Review of The Thundering Smoke

[Emily Walmsley]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Thundering Smoke" by Guy Quigley (Please use email [email protected]).]

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3 out of 5 stars

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The Thundering Smoke by Guy Quigley is a historical fiction book about the Irish Liberation War and the chaos that it caused in the main character’s life. This is book one, “The Price of Freedom”, of the The Thundering Smoke trilogy. I rate this captivating book a 3 out of 5.
 
Thomas Sutton is an Irish revolutionary who strongly believes the people of Ireland deserve liberation from the British. It’s the early 1900s; violence and war have taken over the land Tom used to love, and subsequently taken over his family. After a violent attack on his wife, Grace, and their son, Tom flees to Africa to escape the war and the trauma of losing his family.
 
I found the dialogue in this book incredibly interesting. Although it was hard to understand at times because of the slang used, I thought the way the characters spoke was realistic and true to how people from Ireland really sound. The Thundering Smoke was often hard to read; not because of something like bad writing or poor editing, but because it was so emotional! I felt anxious, nervous, scared, and even devastated while reading this book. The author did an impressive job conveying the character’s emotions, so much so that I felt overwhelmed with feelings of empathy while reading. I felt terrified when the British soldiers were harassing Grace, I felt angry when she succumbed to her fate, and I felt relieved when Tom finally found some peace of mind later in the story. A good author can really affect a reader’s emotions with their words!  
 
I did find a few mistakes pertaining to grammar and spelling. I deducted two stars from my rating due to the mistakes I found because I felt it could’ve been edited better, and because of the violence throughout the whole book. Some of the violent details seemed unnecessary for the story and made me slightly uncomfortable. Although, the entire concept of war is uncomfortable, so maybe that’s what the author intended. 
 
Overall, The Thundering Smoke by Guy Quigley was a powerful, historical fiction story. It was so captivating and interesting, that I’ll have to check out the other two books in the trilogy!

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The Thundering Smoke
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[Williams Jaden]

Guy Quigley's The Thundering Smoke (Book One: The Price of Freedom) immerses readers in the turmoil of the Irish Liberation War, following Thomas Sutton as he grapples with the personal and emotional cost of fighting for freedom. The book offers a gripping, yet tragic, exploration of loss, escape, and resilience.

[Naimah Agboluaje]

Based on the review of "The Thundering Smoke" by Guy Quigley, this historical fiction book seems to be a captivating and emotional read. The author effectively conveys the characters' emotions, making the reader feel anxious, scared, and devastated throughout the story. The realistic dialogue adds authenticity to the Irish setting. However, the presence of grammar and spelling mistakes, as well as some uncomfortable violent details, may detract from the overall reading experience. I would rate this book a 3 out of 5. Dynamic characters, each with their own compelling arc.

[Joe Alex 2]

The emotional depth of this historical fiction book seems to have a strong impact, especially with its realistic portrayal of the characters’ struggles during the Irish Liberation War. While the story appears gripping, the violence and some grammatical errors might detract from the overall experience. Based on the review, I’m unsure if I’d read this book, but it might appeal to those who appreciate intense historical fiction.