BURNING NATION

In the second installment of the Divided We Fall trilogy, PFC Daniel Wright continues fighting for the Republic of Idaho against the federal government in what is becoming a second civil war.

Danny Wright blames himself for firing the shot that led to this war, a shot at a protest in Boise that caused fellow National Guardsmen to open fire, killing several protestors. A standoff with the Feds has ensued, and with the Idaho governor’s refusal to enforce federal laws, Idaho has been invaded by federal forces. War makes its inexorable descent into darkness, chaos and brutality, until Danny wonders what kind of person he has become. Innocent people are killed, prisoners are tortured, the death toll mounts, and soon it’s difficult to say what has been won, though it’s easy to see what’s been lost. The media don’t inform, they only obfuscate. Long, italicized excerpts from various news sources inserted between chapters effectively demonstrate how the media can muddle and provoke rather than offer necessary, thoughtful analysis. And by the end, Danny realizes, “We gotta save something of ourselves, of our humanity, if we’re ever going to leave the war behind.”

An action-packed thriller that may well lead readers to further explore the complicated constitutional and political issues it raises.