are the best interest of citizens represented when new laws or interpretations are needed, or are the politicians, instead, supporting their special interest groups and those individuals with deep pockets? It's only my personal opinion and after reading Richard Peters' tome, I'm a little worried because what happens in this story could very well take place in America in the not so distant future.
Power Games begins with the assassination of a presidential candidate just prior to the election. This is a first in history and black and white rules do not exist to deal with the issue at hand. How do we move forward? What is the solution? The politicians can't decide and interpretations are a dime a dozen. The government is unhappy! The citizens are unhappy! The governor of Florida takes matters into his own hands - the state secedes from the union and will operate as an independent. Washington is angered and declares war against the state of Florida. Americans against Americans for the second time. State National Guard units and militias vs. the entire military force of the United States. The first part of the book was difficult to get through, at least for me, because of all the political rhetoric. I did eventually begin scanning through the pages until the action began.
Battle descriptions, weapons, tactics and discussions between troops is spot on in this story. It's clear that the author calls upon his personal military war experience when writing. The initial battle and strategies are incredibly detailed and changing constantly on both sides, it is confusing, at times, to follow and determine who is doing what to who. The author does a much better job in the future battles moving forward.
As Florida continues to hold their own, other states begin supporting the single southern state and threaten to secede as well. It doesn't take long for the western states to ban together, secede, and form their own government - Washington is now fighting a civil war on two fronts. Meanwhile, several foreign countries show an interest in trying to get something for nothing and take action against the U.S. Nukes are used, citizens killed, lives disrupted and the battles continue to play out.
The ending leaves it wide open for another installment to this story. It is difficult to review this book because of so much going on, plot and subplots are constantly changing. There is no defined hero or heroine in this story and one wonders who to root for, who is good, who is evil. The book is short - 217 pages - and the author does an excellent job at keeping it all together. Great job Mr. Peters! I would recommend this to anyone interested in politics or modern warfare and hope nothing like this ever happens to us.
John Podlaski, author
Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel
August 14, 2016
This book certainly makes a statement! I was provided a free copy of Power Games in exchange for an honest review.
So... how to review this? While I can certainly say this book spoke to me, one must accept two premises to enjoy this book: (1) nothing is sacred and no one is moral in American politics (a premise I immediately accepted :); and (2) our military factions are at the whims of said corrupt politicians and, in the words of Lord Tennyson, "Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die."
That second premise I had some difficulty accepting. But I fear my hopes and naivety may not be reality. The author's evident military background vastly trumps my knowledge of what it means to be a soldier, so I defer to him. And what a military-rich book! The author seems to know his stuff when it comes to anything military, and lucky for me, he provided a glossary of terms (which I read before reading the tale and would recommend those following in my footsteps to do the same).
Now, I am neither a fan of political fiction or military thrillers, but the author's satirical expertise and outright cynicism paired with blunt sincerity made for a rather powerful read. It is with no reservations that I say I truly enjoyed this military thriller.
The story itself shows the missteps and political dogma (dog shit?) that could lead us into a civil war. Though the scenario seems to produce rather extreme results, the story is steeped in history and constitutional support. As a lawyer, I had no problems with the author's use of legal concepts to effectuate his end results.
The action starts at Page 1, and bloodshed follows quickly. Power Games takes no sides, taking jabs at liberals and conservatives alike, and sometimes even the military, in an effort to expose a seriously flawed (fictional?) system. It lives up to its booking as a fast-paced thriller.
The issues I had with the novel primarily concern characterization. While I am not one that needs distinct heroes and villains, I do need strong characters. The book examines the events through the eyes of many, some of which don't make it beyond a few chapters. I did not get a feel for many of the characters or a deep understanding of what made each tick (other than an almost universally shared desire to reap the fruits of a poisonous tree).
All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by the strength of the narrative. As a debut novel, the author explored complex ideas through an intricate plot in a very enjoyable manner. I look forward to what else he has in store.
So... how to review this? While I can certainly say this book spoke to me, one must accept two premises to enjoy this book: (1) nothing is sacred and no one is moral in American politics (a premise I immediately accepted :); and (2) our military factions are at the whims of said corrupt politicians and, in the words of Lord Tennyson, "Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die."
That second premise I had some difficulty accepting. But I fear my hopes and naivety may not be reality. The author's evident military background vastly trumps my knowledge of what it means to be a soldier, so I defer to him. And what a military-rich book! The author seems to know his stuff when it comes to anything military, and lucky for me, he provided a glossary of terms (which I read before reading the tale and would recommend those following in my footsteps to do the same).
Now, I am neither a fan of political fiction or military thrillers, but the author's satirical expertise and outright cynicism paired with blunt sincerity made for a rather powerful read. It is with no reservations that I say I truly enjoyed this military thriller.
The story itself shows the missteps and political dogma (dog shit?) that could lead us into a civil war. Though the scenario seems to produce rather extreme results, the story is steeped in history and constitutional support. As a lawyer, I had no problems with the author's use of legal concepts to effectuate his end results.
The action starts at Page 1, and bloodshed follows quickly. Power Games takes no sides, taking jabs at liberals and conservatives alike, and sometimes even the military, in an effort to expose a seriously flawed (fictional?) system. It lives up to its booking as a fast-paced thriller.
The issues I had with the novel primarily concern characterization. While I am not one that needs distinct heroes and villains, I do need strong characters. The book examines the events through the eyes of many, some of which don't make it beyond a few chapters. I did not get a feel for many of the characters or a deep understanding of what made each tick (other than an almost universally shared desire to reap the fruits of a poisonous tree).
All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by the strength of the narrative. As a debut novel, the author explored complex ideas through an intricate plot in a very enjoyable manner. I look forward to what else he has in store.
March 24, 2017
Excellent combat sequences
This review is from: Power Games: Operation Enduring Unity I (Kindle Edition)
I was given a free copy of this book and asked to write an honest review. The author has attempted to tell the story of a future American civil war without a left or right wing bias. This works fairly well. Particularly if the reader is willing to suspend disbelief and enjoy the well told action and combat sequences. Even while attempting to avoid left/right bias there is some pointed social commentary in which the news media and professional politicians do not shine. Those who have not been there or at least studied the subject may be surprised at the almost antiwar feel to the book. Soldiers usually understand better than anyone how terrible war is. They also know that war should be a last resort not a first response. In this story the frequently venal politicians blunder into war with no objectives other than maintaining or improving their personal positions. One gradually rises above the pure politics but is painfully inept at dealing with the crisis and the military.
Even though the secessionist movement begins in Florida, the confrontation becomes a more believable East/West split. Thus the author is able to present a conflict which transcends left wing, right wing, libertarian politics in the beginning. There are hints that these philosophical differences may cause trouble in future volumes in this series. In book one the author avoids the racial and ethnic issues completely. Had he attempted to address them, he would have probably needed an additional volume or two which would have taken the story out of the action/adventure genre.
The author is a good story teller but there are some problems with the writing. The incomplete sentences did not hamper the story telling for me. However, the problem with the misuse of the singular plural struck a jarring note which occasionally drew my attention from the story. These problems could be alleviated by better editing. I debated with myself over the number of stars the book should receive. I finally decided that it is closer to 4 than 3.
This review is from: Power Games: Operation Enduring Unity I (Kindle Edition)
I was given a free copy of this book and asked to write an honest review. The author has attempted to tell the story of a future American civil war without a left or right wing bias. This works fairly well. Particularly if the reader is willing to suspend disbelief and enjoy the well told action and combat sequences. Even while attempting to avoid left/right bias there is some pointed social commentary in which the news media and professional politicians do not shine. Those who have not been there or at least studied the subject may be surprised at the almost antiwar feel to the book. Soldiers usually understand better than anyone how terrible war is. They also know that war should be a last resort not a first response. In this story the frequently venal politicians blunder into war with no objectives other than maintaining or improving their personal positions. One gradually rises above the pure politics but is painfully inept at dealing with the crisis and the military.
Even though the secessionist movement begins in Florida, the confrontation becomes a more believable East/West split. Thus the author is able to present a conflict which transcends left wing, right wing, libertarian politics in the beginning. There are hints that these philosophical differences may cause trouble in future volumes in this series. In book one the author avoids the racial and ethnic issues completely. Had he attempted to address them, he would have probably needed an additional volume or two which would have taken the story out of the action/adventure genre.
The author is a good story teller but there are some problems with the writing. The incomplete sentences did not hamper the story telling for me. However, the problem with the misuse of the singular plural struck a jarring note which occasionally drew my attention from the story. These problems could be alleviated by better editing. I debated with myself over the number of stars the book should receive. I finally decided that it is closer to 4 than 3.
February 2, 2014
I have a policy and it’s called honesty. Richard Peters, the author, sent me a copy of this book to read and review and asked for feedback, whether it was negative or positive. As you read through, I hope that my words will be helpful. As someone who’s writing his first novel, I hope that others will be kind enough to help me like this when the time comes.
I’m crazy about the post-apocalypse and dis-utopian society. The idea of a second civil war gripping the United States of America easily fits into both of those quite easy. I had finished another book the day before I received a copy of Power Games and luckily I had a free rainy Saturday, so I read.
The story starts with bang, literally. Quickly after the opening scene the situation spirals out of control, the balance of power teeter on a knives edge. Before you can almost blink, a high-stakes game of chicken involving Congress, individual States, and the President develops.
I’ll be real honest; I didn’t really like characters in this story. That’s not a bad thing unless I was supposed to like particular ones. I couldn’t even root for anyone, I felt like they were all very easy to hate. This especially rang true for any of the politicians and most of the press. If you like a lot of detailed battle scenes, this is the book for you. Each of the firefights and full-fledged battles were laced with military jargon, tactical detail, and a grisly imagery.
The biggest issues I had were pretty simple. I got lost here and there as the story progressed. The scenes pick up speed the further I progressed through the book. Essentially the story and characters started to blur together. I hope in further installments that the characters develop more and that I get to know them a little better.
Long story short is that I liked the story and wish I could give it a three and a half stars instead of three. I look forward to seeing where it goes, since the ending defiantly leaves things unresolved and the horizon open.
I’m crazy about the post-apocalypse and dis-utopian society. The idea of a second civil war gripping the United States of America easily fits into both of those quite easy. I had finished another book the day before I received a copy of Power Games and luckily I had a free rainy Saturday, so I read.
The story starts with bang, literally. Quickly after the opening scene the situation spirals out of control, the balance of power teeter on a knives edge. Before you can almost blink, a high-stakes game of chicken involving Congress, individual States, and the President develops.
I’ll be real honest; I didn’t really like characters in this story. That’s not a bad thing unless I was supposed to like particular ones. I couldn’t even root for anyone, I felt like they were all very easy to hate. This especially rang true for any of the politicians and most of the press. If you like a lot of detailed battle scenes, this is the book for you. Each of the firefights and full-fledged battles were laced with military jargon, tactical detail, and a grisly imagery.
The biggest issues I had were pretty simple. I got lost here and there as the story progressed. The scenes pick up speed the further I progressed through the book. Essentially the story and characters started to blur together. I hope in further installments that the characters develop more and that I get to know them a little better.
Long story short is that I liked the story and wish I could give it a three and a half stars instead of three. I look forward to seeing where it goes, since the ending defiantly leaves things unresolved and the horizon open.
July 9, 2014
Some political thrillers are cautionary and others give a stiff middle finger to the perceived corruption in government and law enforcement. Some political thrillers try to accomplish so much that they become a mish-mash of ideas with a definite direction that is something of a road to nowhere.
There are themes familiar in modern television and books. We see the rise of the corporation as a political entity, the media’s propensity to hatemongering and extreme responses, the threat of secession and the increase of violence as a political tool. The story revolves around a hung Electoral College and fallout in the argument as to who then should be President in the wake of the murder of the President Elect. Reporter Jessica seems to speak directly to readers when she opines, “What does it matter who’s president anyway? Congress is still going to sit on their collective do-nothing asses. The figurehead occupying the Oval Office is small change” (Page 15). In the case of “Power Games: Operation Enduring Unity I: The Second Civil War,” violence is used to manipulate power at the executive level. The plot elements read as overblown for effect which is how fiction works but in the case of “Power Games: Operation Enduring Unity I: The Second Civil War” leads the reader to feel as though the author is exerting heavy handed manipulation with the subtlety of a sledgehammer.
Underneath it all, this is an author who clearly knows his stuff. He knows the military, he knows secession, he knows the questions to be asked in uncertain political situations and he knows the buzzwords used in political spin. The dialogue was sparse and while frequently heavily exposition, it rang as very true. Had the story been more cohesive and not been so heavy handed in telling opting instead to show, my review of this novel may have been a very different story. The story talked a lot about contemporary issues and yet seemed to be missing its voice.
There are themes familiar in modern television and books. We see the rise of the corporation as a political entity, the media’s propensity to hatemongering and extreme responses, the threat of secession and the increase of violence as a political tool. The story revolves around a hung Electoral College and fallout in the argument as to who then should be President in the wake of the murder of the President Elect. Reporter Jessica seems to speak directly to readers when she opines, “What does it matter who’s president anyway? Congress is still going to sit on their collective do-nothing asses. The figurehead occupying the Oval Office is small change” (Page 15). In the case of “Power Games: Operation Enduring Unity I: The Second Civil War,” violence is used to manipulate power at the executive level. The plot elements read as overblown for effect which is how fiction works but in the case of “Power Games: Operation Enduring Unity I: The Second Civil War” leads the reader to feel as though the author is exerting heavy handed manipulation with the subtlety of a sledgehammer.
Underneath it all, this is an author who clearly knows his stuff. He knows the military, he knows secession, he knows the questions to be asked in uncertain political situations and he knows the buzzwords used in political spin. The dialogue was sparse and while frequently heavily exposition, it rang as very true. Had the story been more cohesive and not been so heavy handed in telling opting instead to show, my review of this novel may have been a very different story. The story talked a lot about contemporary issues and yet seemed to be missing its voice.
February 2, 2014
When every political group in or out of power becomes factionalized, the country begins a downward spiral that brings turmoil and madness. Choose sides or remain neutral; it does not matter. Political chaos is followed by military chaos. Or is this bedlam? In light of recent political events, does this make this implausible scenario plausible? (I live in the South and have heard intelligent men seriously talk about secession.)
The military and political situations and combat actions are expertly crafted because of the author's personal experience and thorough research. Richard Peters uses a descriptive writing style that carries the reader deep into the story. Characters ring true. I've known them all, both in and out of the military, or at least I've known of them -- the political types. The author has a first-rate insight into human nature and behavior.
Expect a very interesting journey; a well told story with realistic battle scenes and political intrigue; an exciting and thoughtful novel. Although the ending leaves a big issue unresolved, the story to date is well worth reading. Reviewed by the author of The Children's Story, A Novel Not for Children (about good and evil).
The military and political situations and combat actions are expertly crafted because of the author's personal experience and thorough research. Richard Peters uses a descriptive writing style that carries the reader deep into the story. Characters ring true. I've known them all, both in and out of the military, or at least I've known of them -- the political types. The author has a first-rate insight into human nature and behavior.
Expect a very interesting journey; a well told story with realistic battle scenes and political intrigue; an exciting and thoughtful novel. Although the ending leaves a big issue unresolved, the story to date is well worth reading. Reviewed by the author of The Children's Story, A Novel Not for Children (about good and evil).
June 13, 2014
I was offered this book and, as a Canadian, I figured "why not, maybe I'll finally figure out how the Electoral College works. Well, I didn't. While our "first past the post" system is different from the US's, it still doesn't get past the fact you have to elect "politicians"…and our breed is no better than yours.
I've worked with lawmakers and "politicians" (there is a significant difference but this isn't the time or place for that discussion) my whole career. I've also had to deal with the messes left by journalists who never let facts get in the way of a good story. All that to say it took me a lot longer to read the book than it normally would have. Why? Because I kept getting pissed off at scenarios portrayed in the book that I could see happening in reality.
Did I enjoy the book? Immensely! Will I read the next one in the series? Obviously! Any book series that stirs your emotions up that much demands to be followed. In addition, the action sequences and character development simply increased the must-read nature if the series.
Great work!
I've worked with lawmakers and "politicians" (there is a significant difference but this isn't the time or place for that discussion) my whole career. I've also had to deal with the messes left by journalists who never let facts get in the way of a good story. All that to say it took me a lot longer to read the book than it normally would have. Why? Because I kept getting pissed off at scenarios portrayed in the book that I could see happening in reality.
Did I enjoy the book? Immensely! Will I read the next one in the series? Obviously! Any book series that stirs your emotions up that much demands to be followed. In addition, the action sequences and character development simply increased the must-read nature if the series.
Great work!
December 8, 2013
I was drawn to this book because I like fiction written by my fellow veterans, but I couldn't put it down because of how realistic it is! The author really brings Afghanistan and Iraq to the the streets of America in a scary way.
The writing is fast, but packed with detail. I would have liked to see more in depth technical details of equipment and tactics, but I get the book was written to appeal to civilians as well as soldiers.
I also love that there are enough plots in here for several books. For example, the running sub plot about Sophie's transition from hippy teenage girl to hardcore militia leader could have been its own novel!
The writing is fast, but packed with detail. I would have liked to see more in depth technical details of equipment and tactics, but I get the book was written to appeal to civilians as well as soldiers.
I also love that there are enough plots in here for several books. For example, the running sub plot about Sophie's transition from hippy teenage girl to hardcore militia leader could have been its own novel!
June 15, 2014
This book aims to be an update of Dr. Strangelove that plays off of the current gridlock in the United States political system. Regardless of your preferences, no party or PAC comes out smelling like roses. As high as the book aims, it falls short of its goal because of structural issues, a detached tone, and technical errors. That said, it’s still an enjoyable, quick read.
The book makes three assumptions about the United States: (1) those in political office are power hungry fools detached from any semblance of reality; (2) the movers in shakers in the corporate world place far more value on a .05% increase in share value than they do human life; and (3) the 24-hour media purposely distorts the truth to promote extremism and get ratings. These three groups essentially keep grandstanding and manipulating the population until things spiral out of control, ultimately leading to a modern civil war.
Unfortunately, these assumptions have a depressing ring of truth to them, and the author succeeds in showing how all of these factors, coupled with accidents, dumb luck, and stupidity, lay the groundwork for the civil war. Like Dr. Strangelove, a great many of these events are over the top, but they’re believable enough to unsettle the reader. Mr. Peters doesn’t pull any punches and convinces you by the end of the book that a scenario like a civil war is depressingly possible, however outlandish it may seem.
The first big issue with the book is its structure. It’s similar to World War Z in that the author focuses on several different characters and drives the plot via vignettes more than anything else. Unfortunately, the characters are never defined well enough to really put the reader in their shoes. There are too many of them, and the author jumps between different ones in each chapter. It muddles things, and a one chapter, one character structure, as well as fewer perspective characters, would have made the book more cohesive.
There is a reporter in the book, but unlike the one in World War Z, she is only present in some of the chapters, not all of them, which prevents her from serving as a unifying force. And again, since the chapters aren’t labelled, the reader doesn’t quite get a feel for the chapter as quickly as the reader should.
The second problem is the tone: quite often, the author speaks rather than the perspective character, which makes it difficult to really dig down into the characters and setting. Although there is a bit of humor, it doesn’t change the fact that the tone is more a hypothetical an Axis & Allies player runs through between turns than it is a novel. It’s interesting, and the author’s knowledge of modern warfare is impressive, but again, at times I felt like I was reading a thought exercise rather than a book.
The final problem is really a series of issues with the technical writing. I noticed a few mismatched tenses, a few mixed up words, and typos scattered throughout the book. None of it really slowed me down, but I did notice it, and the distraction sapped some of the strength from the story the writing tried to deliver. That said, that sort of thing is really just a matter of practice, and there’s no easy way to learn to write without doing it.
That aside, it was an enjoyable book, and I managed to fly through it in a couple of days between last minute plane flights and poolside lounging. It’s worth taking a peak, because, regardless of its issues, there will be at least one chapter in this book with just enough reality in it to make you uncomfortable and question the current state of affairs in the United States. Accidents, dumb luck, and media-spun hysteria make for a terrifying combination.
The book makes three assumptions about the United States: (1) those in political office are power hungry fools detached from any semblance of reality; (2) the movers in shakers in the corporate world place far more value on a .05% increase in share value than they do human life; and (3) the 24-hour media purposely distorts the truth to promote extremism and get ratings. These three groups essentially keep grandstanding and manipulating the population until things spiral out of control, ultimately leading to a modern civil war.
Unfortunately, these assumptions have a depressing ring of truth to them, and the author succeeds in showing how all of these factors, coupled with accidents, dumb luck, and stupidity, lay the groundwork for the civil war. Like Dr. Strangelove, a great many of these events are over the top, but they’re believable enough to unsettle the reader. Mr. Peters doesn’t pull any punches and convinces you by the end of the book that a scenario like a civil war is depressingly possible, however outlandish it may seem.
The first big issue with the book is its structure. It’s similar to World War Z in that the author focuses on several different characters and drives the plot via vignettes more than anything else. Unfortunately, the characters are never defined well enough to really put the reader in their shoes. There are too many of them, and the author jumps between different ones in each chapter. It muddles things, and a one chapter, one character structure, as well as fewer perspective characters, would have made the book more cohesive.
There is a reporter in the book, but unlike the one in World War Z, she is only present in some of the chapters, not all of them, which prevents her from serving as a unifying force. And again, since the chapters aren’t labelled, the reader doesn’t quite get a feel for the chapter as quickly as the reader should.
The second problem is the tone: quite often, the author speaks rather than the perspective character, which makes it difficult to really dig down into the characters and setting. Although there is a bit of humor, it doesn’t change the fact that the tone is more a hypothetical an Axis & Allies player runs through between turns than it is a novel. It’s interesting, and the author’s knowledge of modern warfare is impressive, but again, at times I felt like I was reading a thought exercise rather than a book.
The final problem is really a series of issues with the technical writing. I noticed a few mismatched tenses, a few mixed up words, and typos scattered throughout the book. None of it really slowed me down, but I did notice it, and the distraction sapped some of the strength from the story the writing tried to deliver. That said, that sort of thing is really just a matter of practice, and there’s no easy way to learn to write without doing it.
That aside, it was an enjoyable book, and I managed to fly through it in a couple of days between last minute plane flights and poolside lounging. It’s worth taking a peak, because, regardless of its issues, there will be at least one chapter in this book with just enough reality in it to make you uncomfortable and question the current state of affairs in the United States. Accidents, dumb luck, and media-spun hysteria make for a terrifying combination.
April 8, 2014
Power Games (Enduring Unity #1]
by Richard Peters
Peters unveils a look at an America where political unrest quickly become political chaos, where a lack of leadership from the Presidency all the way to the state government some begins an unraveling of a nation that can not be contained even by the dirty politics, political rhetoric, lobbyist, campaign contributors or military strategy. He gives us a fast past thriller and the ride can be bumpy and confusing at times but hang on as there is always something to get your attention on the next page.
Peters does excellent work depicting a scenario where America could see a second civil war. His laying this out in the detail he did is remarkable. No stone left unturned. No favoritism. We saw liberals, conservatives, politicians of each party and most all levels, those in the Justice Department, hippies, and on and on. Each had a response to the events and each played a part whether they realized it or not. I particularly appreciated the way he portrayed the role of knee jerk responses. So many times bloodbaths could have been avoided if cool heads had prevailed. His portrayal of the responses fit well with what one might anticipate with our spoiled culture. Me, my, mine. I want it now. I will do it to you before you have a chance to me. It was like watching a horrible fire in slow motion that could have been stopped at many points but instead of stopping and using the fire hydrant someone just kept adding fuel.
While the descriptions of military weapons, jargon, hierarchy, strategy, mannerisms are astoundingly right-on they dominate the storyline. So much so it is difficult to determine, at times, which side is being described. It changes so quickly and the transition seems stilted. Also the personalities in the book simply never emerge. To say there is a main character is difficult. To say there is a character you root for and back up and hope wins the day is difficult. To say there is a guy you are disgusted with and hope is defeated is difficult. Why? We don’t get to know them. In a war story, we typically have someone to love and someone to hate. The sides are typically clear. This being a civil war that is not the case and simply can not be written in as easily as others. But give the reader someone we can follow through as this unweaves, someone we can anticipate their response, perhaps be shocked when they respond differently.
One thing that bothered me throughout was the continual reference to those in the south as ‘bubba’ and ‘redneck’ and shown as ignorant, and gluttonous. This was stereotypical and frankly seemed out of place in Peter’s writing.
Overall I give the book a 3.5 mainly because of the problem with the flow and the character development. But as we can only give whole numbers I am rounding it up to a 4. I do anticipate Peter’s becoming an even greater author as his storytelling is fine tuned. I for one will be looking forward to hearing more from him.
Note: I was given an E-book in exchange for an honest review for which I have provided.
by Richard Peters
Peters unveils a look at an America where political unrest quickly become political chaos, where a lack of leadership from the Presidency all the way to the state government some begins an unraveling of a nation that can not be contained even by the dirty politics, political rhetoric, lobbyist, campaign contributors or military strategy. He gives us a fast past thriller and the ride can be bumpy and confusing at times but hang on as there is always something to get your attention on the next page.
Peters does excellent work depicting a scenario where America could see a second civil war. His laying this out in the detail he did is remarkable. No stone left unturned. No favoritism. We saw liberals, conservatives, politicians of each party and most all levels, those in the Justice Department, hippies, and on and on. Each had a response to the events and each played a part whether they realized it or not. I particularly appreciated the way he portrayed the role of knee jerk responses. So many times bloodbaths could have been avoided if cool heads had prevailed. His portrayal of the responses fit well with what one might anticipate with our spoiled culture. Me, my, mine. I want it now. I will do it to you before you have a chance to me. It was like watching a horrible fire in slow motion that could have been stopped at many points but instead of stopping and using the fire hydrant someone just kept adding fuel.
While the descriptions of military weapons, jargon, hierarchy, strategy, mannerisms are astoundingly right-on they dominate the storyline. So much so it is difficult to determine, at times, which side is being described. It changes so quickly and the transition seems stilted. Also the personalities in the book simply never emerge. To say there is a main character is difficult. To say there is a character you root for and back up and hope wins the day is difficult. To say there is a guy you are disgusted with and hope is defeated is difficult. Why? We don’t get to know them. In a war story, we typically have someone to love and someone to hate. The sides are typically clear. This being a civil war that is not the case and simply can not be written in as easily as others. But give the reader someone we can follow through as this unweaves, someone we can anticipate their response, perhaps be shocked when they respond differently.
One thing that bothered me throughout was the continual reference to those in the south as ‘bubba’ and ‘redneck’ and shown as ignorant, and gluttonous. This was stereotypical and frankly seemed out of place in Peter’s writing.
Overall I give the book a 3.5 mainly because of the problem with the flow and the character development. But as we can only give whole numbers I am rounding it up to a 4. I do anticipate Peter’s becoming an even greater author as his storytelling is fine tuned. I for one will be looking forward to hearing more from him.
Note: I was given an E-book in exchange for an honest review for which I have provided.
January 9, 2016
My original Operation Enduring Unity, Omnibus Edition audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
The US is plunged into a 21st Century Civil War through a constitutional crisis. When the incoming president selected by the congress is assassinated, the lame-duck president is retained by the sitting congress. He slowly transforms into a dictator and then a despot. A desperate alliance of Western states and Florida fight back led by the governor of California who becomes the self-appointed president of the United Republics of America (URA). The battles turn bloodier at each turn, going from skirmishes to all out decimation of civilians and infrastructure. So much harm has been done, it is difficult for the two sides to forgive and come together. One side must prevail or the Civil War will destroy the entire nation.
All three volumes of the story are included here in one compendium.
This action based novel series is written for the military enthusiast, complete with acronyms and arcane weapons descriptions. The author continues to explain what they mean throughout the novel and how they influence the outcomes of the battles, but still it is directed at the initiate, not the layman. Others will often be confused and possibly bored.
It is difficult to determine if this is a satire or not. It seems to vacillate between the two. The military and historical detail is finely developed, perhaps overly so. The characters, on the other hand, are caricatures of evil archetypes (like the greedy banker sexually aroused by her growing power). A full quarter of the story is devoted to military detail with almost no character or plot development. If you are a military enthusiast, this should be interesting enough. As a story, it is difficult to follow and even tedious at times. Once this groundwork is laid and the characters are developed, it becomes much more entertaining. Strangely enough, many of the characters are dropped as soon as they are introduced. Their bungling and complete misunderstanding of political events makes one think this is a satire, except for the seriousness of the violence.
There are a lot of very interesting and worthy sub-plots going on that keep the story going. The insatiable greed of the war financiers, for example, and a desperate populace caught between doing what is right and saving their own skins. Unfortunately, unless you are a military buff, this may not be enough to keep you interested.
Kevin Clay does a very good job with his performance and is a pleasure to listen to.
This is a story for military enthusiasts and US government and corporate greed-head haters. For those with less experience or interest in military minutia, you might be better off looking elsewhere. The story can get hard to follow and detailed to the point of tedium. There is great potential to this story buried in a less-than-believable plot.
Audiobook provided for review by the author.
The US is plunged into a 21st Century Civil War through a constitutional crisis. When the incoming president selected by the congress is assassinated, the lame-duck president is retained by the sitting congress. He slowly transforms into a dictator and then a despot. A desperate alliance of Western states and Florida fight back led by the governor of California who becomes the self-appointed president of the United Republics of America (URA). The battles turn bloodier at each turn, going from skirmishes to all out decimation of civilians and infrastructure. So much harm has been done, it is difficult for the two sides to forgive and come together. One side must prevail or the Civil War will destroy the entire nation.
All three volumes of the story are included here in one compendium.
This action based novel series is written for the military enthusiast, complete with acronyms and arcane weapons descriptions. The author continues to explain what they mean throughout the novel and how they influence the outcomes of the battles, but still it is directed at the initiate, not the layman. Others will often be confused and possibly bored.
It is difficult to determine if this is a satire or not. It seems to vacillate between the two. The military and historical detail is finely developed, perhaps overly so. The characters, on the other hand, are caricatures of evil archetypes (like the greedy banker sexually aroused by her growing power). A full quarter of the story is devoted to military detail with almost no character or plot development. If you are a military enthusiast, this should be interesting enough. As a story, it is difficult to follow and even tedious at times. Once this groundwork is laid and the characters are developed, it becomes much more entertaining. Strangely enough, many of the characters are dropped as soon as they are introduced. Their bungling and complete misunderstanding of political events makes one think this is a satire, except for the seriousness of the violence.
There are a lot of very interesting and worthy sub-plots going on that keep the story going. The insatiable greed of the war financiers, for example, and a desperate populace caught between doing what is right and saving their own skins. Unfortunately, unless you are a military buff, this may not be enough to keep you interested.
Kevin Clay does a very good job with his performance and is a pleasure to listen to.
This is a story for military enthusiasts and US government and corporate greed-head haters. For those with less experience or interest in military minutia, you might be better off looking elsewhere. The story can get hard to follow and detailed to the point of tedium. There is great potential to this story buried in a less-than-believable plot.
Audiobook provided for review by the author.
February 6, 2014
DISCLAIMER: The author sent me a copy of the book for review.
My actual rating for this one is 2.5, but goodreads doesn't allow half stars. My actual feelings on it are a lot more complicated than a simple score, though.
This one has me torn. One the one hand, there's a lot wrong here. The handful of characters who actually show up more than twice are at best ciphers, and at worst caricatures. The incipient romance is as blunt as a shovel that's been repeatedly blunted. The same goes for some of the political commentary - in places the views expressed about political leaders, journalists, and so on sound like those expressed by a fifteen-year-old Che Guevara fan who's just finished reading The Communist Manifesto for the first time. In places, who or what was doing what or who was impossible to follow - I'd think one side were doing or saying something and it'd turn out to be the other, that sort of thing. Far too many unnecessary adjectives and adverbs, although that is the sort of thing you tend to tune out after a while. My copy was also fairly typo-heavy.
Sounds less like a 2.5 star book and more like a one-star, right? So why haven't I rated it like that?
Well, because under all that cruft, I can see the sparkling gem that's actually sitting in there. This book would have made an easy three-stars if it had had a quick lookover by an editor, and there's the guts of a four-star book in here. In particular, the rapid-fire, let's-throw-new-things-at-the-reader, they-won't-know-what-hit-them style of writing - the source of confusion in quite a number of places - is perfect for a book about the rapid descent into civil war. I mean, both sides are wearing the same uniforms. Nobody has a clue who's who. It'd be chaos, and the writing gets that feel across really well without actually being confusing nine times out of ten. That chaotic feeling is pretty damn good for converying the 'feel' of battle, too (I mean, from what I can tell. It's not like I have any actual experience of that.) It might be tricky to keep that feel after a few back-and-forths with an editorial pen, sure, but pull it off and you've got something quite interesting. It'd drop the "too many adjectives" problem, too.
As for characterisation... Well, who needs it? Seriously, who needs it in a book like this? After reading this, I'm put in mind of Red Storm Rising. I didn't care about how Alekseyev grew as a person, and quite frankly the Mike\Vigdis story squicked me the fuck out (and the whole Edwards bit generally bored the pants off me.) I wanted World War III in Central Germany, not love stories and personal quests and blahblah. If I want that sorta shit, I'll read it. So, I don't care too much about the ciphers, although the caricatures could probably be toned down a little. And the love story could stand to be buried.
What's my verdict, then? There's a good book in here, and I can see the edges shining through. If the next book does a bit better on the editing front, I'd wager a lot of other folk will too. So I'll be watching this guy with interest.
My actual rating for this one is 2.5, but goodreads doesn't allow half stars. My actual feelings on it are a lot more complicated than a simple score, though.
This one has me torn. One the one hand, there's a lot wrong here. The handful of characters who actually show up more than twice are at best ciphers, and at worst caricatures. The incipient romance is as blunt as a shovel that's been repeatedly blunted. The same goes for some of the political commentary - in places the views expressed about political leaders, journalists, and so on sound like those expressed by a fifteen-year-old Che Guevara fan who's just finished reading The Communist Manifesto for the first time. In places, who or what was doing what or who was impossible to follow - I'd think one side were doing or saying something and it'd turn out to be the other, that sort of thing. Far too many unnecessary adjectives and adverbs, although that is the sort of thing you tend to tune out after a while. My copy was also fairly typo-heavy.
Sounds less like a 2.5 star book and more like a one-star, right? So why haven't I rated it like that?
Well, because under all that cruft, I can see the sparkling gem that's actually sitting in there. This book would have made an easy three-stars if it had had a quick lookover by an editor, and there's the guts of a four-star book in here. In particular, the rapid-fire, let's-throw-new-things-at-the-reader, they-won't-know-what-hit-them style of writing - the source of confusion in quite a number of places - is perfect for a book about the rapid descent into civil war. I mean, both sides are wearing the same uniforms. Nobody has a clue who's who. It'd be chaos, and the writing gets that feel across really well without actually being confusing nine times out of ten. That chaotic feeling is pretty damn good for converying the 'feel' of battle, too (I mean, from what I can tell. It's not like I have any actual experience of that.) It might be tricky to keep that feel after a few back-and-forths with an editorial pen, sure, but pull it off and you've got something quite interesting. It'd drop the "too many adjectives" problem, too.
As for characterisation... Well, who needs it? Seriously, who needs it in a book like this? After reading this, I'm put in mind of Red Storm Rising. I didn't care about how Alekseyev grew as a person, and quite frankly the Mike\Vigdis story squicked me the fuck out (and the whole Edwards bit generally bored the pants off me.) I wanted World War III in Central Germany, not love stories and personal quests and blahblah. If I want that sorta shit, I'll read it. So, I don't care too much about the ciphers, although the caricatures could probably be toned down a little. And the love story could stand to be buried.
What's my verdict, then? There's a good book in here, and I can see the edges shining through. If the next book does a bit better on the editing front, I'd wager a lot of other folk will too. So I'll be watching this guy with interest.
April 9, 2014
Power Games (Enduring Unity #1]
by Richard Peters
Peters unveils a look at an America where political unrest quickly become political chaos, where a lack of leadership from the Presidency all the way to the state government some begins an unraveling of a nation that can not be contained even by the dirty politics, political rhetoric, lobbyist, campaign funders or military strategy. He gives us a fast past thriller and the ride can be bumpy and confusing at times but hang on as there is always something to get your attention on the next page.
Peters does excellent work depicting a scenario where America could see a second civil war. His laying this out in the detail he did is remarkable. No stone left unturned. No favoritism. We saw liberals, conservatives, politicians of each party and most all levels, those in the Justice Department, hippies, and on and on. Each had a response to the events and each played a part whether they realized it or not. I particularly appreciated the way he portrayed the role of knee jerk responses. So many times bloodbaths could have been avoided if cool heads had prevailed. His portrayal of the responses fit well with what one might anticipate with our spoiled culture. Me, my, mine. I want it now. I will do it to you before you have a chance to me. It was like watching a horrible fire in slow motion that could have been stopped at many points but instead of stopping and using the fire hydrant someone just kept adding fuel.
While the descriptions of military weapons, jargon, hierarchy, strategy, mannerisms are astoundingly right-on they dominate the storyline. So much so it is difficult to determine, at times, which side is being described. It changes so quickly and the transition seems stilted. Also the personalities in the book simply never emerge. To say there is a main character is difficult. To say there is a character you root for and back up and hope wins the day is difficult. To say there is a guy you are disgusted with and hope is defeated is difficult. Why? We don’t get to know them. In a war story, we typically have someone to love and someone to hate. The sides are typically clear. This being a civil war that is not the case and simply can not be written in as easily as others. But give the reader someone we can follow through as this unweaves, someone we can anticipate their response, perhaps be shocked when they respond differently.
One thing that bothered me throughout was the continual reference to those in the south as ‘bubba’ and ‘redneck’ and shown as ignorant, and gluttonous. This was stereotypical and frankly seemed out of place in Peter’s writing.
Overall I give the book a 3.5 mainly because of the problem with the flow and the character development. But as we can only give whole numbers I am rounding it up to a 4. I do anticipate Peters becoming an even greater author as his storytelling is fine tuned. I for one will be looking forward to hearing more from him.
Note: I was given an E-book in exchange for an honest review for which I have provided
by Richard Peters
Peters unveils a look at an America where political unrest quickly become political chaos, where a lack of leadership from the Presidency all the way to the state government some begins an unraveling of a nation that can not be contained even by the dirty politics, political rhetoric, lobbyist, campaign funders or military strategy. He gives us a fast past thriller and the ride can be bumpy and confusing at times but hang on as there is always something to get your attention on the next page.
Peters does excellent work depicting a scenario where America could see a second civil war. His laying this out in the detail he did is remarkable. No stone left unturned. No favoritism. We saw liberals, conservatives, politicians of each party and most all levels, those in the Justice Department, hippies, and on and on. Each had a response to the events and each played a part whether they realized it or not. I particularly appreciated the way he portrayed the role of knee jerk responses. So many times bloodbaths could have been avoided if cool heads had prevailed. His portrayal of the responses fit well with what one might anticipate with our spoiled culture. Me, my, mine. I want it now. I will do it to you before you have a chance to me. It was like watching a horrible fire in slow motion that could have been stopped at many points but instead of stopping and using the fire hydrant someone just kept adding fuel.
While the descriptions of military weapons, jargon, hierarchy, strategy, mannerisms are astoundingly right-on they dominate the storyline. So much so it is difficult to determine, at times, which side is being described. It changes so quickly and the transition seems stilted. Also the personalities in the book simply never emerge. To say there is a main character is difficult. To say there is a character you root for and back up and hope wins the day is difficult. To say there is a guy you are disgusted with and hope is defeated is difficult. Why? We don’t get to know them. In a war story, we typically have someone to love and someone to hate. The sides are typically clear. This being a civil war that is not the case and simply can not be written in as easily as others. But give the reader someone we can follow through as this unweaves, someone we can anticipate their response, perhaps be shocked when they respond differently.
One thing that bothered me throughout was the continual reference to those in the south as ‘bubba’ and ‘redneck’ and shown as ignorant, and gluttonous. This was stereotypical and frankly seemed out of place in Peter’s writing.
Overall I give the book a 3.5 mainly because of the problem with the flow and the character development. But as we can only give whole numbers I am rounding it up to a 4. I do anticipate Peters becoming an even greater author as his storytelling is fine tuned. I for one will be looking forward to hearing more from him.
Note: I was given an E-book in exchange for an honest review for which I have provided
April 21, 2014
Disclaimer: The author gave me a copy of this book; with the request that I review it if I like it.
Well I did like it. I had some big problems with it; but in the end I did really like it. From my experience, the biggest difficulty new authors have is to create characters that we can care about, vehemently dislike, or are in the least mildly interesting. Peters does not have this problem at all. His characters are both colorful and interesting, even some of the minor characters have me wanting to follow them right along on their (mis)adventures. Peters also has a clean almost cinematic style of story telling especially in Parts 2 and 3. Some people like a more literary style, but it definitely kept me turning the pages. I will gladly pay for the privilege of reading more from this author in the future.
So, what are the problems you must be asking? It is easier to believe a big lie (warp power, plasma cannons, wormholes in space and/or time) then it is to believe little ones; especially when they are based on events we see in our own lives. The premise of the story is a succession crisis in the Presidency. Our founders gave this a great deal of thought and planed for most possible problems. Peters is apparently familiar with Article II Section 1 of the Constitution but I don't think he read ALL of Section 1. If there is an electoral tie, the House of Representatives selects the President; but the Senate selects the Vice-President and if the President cannot complete his term or even serve at all; the Vice President takes over. >I don't think Peters realized that a Vice President exists; they sure didn't in this story.< There is even an established order of succession for seventeen places thanks to the Presidential Succession Act of 1947. The other problem is in telling little lies; because of natural biases we have towards pessimism and expecting the unexpected built into all our plans it is actually far more likely for everything to go exactly right then it is for everything to go perfectly wrong. Not so in this tale! I know Murphy's Law, I have even met Murphy and had him kick me in the head a few times, but outside of Divine intervention (which might have been a useful plot device) this is just too unlikely to believe. Lastly; too many unexplained acronyms. I think Clancy handled this the best; the first time it was "Meal Ready to Eat (MRE)" then after that it was just an "MRE". Peters included a glossary at the end, but it doesn't keep the story moving like it should. I served in the Army and I still had trouble following the alphabet soup that some chapters entailed.
Fortunately; the areas that are most unlikely and hardest to swallow are all in Part 1. If you can struggle through the first Part the rest is great reading and great fun!
Well I did like it. I had some big problems with it; but in the end I did really like it. From my experience, the biggest difficulty new authors have is to create characters that we can care about, vehemently dislike, or are in the least mildly interesting. Peters does not have this problem at all. His characters are both colorful and interesting, even some of the minor characters have me wanting to follow them right along on their (mis)adventures. Peters also has a clean almost cinematic style of story telling especially in Parts 2 and 3. Some people like a more literary style, but it definitely kept me turning the pages. I will gladly pay for the privilege of reading more from this author in the future.
So, what are the problems you must be asking? It is easier to believe a big lie (warp power, plasma cannons, wormholes in space and/or time) then it is to believe little ones; especially when they are based on events we see in our own lives. The premise of the story is a succession crisis in the Presidency. Our founders gave this a great deal of thought and planed for most possible problems. Peters is apparently familiar with Article II Section 1 of the Constitution but I don't think he read ALL of Section 1. If there is an electoral tie, the House of Representatives selects the President; but the Senate selects the Vice-President and if the President cannot complete his term or even serve at all; the Vice President takes over. >I don't think Peters realized that a Vice President exists; they sure didn't in this story.< There is even an established order of succession for seventeen places thanks to the Presidential Succession Act of 1947. The other problem is in telling little lies; because of natural biases we have towards pessimism and expecting the unexpected built into all our plans it is actually far more likely for everything to go exactly right then it is for everything to go perfectly wrong. Not so in this tale! I know Murphy's Law, I have even met Murphy and had him kick me in the head a few times, but outside of Divine intervention (which might have been a useful plot device) this is just too unlikely to believe. Lastly; too many unexplained acronyms. I think Clancy handled this the best; the first time it was "Meal Ready to Eat (MRE)" then after that it was just an "MRE". Peters included a glossary at the end, but it doesn't keep the story moving like it should. I served in the Army and I still had trouble following the alphabet soup that some chapters entailed.
Fortunately; the areas that are most unlikely and hardest to swallow are all in Part 1. If you can struggle through the first Part the rest is great reading and great fun!
January 25, 2014
“Power Games” delivers a detailed account of America’s second civil war. The assassination of a presidential hopeful triggers an increase in partisan rhetoric. This polarization erodes the political middle (much like Europe prior to World War II). Aided by media and corporate interests that are driven solely by profit, the political divide deepens as the words transform into ever-escalating military actions.
The detail provided, including the element of good or bad luck swaying major military turning points, supports Author Richard Peters’ efforts to depict this as a believable historical accounting of facts. His military background shines throughout the book and provides a vivid realism to the combat scenes, which are some of the most exciting portions of the book. The depiction of politicians incapable of understanding the essentials of military strategy and/or tactics will cause readers to chuckle while simultaneously shaking their heads.
Military history buffs will enjoy the many parallels and references to classic military campaigns from Rome to World Wars I and II to the US Civil War. These elements reward the reader of military history with “ah hah” moments and provide a measure of plausibility to the economic & political landscape that led to the conflict.
“Power Games” wraps up a bit abruptly. The door has clearly been left open for a sequel (for example, planned combat operations are not executed), but I would have liked to see more specific resolution of both the central, civil-war conflict and of the fate of some the story’s key characters, some of whom leave a combat scene and then are never heard from again.
This novel employs both an omnipotent and third-person writing style, at times telling the story from the characters’ heads while at other times employing a “voice of God” style, conveying facts and opinions about the story’s events. My personal preference is for a third-person style, as the switching between the two approaches tended to confuse me at times. And while the omnipotent opinions rendered were often sarcastic and astute, the story’s only slow spots tended to occur during longer stretches of omnipotent narrative.
Nonetheless, “Power Games” is an action-packed adventure that will appeal to readers of military, thriller, and alternative future readers alike.
The detail provided, including the element of good or bad luck swaying major military turning points, supports Author Richard Peters’ efforts to depict this as a believable historical accounting of facts. His military background shines throughout the book and provides a vivid realism to the combat scenes, which are some of the most exciting portions of the book. The depiction of politicians incapable of understanding the essentials of military strategy and/or tactics will cause readers to chuckle while simultaneously shaking their heads.
Military history buffs will enjoy the many parallels and references to classic military campaigns from Rome to World Wars I and II to the US Civil War. These elements reward the reader of military history with “ah hah” moments and provide a measure of plausibility to the economic & political landscape that led to the conflict.
“Power Games” wraps up a bit abruptly. The door has clearly been left open for a sequel (for example, planned combat operations are not executed), but I would have liked to see more specific resolution of both the central, civil-war conflict and of the fate of some the story’s key characters, some of whom leave a combat scene and then are never heard from again.
This novel employs both an omnipotent and third-person writing style, at times telling the story from the characters’ heads while at other times employing a “voice of God” style, conveying facts and opinions about the story’s events. My personal preference is for a third-person style, as the switching between the two approaches tended to confuse me at times. And while the omnipotent opinions rendered were often sarcastic and astute, the story’s only slow spots tended to occur during longer stretches of omnipotent narrative.
Nonetheless, “Power Games” is an action-packed adventure that will appeal to readers of military, thriller, and alternative future readers alike.
May 25, 2014
Let's start off with overall feeling. I liked it a lot.
The story is woven around a series of events that I can actually see happening all to well. The author illustrates the power of the media and in particular the misconceptions that are sprung from news agencies that are scrambling to be the "First". In doing so of course, the information is not always vetted and it is often just one side of the story. This happens quite a bit as we all know. However, Mr. Peters takes it to the extreme with a what-if scenario that is all too plausible in my eyes.(If we were in the state of unrest the nation is set at in the book that is.)
This is mixed with again the all too familiar stance of greedy, ignorant, politicians. Add in the very real cultural and socio-economic divides of our nation. You take these and combine them to the max and you get the premise of this book. A modern civil war here in America. I won't get into spoilers but rest assured it is chock full of action and political maneuvering and intrigue.
When it came to assigning the number of stars, I always try to think of the most glaring cons. And after quite a bit of thought I decided to give it four stars. Why not five? I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be waiting for the next one to come out with anticipation.
I give it four because of the way the author disseminates a lot of the valuable information needed to set the tone for the overall backstory. And there is a quite a bit of it. He elects to explain this information in a lecture type of dissemination. You are being told what is going on directly. "A is happening here in Anytown, Anystate because B occurred elsewhere" kinda stuff.
I normally don't mind this at all, even prefer it most times, but the amount of it can be a little offsetting and remind you of a textbook at times. (I love textbooks btw). With that being said I would have liked a little breakup in that style. I have seen other authors do so through a mixture of that, abstract news articles, very short lived characters that are introduced just to illustrate a certain event, etc.
This is something that I noticed. It doesn't take away from the story at all and is just a style preference to most.
Highly recommend to all!
The story is woven around a series of events that I can actually see happening all to well. The author illustrates the power of the media and in particular the misconceptions that are sprung from news agencies that are scrambling to be the "First". In doing so of course, the information is not always vetted and it is often just one side of the story. This happens quite a bit as we all know. However, Mr. Peters takes it to the extreme with a what-if scenario that is all too plausible in my eyes.(If we were in the state of unrest the nation is set at in the book that is.)
This is mixed with again the all too familiar stance of greedy, ignorant, politicians. Add in the very real cultural and socio-economic divides of our nation. You take these and combine them to the max and you get the premise of this book. A modern civil war here in America. I won't get into spoilers but rest assured it is chock full of action and political maneuvering and intrigue.
When it came to assigning the number of stars, I always try to think of the most glaring cons. And after quite a bit of thought I decided to give it four stars. Why not five? I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be waiting for the next one to come out with anticipation.
I give it four because of the way the author disseminates a lot of the valuable information needed to set the tone for the overall backstory. And there is a quite a bit of it. He elects to explain this information in a lecture type of dissemination. You are being told what is going on directly. "A is happening here in Anytown, Anystate because B occurred elsewhere" kinda stuff.
I normally don't mind this at all, even prefer it most times, but the amount of it can be a little offsetting and remind you of a textbook at times. (I love textbooks btw). With that being said I would have liked a little breakup in that style. I have seen other authors do so through a mixture of that, abstract news articles, very short lived characters that are introduced just to illustrate a certain event, etc.
This is something that I noticed. It doesn't take away from the story at all and is just a style preference to most.
Highly recommend to all!
May 11, 2015
I was hooked on this book from the first page.
If you like Tom Clancy books, you will like this even though it is very different from a Clancy book. In some ways, I think it's better written than some Clancy books. That may sound outlandish but there is no slow start that often marks the first chapter of Clancy books. Richard Peters has the action and conflict start on the first page and he does not let up.
As an American, it was also hard to read. I'm a patriot at heart and the subject of this book is basically a modern civil war. Not a pleasant thought if you love your country.
This is also not a "the federal government is the bad guy" pro-militia book. No side is presented positively.
Reading it while the riots were happening in Baltimore did not help. Also, there are events in Texas that, with just a tiny bit of exaggeration, could be taken right from the book. Peters is not far off in telling a story that could happen.
This book is as much a political thriller as it is a military thriller. It's a study of how political ego could (and has) caused harm as politicians misuse the trust they have been given.
While I still decided to give this book five stars, I'll admit it is weak in character development. The politicians are so self absorbed and identically self serving that, unless you are good with names, you'll have a hard time telling them as characters apart. Perhaps on purpose.
Otherwise, the writing is extremely good and I felt deserved all five stars. Yes, that good. On par with something written by Clancy. I received a review copy of the book but this is really well done and many times better than I was expecting.
If you like political or military books, you won't put this down once you start. Unless you find the idea of patriots fighting patriots too painful. This story is much like watching a train wreck - you won't be able to look away no matter how horrible the events are.
Perhaps it is a new genre - political horror.
I recommend this book very highly.
If you like Tom Clancy books, you will like this even though it is very different from a Clancy book. In some ways, I think it's better written than some Clancy books. That may sound outlandish but there is no slow start that often marks the first chapter of Clancy books. Richard Peters has the action and conflict start on the first page and he does not let up.
As an American, it was also hard to read. I'm a patriot at heart and the subject of this book is basically a modern civil war. Not a pleasant thought if you love your country.
This is also not a "the federal government is the bad guy" pro-militia book. No side is presented positively.
Reading it while the riots were happening in Baltimore did not help. Also, there are events in Texas that, with just a tiny bit of exaggeration, could be taken right from the book. Peters is not far off in telling a story that could happen.
This book is as much a political thriller as it is a military thriller. It's a study of how political ego could (and has) caused harm as politicians misuse the trust they have been given.
While I still decided to give this book five stars, I'll admit it is weak in character development. The politicians are so self absorbed and identically self serving that, unless you are good with names, you'll have a hard time telling them as characters apart. Perhaps on purpose.
Otherwise, the writing is extremely good and I felt deserved all five stars. Yes, that good. On par with something written by Clancy. I received a review copy of the book but this is really well done and many times better than I was expecting.
If you like political or military books, you won't put this down once you start. Unless you find the idea of patriots fighting patriots too painful. This story is much like watching a train wreck - you won't be able to look away no matter how horrible the events are.
Perhaps it is a new genre - political horror.
I recommend this book very highly.
June 5, 2015
Full-length military-political thriller with *tons* of action but no hero. Instead, a slew of true-to-life and very flawed characters play out roles like condemned ancient Greek actors; pretty much as soon as you start liking one character, bam, the next ordnance has his name on it. Best not to get attached.
In style this book reminds me of nonfiction war books, such as The Longest Day or A Bridge Too Far. While the overall plotline is coherent and the arc is solid (and the book stands alone), it's told through snippets of action that move from character to character, never settling down to tell one person's complete story. At the same time, each character's individual arc feels complete, although that's often because they're dead.
It's a strong story and it moves fast. If you like war books, this is a good one. While I don't find it to be totally believable, I'll put it on the same virtual shelf with John Ringo's early Posleen War series, such as A Hymn Before Battle, or David Drake's Hammer's Slammers.
The book does need additional attention from a copyeditor and proofreader. That knocks off a star. As well, while I haven't felt tired reading this, the first of the series, unless the second one brings something new to the table, it's likely to start dragging. But we'll judge that when we get there. For this one, four stars.
Please note that I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. The price has no bearing upon the review received.
In style this book reminds me of nonfiction war books, such as The Longest Day or A Bridge Too Far. While the overall plotline is coherent and the arc is solid (and the book stands alone), it's told through snippets of action that move from character to character, never settling down to tell one person's complete story. At the same time, each character's individual arc feels complete, although that's often because they're dead.
It's a strong story and it moves fast. If you like war books, this is a good one. While I don't find it to be totally believable, I'll put it on the same virtual shelf with John Ringo's early Posleen War series, such as A Hymn Before Battle, or David Drake's Hammer's Slammers.
The book does need additional attention from a copyeditor and proofreader. That knocks off a star. As well, while I haven't felt tired reading this, the first of the series, unless the second one brings something new to the table, it's likely to start dragging. But we'll judge that when we get there. For this one, four stars.
Please note that I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. The price has no bearing upon the review received.
April 12, 2014
Many years ago, while in the US Army, I had this crazy idea for a story that I would like to read, if only someone would write it: America struggles through a second civil war with modern weapons in our modern society. 10 years later, I serendipitously stumble across Power Games: Operation Enduring Unity I…
For a book written by a new author, the story is ambitious in scope and at times complicated in its descriptions of political intrigue.
However, this is by no means a bad thing, unless you’re completely oblivious to what’s going on in our country today.
In truth, it is the “plausibility” that makes this book such a page turner. If this story were far-fetched and highly unlikely, it would still be an excellent joy ride. But because Mr. Peters has crafted a story that’s so very plausible, it makes this book downright riveting.
I admit that I could have had a bit more emotional investment in a few of the characters; a couple in particular that I wished were fleshed out a little more, but that’s just splitting hairs… It really is an excellent story.
Bonus! For all of you military types, like me, that gets annoyed when you watch or read about military actions or engagements in fiction and the writer or director gets it all wrong… nothing to worry about here. As a combat vet, Mr. Peters nails the military action.
Highly recommend.
Cheers!
For a book written by a new author, the story is ambitious in scope and at times complicated in its descriptions of political intrigue.
However, this is by no means a bad thing, unless you’re completely oblivious to what’s going on in our country today.
In truth, it is the “plausibility” that makes this book such a page turner. If this story were far-fetched and highly unlikely, it would still be an excellent joy ride. But because Mr. Peters has crafted a story that’s so very plausible, it makes this book downright riveting.
I admit that I could have had a bit more emotional investment in a few of the characters; a couple in particular that I wished were fleshed out a little more, but that’s just splitting hairs… It really is an excellent story.
Bonus! For all of you military types, like me, that gets annoyed when you watch or read about military actions or engagements in fiction and the writer or director gets it all wrong… nothing to worry about here. As a combat vet, Mr. Peters nails the military action.
Highly recommend.
Cheers!
August 6, 2016
What would happen if the electoral college couldn't choose a president? That's the premise in Richard Peters' "Power Games."
The premise of this book is very solid, and in all honesty, timely. When the electoral college ends up not being able to elect a president with the requisite number of votes, the scheming begins. The sitting president, who is termed out, wants to stay, and the two competitors can't help but scheme and manipulate to try and get to the Oval Office. Add a Supreme Court that allows the sitting president to stay, and it's civil war.
The book is well written. The plot is exciting and there are plenty of action scenes to keep a reader interested. Some of the political scheming is a bit much, but in my opinion, not out of the realm of possibility.
The reason I didn't give this book a fourth star was there was no main character to root for throughout the book. Sure, there are lead characters, but they come and go in their own story lines. There wasn't one unifying character to tie the whole novel together.
If you like detailed writing and lots of bursts of action, I would recommend this book.
**Please note, I was provided a copy of the book by the author for review.
The premise of this book is very solid, and in all honesty, timely. When the electoral college ends up not being able to elect a president with the requisite number of votes, the scheming begins. The sitting president, who is termed out, wants to stay, and the two competitors can't help but scheme and manipulate to try and get to the Oval Office. Add a Supreme Court that allows the sitting president to stay, and it's civil war.
The book is well written. The plot is exciting and there are plenty of action scenes to keep a reader interested. Some of the political scheming is a bit much, but in my opinion, not out of the realm of possibility.
The reason I didn't give this book a fourth star was there was no main character to root for throughout the book. Sure, there are lead characters, but they come and go in their own story lines. There wasn't one unifying character to tie the whole novel together.
If you like detailed writing and lots of bursts of action, I would recommend this book.
**Please note, I was provided a copy of the book by the author for review.
February 15, 2014
This is a hard book to review because it was far more complex than I expected, or even I suspect than the author meant it to be.
On the surface is a fun, sometimes almost tongue in cheek story of the dissolution of the USA in the near future due to political polarization. It is well told, believable, and moves at a crisp and enjoyable pace. Taken by itself it would be worth the read and fun.
However, inside that story is the story of the manipulators, and those that view profit as the prime mover of all things. As well, how horror and fighting change people, and how the military mindset enters even a peaceful person can become a part of it.
There is a darkness, a darkness made of real human nature, and real forces at play in our nation underneath everything in this book, driving it, forcing it, and it is frighteningly real. This book is far more than a fun and interesting story to start a series, it is a deep, and dark warning for us all. This story of today, could easily become the headlines of tomorrow if we do not pay attention.
I highly recommend it, and cannot wait for the next one, though it stirs fear in me.
On the surface is a fun, sometimes almost tongue in cheek story of the dissolution of the USA in the near future due to political polarization. It is well told, believable, and moves at a crisp and enjoyable pace. Taken by itself it would be worth the read and fun.
However, inside that story is the story of the manipulators, and those that view profit as the prime mover of all things. As well, how horror and fighting change people, and how the military mindset enters even a peaceful person can become a part of it.
There is a darkness, a darkness made of real human nature, and real forces at play in our nation underneath everything in this book, driving it, forcing it, and it is frighteningly real. This book is far more than a fun and interesting story to start a series, it is a deep, and dark warning for us all. This story of today, could easily become the headlines of tomorrow if we do not pay attention.
I highly recommend it, and cannot wait for the next one, though it stirs fear in me.
May 18, 2014
America is a nation in crisis. For the first time in nearly 200 years, the Presidential election has resulted in a hung Electoral College, placing the burden of choosing the next President on the House of Representatives. Complicating matters is a ruling by the Supreme Court that the `chosen candidate was not properly nominated and is thus ineligible for office. The fuse has been lit and sparks fly as Florida ceases to recognize the Federal Government and seizes control of all Federal facilities. What follows is the beginning of a second American Civil War which could lead to the end of the great experiment called the “United States of America.”
Power Games:Operation Enduring Unity by Richard Peters is a great start to a series with incredible potential. Peters has crafted a creative story around an event which was provided for by the Founding Fathers but has occurred only twice: a hung Electoral College. I can only imagine the chaos that would result were this to actually happen in this age of political partisanship. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to future entries in this series. I would rate this book 4/5 stars.
Power Games:Operation Enduring Unity by Richard Peters is a great start to a series with incredible potential. Peters has crafted a creative story around an event which was provided for by the Founding Fathers but has occurred only twice: a hung Electoral College. I can only imagine the chaos that would result were this to actually happen in this age of political partisanship. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to future entries in this series. I would rate this book 4/5 stars.
June 1, 2014
This book was free from the author.
Mr. Peters, I do believe this book has a hex on it, or the hex is on me. I had trouble finding the correct title, the correct author, and the place where I put the book in my e-library. Because of me, Amazon and B&N may be duking it out right about now. lol I gave the book three stars, a good rating coming from me. The mechanics of good writing were fine despite a few errors. The premises were all interesting, but I wanted to read the main plot without so much interference from everyone from rednecks to the United States Supreme Court. The country went to hell in a handbasket in a short period of time. The way you handled that escapade was plain old good writing! The weapons of choice were in that same handbasket, and that is scary to think about! I recommend this book, and I hope to read for you again.
Thank you, Mr. Peters, for a good read.
I just noticed Goodreads has me living in Baldwyn, Mississippi. I have never lived in Baldwyn! The hex is on me!
Mr. Peters, I do believe this book has a hex on it, or the hex is on me. I had trouble finding the correct title, the correct author, and the place where I put the book in my e-library. Because of me, Amazon and B&N may be duking it out right about now. lol I gave the book three stars, a good rating coming from me. The mechanics of good writing were fine despite a few errors. The premises were all interesting, but I wanted to read the main plot without so much interference from everyone from rednecks to the United States Supreme Court. The country went to hell in a handbasket in a short period of time. The way you handled that escapade was plain old good writing! The weapons of choice were in that same handbasket, and that is scary to think about! I recommend this book, and I hope to read for you again.
Thank you, Mr. Peters, for a good read.
I just noticed Goodreads has me living in Baldwyn, Mississippi. I have never lived in Baldwyn! The hex is on me!
January 30, 2014
I really enjoyed the plot of this novel. Its a pretty unique idea. This novel would have gotten a four star if it weren't for the problems it has. Some of the things that I found wrong with it is that it still needs some polishing. There are some formatting issues that made reading dialogue a little difficult. The narration changing points of view was a little difficult to get through also. Another thing I had to keep reminding myself of when reading this book was that it is more of a social commentary that a fake history. Although I agreed with much of the social commentary and found it pretty interesting to see the perspective of a former soldier it was not established from the beginning that that would dominate the narrative. Some other problems were with commentary and technology research. The timeline was a little hard to follow as well. Otherwise this novel was a great first book for Richard Peters. It set itself up well for the sequel and I look forward to checking those out.
April 30, 2014
Firstly, not being too knowledgeable on the whole US political scene made this seem slightly daunting, but the authors obvious understanding and detail helped to calm my fears. While personally I found the political talk heavy reading at times, its paramount to the storyline. The politicians are self satisfying asses, no more then the military higher ups. Something that seems very believable and left me feeling disdain for most of the characters. I suppose mainly because of how the sleazy underbelly of the political regime comes to life with the character developments and interactions. The action was really enjoyable to read and it felt like I was watching a movie in my head as I read. This is simply because the author has either a deep knowledge of the military or has seriously done his homework. A really good job either way. If political / military novels are your thing them you wont find one finer than this.
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