Official Review: The price of freedom by Andy Skeen
Posted: 20 Feb 2016, 14:33
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The price of freedom" by Andy Skeen.]
3 out of 4 stars
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The United Kingdom is a country of rich and vivid history and culture. Countless historically significant persons, movements, ideas, and traditions have originated and flourished in that nation. Though geographically small, its cultural influence reaches around the world. Anyone familiar with its history, though, knows that the UK has had its fair share of strife, both domestic and foreign. In his book The Price of Freedom, Andy Skeen imagines what would happen in the UK if one of its nations decided to seek independence.
Staff Sergeant Finlay McColl has never concerned himself much with politics, but when he learns that a referendum back home in Scotland will call for Scottish independence, he is faced with the choice to leave his career in the British military to join his countrymen or risk becoming a tool to defeat a rebellion. His choice, and the choice of many other Scots like him, will determine the fate of the bid for independence, and, perhaps more importantly, the price of that freedom. Meanwhile, the reader also sees pieces of the story from the point of view of some members of the British government as they try to make choices that will avoid a civil war at a minimal cost to the UK’s political status and their own careers.
Exciting and fast-paced, this book can be difficult to put down. The author strives for realism, frequently referencing the Irish war for independence and the IRA. He also talks about some very real issues that would come up should this sort of event occur, including a high percentage of Scots in elite military positions, oil in the North Sea, and political ramifications between the United Kingdom and the rest of the world. Because of this realism, there is also a certain amount of violence in the book; it isn’t gratuitous but rather, necessary to the story.
The story is written in a manner that reflects its characters. The language and sentence structure feels brusque. While this befits a story where many of the characters are military or former-military, it also results in a story that is more told to the reader than shown to the reader. The reader is more witness than participant. This can make it more difficult for the reader to feel invested in the characters or their cause. It’s a trade-off that sacrifices a certain amount of reader involvement for a greater amount of realism.
As I read Andy Skeen’s The Price of Freedom, I was sure from early on that it would merit a high rating. It was exciting and enjoyable from beginning to end. I wish I could have felt more in touch with some of the characters, especially Finlay McColl, but nevertheless, I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. I think that this book would be a good choice for someone looking for a non-murder mystery, thrilling read, but someone who likes to really get to know the characters might want to look elsewhere (or warm up the imagination muscles before diving into this one).
******
The price of freedom
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3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
The United Kingdom is a country of rich and vivid history and culture. Countless historically significant persons, movements, ideas, and traditions have originated and flourished in that nation. Though geographically small, its cultural influence reaches around the world. Anyone familiar with its history, though, knows that the UK has had its fair share of strife, both domestic and foreign. In his book The Price of Freedom, Andy Skeen imagines what would happen in the UK if one of its nations decided to seek independence.
Staff Sergeant Finlay McColl has never concerned himself much with politics, but when he learns that a referendum back home in Scotland will call for Scottish independence, he is faced with the choice to leave his career in the British military to join his countrymen or risk becoming a tool to defeat a rebellion. His choice, and the choice of many other Scots like him, will determine the fate of the bid for independence, and, perhaps more importantly, the price of that freedom. Meanwhile, the reader also sees pieces of the story from the point of view of some members of the British government as they try to make choices that will avoid a civil war at a minimal cost to the UK’s political status and their own careers.
Exciting and fast-paced, this book can be difficult to put down. The author strives for realism, frequently referencing the Irish war for independence and the IRA. He also talks about some very real issues that would come up should this sort of event occur, including a high percentage of Scots in elite military positions, oil in the North Sea, and political ramifications between the United Kingdom and the rest of the world. Because of this realism, there is also a certain amount of violence in the book; it isn’t gratuitous but rather, necessary to the story.
The story is written in a manner that reflects its characters. The language and sentence structure feels brusque. While this befits a story where many of the characters are military or former-military, it also results in a story that is more told to the reader than shown to the reader. The reader is more witness than participant. This can make it more difficult for the reader to feel invested in the characters or their cause. It’s a trade-off that sacrifices a certain amount of reader involvement for a greater amount of realism.
As I read Andy Skeen’s The Price of Freedom, I was sure from early on that it would merit a high rating. It was exciting and enjoyable from beginning to end. I wish I could have felt more in touch with some of the characters, especially Finlay McColl, but nevertheless, I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. I think that this book would be a good choice for someone looking for a non-murder mystery, thrilling read, but someone who likes to really get to know the characters might want to look elsewhere (or warm up the imagination muscles before diving into this one).
******
The price of freedom
View: on Bookshelves
Like L_Therese's review? Post a comment saying so!