Review of Outland Exile: Book 1 of Old Men and Infidels

[Stephanie Runyon]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Outland Exile: Book 1 of Old Men and Infidels" by W. Clark Boutwell.]

---

5 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

“In life, sacrifices are made, mostly for the hope of a better outcome.” ㇐ Vexton, The Descendants

Second Lieutenant Malila Chiu works for the Democratic Unity Forces for Security. She was in charge of Sunprairie, a Unity Sensor Station. She created an ad hoc committee to handle the signal failure at the station. Despite the absence of Miramundo Morales, Malila starts her meeting. Unbeknownst to Malila, Lieutenant Colonel Jourdaine has reported her breach of protocol to Lieutenant General Suarez, who was guilty of favoritism by promoting her younger brother, Morales. She crashes Malila’s meeting, strips Malila of her rank, and denounces her. Suarez sends Malila and a group of CRNA soldiers to make Sunprairie fully operational. Malila knew the CRNA were not capable of cognitive thoughts and would only serve as bodyguards.

Sunprairie looks like a disaster zone. Outlanders broke windows, threw trash everywhere, and flooded the building with sewer water. Malila works hard, hoping to redeem herself for Suarez. The second night, she wakes to a hand over her mouth and a knife to her throat. She hears her soldiers’ execution before she feels a jab in her thigh, causing her to pass out. Malila is now captive to Jesse Johnstone. Jesse removes Malila’s tracking implant and attaches it to a fish. They spend their days walking from Wisconsin to Kentucky. Malila believes Jesse was humiliating her by forcing her to bathe every night. Malila loses hope as she realizes nobody is going to rescue her.
:
W. Clark Boutwell’s Outland Exile: Book 1 of Old Men and Infidels lays a solid foundation for the series. The characters' development was exceptional. Malila’s belief that she was superior to Jesse is difficult for her to drop. Jesse proves he is a lot smarter than she thinks by showing her the tattoos of identifying his doctorate in medicine and engineering. The differences between the Democratic Unity of America and the Reorganized States of America were shown through the conversations between Malila and Jesse. Jourdaine’s conspiracy shows how he manipulates other people, so he is never connected to the random assassinations and suicides of higher government figures. The directive to denounce anyone over forty years old seems absurd compared to today's standards.

I did not find anything to dislike about this dystopian novel. The unpredictable plot built suspense. The dialogue adds depth to the characters' personalities. A romantic element adds tension, but it does not rule over the action scenes. I rate Outland Exile: Book 1 of Old Men and Infidels 5 out of 5 stars. Vivid details make it easy to envision every moment. The transitions between character views were seamless.

Outland Exile: Book 1 of Old Men and Infidels will appeal to fans of dystopian cultural differences. It contains a glossary and a timeline at the end of the book that are helpful. I recommend this book for mature adults because of the profanity and mild explicit content. Rape, drug use, and adults investing in underage sex slaves may be offensive to some readers.

******
Outland Exile: Book 1 of Old Men and Infidels
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda]

W. Clark Boutwell’s Outland Exile: Book 1 of Old Men and Infidels lays a solid foundation for the series. The characters' development was exceptional. Malila’s belief that she was superior to Jesse is difficult for her to drop. Jesse proves he is a lot smarter than she thinks by showing her the tattoos of identifying his doctorate in medicine and engineering. The differences between the Democratic Unity of America and the Reorganized States of America were shown through the conversations between Malila and Jesse. Jourdaine’s conspiracy shows how he manipulates other people, so he is never connected to the random assassinations and suicides of higher government figures. The directive to denounce anyone over forty years old seems absurd compared to today's standards.

Are these states some form of analogy of the actual political parties that exist in the US?
You seem to be in a dystopian kick lately. I don't know how you do it; I find it distressing.
Great review!

[Stephanie Runyon]

I find dystopian novels challenging, and I tend to argue whether the events that they claim actually happen. In this book, I thought it interesting that the Democratic Unity renames a lot of places into a syntax- like Jorga (Georgia) and Fildelyfia(Philadelphia). I have read the second book and the suspense built in both captivates the mind.