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matosapa's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
banjax451's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
There was a seed a good book here. And it isn't the problem of the writing style or even in the overall premise. But rather, in an attempt to mirror things from the real world, the book comes across as a sledgehammer to the face instead of being subtle. I'm fairly sure I agree with the politics of the author, and yet, I found the overt Holocaust similarities and overt KKK references and overt "Trumpyness" of the bad guys one-dimensional, cartoonish and bordering on the ridiculous...to the point where it strained credulity. There was a way this could have been written without that (I'm reminded of the fantastically well written American War, by Omar El Akkad). There was a way to do this with subtlety and care.
There is no growth to the characters. The world building is lazy and only haphazard at best. I do not recommend it. I finished mostly for plot reasons - and there's a not insignificant part of me that wishes I'd simply DNF'd it.
There is no growth to the characters. The world building is lazy and only haphazard at best. I do not recommend it. I finished mostly for plot reasons - and there's a not insignificant part of me that wishes I'd simply DNF'd it.
canadajanes's review against another edition
5.0
Very good, at points was a little hard to read (in the way the the Handmaid's Tale show can be hard to take). Also sometimes a little on the nose, but I appreciated that.
jimiboy's review
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
__apf__'s review against another edition
4.0
White nationalists and evangelical fundamentalists seize power, throwing the U.S. into a civil war with modern weapons. The ensuing horrors are told from the perspective of a ragtag group of soldiers at the end of the war. I found the premise of the book intriguing, but I was left wanting for originality and depth.
Why read it:
— This book brings the worst fears of the critics of the Trump Administration to life, in the extreme. The book was written in 2018 and echoes the fears of the time.
— What *would* a US civil war look like? It’s an interesting thought exercise. I enjoyed the world building.
— The writing itself is engaging and, at times, beautiful.
Why not read it:
— The book rehashes common dystopian themes: the horrors of Nazi Germany are repeated in the US. The line between “good guys” and “bad guys” is fuzzy. There is no new twist or vantage point.
— The characters are one-dimensional, experiencing little growth. I expected more from the main character, who is too traumatized to take much action. She changes very little and acts predictably.
— The book is 400+ pages, and most of the world building is done in the first 100 pages. I could have stopped reading there and guessed the rest of the book.
n.b. “Afterwar” and “Wanderers” share much in common: an American civil war in the near future, reflecting Trump-era anxiety. Between the two, “Afterwar” is a MUCH better book.
Why read it:
— This book brings the worst fears of the critics of the Trump Administration to life, in the extreme. The book was written in 2018 and echoes the fears of the time.
— What *would* a US civil war look like? It’s an interesting thought exercise. I enjoyed the world building.
— The writing itself is engaging and, at times, beautiful.
Why not read it:
— The book rehashes common dystopian themes: the horrors of Nazi Germany are repeated in the US. The line between “good guys” and “bad guys” is fuzzy. There is no new twist or vantage point.
— The characters are one-dimensional, experiencing little growth. I expected more from the main character, who is too traumatized to take much action. She changes very little and acts predictably.
— The book is 400+ pages, and most of the world building is done in the first 100 pages. I could have stopped reading there and guessed the rest of the book.
n.b. “Afterwar” and “Wanderers” share much in common: an American civil war in the near future, reflecting Trump-era anxiety. Between the two, “Afterwar” is a MUCH better book.
dmchurch's review against another edition
5.0
When Federal forces retake Amerika from the American Firsters, the war is declared over as Swann's Riders liberate the Kamps, where dissenters were sent for labor, experimentation, and death. Yet, the end of war doesn't always mean peace. Instead Swann's riders find themselves pursuing a doctor who experimented on subjects and may have altered young people who can read minds. One of the rescued refugees, a former raider, Spooky, has joined the crew and may actually be a telekinetic. As the crew pursues the doctor, they bond and lose members as they wonder if peace is really any different than war.
Saintcrow's military banter and details create a realistic tone with ironic overtones much like the gallows humor of MAS while painting a disturbingly relevant warning of the dangers of xenophobic, nationalistic ideologies with religious overtones.
Saintcrow's military banter and details create a realistic tone with ironic overtones much like the gallows humor of MAS while painting a disturbingly relevant warning of the dangers of xenophobic, nationalistic ideologies with religious overtones.
spikegelato's review against another edition
3.0
3.0 out of 5 stars
Afterwar is an uncompromising story about a motley crew of raiders who hunt down war criminals after the Second Civil War. The title is a misnomer -- nothing comes after war because war never truly ends. Lilith Saintcrow’s novel explores the scars of war that live on long after a ceasefire has taken place.
There are purposeful parallels to present-day America scattered all throughout this book. Supporters of the ruling political party are dubbed “Firsters” who put “America First,” walls are being built to keep out “immies” (immigrants), and the country is run by a megalomaniac with small hands who bombs his hometown of New York City because the residents there hate him. It’s so on the nose that it became a bit of a distraction when each of these parallels appeared.
Unfortunately, I never fully engaged with the story being told, but I appreciated Saintcrow’s prose and the dark future that she presents, regardless of how upsetting (and possible) it all seems.
See this review and others at The Speculative Shelf.
Afterwar is an uncompromising story about a motley crew of raiders who hunt down war criminals after the Second Civil War. The title is a misnomer -- nothing comes after war because war never truly ends. Lilith Saintcrow’s novel explores the scars of war that live on long after a ceasefire has taken place.
There are purposeful parallels to present-day America scattered all throughout this book. Supporters of the ruling political party are dubbed “Firsters” who put “America First,” walls are being built to keep out “immies” (immigrants), and the country is run by a megalomaniac with small hands who bombs his hometown of New York City because the residents there hate him. It’s so on the nose that it became a bit of a distraction when each of these parallels appeared.
Unfortunately, I never fully engaged with the story being told, but I appreciated Saintcrow’s prose and the dark future that she presents, regardless of how upsetting (and possible) it all seems.
See this review and others at The Speculative Shelf.
christhedoll's review against another edition
5.0
this book.. lots of parallels with this administration.. white supremacy, misogyny for one. read it already.
ajhackwith's review against another edition
3.0
This is one of those books that is great and engaging but I just could not finish because of current events. Too real for me right now, but I'm going to pick it back up later when it doesn't echo quite so much the news feed. The first few chapters I read were brutal but promising.