Review of The Conscripted Extremist
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Esdra Kargue
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Review of The Conscripted Extremist
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Conscripted Extremist" by A. Marc Ross.]
"The Conscripted Extremist" by A. Marc Ross is a conspiracy thriller that reveals some of the intricacies of one of the major divisions in the United States of America. The story is set in post-pandemic New York, a battleground where right-leaning and left-leaning ideologies clash. Gabriel "Gabe" Bentley, a young lawyer, ventures out to protest in the charged political and social atmosphere of the period. His life immediately turns upside down when he joins a protest he was invited to by his friends, Matt and Jasmine. In the midst of performing his civic duty, he is snatched off the streets by unknown actors and taken to an undisclosed location, and introduced to a reality that defied all his prior understanding.
In the days following the protest, he is thrown into a world of false identities, fake appearances, and fading facades. He finds himself in a melee between the alt-right and Antifa, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the infamous FBI. His work suffers, his relationships are tested, and his mind is pushed to the limits. Utterly determined to reclaim his life, Gabe dares to defy the odds stacked against him. With the help of a few friends he can trust and the resources at his disposal, he undertakes the precarious task of returning to normalcy. There are twists and turns at every juncture of his investigation. Unlikely people lead to unfamiliar places; these places ultimately lead to a dangerous plot that, if carried out, would turn America against itself. Fortunately, the information he manages to gather while investigating turns out to be valuable to the DHS and FBI, and is sufficient to trade for his freedom, but only if they act in time.
I like how the author skilfully unveils the types of interactions that occur within and between politics, political movements, and law enforcement—which was quite eye-opening. "The Conscripted Extremist," although a work of fiction, might as well be a cautionary tale for the average citizen. It calls the reader's attention to how deeply an innocent act of civic responsibility can escalate.
I like the degree to which the author explores the emotions and sexuality of the central characters. It gives depth to their personalities and allows the reader to connect with them better. Also, the author sufficiently conveys the characters' states of being through facial expressions and their movements. I easily grasped fragments of each character's personality.
Finally, I like that the story gets more intriguing as it unfolds—even the last chapter, on its own, is quite interesting.
"The Conscripted Extremist" is an enjoyable story; it is, for the most part, well put together; and perhaps more importantly, it touches on the pressing and ever-present issue of division across ideological lines in America—I believe the reader can glean one or two lessons from the book. I rate it a 4 out of 5.
******
The Conscripted Extremist
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
"The Conscripted Extremist" by A. Marc Ross is a conspiracy thriller that reveals some of the intricacies of one of the major divisions in the United States of America. The story is set in post-pandemic New York, a battleground where right-leaning and left-leaning ideologies clash. Gabriel "Gabe" Bentley, a young lawyer, ventures out to protest in the charged political and social atmosphere of the period. His life immediately turns upside down when he joins a protest he was invited to by his friends, Matt and Jasmine. In the midst of performing his civic duty, he is snatched off the streets by unknown actors and taken to an undisclosed location, and introduced to a reality that defied all his prior understanding.
In the days following the protest, he is thrown into a world of false identities, fake appearances, and fading facades. He finds himself in a melee between the alt-right and Antifa, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the infamous FBI. His work suffers, his relationships are tested, and his mind is pushed to the limits. Utterly determined to reclaim his life, Gabe dares to defy the odds stacked against him. With the help of a few friends he can trust and the resources at his disposal, he undertakes the precarious task of returning to normalcy. There are twists and turns at every juncture of his investigation. Unlikely people lead to unfamiliar places; these places ultimately lead to a dangerous plot that, if carried out, would turn America against itself. Fortunately, the information he manages to gather while investigating turns out to be valuable to the DHS and FBI, and is sufficient to trade for his freedom, but only if they act in time.
I like how the author skilfully unveils the types of interactions that occur within and between politics, political movements, and law enforcement—which was quite eye-opening. "The Conscripted Extremist," although a work of fiction, might as well be a cautionary tale for the average citizen. It calls the reader's attention to how deeply an innocent act of civic responsibility can escalate.
I like the degree to which the author explores the emotions and sexuality of the central characters. It gives depth to their personalities and allows the reader to connect with them better. Also, the author sufficiently conveys the characters' states of being through facial expressions and their movements. I easily grasped fragments of each character's personality.
Finally, I like that the story gets more intriguing as it unfolds—even the last chapter, on its own, is quite interesting.
"The Conscripted Extremist" is an enjoyable story; it is, for the most part, well put together; and perhaps more importantly, it touches on the pressing and ever-present issue of division across ideological lines in America—I believe the reader can glean one or two lessons from the book. I rate it a 4 out of 5.
******
The Conscripted Extremist
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Conscripted Extremist by A. Marc Ross
