Republic
Written
by: Charles Sheehan-Miles
Reviewed
by: Christine I Speakman
Publisher:
Cincinnatus Press www.cincinnatuspress.com
Genre:
Political Thriller/Fiction
ISBN-13:
978-09794114-2-7
ISBN-10: 0-9794141-2-4
Pages:
approx. 346
Price:
$16.95
3
out of 4 roses
Could the United States of America ever see
another civil war?
I find myself unable
to write a normal---standard---review, here. I need to give a personal statement
before I start. I’m Canadian; I live in Canada. I have family who are born Americans and live in the States; I have family and friends
who spend a great deal of time in the States. We’ve discussed the political
nature/situation currently in the States. I have tried to keep all my own feelings
out of this review and away from reading “Republic.” I’ve tried.
I’m not normally
a reader of political thrillers/fiction…leave that for the husband. Said
husband has read a few pages of “Republic” and stated, “Yeah, it’s about the same as other types I’ve
read.” So along with his opinion, I feel it is safe to say that “Republic”
is right up there with others of the same genre. And frankly, it’s a pretty
good read.
In truth, Mr. Sheehan-Miles’
book “Republic” has left me emotionally torn up. “Republic”
scared me. Had me questioning the current political state of affairs…all
this from a book of fiction! Just how much is fiction, though.
The story is about
people. About the choices a person makes while standing up for their Country;
for what they believe in and believe their Country is all about. Character Ken
Murphy is a widower; a father of a dying son; his daughter is a Congress Aide; he’s an Iraq
veteran and Lieutenant Colonel in the West Virginia National Guard. He also works
for Saturn Microsystems, the same company that has just closed its doors and is moving to Indonesia. For his small town, this closure means a dying town.
So, what does that
have to do with a civil war? What makes this a political story? A bumble of mistakes that leads to the people of the state of West Virginia wanting
to secede from the United States. The perceived view that the USA
is turning into a police state. That the Department of Homeland Security is over-stepping
the civil liberties of the very citizens of the USA it was designed to protect.
Mostly this is a story
of questions. Questions we all need to address when living in a free society.
“Republic”
is a living story. “Republic” is a thinking story. I came to care about the characters; I cried over the characters.
Mr. Sheehan-Miles,
I started “Republic” with some reservations, I have no reservations in stating “Republic” is one of
my top reads this year.
Christine Speakman - Muse Book Reviewer
*GREAT READ