Review of FEAR ME NOW: The War Annex

[Ego Emer]

[Following is a volunteer review of "FEAR ME NOW: The War Annex" by Christopher Williams.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The story Fear Me Now, follows the life of Crenshaw Dimes, a black college student from a poor background who's determined to make a name for himself and a path for others that may follow him. In trying to pursue his purpose he's faced with several challenges put in place by the white government against the black community. These challenges push him to make certain decisions that will change his life forever. 

In Fear Me Now, Christopher Williams channels true-life events of the black community through the character of Crenshaw Dimes, whose actions are eventually influenced by the racist and Prejudice state of America. Crenshaw is the first black 'brother' from his family and community that is ambitious to the point of attaining a higher education, he has to fill in very big shoes, shoes he has to create himself as he goes on because there is no one to leave such shoes for him to fill.

From the first chapter, Crenshaw and his friend Geoffrey Dukes have a deep conversation, reflecting on the segregation and oppression the black community face daily. Crenshaw decides to take a passive demeanor because he wants to be seen as civilized and avoid trouble. In this conversation Crenshaw asks Geoffrey how he would react or retaliate against white oppression if given the chance, however, when push turns to shove it would be Crenshaw's turn to answer the same question. Will he stay passive or fight actively against this oppression?

Christopher Williams expertly paint brilliant pictures of events that happened in that time, perfectly capturing the way the blacks were mistreated. He also captures the moment Crenshaw began to fully grasp the reality of his life as a black man in a white society. The book got more intriguing for me when Crenshaw began making decisions that reflected his stance on the issue of racial discrimination. His series of decisions kept the wheels of the novel turning to unexpected directions and watching the events which followed each of these decisions was my favorite aspect of the book. 

There is a lot to learn from this story as it captures a few thought-provoking themes. Crenshaw having to live his life each day as a black man educated in a system that refuses to acknowledge this education, constantly faced with the need to make choices that are probably life altering. It was sad as well as intriguing to watch Crenshaw struggle with this choices while still trying to keep up his image of civilized and educated. The story takes a huge scoop from black history and illustrates the black daily struggle which I believe a lot of readers need to be educated on.

With respect to editing, Christopher Williams did an excellent job in Fear Me Now. I did not encounter many typographical errors, the book was also easy to read and understand. The book contains strong language and gory scenes however, this helped in creating realistic and lasting mental images of the book.
All Things Considered Fear Me Now is a thought-provoking read, and I am looking forward to a sequel (hopefully).
Considering that there is nothing I disliked about the book, I am rating it 4 out of 4 stars. I would recommend this book to fans of crime and thriller fiction.

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FEAR ME NOW: The War Annex
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[Raymonda onwuka]

Fear me now, this title alone arouses curiousity. I am confident that this story is an interesting and engaging one. Thanks for the great review.