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Every Kingdom Divided
2035 A.D. After the 2nd American Civil War
Jack Pasternak, a laid-back California doctor, receives a garbled distress call from his fiancée in Maryland before her transmissions stop altogether. Unfortunately for Jack, citizens of the Blue States are no longer allowed to cross Red America.
He is faced with an impossible choice: ignore his lover's peril or risk his own life and sanity by venturing into the dark heart of The Red States. When the armies of the Mexican Reconquista come marching into Los Angeles, Jack's hand is forced and he heads east in an old-fashioned gas guzzling car.
Stephen Kozeniewski, writer of BRAINEATER JONES, THE GHOUL ARCHIPELAGO, and BILLY AND THE CLONEASAURUS, brings an epic future adventure.
Jack Pasternak, a laid-back California doctor, receives a garbled distress call from his fiancée in Maryland before her transmissions stop altogether. Unfortunately for Jack, citizens of the Blue States are no longer allowed to cross Red America.
He is faced with an impossible choice: ignore his lover's peril or risk his own life and sanity by venturing into the dark heart of The Red States. When the armies of the Mexican Reconquista come marching into Los Angeles, Jack's hand is forced and he heads east in an old-fashioned gas guzzling car.
Stephen Kozeniewski, writer of BRAINEATER JONES, THE GHOUL ARCHIPELAGO, and BILLY AND THE CLONEASAURUS, brings an epic future adventure.
- GenresDystopia
467 pages, Paperback
Published December 16, 2015
9 people are currently reading
239 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Kozeniewski
46 books436 followersStephen Kozeniewski (pronounced "causin' ooze key") is a Splatterpunk Award-winning author and two-time World Horror Grossout Contest champion. His published work has also been nominated for the Voice Arts and Indie Horror Book Awards, among other honors. He lives in Pennsylvania with his fiancée and their two cats above a fanciful balloon studio.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 20, 2015
Found it to be a humorous romp, with a little bit of everything for everybody. Very enjoyable.
June 19, 2016
The second Civil War hasn’t united America, it has turned it into a palette of enemy factions, each claiming the their position to be right, each claiming their borders as sovereign, and each wanting to have the entire pie for themselves and their people. Reds, Whites, Blues, religious zealots killing under the guise of salvation and a Higher Power, pacifists, who kill to uphold their tenet of NOT killing, atheists and agnostics who believe this is it, you live once, do it right.
Jack, a doctor from California, sarcastic, quick-witted and a citizen of the Blue States undertakes a perilous journey into the deadly Red States on a quest to save his lover in Maryland. Not to worry Motor City, he’s doing it in a good old-fashioned, gas guzzling muscle car, way to not stick out, huh?
Valiant as his quest may be, it’s the journey that makes a reluctant and unlikely hero more powerful than a snake charmer, able to evade death with his golden tongue. What will he find at the end of his journey? Who will he be? Will his beliefs change? Follow Jack as he sees violence and hatred in action, plays the game of lie or be lied to and faces down the barrels of his executioners alone when dawn arrives, which is where he is when we first meet him.
Every Kingdom Divided by Stephen Kozeniewski is another stellar and completely entertaining read from this talented author! Mr. Kozeniewski knows how to grab his readers by their imaginations and present a futuristic dystopian tale that is filled with witty banter, brilliant characters who are multi-faceted, and scenes that left me wondering, was this really a time to be laughing or smirking, this is war, after all. Often light-hearted, always well-written, never dull or predictable! And Jack? Hands down, even without a cape, he is a hero! Too bad he couldn’t fly, though…
I received this copy from Stephen Kozeniewski in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Mirror Matter Press (December 15, 2015)
Publication Date: December 15, 2015
Genre: Futuristic sci-fi | Dystopian
Print Length: 292 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Jack, a doctor from California, sarcastic, quick-witted and a citizen of the Blue States undertakes a perilous journey into the deadly Red States on a quest to save his lover in Maryland. Not to worry Motor City, he’s doing it in a good old-fashioned, gas guzzling muscle car, way to not stick out, huh?
Valiant as his quest may be, it’s the journey that makes a reluctant and unlikely hero more powerful than a snake charmer, able to evade death with his golden tongue. What will he find at the end of his journey? Who will he be? Will his beliefs change? Follow Jack as he sees violence and hatred in action, plays the game of lie or be lied to and faces down the barrels of his executioners alone when dawn arrives, which is where he is when we first meet him.
Every Kingdom Divided by Stephen Kozeniewski is another stellar and completely entertaining read from this talented author! Mr. Kozeniewski knows how to grab his readers by their imaginations and present a futuristic dystopian tale that is filled with witty banter, brilliant characters who are multi-faceted, and scenes that left me wondering, was this really a time to be laughing or smirking, this is war, after all. Often light-hearted, always well-written, never dull or predictable! And Jack? Hands down, even without a cape, he is a hero! Too bad he couldn’t fly, though…
I received this copy from Stephen Kozeniewski in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Mirror Matter Press (December 15, 2015)
Publication Date: December 15, 2015
Genre: Futuristic sci-fi | Dystopian
Print Length: 292 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
March 31, 2016
I'm not usually a standalone novelist sort of fellow but a friend of mine asked me who I thought was the best standalone novelist I read in independent fiction. I was like, "That's a pretty loaded question, friend." I knew a lot of author who would be offended if I didn't pick them because we are, by nature, a prickly and narcissistic lot. However, after a long time, I decided the answer was Stephen Kozeniewski. He's the author of The Ghoul Archipelago, Braineater Jones, Billy and the Cloneasaurus, and now Every Kingdom Divided.
Stephen's work is quirky, funny, weird, and damned entertaining. In a planet full of people who do basically variants on other people's stories, they're pretty damned unique. Don't get me wrong, I don't think Stephen will be joining the ranks of the Hemmingways of the world anytime soon but he writes books which stick in my mind. Braineater Jones, in particular, is a work which I put at 2nd or 3rd for favorite zombie novel of all time. Which, if you notice the literal hundreds of them I've read, is quite the accomplishment.
Part of Stephen's appeal is he's a 'one and done' sort of author. While I tend to prefer series it's nice to be able to pick up a book and have everything told at the end. This can mean any number of things but he's not afraid to kill his darlings or let them have their happily ever afters. It helps keep things interesting and Every Kingdom Divided is no exception with the premise getting dealt with rather than using it as the springboard to tell however many tales the author wanted to about the setting.
But enough about the author, what about Every Kingdom Divided? The title comes from Matthew 12:25, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand." It's a dystopian road-trip novel in the style of A Boy and his Dog or the Fallout games with a self-styled doctor named Jack and his companion Haley traveling across the Divided States of America. America has descended into a shooting war between the Red and Blue states with moderates (called "Whites") shooting at both.
It's also hilarious.
The definition of satire is "the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues." Here, it's the depiction of conservatives and liberals at their absolute worst. The Reds being a theme-park depiction of a gun-toting rednecks hiding behind Jesus while the Blues are a totalitarian surveillance state which hides its authoritarianism behind bread and circuses. The politics could easily be insufferable if not for the fact both sides are depicted as ridiculous rather than serious depictions of how the world might go someday.
The book is slightly more sympathetic to the Blues than the Reds but not by much with the majority of it consisting of Jack relating his story to the General of a Blue military base who has him ready to be shot as a Red spy. Jack, himself, is a born Blue from California who just wants to find his fiance but finds himself becoming increasingly enamored with his Red and White traveling companions. Some of the developments are ridiculous but in this hyper-stylized Judge Dredd-esque world, I can't say they don't fit.
Much like the Bioshock games, the fundamental message of "extremism is bad" isn't a particularly new or deep one but I'm not reading the book for its political lessons. Instead, I read it for the enjoyable excess as Jack travels from one insane situation to the next. From dealing with people smugglers in Las Vegas to being made the son-in-law of the Red's President, his story repeatedly twists and turns into ludicrous pretzels which he only gets out of with his one useful skill: lying.
Jack is a decent protagonist, serving as an everyman without being so average as to be boring or a blank-slate. He's a self-educated professional liar with just enough medical training to pass himself off as a doctor and sincere in his desire to find his girlfriend. Haley is the runaway daughter of a Red family who has adopted the pot-smoking drop-out lifestyle of the Blues' lethargic citizenry yet now misses her family. Grenades is a badass action girl serving the Whites but with her own reasons for helping the other heroes. I came to like them all by the book's middle, let alone end.
The ending of the novel is the only real misstep in the story as it's far-far too upbeat and happy for what is mostly a stinging indictment of human stupidity. An ending where the heroes barely escape with their lives or some of them don't walk away would work much better, in my humble opinion, but 90% of the novel is extremely good.
If you're not particularly thin-skinned about your politics or if you simply don't mind the US of A being populated by a bunch of murderous ideological crazy-people then this is a very fund book to curl up to. It never lets you think any of this is to be taken seriously and thus actually allows its message to be taken on the reader's own terms.
9/10
Stephen's work is quirky, funny, weird, and damned entertaining. In a planet full of people who do basically variants on other people's stories, they're pretty damned unique. Don't get me wrong, I don't think Stephen will be joining the ranks of the Hemmingways of the world anytime soon but he writes books which stick in my mind. Braineater Jones, in particular, is a work which I put at 2nd or 3rd for favorite zombie novel of all time. Which, if you notice the literal hundreds of them I've read, is quite the accomplishment.
Part of Stephen's appeal is he's a 'one and done' sort of author. While I tend to prefer series it's nice to be able to pick up a book and have everything told at the end. This can mean any number of things but he's not afraid to kill his darlings or let them have their happily ever afters. It helps keep things interesting and Every Kingdom Divided is no exception with the premise getting dealt with rather than using it as the springboard to tell however many tales the author wanted to about the setting.
But enough about the author, what about Every Kingdom Divided? The title comes from Matthew 12:25, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand." It's a dystopian road-trip novel in the style of A Boy and his Dog or the Fallout games with a self-styled doctor named Jack and his companion Haley traveling across the Divided States of America. America has descended into a shooting war between the Red and Blue states with moderates (called "Whites") shooting at both.
It's also hilarious.
The definition of satire is "the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues." Here, it's the depiction of conservatives and liberals at their absolute worst. The Reds being a theme-park depiction of a gun-toting rednecks hiding behind Jesus while the Blues are a totalitarian surveillance state which hides its authoritarianism behind bread and circuses. The politics could easily be insufferable if not for the fact both sides are depicted as ridiculous rather than serious depictions of how the world might go someday.
The book is slightly more sympathetic to the Blues than the Reds but not by much with the majority of it consisting of Jack relating his story to the General of a Blue military base who has him ready to be shot as a Red spy. Jack, himself, is a born Blue from California who just wants to find his fiance but finds himself becoming increasingly enamored with his Red and White traveling companions. Some of the developments are ridiculous but in this hyper-stylized Judge Dredd-esque world, I can't say they don't fit.
Much like the Bioshock games, the fundamental message of "extremism is bad" isn't a particularly new or deep one but I'm not reading the book for its political lessons. Instead, I read it for the enjoyable excess as Jack travels from one insane situation to the next. From dealing with people smugglers in Las Vegas to being made the son-in-law of the Red's President, his story repeatedly twists and turns into ludicrous pretzels which he only gets out of with his one useful skill: lying.
Jack is a decent protagonist, serving as an everyman without being so average as to be boring or a blank-slate. He's a self-educated professional liar with just enough medical training to pass himself off as a doctor and sincere in his desire to find his girlfriend. Haley is the runaway daughter of a Red family who has adopted the pot-smoking drop-out lifestyle of the Blues' lethargic citizenry yet now misses her family. Grenades is a badass action girl serving the Whites but with her own reasons for helping the other heroes. I came to like them all by the book's middle, let alone end.
The ending of the novel is the only real misstep in the story as it's far-far too upbeat and happy for what is mostly a stinging indictment of human stupidity. An ending where the heroes barely escape with their lives or some of them don't walk away would work much better, in my humble opinion, but 90% of the novel is extremely good.
If you're not particularly thin-skinned about your politics or if you simply don't mind the US of A being populated by a bunch of murderous ideological crazy-people then this is a very fund book to curl up to. It never lets you think any of this is to be taken seriously and thus actually allows its message to be taken on the reader's own terms.
9/10
May 5, 2022
Another great read from Stephen Kozeniewski. This was a very interesting and exciting story, told in a sort of flash back manner. The characters well great, along with the pacing. We need to find more from Stephen Kozeniewski. #EveryKingdomDivided #NetGalley
May 14, 2017
*I read this book for my own enjoyment.
When Jack receives a text from his fiancee asking for help, Jack is determined to transverse the divided country and dangerous lands to come to her aid. From California to the far East coast he goes, crossing battle lines in America's civil war.
We get two stories in this book. Where Jack is currently as he tells his story of why and how he got here. Each chapter is one of the two places, keeping the feel as though he's in the moment. It's easy to follow as he does have a lead in at the end of current chapters to let us know he's returning to the story.
This world is crazy divided! So many issues in America. The country is divided by these issues and at war with itself. Everyone's beliefs have come to strong points and they will stand by them. We see these strong differences as Jack travels across the country and lives through each place. This story was written and published over a year ago, but it's something that strongly relates to the many different beliefs in our country, something that makes us strong but could easily divide us as well - like it does here.
The different divisions of America have their own slang to go with their beliefs. At times the slang slowed me a tad as I was reading, making me think on what the words meant again. Thankfully Stephen has a glossary for the words at the beginning. I suggest taking a glance over these so you are aware going in. I did and it helped place the words. But eventually I came to read the words and keep going, aware they were slang and what they meant.
When the book started, I was curious to see how Jack would get away from the firing squad. Then I grew curious of what Jack tells he's come across on his way to help his fiancee, and what trouble she was in. As his travels start, I became interested in the world that was new yet old. There were small curiosities that I wanted to know more about, like the woman that decided to travel with him. In the sections where Jack is currently I was lead to wonder if Jack's really telling a tall tale or if it was all true. I wasn't sure, and wanted to find that out too. And I learn all these things.
Jack's story shows how he's grown to become friends with people in two of the three fighting fractions in America. These three shouldn't be friends, they are of the different divisions of the world, but they are. They've risen above the lines of Red, Blue, or White and beliefs that are strong to become more. We see it through what they live through and their actions to help each other.
Thinking on the three friends, I really like the moral that is portrayed here. There is a reason behind the story and something to think on. A feel that all can be friends no matter beliefs, as long as you are willing. Something wonderful about this book, through all these characters live through and the moral you pick up on in the end, there is a lightness to the story that makes the traveling Jack's done seem as though it's a story to keep him safe from the firing squad. There is a ease at which the characters converse that keeps the story light.
This journey all fits together in the last few chapters. How all the people Jack meet on his journey are connected in the world. We learn why Jack is here. And does Jack finally find Lara?
For me this was a light, fun read that had more depth to it than I realized until the end. It was enjoyable.
When Jack receives a text from his fiancee asking for help, Jack is determined to transverse the divided country and dangerous lands to come to her aid. From California to the far East coast he goes, crossing battle lines in America's civil war.
We get two stories in this book. Where Jack is currently as he tells his story of why and how he got here. Each chapter is one of the two places, keeping the feel as though he's in the moment. It's easy to follow as he does have a lead in at the end of current chapters to let us know he's returning to the story.
This world is crazy divided! So many issues in America. The country is divided by these issues and at war with itself. Everyone's beliefs have come to strong points and they will stand by them. We see these strong differences as Jack travels across the country and lives through each place. This story was written and published over a year ago, but it's something that strongly relates to the many different beliefs in our country, something that makes us strong but could easily divide us as well - like it does here.
The different divisions of America have their own slang to go with their beliefs. At times the slang slowed me a tad as I was reading, making me think on what the words meant again. Thankfully Stephen has a glossary for the words at the beginning. I suggest taking a glance over these so you are aware going in. I did and it helped place the words. But eventually I came to read the words and keep going, aware they were slang and what they meant.
When the book started, I was curious to see how Jack would get away from the firing squad. Then I grew curious of what Jack tells he's come across on his way to help his fiancee, and what trouble she was in. As his travels start, I became interested in the world that was new yet old. There were small curiosities that I wanted to know more about, like the woman that decided to travel with him. In the sections where Jack is currently I was lead to wonder if Jack's really telling a tall tale or if it was all true. I wasn't sure, and wanted to find that out too. And I learn all these things.
Jack's story shows how he's grown to become friends with people in two of the three fighting fractions in America. These three shouldn't be friends, they are of the different divisions of the world, but they are. They've risen above the lines of Red, Blue, or White and beliefs that are strong to become more. We see it through what they live through and their actions to help each other.
Thinking on the three friends, I really like the moral that is portrayed here. There is a reason behind the story and something to think on. A feel that all can be friends no matter beliefs, as long as you are willing. Something wonderful about this book, through all these characters live through and the moral you pick up on in the end, there is a lightness to the story that makes the traveling Jack's done seem as though it's a story to keep him safe from the firing squad. There is a ease at which the characters converse that keeps the story light.
This journey all fits together in the last few chapters. How all the people Jack meet on his journey are connected in the world. We learn why Jack is here. And does Jack finally find Lara?
For me this was a light, fun read that had more depth to it than I realized until the end. It was enjoyable.
December 11, 2019
This is my first Kozeniewski (“Braineater Jones” is at the top of my TBR list, though) and I feel incredibly grateful to the goddess of a reviewer at Literary Litter for introducing me to his work. In a recent blog post on indie writers, she writes, “Just when you thought everything had been thought of, here comes this man who has original ideas and a natural talent for sharing them with you.” Um, yes. And YES. Let me forgo, for a moment, his incredible wordsmith-ness, his intelligent and witty prose, his vivid world, and his band of unique and colorful characters, and let me just reiterate the above statement: Kozeniewski knows how to invent a story and write it as though it is an effortlessly-wrought tale. In other words, it reads without toil.
In the vein of Philip K. Dick’s “The Man in the High Castle,” “Every Kingdom Divided” offers an alternate, if not too far in the distant future, United States of America. The country is torn apart by a civil war that has Mexico moving upward, reclaiming territory, and Canada in the awkward position of needing a unified southern ally, if only for commerce and trade. The imagined setting is all too real because Kozeniewski is not only an H-E-double hockey sticks of a writer but an intelligent one to boot. The strength of his futuristic USA is in the fine details, and its echoes of the divided and contentious society we live in today. Though he adds so much more, he is well aware of the political and social consequences that may arise if a divided kingdom does in fact split apart.
But what’s more is that he has tied up his sordid and vivid picture of a futuristic, civil-warring America in an entertaining and viable plot with a protagonist, Jack Pasternak, who is too charming not to love. It is Jack, in fact, in front of a firing squad, who draws us into the story, living it in the present and re-living it for us as he tells his tale, playing tour guide through the landscape of an un-United States. I won’t even try to summarize the plot (I rarely do in my reviews) but I will tell you that you can trust this writer and give yourself over to his writing. It is rich. It is playful. And you will be a better reader for having read “Every Kingdom Divided.” Kozeniewski is a master with language (he is a linguist, for heaven’s sake!) and, in an enviable Shakespearean manner, has given birth to some vocabulary that just might catch on.
To writers looking for imaginative and creative writing to inspire them, read Kozeniewski. To readers looking for their next entertaining read, one for which they will secretly hope that Netflix or Amazon will produce as a streamie, read Kozeniewski. And to anyone who has long agreed with Friedrich Schlegel, the German philosopher who claimed that the novel’s fictive narrative has symbolic meaning and that the poet is to use a new mythology “forged from the deepest depths of the spirit” that will mythify the realistic narrative by using his imaginative faculty to unite the real with the ideal, read Kozeniewski. This writer has done that. He, somehow, has done that.
In the vein of Philip K. Dick’s “The Man in the High Castle,” “Every Kingdom Divided” offers an alternate, if not too far in the distant future, United States of America. The country is torn apart by a civil war that has Mexico moving upward, reclaiming territory, and Canada in the awkward position of needing a unified southern ally, if only for commerce and trade. The imagined setting is all too real because Kozeniewski is not only an H-E-double hockey sticks of a writer but an intelligent one to boot. The strength of his futuristic USA is in the fine details, and its echoes of the divided and contentious society we live in today. Though he adds so much more, he is well aware of the political and social consequences that may arise if a divided kingdom does in fact split apart.
But what’s more is that he has tied up his sordid and vivid picture of a futuristic, civil-warring America in an entertaining and viable plot with a protagonist, Jack Pasternak, who is too charming not to love. It is Jack, in fact, in front of a firing squad, who draws us into the story, living it in the present and re-living it for us as he tells his tale, playing tour guide through the landscape of an un-United States. I won’t even try to summarize the plot (I rarely do in my reviews) but I will tell you that you can trust this writer and give yourself over to his writing. It is rich. It is playful. And you will be a better reader for having read “Every Kingdom Divided.” Kozeniewski is a master with language (he is a linguist, for heaven’s sake!) and, in an enviable Shakespearean manner, has given birth to some vocabulary that just might catch on.
To writers looking for imaginative and creative writing to inspire them, read Kozeniewski. To readers looking for their next entertaining read, one for which they will secretly hope that Netflix or Amazon will produce as a streamie, read Kozeniewski. And to anyone who has long agreed with Friedrich Schlegel, the German philosopher who claimed that the novel’s fictive narrative has symbolic meaning and that the poet is to use a new mythology “forged from the deepest depths of the spirit” that will mythify the realistic narrative by using his imaginative faculty to unite the real with the ideal, read Kozeniewski. This writer has done that. He, somehow, has done that.
October 9, 2017
I met Stephen Kozeniewski quite by accident. The pair of us (Actually, the three of us if you include Mary Fan) had been placed at neighboring tables at Farpoint Con back in 2015. Like most authors, between lulls we chatted. He was personable, funny, and seemed pretty cool, but he was a horror writer... and I don't really do horror. However, as small worlds go, we kept finding each other at various Cons. At this year's Shoreleave, I decided to take a chance on this particular book.
I'm glad I did.
Thankfully, Every Kingdom Divided is dystopia not horror.... and it's a very good one. It tells of a North American continent only slightly more partisan than our own where the rhetorical bombshells have been placed by real ones.
Surprisingly, it opens using the same device as Man of La Mancha and with much the same success.
In Man of la Mancha, Cervantes is thrown into a dungeon and awaits his death. His fellow prisoners prepare to beat on him and obliterate his possessions. When they find his manuscript of Don Quioxte, he begs them to spare it from the fire. The prisoners grab him and beat him. They want warmth the book can provide not stories and besides are probably illiterate. To save his book.. and not his life, he spins a story.
Every Kingdom Divided starts the same way. A prisoner faced with a firing squad argues for his life with the promise of a story. Kozeniewski's tale shares the same understanding of satire infused with tragedy as Quioxte. Inside Kingdom's pages, you will find a well-paced, smoothly written book, characters with depth, high stakes, and flaws real enough that you find yourself caring... both for the lives of the prisoner and those in his narrative.
Every Kingdom Divided is an easy read, a fun read, and best of all, one that has a few moments of genuine humor. Despite my description of this as dystopia, it is not grim, though there is desperation. Rather, it's an easy read and a cool escape. It even has plenty of mindless violence if you need that.
I will say there are a few times where the gimmick of the prisoner telling his story wears thin... a few times where I thought to myself... Nah, there are important things afoot and they wouldn't have time for this, but the story itself was good enough overall that I let that go in the wash.
By the end of the tale, it even has something a little rare in today's dystopian fiction. A thread of kindness and hope.
I'm glad I read Kozeniewski's tale of divided kingdoms. I'm still not sure I want to try out his take on horror, but I suspect if this is an example of his craftsmanship... readers will be in good hands.
I'm glad I did.
Thankfully, Every Kingdom Divided is dystopia not horror.... and it's a very good one. It tells of a North American continent only slightly more partisan than our own where the rhetorical bombshells have been placed by real ones.
Surprisingly, it opens using the same device as Man of La Mancha and with much the same success.
In Man of la Mancha, Cervantes is thrown into a dungeon and awaits his death. His fellow prisoners prepare to beat on him and obliterate his possessions. When they find his manuscript of Don Quioxte, he begs them to spare it from the fire. The prisoners grab him and beat him. They want warmth the book can provide not stories and besides are probably illiterate. To save his book.. and not his life, he spins a story.
Every Kingdom Divided starts the same way. A prisoner faced with a firing squad argues for his life with the promise of a story. Kozeniewski's tale shares the same understanding of satire infused with tragedy as Quioxte. Inside Kingdom's pages, you will find a well-paced, smoothly written book, characters with depth, high stakes, and flaws real enough that you find yourself caring... both for the lives of the prisoner and those in his narrative.
Every Kingdom Divided is an easy read, a fun read, and best of all, one that has a few moments of genuine humor. Despite my description of this as dystopia, it is not grim, though there is desperation. Rather, it's an easy read and a cool escape. It even has plenty of mindless violence if you need that.
I will say there are a few times where the gimmick of the prisoner telling his story wears thin... a few times where I thought to myself... Nah, there are important things afoot and they wouldn't have time for this, but the story itself was good enough overall that I let that go in the wash.
By the end of the tale, it even has something a little rare in today's dystopian fiction. A thread of kindness and hope.
I'm glad I read Kozeniewski's tale of divided kingdoms. I'm still not sure I want to try out his take on horror, but I suspect if this is an example of his craftsmanship... readers will be in good hands.
March 1, 2016
4.5 x 5 Stars!
This novel has a range of wonderful genres within it. It's a war novel, dystopian, action/adventure with plenty of political twists and turns. You'll find all of that in this book.
We start out with Jack, who is a pretty funny fellow, full of the dark, witty, Kozeniewski humor that I've always enjoyed in his novels. We're introduced to him while he faces a firing squad and with that silver tongue of his, manages to stall and tell the story of how he came into the predicament. It turns out to be quite the tale and had his executor, as well as the reader, compelled to know more.
There were a few changes in the future, not a whole lot of technological changes, but the country has divided and no one seems able to see eye to eye anymore, it's all about controlling one another. There's also the change in swear words. The F word (though it does still exist) is now frell. Kind of reminded me of "Battlestar Galactica" with a few of the swear-changes. You can change the word, but you can't change the meaning!
The adventure was a lot of fun to listen to, and how Jack managed to get through each of them is never predictable and keeps the reader on their toes. Most of his antics and the humor injected into the writing kept me wanting to know more.
As is usual, diversity of any caliber is accepted in Kozeniewski's novels, which I liked. I can't say that I much cared about the war, mostly it was about the characters like Jack, Haly, Grenade, and even Graves. They made the story churn and created something fun.
CONCLUSION
Some of it ran a bit long, but overall the story, the message, and the main characters were fun and the adventure, as Jack told it, kept the story flowing. I think this would be well suited for action/adventure fans.
This novel has a range of wonderful genres within it. It's a war novel, dystopian, action/adventure with plenty of political twists and turns. You'll find all of that in this book.
We start out with Jack, who is a pretty funny fellow, full of the dark, witty, Kozeniewski humor that I've always enjoyed in his novels. We're introduced to him while he faces a firing squad and with that silver tongue of his, manages to stall and tell the story of how he came into the predicament. It turns out to be quite the tale and had his executor, as well as the reader, compelled to know more.
There were a few changes in the future, not a whole lot of technological changes, but the country has divided and no one seems able to see eye to eye anymore, it's all about controlling one another. There's also the change in swear words. The F word (though it does still exist) is now frell. Kind of reminded me of "Battlestar Galactica" with a few of the swear-changes. You can change the word, but you can't change the meaning!
The adventure was a lot of fun to listen to, and how Jack managed to get through each of them is never predictable and keeps the reader on their toes. Most of his antics and the humor injected into the writing kept me wanting to know more.
As is usual, diversity of any caliber is accepted in Kozeniewski's novels, which I liked. I can't say that I much cared about the war, mostly it was about the characters like Jack, Haly, Grenade, and even Graves. They made the story churn and created something fun.
CONCLUSION
Some of it ran a bit long, but overall the story, the message, and the main characters were fun and the adventure, as Jack told it, kept the story flowing. I think this would be well suited for action/adventure fans.
November 17, 2016
First, I want it established that I'm a huge fan of Kozeniewski's work. Wherever you lead, Kozy, I shall follow!
What I love most about Kozy's work is that they're unique. This isn't something you've read before. It's not the same story told over and over. See what I did there? Yeah...none of his books will give you that feeling. It's something fresh and new every time. This book is no exception.
I honestly thought that this would be the first of Kozy's books that I didn't enjoy. I'm not into the whole military, political, blah blah blech thing. There's a lot of that going on in here. The bulk of the story is made up of political figures and military personnel. Toss in the fact that most of the states are separated because of religious beliefs, and it's guaranteed to be a book I don't want to read. BUT! Considering that this was an author that I've followed since the beginning and he's never let me down, I figured I had to give it a shot.
I've heard a lot of whining from authors out there regarding reviews. 'Waaah! Why would they offer to review it and give me a bad review when it's not their genre?' Blah. Let me set you people straight. This book is not my genre. Had it been written by nearly anyone else, I wouldn't have even attempted it. Reading goes so much further than preferred genre. So, to you authors who are whining about getting poor reviews and blaming it on the fact that it's not the reviewer's genre...GET OVER IT! Read on to find out why...
First, we have amazing characters. They come from all walks of life and they're all personal and believable. Once I can get some intimate information about a character, I feel the connection. Here we have main characters that immediately make us feel connected to them. Sometimes it's words, sometimes nuances, sometimes the fact that they spill their secrets to us, but it's there with every character. Each one has been created uniquely and perfectly. Some you'll love, some you'll hate, some you'll want to kick in the nads. You get the entire range of emotion that you would from people in real life.
Most of the story is told in sort of a back and forth motion. We have Jack who is caught in a precarious position and he's being forced to tell the story of how he arrived there. It's a classic case of 'you can't make this up.' Of course, it IS made up, but his story is so messed up that you can't help but believe it. I actually really loved that the story was told in this manner. First, we get all the back story along the way and it's told from Frank's point of view. The thing is, Jack is a darn funny guy! Not to mention the fact that his story is fascinating. Then, we have all of the current stuff going on with the situation he's stuck in. So, just as we're really getting into Jack's story, we get pulled out for current action. Now, you'd think this would make the book feel disjointed, but it really doesn't. It's more like having a ton of cliffhangers shoved together and you have to hurry and get through them to figure out what's going to happen next as well as what has happened. You don't get the disjointed and angry feeling at all. In fact, while you're reading the past you're anxious to get back to current events and vice versa. It's actually quite brilliant.
My issue is the ending of the story. Once Jack tells his tale up to the current position, the story takes off and is one fluid motion. We have main characters that are split up and we go back and forth between them, but there's no more time exchange. I still really enjoyed this and found the same cliffhanger feeling as earlier in the book. However, I really hated the ending. It is what it is. It's what happened. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it and I'm sure most of you will love it. I hated it. Why? It's too....well it's a little too perfect in my opinion. I don't want to put in any spoilers, so it's difficult to really explain this part. There is nothing wrong with the ending other than that I didn't like it. I think it should have ended differently, but I'm not sure how. I don't have any suggestions to make it better and I think it's the best possible ending. I just don't like it. See what I did there? All that rambling? That's what happens when you try to explain the unexplainable. I just didn't like it!
This book was so not my genre, but I didn't mind a bit. I still really enjoyed the ride. The military, religious and political aspects weren't overpowering and dull. If you're putting this book to the side because it's not your genre, I strongly suggest you rethink your position. It's full of action, wit and delicious intrigue. Most of the book you're on the edge of your seat just trying to get to what's happening next. Thanks to Kozy's storytelling talent, you don't even take the time to try to figure out what's going to happen next...you just want to get there. And everything you learn on the way to getting there only makes you want to know more.
What I love most about Kozy's work is that they're unique. This isn't something you've read before. It's not the same story told over and over. See what I did there? Yeah...none of his books will give you that feeling. It's something fresh and new every time. This book is no exception.
I honestly thought that this would be the first of Kozy's books that I didn't enjoy. I'm not into the whole military, political, blah blah blech thing. There's a lot of that going on in here. The bulk of the story is made up of political figures and military personnel. Toss in the fact that most of the states are separated because of religious beliefs, and it's guaranteed to be a book I don't want to read. BUT! Considering that this was an author that I've followed since the beginning and he's never let me down, I figured I had to give it a shot.
I've heard a lot of whining from authors out there regarding reviews. 'Waaah! Why would they offer to review it and give me a bad review when it's not their genre?' Blah. Let me set you people straight. This book is not my genre. Had it been written by nearly anyone else, I wouldn't have even attempted it. Reading goes so much further than preferred genre. So, to you authors who are whining about getting poor reviews and blaming it on the fact that it's not the reviewer's genre...GET OVER IT! Read on to find out why...
First, we have amazing characters. They come from all walks of life and they're all personal and believable. Once I can get some intimate information about a character, I feel the connection. Here we have main characters that immediately make us feel connected to them. Sometimes it's words, sometimes nuances, sometimes the fact that they spill their secrets to us, but it's there with every character. Each one has been created uniquely and perfectly. Some you'll love, some you'll hate, some you'll want to kick in the nads. You get the entire range of emotion that you would from people in real life.
Most of the story is told in sort of a back and forth motion. We have Jack who is caught in a precarious position and he's being forced to tell the story of how he arrived there. It's a classic case of 'you can't make this up.' Of course, it IS made up, but his story is so messed up that you can't help but believe it. I actually really loved that the story was told in this manner. First, we get all the back story along the way and it's told from Frank's point of view. The thing is, Jack is a darn funny guy! Not to mention the fact that his story is fascinating. Then, we have all of the current stuff going on with the situation he's stuck in. So, just as we're really getting into Jack's story, we get pulled out for current action. Now, you'd think this would make the book feel disjointed, but it really doesn't. It's more like having a ton of cliffhangers shoved together and you have to hurry and get through them to figure out what's going to happen next as well as what has happened. You don't get the disjointed and angry feeling at all. In fact, while you're reading the past you're anxious to get back to current events and vice versa. It's actually quite brilliant.
My issue is the ending of the story. Once Jack tells his tale up to the current position, the story takes off and is one fluid motion. We have main characters that are split up and we go back and forth between them, but there's no more time exchange. I still really enjoyed this and found the same cliffhanger feeling as earlier in the book. However, I really hated the ending. It is what it is. It's what happened. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it and I'm sure most of you will love it. I hated it. Why? It's too....well it's a little too perfect in my opinion. I don't want to put in any spoilers, so it's difficult to really explain this part. There is nothing wrong with the ending other than that I didn't like it. I think it should have ended differently, but I'm not sure how. I don't have any suggestions to make it better and I think it's the best possible ending. I just don't like it. See what I did there? All that rambling? That's what happens when you try to explain the unexplainable. I just didn't like it!
This book was so not my genre, but I didn't mind a bit. I still really enjoyed the ride. The military, religious and political aspects weren't overpowering and dull. If you're putting this book to the side because it's not your genre, I strongly suggest you rethink your position. It's full of action, wit and delicious intrigue. Most of the book you're on the edge of your seat just trying to get to what's happening next. Thanks to Kozy's storytelling talent, you don't even take the time to try to figure out what's going to happen next...you just want to get there. And everything you learn on the way to getting there only makes you want to know more.
February 20, 2016
cool story bro
JK here's a real review
The year is 2035, and the once United States of America have fractured after the 2nd American Civil War. When Jack Pasternak, a doctor living in California, receives a distress call from his fiancee in Maryland, he knows he has to come to her aid. One problem: While California and Maryland are Blue States, the territory in between belongs to the enemy, Red America. Undaunted, Jack sets off on a cross-country trip and finds himself accompanied by an unlikely companion: the intrepid barista Haley, who, it turns out, is more than she appears to be. Further complicating matters, a third force, the Mexican Reconquista, is marching on Los Angeles. Jack soon finds himself at the heart of a vicious three-way war... and his actions may have more impact on the fate of the nation than he anticipated.
Every Kingdom Divided begins at the end: with Jack facing the business end of a firing squad. Having made it to Blue Pennsylvania, he's accused of being a traitor and a Red spy. But, in the style of Scheherazade, he's able to stall his execution by telling his story, revealing details of his journey bit by bit. Meanwhile, the enemy forces are closing in on the base... and Jack winds up in the thick of the situation. The book alternates between the "present" and the "past" in two parallel plot lines that eventually tie together in crucial ways.
Cynical and smart-mouthed, Jack is the type of character who smirks in the face of danger. He's joined by a colorful cast of supporting characters, each of whom crackles with his or her own style and wit. Also, a heroic cat who actually plays a critical role in the plot. Full of snappy dialogue, thrilling action, tight pacing, and unique worldbuilding, Every Kingdom Divided is easily binge-readable (and binge-read it I did). The gritty, dystopian world it takes place in feels raw, lived-in, and believable... Familiar enough that it all feels real sprinkled with low-key sci-fi technology that place in the not-so-distant future. I've read all of Kozeniewski's published full-length novels to date, and one of his greatest strengths as a writer is his dry sense of humor--it's what brings each of his stories to life and makes them fun and entertaining even as the characters face terrible circumstances.
But this book isn't all fun and games. Far from it. The fractured nation that once was the United States of America, with zealots and blind partisanship on both sides, is a scathing critique of today's political atmosphere and, to some extent, a cautionary tale. It's a dystopian satire that both mocks and reflects, with an intelligently written and well thought-out point-of-view lurking beneath the adventure-tale surface. I was seriously impressed by how this book managed to be both a fast-paced dystopian thrill-ride and a biting political commentary at the same time. Yet it's got hopeful undertones, and it all leads to an immensely satisfying ending.
Mr. Kozeniewski, I doff my sparkly sequined cap to you.
JK here's a real review
The year is 2035, and the once United States of America have fractured after the 2nd American Civil War. When Jack Pasternak, a doctor living in California, receives a distress call from his fiancee in Maryland, he knows he has to come to her aid. One problem: While California and Maryland are Blue States, the territory in between belongs to the enemy, Red America. Undaunted, Jack sets off on a cross-country trip and finds himself accompanied by an unlikely companion: the intrepid barista Haley, who, it turns out, is more than she appears to be. Further complicating matters, a third force, the Mexican Reconquista, is marching on Los Angeles. Jack soon finds himself at the heart of a vicious three-way war... and his actions may have more impact on the fate of the nation than he anticipated.
Every Kingdom Divided begins at the end: with Jack facing the business end of a firing squad. Having made it to Blue Pennsylvania, he's accused of being a traitor and a Red spy. But, in the style of Scheherazade, he's able to stall his execution by telling his story, revealing details of his journey bit by bit. Meanwhile, the enemy forces are closing in on the base... and Jack winds up in the thick of the situation. The book alternates between the "present" and the "past" in two parallel plot lines that eventually tie together in crucial ways.
Cynical and smart-mouthed, Jack is the type of character who smirks in the face of danger. He's joined by a colorful cast of supporting characters, each of whom crackles with his or her own style and wit. Also, a heroic cat who actually plays a critical role in the plot. Full of snappy dialogue, thrilling action, tight pacing, and unique worldbuilding, Every Kingdom Divided is easily binge-readable (and binge-read it I did). The gritty, dystopian world it takes place in feels raw, lived-in, and believable... Familiar enough that it all feels real sprinkled with low-key sci-fi technology that place in the not-so-distant future. I've read all of Kozeniewski's published full-length novels to date, and one of his greatest strengths as a writer is his dry sense of humor--it's what brings each of his stories to life and makes them fun and entertaining even as the characters face terrible circumstances.
But this book isn't all fun and games. Far from it. The fractured nation that once was the United States of America, with zealots and blind partisanship on both sides, is a scathing critique of today's political atmosphere and, to some extent, a cautionary tale. It's a dystopian satire that both mocks and reflects, with an intelligently written and well thought-out point-of-view lurking beneath the adventure-tale surface. I was seriously impressed by how this book managed to be both a fast-paced dystopian thrill-ride and a biting political commentary at the same time. Yet it's got hopeful undertones, and it all leads to an immensely satisfying ending.
Mr. Kozeniewski, I doff my sparkly sequined cap to you.
November 18, 2018
Another great book by one of my favorite authors! This book is a very believable peak into the post-apocalyptic future of the US. The United States has been shattered and divided into several "kingdoms" along the lines of The Mexican territories, the RED states, BLUE states, Christian zealots, etc. Very different take on our future after the big bombs, and the probably the most realistic I've read. SK is one of my favorite authors for a reason - he writes great action, believable dialogue, sarcastic heroes, everything that hooks me in a book. Highly recommended!
Want to read
October 19, 2018This hardcover is numbered 14 of 52 copies and is signed by Stephen Kozeniewski.
January 23, 2021
Kozeniewski has to be one of the most diverse writers on the planet. Every book I pick up of his is in a different genre to the last, and the characters are always totally unique.
This book is great for those who might enjoy a dystopian road trip romp, complete with satire and a cheeky main character.
This book is great for those who might enjoy a dystopian road trip romp, complete with satire and a cheeky main character.
January 30, 2021
great book thrilling
And hilarious my favorite combination could easily be our future I really like the author I need 5 more words
And hilarious my favorite combination could easily be our future I really like the author I need 5 more words
January 6, 2023
Intriguing satirical tale of a fragmented America in the near future, in which three political divisions, appropriately known as the Reds, Whites, and Blues, are fighting a new civil war. It begins with Jack, a young doctor from the Blue region, in front of a Blue firing squad because the authorities believe he is a Red spy. To forestall his execution, Jack begins (Scheherazade style) to tell a Blue colonel the story of his dramatic journey across the new American landscape. What follows is an often comical--but all-too-often tragic--extended fable of clashing beliefs, mindless fanaticism, surprising alliances, perilous adventure, unanticipated twists, and death-defying heroism. The gun from Act One does indeed get fired, and the cat steals the story. Highly recommended!
September 29, 2016
Actually rating: 4.5 stars
This is one of those books that I found immensely fascinating the entire time but couldn't decide whether I loved it or not until the end. This book is extremely well written and the story-telling method is unique (in all the best ways!).
The protagonist, Jack, has a dry sense of humor that very much appealed to me. Although I didn't find him personally relatable, he was a well-developed character and I truly enjoyed his story.
The most interesting thing about this book is the way it is told. At the beginning of the story, Jack is in front of a firing squad. He gets off the hook by being granted his last request, which was to "plead his case." The entire story, up until the final 50 pages, is composed of chapters that alternate between his tale and his current situation. This story-telling method makes it very difficult to lay the book aside! You cannot simply stop at the end of the chapter. The author is adept at perfectly placed cliff-hangers; so once you start this book, you won't be able to put it down! Like Graves, you'll want to "find out how it ends."
Another thing that amused me about this book is that the author, for the most part, created his own slang/profanities. I thought this was great because 1. It added to the setting of the story, and 2. It meant there was very little real cussing in the book, which I appreciated.
This book was surprisingly deep. The plot of this dystopian story revolves around primarily two sorts of people: the over-zealous Christians and the extreme atheists. Everything is black and white to each side. By the end of the story, it has become clear that things aren't always black and white. Situations aren't, religion isn't, and people most certainly aren't. Everyone has their good and their bad sides. But at the end of the day, we are all still human beings and each of us matters.
Overall, this book was engaging, well thought out, and well-written. I will definitely be recommending it!
This is one of those books that I found immensely fascinating the entire time but couldn't decide whether I loved it or not until the end. This book is extremely well written and the story-telling method is unique (in all the best ways!).
The protagonist, Jack, has a dry sense of humor that very much appealed to me. Although I didn't find him personally relatable, he was a well-developed character and I truly enjoyed his story.
The most interesting thing about this book is the way it is told. At the beginning of the story, Jack is in front of a firing squad. He gets off the hook by being granted his last request, which was to "plead his case." The entire story, up until the final 50 pages, is composed of chapters that alternate between his tale and his current situation. This story-telling method makes it very difficult to lay the book aside! You cannot simply stop at the end of the chapter. The author is adept at perfectly placed cliff-hangers; so once you start this book, you won't be able to put it down! Like Graves, you'll want to "find out how it ends."
Another thing that amused me about this book is that the author, for the most part, created his own slang/profanities. I thought this was great because 1. It added to the setting of the story, and 2. It meant there was very little real cussing in the book, which I appreciated.
This book was surprisingly deep. The plot of this dystopian story revolves around primarily two sorts of people: the over-zealous Christians and the extreme atheists. Everything is black and white to each side. By the end of the story, it has become clear that things aren't always black and white. Situations aren't, religion isn't, and people most certainly aren't. Everyone has their good and their bad sides. But at the end of the day, we are all still human beings and each of us matters.
Overall, this book was engaging, well thought out, and well-written. I will definitely be recommending it!
August 22, 2016
Farce or Future Prediction? An amazing cover starts us out reading EVERY KINGDOM DIVIDED. Kozeniewski is witty, real, and creates a well-thought-out story to which most of us can relate. Although not my usual genre, I am grateful for the recommendation to read this story, with its detailed, likable characters often touching almost too close to reality.
May 19, 2020
I feel a little bad giving him less than three stars because it isn’t really his fault if I went into this thinking it was going to be a sincere horror/sci-fi novel and it wasn’t meant to be, but there are so many other things wrong with this novel, it just added up.
Like any book written in an odd dialect (like Clockwork Orange) this book takes some getting used to, or at least a willingness to accept it; at first it felt like I was reading a Mad Libs somebody else made. I also felt like I was reading an update of that movie, Idiocracy; the political references are so banal and overdone. It’s a farce, a satire and I didn’t come for that. I think something like this needs a lighter hand. If he tried to be a little more subtle (or if he were capable of some deeper thought and observation -- more on that later), I think he could have really had something. Instead, reading this was like watching that movie. If that’s what he wanted, or if that’s what you’re looking for, well, then, there you are.
The whole time I was reading this I was distracted by the notion that the author thought this all could have happened in 20 years. (It was published in 2015 and supposedly took place in 2035.) Only a twenty-something year old author, with the limited perspective that age entails, would ever think this amount of change could happen in 20 years. (Heck, he had us converted to the metric system for so long everyone had gotten so used to it they could estimate a person’s height in meters!) 2075 would have been more like it; this fictional world is about as different from current times as today’s world is different from the 1950s.
It’s also a rather shallow view of politics. Red states like guns and the Bible and Blue states like marajuana and abortions. Anyone with more than a remedial understanding of politics knows what wedge issues are, how they work, and that what’s being accomplished while everyone is distracted by these things is much more insidious. But those larger issues are never even mentioned. How were corporations not even mentioned in this entire book? (Unless you count him cleverly combining the brands of Dasani water and Aquafina to create Dasafina … or Disney Brothers which may be a combination of Disney and Warner Brothers? And Glock & Wesson. I guess this is supposed to mean there were mergers? Wow, that’s deep, man!) According to this book, whether or not people are allowed to use swear words is a big f-in’ deal but tax policy and campaign finance don’t make it into the book. This author learned everything he knows about politics from Twitter.
All that said, it was a reasonably good, if simple tale, surprisingly well told, and even though there was plenty to annoy me I couldn’t stop reading it. The way the plot was handled, switching between current time and a character narrating what had happened before, made it easy to consume -- I felt like I was continually left hanging and wanting more (in a good way) -- although that execution made it seem as though I were watching a movie. That may have been a symptom of an author who watches a lot of movies and has not read many books. I read a lot of horror novels and it’s easy to spot the ones written by authors who have mostly just seen movies.
The whole concept of this book could have been distilled down into a very clever (perhaps lengthy) satirical blog post and shared on Twitter instead.
By the way, if anyone ever does want to write an actual futuristic dystopian post-American Civil War between Red/Blue states, that would be awesome. It is a good idea.
Like any book written in an odd dialect (like Clockwork Orange) this book takes some getting used to, or at least a willingness to accept it; at first it felt like I was reading a Mad Libs somebody else made. I also felt like I was reading an update of that movie, Idiocracy; the political references are so banal and overdone. It’s a farce, a satire and I didn’t come for that. I think something like this needs a lighter hand. If he tried to be a little more subtle (or if he were capable of some deeper thought and observation -- more on that later), I think he could have really had something. Instead, reading this was like watching that movie. If that’s what he wanted, or if that’s what you’re looking for, well, then, there you are.
The whole time I was reading this I was distracted by the notion that the author thought this all could have happened in 20 years. (It was published in 2015 and supposedly took place in 2035.) Only a twenty-something year old author, with the limited perspective that age entails, would ever think this amount of change could happen in 20 years. (Heck, he had us converted to the metric system for so long everyone had gotten so used to it they could estimate a person’s height in meters!) 2075 would have been more like it; this fictional world is about as different from current times as today’s world is different from the 1950s.
It’s also a rather shallow view of politics. Red states like guns and the Bible and Blue states like marajuana and abortions. Anyone with more than a remedial understanding of politics knows what wedge issues are, how they work, and that what’s being accomplished while everyone is distracted by these things is much more insidious. But those larger issues are never even mentioned. How were corporations not even mentioned in this entire book? (Unless you count him cleverly combining the brands of Dasani water and Aquafina to create Dasafina … or Disney Brothers which may be a combination of Disney and Warner Brothers? And Glock & Wesson. I guess this is supposed to mean there were mergers? Wow, that’s deep, man!) According to this book, whether or not people are allowed to use swear words is a big f-in’ deal but tax policy and campaign finance don’t make it into the book. This author learned everything he knows about politics from Twitter.
All that said, it was a reasonably good, if simple tale, surprisingly well told, and even though there was plenty to annoy me I couldn’t stop reading it. The way the plot was handled, switching between current time and a character narrating what had happened before, made it easy to consume -- I felt like I was continually left hanging and wanting more (in a good way) -- although that execution made it seem as though I were watching a movie. That may have been a symptom of an author who watches a lot of movies and has not read many books. I read a lot of horror novels and it’s easy to spot the ones written by authors who have mostly just seen movies.
The whole concept of this book could have been distilled down into a very clever (perhaps lengthy) satirical blog post and shared on Twitter instead.
By the way, if anyone ever does want to write an actual futuristic dystopian post-American Civil War between Red/Blue states, that would be awesome. It is a good idea.
April 25, 2018
This started really well and I was enjoying it and enjoying the voice. But then as I read on it sort of got tedious (in my view) and it tailed off. I have picked up other books to read as this one isn't drawing me back. I sort of gave up caring about the characters - the main guy is going from one crisis to another and just getting out of it by the skin of his teeth as the story unfolds. That's fine but it's a constant trope and it bored me to be honest. Good Characters, good writing, but in the end not enough story development to hold me. Sorry. Maybe I'll pick it up another day and see if I can make it to the end. But at the moment it's cold.
Read
August 15, 2024Dnf
April 11, 2016
As many people know by now, I am a fan of Kozeniewski, maybe even a bit of a fangirl.
::blushes sheepishly::
So, when asked to read and review his newest novel, I of course said yes. It doesn't matter to me what he is writing, I will read it. Even if the topic doesn't sound like something I would normally pick up. He is an excellent storyteller. There are a few elements that are classic Kozeniewski — a light tone that pervades many of his novels (no matter how dark and grimy), a sarcastic and quib speaking narrator delighting my funny-bone, and always an interesting ending that I didn't see coming. This story was true to the Kozeniewski I have come to know as an author. And as a result, I enjoyed it.
I wasn't sure where the story was going all the time, or exactly why we were going at all, but I didn't care. I was drawn into the flashback-telling narrator as he told his tale of adventure to the man with a gun to his head. It was just a crazy story, that you might hear over a glass of Old Crow. It was fitting.
If you are a fan of the movie Inglorious Basterds, Kozeniewski might be an author for you. There is a large vein of that kind of humor that seeps onto the pages of Kozeniewski's stories.
What I didn't enjoy has nothing to do with him as an author, but has to do more with the publishing team. His editor/proofer failed him a bit, at least for the version I received. I know this book would have benefited from another editing review. I was surprised because I am used to his books being very clean. I'll blame it on the publisher being green? I hope in time they will enhance their editing focus. It let's the reader and author down.
Regardless, this is still a Kozeniewski novel and deserves to be read. It's labeled as a sci-fi story, but really it's the subgenre dystopian fiction.
If you like death defying, smart talking protagonists, who never have anything dull to say, then you will likely enjoy this story as much as I did.
It's a new take, on a popular genre. As always, Kozeniewski brings his full imagination and gift of language to the story and I am happy to have had the chance to read it.
https://cellardoorbooks.wordpress.com...
::blushes sheepishly::
So, when asked to read and review his newest novel, I of course said yes. It doesn't matter to me what he is writing, I will read it. Even if the topic doesn't sound like something I would normally pick up. He is an excellent storyteller. There are a few elements that are classic Kozeniewski — a light tone that pervades many of his novels (no matter how dark and grimy), a sarcastic and quib speaking narrator delighting my funny-bone, and always an interesting ending that I didn't see coming. This story was true to the Kozeniewski I have come to know as an author. And as a result, I enjoyed it.
I wasn't sure where the story was going all the time, or exactly why we were going at all, but I didn't care. I was drawn into the flashback-telling narrator as he told his tale of adventure to the man with a gun to his head. It was just a crazy story, that you might hear over a glass of Old Crow. It was fitting.
If you are a fan of the movie Inglorious Basterds, Kozeniewski might be an author for you. There is a large vein of that kind of humor that seeps onto the pages of Kozeniewski's stories.
What I didn't enjoy has nothing to do with him as an author, but has to do more with the publishing team. His editor/proofer failed him a bit, at least for the version I received. I know this book would have benefited from another editing review. I was surprised because I am used to his books being very clean. I'll blame it on the publisher being green? I hope in time they will enhance their editing focus. It let's the reader and author down.
Regardless, this is still a Kozeniewski novel and deserves to be read. It's labeled as a sci-fi story, but really it's the subgenre dystopian fiction.
If you like death defying, smart talking protagonists, who never have anything dull to say, then you will likely enjoy this story as much as I did.
It's a new take, on a popular genre. As always, Kozeniewski brings his full imagination and gift of language to the story and I am happy to have had the chance to read it.
https://cellardoorbooks.wordpress.com...
May 25, 2016
I picked up this book because I came upon a blog written by the author, discussing certain...differences in perspective when it comes to expressing their political views. The blog was very well written and thoughtful, but also funny. I wanted to see how that played out as far as his fiction, and I wasn't disappointed.
Every Kingdom Divided played out like Stephen creating this world, a little kid making fantastical structures with his tinker toys, with Mom and Dad finding the genius in the architecture. He obviously had such a good time with his invention, and all along he understood the mechanics behind it.
I ALSO found it fascinating that Stephen has a military background, but his satirical exploration of this possible future world showed (like the blog entry) someone with a way wider understanding of people than someone with a traditional militaristic outlook.
As a person who knows way more about the LDS religion than is necessary, I enjoyed his take on the Sons of JC henchmen. Grenades was my favorite character (after Behemoth)
I will never look at green "neckties" in the same way again.
Check out EKD, for your latest political fix. It is WAY more fun than any of the election nonsense going on right now!
Every Kingdom Divided played out like Stephen creating this world, a little kid making fantastical structures with his tinker toys, with Mom and Dad finding the genius in the architecture. He obviously had such a good time with his invention, and all along he understood the mechanics behind it.
I ALSO found it fascinating that Stephen has a military background, but his satirical exploration of this possible future world showed (like the blog entry) someone with a way wider understanding of people than someone with a traditional militaristic outlook.
As a person who knows way more about the LDS religion than is necessary, I enjoyed his take on the Sons of JC henchmen. Grenades was my favorite character (after Behemoth)
I will never look at green "neckties" in the same way again.
Check out EKD, for your latest political fix. It is WAY more fun than any of the election nonsense going on right now!
April 18, 2016
'Every Kingdom Divided' is the story of one man's trip across a politically divided America of the future in an attempt to rescue his wife.
I don't know how he does it, but every one of Kozeniewski's books offers something totally unique and compelling to the reader. They're all so different and they all stick in my head for various reasons. There's a dry sense of humour here, mixed with a setting that's new and refreshing and a couple of cool main characters I enjoyed getting to know. I also found this a little bit lighter than Kozeniewski's other work which was an unexpected though pleasant surprise. I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next. I've been continually amazed and impressed by his limitless imagination and ability to create strange new worlds like this one.
Overall this is a compelling and original novel and I'd recommend it to absolutely anyone who enjoys dystopian fiction. A highly recommended read!
I don't know how he does it, but every one of Kozeniewski's books offers something totally unique and compelling to the reader. They're all so different and they all stick in my head for various reasons. There's a dry sense of humour here, mixed with a setting that's new and refreshing and a couple of cool main characters I enjoyed getting to know. I also found this a little bit lighter than Kozeniewski's other work which was an unexpected though pleasant surprise. I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next. I've been continually amazed and impressed by his limitless imagination and ability to create strange new worlds like this one.
Overall this is a compelling and original novel and I'd recommend it to absolutely anyone who enjoys dystopian fiction. A highly recommended read!
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