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America's Future #2
Insurgent
Insurgent is the riveting sequel to the surprise bestseller Republic.
Three months after the end of the West Virginia civil war, Valerie Murphy faces her worst fears as the violence escalates. Former Congressman Al Clark, now Governor of the bankrupt state, must quell an insurgency even as he struggles to put the state back together.
In a small town south of Charleston, West Virginia, Corporal Jim Turville meets a young ballet dancer who dreams of moving beyond her small coal mining town. As the young couple grows closer, their love and their lives will be at risk as insurgents move to disrupt the town with shocking violence.
Three months after the end of the West Virginia civil war, Valerie Murphy faces her worst fears as the violence escalates. Former Congressman Al Clark, now Governor of the bankrupt state, must quell an insurgency even as he struggles to put the state back together.
In a small town south of Charleston, West Virginia, Corporal Jim Turville meets a young ballet dancer who dreams of moving beyond her small coal mining town. As the young couple grows closer, their love and their lives will be at risk as insurgents move to disrupt the town with shocking violence.
- GenresMilitary Fiction
580 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 2012
6 people are currently reading
276 people want to read
About the author
Charles Sheehan-Miles
46 books1,551 followersCharles Sheehan-Miles has been a soldier, computer programmer, short-order cook and non-profit executive, and is the author of several fiction and non-fiction books, including the indie bestsellers Just Remember to Breathe and Republic: A Novel of America's Future. Charles and his wife Andrea Randall live and write together in South Hadley, Massachusetts.
Find out more at http://www.sheehanmiles.com
You're also invited to join the Remember to Breathe Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/remem...
Find out more at http://www.sheehanmiles.com
You're also invited to join the Remember to Breathe Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/remem...
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 4, 2012
I been a fan of Charles Sheehan-Miles since I devoured and loved his novel Republic (see my review). So, when I heard that he’d (finally!) released a sequel to that book, called Insurgent, I jumped at the chance to buy and read it.
I think the best way to summarize the book is to quote the description from the Amazon page:
Three months after the end of the West Virginia civil war, Valerie Murphy faces her worst fears as the violence escalates. Former Congressman Al Clark, now Governor of the bankrupt state, must quell an insurgency even as he struggles to put the state back together.
In a small town south of Charleston, West Virginia, Corporal Jim Turville faces combat, love and fear in a conflict which grows increasingly dangerous with every day.
As implied by the summary above, the book does start immediately after the events of Republic, but I think that enough of what happened in the previous book is explained in Insurgent to allow people to catch up. Sheehan-Miles’ view of a future America is not a pretty one, and can be charitably described as corporations and security theater run amuck.
Sheehan-Miles draws heavily on the events of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and paints an unstinting picture of insurgency. It’s a book where in one chapter rooting for troops under fire and in the next one mourning the death of an innocent civilian killed by those same troops because her house was in the line of fire.
Republic started with a terrorist attack in Washington, DC. In Insurgent, we start to see who (apparently) caused or at least enabled that attack, and let’s just say it’s not who you’d expect. Sheehan-Miles has little sympathy for extremists of any stripe, and he’s identified a group of extremists to play the “big bad” in this story that may surprise some people.
Insurgent is a gripping, exciting and well-written book, and highly recommended.
Merged review:
I’ve been a fan of Charles Sheehan-Miles since I reviewed his near-future thriller Republic. Well, he’s finally cranked out another book in the same vein, the new novel Insurgent. It was well worth the wait.
Insurgent is being released in six episodes, and I’ve read the first two so far. All I can say is “wow!” The previous book, Republic, chronicled a near-future West Virginia attempting to secede from the Union. In Sheehan-Miles’ scary vision of the future, the Department of Homeland Security is exercising the near-Gestapo levels of power given to them by the current system, while the various economic machinations of the “One Percent” are ravaging the economy.
Alas, West Virginia fails to gain independence, and the events of Insurgent are set a few months after that failed war, as the US government attempts to pacify West Virginia on the cheap. Any resemblance to our occupation of Iraq is entirely intentional. I don’t think I’m giving anything away to note that the locals aren’t feeling very pacified, and so an insurgency is brewing, despite several attempts by calmer heads to stop the bloodshed.
Sheehan-Miles is a combat veteran of the First Gulf War, and has extensively studied the tactics and events of our more recent adventures in the Middle East. He brings that keen eye for detail to the crisp writing and events of Insurgent. But more importantly, Sheehan-Miles has an understanding of politics. This is not “gun porn” where weapons are lovingly described and people are cardboard cutouts on rent from Central Casting. Here, Sheehan-Miles spends a good deal of time explaining why people are acting as they are, including how innocent screw-ups can turn a tense situation into a disaster.
The world of Insurgent is not one I want to occupy, and hopefully Sheehan-Miles’ writing can be a lesson on how to avoid it. But even without the political overtones, Insurgent is one damned fine read.
I think the best way to summarize the book is to quote the description from the Amazon page:
Three months after the end of the West Virginia civil war, Valerie Murphy faces her worst fears as the violence escalates. Former Congressman Al Clark, now Governor of the bankrupt state, must quell an insurgency even as he struggles to put the state back together.
In a small town south of Charleston, West Virginia, Corporal Jim Turville faces combat, love and fear in a conflict which grows increasingly dangerous with every day.
As implied by the summary above, the book does start immediately after the events of Republic, but I think that enough of what happened in the previous book is explained in Insurgent to allow people to catch up. Sheehan-Miles’ view of a future America is not a pretty one, and can be charitably described as corporations and security theater run amuck.
Sheehan-Miles draws heavily on the events of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and paints an unstinting picture of insurgency. It’s a book where in one chapter rooting for troops under fire and in the next one mourning the death of an innocent civilian killed by those same troops because her house was in the line of fire.
Republic started with a terrorist attack in Washington, DC. In Insurgent, we start to see who (apparently) caused or at least enabled that attack, and let’s just say it’s not who you’d expect. Sheehan-Miles has little sympathy for extremists of any stripe, and he’s identified a group of extremists to play the “big bad” in this story that may surprise some people.
Insurgent is a gripping, exciting and well-written book, and highly recommended.
Merged review:
I’ve been a fan of Charles Sheehan-Miles since I reviewed his near-future thriller Republic. Well, he’s finally cranked out another book in the same vein, the new novel Insurgent. It was well worth the wait.
Insurgent is being released in six episodes, and I’ve read the first two so far. All I can say is “wow!” The previous book, Republic, chronicled a near-future West Virginia attempting to secede from the Union. In Sheehan-Miles’ scary vision of the future, the Department of Homeland Security is exercising the near-Gestapo levels of power given to them by the current system, while the various economic machinations of the “One Percent” are ravaging the economy.
Alas, West Virginia fails to gain independence, and the events of Insurgent are set a few months after that failed war, as the US government attempts to pacify West Virginia on the cheap. Any resemblance to our occupation of Iraq is entirely intentional. I don’t think I’m giving anything away to note that the locals aren’t feeling very pacified, and so an insurgency is brewing, despite several attempts by calmer heads to stop the bloodshed.
Sheehan-Miles is a combat veteran of the First Gulf War, and has extensively studied the tactics and events of our more recent adventures in the Middle East. He brings that keen eye for detail to the crisp writing and events of Insurgent. But more importantly, Sheehan-Miles has an understanding of politics. This is not “gun porn” where weapons are lovingly described and people are cardboard cutouts on rent from Central Casting. Here, Sheehan-Miles spends a good deal of time explaining why people are acting as they are, including how innocent screw-ups can turn a tense situation into a disaster.
The world of Insurgent is not one I want to occupy, and hopefully Sheehan-Miles’ writing can be a lesson on how to avoid it. But even without the political overtones, Insurgent is one damned fine read.
January 11, 2013
Despite the fact that the question of secession from the Union was settled in rivers of blood well over a hundred years ago now, we hear talk of it here and there.
This group has an issue with this; another with that. Tempers flare, shots can be exchanged, people lose lives as they did in volume one, Republic: A Novel of America's Future, in this tale of a possible future for our country.
In this case it is West Virginia that chooses to secede, and once more it pits countryman against countryman.
There you are in a quiet little town, caught in the middle of the cross-fire between insurgents and the Regular Army; there you are insurgent versus insurgent, each with a banner to raise; each with a particular issue that is of utmost importance to him; some insurgents even interpreting for themselves the will of God, ready to go to any extreme, any bullet to them well placed, in the service of the voice only they seem to hear.
A soldier, young, not gung-ho, but wanting to be a hero like his dad; wanting to do his soldier job; trying to determine a path for his life.
A young woman, a ballerina, to whom the pirouettes of the ballerina's walk have so far been her path,
her dream, her passion.
The soldier saves the young woman caught in a cross-fire; a young woman just old enough to have come of age, to make her own decisions, and the world turns upside down for both of them.
Her Daddy is the mayor of the sleepy little town with its old closed mines; with its insurgents, with its troops stationed there too.
How far will the insurgents go? How strong a stand will the mayor take with his daughter; with a young soldier; with a brother-in-law with his own ax to grind, with weapons of potentially great impact in his hands?
This is the tale Charles Sheehan-Miles weaves; a terrifying tale, a fable if you will, if we choose to follow the path of derision, division, deception, and disillusion.
The Republic, will it stand? Can it stand with power run amuck, with power too freely, ah, seceded to a government in the name of security?
The author will chill your spine; make you lose some nights sleep; open your eyes a bit as he did in Republic. Will love of country prevail; will love of insurgence at any price prevail; indeed, will love prevail?
You don't need a Humvee to take this path, you just need to read this must read book. Beware, his words will make you think, perhaps of your obligations as a citizen, before you lose the right to fulfill them.
This group has an issue with this; another with that. Tempers flare, shots can be exchanged, people lose lives as they did in volume one, Republic: A Novel of America's Future, in this tale of a possible future for our country.
In this case it is West Virginia that chooses to secede, and once more it pits countryman against countryman.
There you are in a quiet little town, caught in the middle of the cross-fire between insurgents and the Regular Army; there you are insurgent versus insurgent, each with a banner to raise; each with a particular issue that is of utmost importance to him; some insurgents even interpreting for themselves the will of God, ready to go to any extreme, any bullet to them well placed, in the service of the voice only they seem to hear.
A soldier, young, not gung-ho, but wanting to be a hero like his dad; wanting to do his soldier job; trying to determine a path for his life.
A young woman, a ballerina, to whom the pirouettes of the ballerina's walk have so far been her path,
her dream, her passion.
The soldier saves the young woman caught in a cross-fire; a young woman just old enough to have come of age, to make her own decisions, and the world turns upside down for both of them.
Her Daddy is the mayor of the sleepy little town with its old closed mines; with its insurgents, with its troops stationed there too.
How far will the insurgents go? How strong a stand will the mayor take with his daughter; with a young soldier; with a brother-in-law with his own ax to grind, with weapons of potentially great impact in his hands?
This is the tale Charles Sheehan-Miles weaves; a terrifying tale, a fable if you will, if we choose to follow the path of derision, division, deception, and disillusion.
The Republic, will it stand? Can it stand with power run amuck, with power too freely, ah, seceded to a government in the name of security?
The author will chill your spine; make you lose some nights sleep; open your eyes a bit as he did in Republic. Will love of country prevail; will love of insurgence at any price prevail; indeed, will love prevail?
You don't need a Humvee to take this path, you just need to read this must read book. Beware, his words will make you think, perhaps of your obligations as a citizen, before you lose the right to fulfill them.
October 28, 2012
Revolution has ripped apart America, continuing the rebellion begun in Republic: A Novel of America's Future. The people have spoken and civil war devastated America's cities.
Valerie Murphy's father has been executed for his part in promoting violence and seceding from the American government. She has been imprisoned and brutalized so much she is obviously suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. Her friend, Al Clark, is now appointed Governor of West Virginia, a monumental job of putting basic services into action and restoring the shattered economy. But the war isn't over!
An unknown group of warriors in West Virginia is still killing military personnel and shooting down helicopters approaching the area. Corporal Jim Turville watches his friends die, falls in love, and tries to figure out who can be trusted in this blatantly volatile area. The violence goes on and on and on!
While the first novel in this series gave ample build-up of the reasons leading to this American demise, Insurgent 2 has little to offer on the reasons and goals of the war. It's as if death and destruction have been looming for far longer than this particular problem. Personal freedoms are now forfeit and there seems no end to the madness! It is more potent because of the lack of reason or logic. It is more devastating than the original Civil War because of the advanced firearm power available in this conflict!
Insurgent is the second of six planned novels. This novel doesn't pose any "glory" scenes of war; it's hell and the reader should be deeply troubled about the reality that just could happen when people have had enough of poverty, lies, deception, mismanagement of the economy, and more - the same problems that are plaguing far too many people in America at this time. The reader must decide how much this conflict resembles the random, erratic, and chilling brutality also exhibited in Iran, Afghanistan, and other hot spots throughout the Middle East.
Devastating to read, this is a necessary microscopic canvas of possible outcomes for the future of America! Potent stuff, Charles Sheehan-Miles!!!
Valerie Murphy's father has been executed for his part in promoting violence and seceding from the American government. She has been imprisoned and brutalized so much she is obviously suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. Her friend, Al Clark, is now appointed Governor of West Virginia, a monumental job of putting basic services into action and restoring the shattered economy. But the war isn't over!
An unknown group of warriors in West Virginia is still killing military personnel and shooting down helicopters approaching the area. Corporal Jim Turville watches his friends die, falls in love, and tries to figure out who can be trusted in this blatantly volatile area. The violence goes on and on and on!
While the first novel in this series gave ample build-up of the reasons leading to this American demise, Insurgent 2 has little to offer on the reasons and goals of the war. It's as if death and destruction have been looming for far longer than this particular problem. Personal freedoms are now forfeit and there seems no end to the madness! It is more potent because of the lack of reason or logic. It is more devastating than the original Civil War because of the advanced firearm power available in this conflict!
Insurgent is the second of six planned novels. This novel doesn't pose any "glory" scenes of war; it's hell and the reader should be deeply troubled about the reality that just could happen when people have had enough of poverty, lies, deception, mismanagement of the economy, and more - the same problems that are plaguing far too many people in America at this time. The reader must decide how much this conflict resembles the random, erratic, and chilling brutality also exhibited in Iran, Afghanistan, and other hot spots throughout the Middle East.
Devastating to read, this is a necessary microscopic canvas of possible outcomes for the future of America! Potent stuff, Charles Sheehan-Miles!!!
January 20, 2013
One of the things that wows me about this novel is the depth of realism. I became so quickly embroiled in the story of Insurgent (sequel to Republic) that small facts like I don't understand the US political system and have little interest in the military don't matter at all. I believe I have mentioned this fact in a review of Republic, somewhere in the ether: it's important, because if Charles wasn't such a good writer, I believe it could alienate me from the entire story.
This is a novel with a large cast, and the camera focuses on some main players, a diverse bunch with their own agendas. It's very obvious Charles has delved deep into these characters; they have complex, human, real back stories and it shows: they are complex, human and real. I felt for them. Again, impressively, Charles writes a convincing female POV though a couple of times I winced when Valerie did not - I'm not certain whether that was a missed opportunity by the writer or me bringing myself to this situation. And the lead women in this are amazing.
Onto the action: gritty, shocking, worrying and saddening. What struck me was a sense of helplessness because each person had a valid reason for doing what they did. The enemy are not faceless, they are like you and me. This might be an alternate future story, but its poignancy and the success of the storytelling lie in how clearly Charles shines a light on how and why these things could come to be. It left me hoping and believing that love (romantic, of humanity, of truth) wins, no matter how bad things get, in this reality as well as an Insurgent one. Looking forward to #3, Fractured.
This is a novel with a large cast, and the camera focuses on some main players, a diverse bunch with their own agendas. It's very obvious Charles has delved deep into these characters; they have complex, human, real back stories and it shows: they are complex, human and real. I felt for them. Again, impressively, Charles writes a convincing female POV though a couple of times I winced when Valerie did not - I'm not certain whether that was a missed opportunity by the writer or me bringing myself to this situation. And the lead women in this are amazing.
Onto the action: gritty, shocking, worrying and saddening. What struck me was a sense of helplessness because each person had a valid reason for doing what they did. The enemy are not faceless, they are like you and me. This might be an alternate future story, but its poignancy and the success of the storytelling lie in how clearly Charles shines a light on how and why these things could come to be. It left me hoping and believing that love (romantic, of humanity, of truth) wins, no matter how bad things get, in this reality as well as an Insurgent one. Looking forward to #3, Fractured.
March 28, 2013
Loved this book, as I did Republic, and can't wait for the next in the series.
I would have given it 5, rather than 4 stars were it not for the numerous errors. Some examples found in the last few pages;
1. "...so she didn't walk too close that building..." should probably be "...too close to that..."
2. "So far, on a large-scale level, both she and her father had failed so far." Looks like a sentence that was reworded, resulting in the missed repeated use of "so far".
I read the Kindle edition so perhaps these errors don't extend to printed versions. Though these are minor annoyances they could have been resolved with more thorough editing, which would have made the reading experience that much better.
I would have given it 5, rather than 4 stars were it not for the numerous errors. Some examples found in the last few pages;
1. "...so she didn't walk too close that building..." should probably be "...too close to that..."
2. "So far, on a large-scale level, both she and her father had failed so far." Looks like a sentence that was reworded, resulting in the missed repeated use of "so far".
I read the Kindle edition so perhaps these errors don't extend to printed versions. Though these are minor annoyances they could have been resolved with more thorough editing, which would have made the reading experience that much better.
January 2, 2013
I wasn't expecting Republic to have a sequel (in fact a third is on the way) but this was a great way to continue the story, with some of the characters making a reappearance including West Virginia DHS head JD Roberts, Karen Greenfield, Valerie Murphy, Al Clark and more.
The plot of this book is domestic terrorism picking up some threads from the previous book and does a great job of steering readers away from the typical stereotype of a "terrorist".
The plot of this book is domestic terrorism picking up some threads from the previous book and does a great job of steering readers away from the typical stereotype of a "terrorist".
October 15, 2012
This is a compelling book. I had it on the kindle reader ap on my iphone and took every single opportunity to read it that I could.
Quite frankly it is a depressing and dismal prediction of the future of the United States of America. Quite frankly it is altogether too plausible a future.
It disturbed me. I think it will disturb you if you read it. You should read it. It should disturb you.
It paints a frightening picture of how the continuing fractionalization, factionization and polarization of this country could end.
It is a portrait of how bad political choices, religious extremists, a government grown too large and a dismal economy could combine to shatter the foundations of this country in a way no foreign enemy ever has been able to achieve.
Mr. Sheehan-Miles weaves large doses of recent history into his tale leading the reader along and forcing the reader to follow his grim vision of America's current path to its logical conclusion in the not too distant future.
His characters are vivid and you wind up caring deeply for some of them and passionately hating others. You find yourself torn with conflicting emotions like the characters and asking yourself "what would I do if that were happing here, to me and to my family?"
I hope that there is a book 3 of this series.
Quite frankly it is a depressing and dismal prediction of the future of the United States of America. Quite frankly it is altogether too plausible a future.
It disturbed me. I think it will disturb you if you read it. You should read it. It should disturb you.
It paints a frightening picture of how the continuing fractionalization, factionization and polarization of this country could end.
It is a portrait of how bad political choices, religious extremists, a government grown too large and a dismal economy could combine to shatter the foundations of this country in a way no foreign enemy ever has been able to achieve.
Mr. Sheehan-Miles weaves large doses of recent history into his tale leading the reader along and forcing the reader to follow his grim vision of America's current path to its logical conclusion in the not too distant future.
His characters are vivid and you wind up caring deeply for some of them and passionately hating others. You find yourself torn with conflicting emotions like the characters and asking yourself "what would I do if that were happing here, to me and to my family?"
I hope that there is a book 3 of this series.
April 2, 2015
Published in 2012 by Cincinnatus Press
Insurgent is a worthy successor to the original book in this series, Republic: A Novel of America's Future. Book One details how a fictional confrontation between the state of West Virginia and the federal government over the proper role of the Department of Homeland Security eventually leads to a very short war in which West Virginia is quickly defeated.
Book Two deals with post-war relations between the occupying federal government, its troops and the people of West Virginia and the closely monitored civilian government of West Virginia.
The parallels between this fictional war and the Iraq War and the multi-year struggle to create a stable environment in Iraq once Sadaam Hussein was removed from power are striking and, I am sure, quite intentional. And, since this is a book about Americans in a situation similar to that experienced by the people of Iraq, the Iraqi reactions are made all the more understandable to an American reader...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2015/...
Insurgent is a worthy successor to the original book in this series, Republic: A Novel of America's Future. Book One details how a fictional confrontation between the state of West Virginia and the federal government over the proper role of the Department of Homeland Security eventually leads to a very short war in which West Virginia is quickly defeated.
Book Two deals with post-war relations between the occupying federal government, its troops and the people of West Virginia and the closely monitored civilian government of West Virginia.
The parallels between this fictional war and the Iraq War and the multi-year struggle to create a stable environment in Iraq once Sadaam Hussein was removed from power are striking and, I am sure, quite intentional. And, since this is a book about Americans in a situation similar to that experienced by the people of Iraq, the Iraqi reactions are made all the more understandable to an American reader...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2015/...
July 9, 2013
I could say much the same things about Insurgent as I did Republic. Heart breaking, breath stealing, non-stop action that had me swiping pages feverishly to discover what happened next. Mr. Sheehan-Miles managed again to sweep me into a world that could indeed be reality in the not-so-distant-future. As we learned more about characters we were introduced to in Republic, they burrowed even further into my heart, and the new folks we met quickly followed right along. As West Virginia tries to recover from its failed attempt at secession, the internal struggle some of them face as they fight to reconcile their anger and frustration with the federal government with their horror at the actions of the insurgents was gut wrenching. And the idea that there was someone with an "ulterior motive" manipulating and pulling the strings made the whole idea even more frightening. As big of a fan as I am of Charles' Thompson Sisters romance series, I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in THIS series.
February 6, 2014
A worthy successor to Sheehan-Miles' earlier Republic, Insurgent continues the tale of a United States torn apart by modern civil war.
Picking a few months after Republic, Insurgent delves deeper into the lives of the people of the USA's rural north-east, and the destruction of their lives by unemployment, government overreach, and military intervention.
Sheehan-Miles has a finger on the pulse of a world just steps away from where we are today with DHS interference and rendition of US citizens, an army and government in chaos over a regional war, and people on both sides seeking to do good, as well as those whose intentions are less benevolent.
I've become a big fan of this group of Charles Sheehan-Miles' works.
Picking a few months after Republic, Insurgent delves deeper into the lives of the people of the USA's rural north-east, and the destruction of their lives by unemployment, government overreach, and military intervention.
Sheehan-Miles has a finger on the pulse of a world just steps away from where we are today with DHS interference and rendition of US citizens, an army and government in chaos over a regional war, and people on both sides seeking to do good, as well as those whose intentions are less benevolent.
I've become a big fan of this group of Charles Sheehan-Miles' works.
November 29, 2015
Very true possible future
DHS with unlimited authority, President with his own personal agenda, out of control government regulations forcing jobs overseas, government declaring war on citizens that oppose them.
DHS with unlimited authority, President with his own personal agenda, out of control government regulations forcing jobs overseas, government declaring war on citizens that oppose them.
July 6, 2015
Really liked this book, enjoying the series immensely. Looking forward to the third installment!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews