What's the Name of That Book??? discussion
This topic is about
Heroes
SOLVED: Children's/YA
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SOLVED. Two soldiers meet after a war; one wants to kill the other for taking his girl; story is mainly a flashback - Read in early 2000s [s]
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Did it have a man named Ulrich in it? Was it a novel or a short story?
It was definitely a novel. I don't know about the name. It's possible.
I'm not sure if everything about it fits, but this is reminding me strongly of
Tamar: A Novel of Espionage, Passion, and Betrayal
.
The details aren't right, but this reminds me very much of Embers -- two Hungarian former army officers who were once best friends meet again in old age, and there is a strong suggestion that one intends to kill the other. The betrayal wasn't a rape, though; his friend had seduced his wife and, I think, ruined his career somehow.
Ink Mage: Hm. I think I've heard of that book; the title sounds familiar. But after looking at the description, I'm going to have to say no. Cathy: Oh, I ran across that book in my search! It seemed interesting, but unfortunately that wasn't it. Thanks for reminding me about it, though. :)
Joseph: Hm, nope. I've never heard of that book, but I want to read it now.
Thanks for trying, guys! I really appreciate it. :)
How about Dear John by Nicholas Sparks? The names don't really match up, but there are some similarities.Another might be a novel by Fern Michaels but the title escapes me at the moment.
Another is Resistance by Anita Shreve set during WWII?
Any of these ring a bell?
James wrote: "Sounds like Heroes by Robert Cormier."I think that's it! I seem to have crossed the guys...but Larry LaSalle definitely sounds familiar and the cover looks familiar. I'll have to read it again to know for sure, but I think that's it. Thanks!
And thanks, Nancy! I have more books to add to my to-read list now.
What's the Name of That Book???
Books mentioned in this topic
The Painter of Battles (other topics)Tamar (other topics)
-- I believe the story starts in the present, when the two soldiers are older men. But it could've been from the beginning. To avoid confusion, let's give the soldiers names (which I'm sure are nothing like the original). Kyle is the one who had the girlfriend and wants to kill Joe, who is severely disfigured. The two meet at Joe's apartment; I believe Joe expected Kyle to hunt him down one day, so it isn't much of a surprise to him. They get to talking and the story shifts to the past.
-- Kyle always looked up to Joe, everybody did. Joe was a kind of leader to all the youths in the town. Both are going into the military, so a farewell party is being thrown. Kyle's girlfriend goes, of course.
-- At the end of the party (which ended late), Kyle and his girlfriend are going to leave; they are the last ones left, aside from Joe. Joe tells Kyle he wants to talk with Kyle's girlfriend about something and that it may take awhile, so he shouldn't wait for her. The girlfriend begs Kyle (or signals him) not to leave her alone with Joe, but Kyle does because he practically worships Joe and what Joe says go.
-- Kyle didn't leave, though. He hid himself in the shadows near the door and listened. He heard clothes ripping and his girlfriend pleading for Joe to stop and crying when he didn't. Kyle didn't do anything. His girlfriend was getting raped, but he only stood there shocked and did nothing.
-- Some time later the girlfriend is finally free to leave and she sees Kyle standing there. I don't remember if Joe notices.
-- The soldiers go to war and when it's over (I really don't remember much of this time period), Kyle looks for his girlfriend who had moved away. He finds her working as…maybe a secretary. She said she had gotten pregnant from that night and her parents took her away. She wanted nothing to do with Kyle, since he had been listening and done nothing to stop Joe. Kyle thought he still had a chance, but when she refused him, he was crushed and left her alone.
-- I think after that is when Kyle hunts Joe down (and we're back in the present). Joe is missing several limbs. He is in a wheelchair. His face was nearly blown off when he fell on a grenade; the soldiers with him hailed him as a hero because they thought he did it to save them--one down instead of all them. But he tells Kyle he merely fell or something. I distinctly remember that Joe doesn't have a nose; he has two holes in his face where his nose should be. He tells Kyle people on the street avoid him, the kids point and stare and are horrified; they call him a monster. He wears a scarf to go out.
-- Kyle ends up not killing Joe. I think he tells him his life now is punishment enough or something. He leaves Joe with the gun he brought. A gunshot is heard after Kyle exists the building, leading one to believe Joe shot himself.
The book ends there. I don't know if they are Germans or not; I don't know what war they fought in--I just know they're European. The author was probably male. The cover maybe had blue on it.
It may be young adult, although I remember it being rather graphic, so maybe not. I read it after 2000 but before 2006, but it may have been published much before that.