Review: A Hidden Gem
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 27, 2011
One of the pleasures of owning a Kindle is the ability to read excellent books that might not have made it through the traditional corporate model of printing for one reason or another. The "Blast of War" is one of those hidden gems.As has been stated in the description and other reviews, this is not a novel. It's a fictional alternative history, similar to Sir John Hackett's "The Third World War" and, more recently, Max Brook's "World War Z."That being said, "The Blast of War" is a great read. It hooked me within the first few pages and I found myself staying up late nights to finish it. Like the best near-future alternative works, the setting and challenges are recognizable but the events go beyond simple prognostication to weave a classic story. The characters are realistic and the "villains" aren't two-dimensional melodrama monsters but genuine people doing the best they know how to resolve the issues that face them within the confines of their perspectives. Simply put, the road to hell woven by the author is paved not only with good intentions, but choices that seem correct when first made but have disasterous consequences.I can't wait for Volume 2 to come out.