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Fallen Hero
"FALLEN HERO" is about a man who seems to spend his life building bridges. Bridges between his unknown origins and his aspirations in life. Once he finds a tenuous link to his biological father Chris Squires cannot help but follow its path. Despite his misgivings he seeks out his roots.
Two boys about to become teenagers: Christopher, born just after the end of World War Two, grows up in the UK; Fritz, orphaned by a bomb dropped on his German home in that same terrible war, befriends a US marine. When Christopher discovers he was adopted he seeks to find his biological father. Fritz never gets the chance to grow much older and is found dead in the back of General George Patton's Cadillac at the end of the war.
Chris Squires is a confused man, constantly seeking a hero father-figure. The British baby boomer is surprised to find he has a connection with Fritz.
Chris discovers the link through Jimmy Lucas, a GI veteran, who he believes could be his father. But his surprise turns to horror when he learns that Jimmy was involved in the death of both Patton and the boy. A confrontation creates further tragedy for Chris, for Jimmy, and for Walt - the man who had saved Jimmy's life!
Chris panics and retreats back to Britain, trying to forget the incident he caused in San Francisco. Although appearing to lead a mundane and respectable life, for years he is tormented by guilt. He still hopes to find his hero, a guide to some kind of inner peace. And then Walt re-enters his life bringing with him a new bridge!
Two boys about to become teenagers: Christopher, born just after the end of World War Two, grows up in the UK; Fritz, orphaned by a bomb dropped on his German home in that same terrible war, befriends a US marine. When Christopher discovers he was adopted he seeks to find his biological father. Fritz never gets the chance to grow much older and is found dead in the back of General George Patton's Cadillac at the end of the war.
Chris Squires is a confused man, constantly seeking a hero father-figure. The British baby boomer is surprised to find he has a connection with Fritz.
Chris discovers the link through Jimmy Lucas, a GI veteran, who he believes could be his father. But his surprise turns to horror when he learns that Jimmy was involved in the death of both Patton and the boy. A confrontation creates further tragedy for Chris, for Jimmy, and for Walt - the man who had saved Jimmy's life!
Chris panics and retreats back to Britain, trying to forget the incident he caused in San Francisco. Although appearing to lead a mundane and respectable life, for years he is tormented by guilt. He still hopes to find his hero, a guide to some kind of inner peace. And then Walt re-enters his life bringing with him a new bridge!
234 pages, Paperback
First published May 11, 2012
1 person is currently reading
82 people want to read
About the author
G.J. Griffiths
13 books88 followersG.J. Griffiths is a retired science teacher with some early working experience of the photographic industry. Born in the UK he enjoys reading most genres of fiction such as sci-fi, crime/detective thrillers, historical and wildlife stories. Non-fiction reading mainly includes scientific or historical books. Walking in the English, Scottish or Welsh countryside with binoculars ready for bird-watching or other wildlife is a particular pleasure.
His first novel was Fallen Hero and the So What! series of three books followed. All three are focussed on the fictitious Birch Green High School. More recent works include poetry: Dizzyrambic Imaginings, two illustrated children’s sci-fi stories about ant-size aliens and historical novels based upon real characters from the Industrial Revolution period: The Quarry Bank Tales., Mules; Masters & Mud, The Mule Spinners' Daughters.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
His first novel was Fallen Hero and the So What! series of three books followed. All three are focussed on the fictitious Birch Green High School. More recent works include poetry: Dizzyrambic Imaginings, two illustrated children’s sci-fi stories about ant-size aliens and historical novels based upon real characters from the Industrial Revolution period: The Quarry Bank Tales., Mules; Masters & Mud, The Mule Spinners' Daughters.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 21, 2013
GJ Griffith’s Fallen Hero is the fictional story of a bright young boy who misunderstands his mother’s poorly-expressed frustrations with his bad behavior, discovers that he was adopted, attributes his failure to emotionally bond with his adoptive father to his own intellective superiority and then, as an adult, attempts to connect with his biological parents. The author touches on themes of adoption rights, post- traumatic stress, emotional and social intelligence, religious beliefs, and redemption. The story centers around Chris Squires, a photography equipment salesman who whose ill-conceived plan to meet his birth parents creates havoc and pain for the three of them.
Chris’s disastrous introductory phone conversation with his birth mother Norah finds her tortured by the flesh-and-blood reminder of the mistakes and decisions she made in her youth and the prospect of her husband learning of her misdeeds. Fleeing from the only contact he will ever have with her, with only the name of his father to show for it, he seeks out the whereabouts of Jimmy Lucas, the decorated World War II veteran who may not even know of his existence. Chris then embarks on a plan of deceit to engage Jimmy and then reveal his identity. Posing as a journalist for the BBC, he convinces Jimmy that he is writing a story about the experiences of American soldiers at the end of the war. Jimmy agrees to meet him and the reader is taken to the story of the young Christopher growing up, marrying, and deciding to contact his birth parents. This is where the reader begins to cringe at Chris's ill-conceived plan, hoping against hope that Jimmy Lucas, despite his challenges, both physical -- from a bullet that remains in his leg since the end of the war -- and the unresolved guilt he carries for the death of others, will save both himself and Chris from lives of regrets.
Although the plot has the potential of dealing with important issues like the effects of untreated depression, guilt, and anxiety, or the need for sensitivity and empathy in post adoption contact, the author does not explore these issues with keen observation or insight. In Chris, he creates a character who manages to have a satisfying life in spite of his apparent lack of empathy and social skills. The reading would not be so difficult if the story had been about the life of a man with Asperger’s, affording the reader an opportunity to see life experiences from an altered perspective. This does not appear to be the author’s goal and so the reader navigates the interactions between characters aided by their italicized inner voices, which unfortunately often mix with dialogue or are left floating without a cue to their source. There is much telling of what the character is really thinking; the author makes little effort to show, through description of facial expressions or body language, what the characters are thinking or feeling, suggesting that these clues are insignificant (to the author?) or, giving the benefit of the doubt, perhaps untrustworthy.
The overuse of italics and exclamation points (both of which are oftentimes undecipherable) does interfere with the flow of the story, as do the floating phrases that appear to be leftovers from cutting and pasting the manuscript. One can only assume that the author jumped the gun when he published the manuscript. The weaknesses in this book can and should be remedied by a good editor; your work deserves the best you can do.
Susan M. Rostan
Chris’s disastrous introductory phone conversation with his birth mother Norah finds her tortured by the flesh-and-blood reminder of the mistakes and decisions she made in her youth and the prospect of her husband learning of her misdeeds. Fleeing from the only contact he will ever have with her, with only the name of his father to show for it, he seeks out the whereabouts of Jimmy Lucas, the decorated World War II veteran who may not even know of his existence. Chris then embarks on a plan of deceit to engage Jimmy and then reveal his identity. Posing as a journalist for the BBC, he convinces Jimmy that he is writing a story about the experiences of American soldiers at the end of the war. Jimmy agrees to meet him and the reader is taken to the story of the young Christopher growing up, marrying, and deciding to contact his birth parents. This is where the reader begins to cringe at Chris's ill-conceived plan, hoping against hope that Jimmy Lucas, despite his challenges, both physical -- from a bullet that remains in his leg since the end of the war -- and the unresolved guilt he carries for the death of others, will save both himself and Chris from lives of regrets.
Although the plot has the potential of dealing with important issues like the effects of untreated depression, guilt, and anxiety, or the need for sensitivity and empathy in post adoption contact, the author does not explore these issues with keen observation or insight. In Chris, he creates a character who manages to have a satisfying life in spite of his apparent lack of empathy and social skills. The reading would not be so difficult if the story had been about the life of a man with Asperger’s, affording the reader an opportunity to see life experiences from an altered perspective. This does not appear to be the author’s goal and so the reader navigates the interactions between characters aided by their italicized inner voices, which unfortunately often mix with dialogue or are left floating without a cue to their source. There is much telling of what the character is really thinking; the author makes little effort to show, through description of facial expressions or body language, what the characters are thinking or feeling, suggesting that these clues are insignificant (to the author?) or, giving the benefit of the doubt, perhaps untrustworthy.
The overuse of italics and exclamation points (both of which are oftentimes undecipherable) does interfere with the flow of the story, as do the floating phrases that appear to be leftovers from cutting and pasting the manuscript. One can only assume that the author jumped the gun when he published the manuscript. The weaknesses in this book can and should be remedied by a good editor; your work deserves the best you can do.
Susan M. Rostan
December 19, 2013
The "frame story" for this novel is the death by accident or assassination of General George S. Patton. This is a popular topic among conspiracy theorists; I found Griffith's treatment somewhat thin; a literary device as opposed to an investigation or revelation of something vital. Further, one must suppose having Jimmy Lucas, one of the American GIs possibly involved, refer to his hair as being Bryllcreamed was intentional on the part of the British author; Brylcreem was/is the hair dressing of choice in the U.K.
Within this frame is the story of an adopted boy and all the trials of growing up with children born to his adoptive parents, going to school, transitioning to grammar school (middle and high school). Boys being boys, there is a scene of a peeing competition. There are also the "grammar grubs," showing how particularly well the Brits do class distinction ("Upstairs, Downstairs" as well as "Downton Abbey"); American abuse of "preppies" pale in comparison.
There is college, then love and marriage--the tale is sweetly told, there may even be some emotional high points, but in the end it is an unremarkable story.
And then there is the adoptee's search for his birth parents but the dramatic aspects would be a spoiler in a review. One aspect lacking, I thought, was the motivation for this search. Although, when the main character was a boy his adopted mother says (somewhat cruelly) that if he kept misbehaving she would send him "back to when he came from," the MC does not to point to this or anything else as the possible motive for the search for his birth parents.
The author follows his MC into retirement and grandfather-hood, perhaps to underscore the (unexceptional) point that even adopted children can grow up to have normal lives. Again, the author treats his characters generously. His special knowledge in photographic equipment and as science teacher are reflected in the story but not intrusively so.
Overall, a readable but unexceptional book.
Within this frame is the story of an adopted boy and all the trials of growing up with children born to his adoptive parents, going to school, transitioning to grammar school (middle and high school). Boys being boys, there is a scene of a peeing competition. There are also the "grammar grubs," showing how particularly well the Brits do class distinction ("Upstairs, Downstairs" as well as "Downton Abbey"); American abuse of "preppies" pale in comparison.
There is college, then love and marriage--the tale is sweetly told, there may even be some emotional high points, but in the end it is an unremarkable story.
And then there is the adoptee's search for his birth parents but the dramatic aspects would be a spoiler in a review. One aspect lacking, I thought, was the motivation for this search. Although, when the main character was a boy his adopted mother says (somewhat cruelly) that if he kept misbehaving she would send him "back to when he came from," the MC does not to point to this or anything else as the possible motive for the search for his birth parents.
The author follows his MC into retirement and grandfather-hood, perhaps to underscore the (unexceptional) point that even adopted children can grow up to have normal lives. Again, the author treats his characters generously. His special knowledge in photographic equipment and as science teacher are reflected in the story but not intrusively so.
Overall, a readable but unexceptional book.
February 18, 2017
In 'Fallen Hero', we meet Christopher Squires and follow him from a reasonably happy, mischievous childhood to a happy, married life. G J Griffiths has given us some fine, detailed snapshots (pun) of this character, highlighting the many events that shape him and make him the person he becomes. Most of us, when we look back on ourselves, see things in a similar chain, some links brighter than the rest to be cherished in our memories, some that we wish we could undo and forget.
In between run the threads of Christopher's insecurity, which partially appears to arise from his having been adopted and partially from his constantly wanting to do the right thing or to please people and somehow falling short in his own estimation. Christopher is very hard on himself, occasionally with good reason. There is also a historic narrative related to General Patton and his accidental death in Germany; Christopher's biological father, Jimmy Lucas, was a soldier under Patton's command and his traumatic wartime experiences have colored much of his subsequent life.
The characters are normal, decent people, who try to do the best they can in their given situations. The Squires, who adopt Christopher, love him and if there are hiccups in their relationship, they are really bumps that any ordinary family faces in day to day dealings. He comes to realize this and appreciate them more, particularly his father, Ted, once he has had children of his own. I must say that reading about this made me feel very grateful for my own ever-supportive father.
Christopher's affection for and dependency on his wife, Wendy, is touching and sweet. Their children turn out well and have children and they all remain a close-knit family, even if spread around the globe; they keep in touch via the fantastic communication technologies of 2020. I would have liked to know though how Christopher's relationship with his brother and sister, a bit contentious in their childhood, panned out later. That seemed to get overlooked in the story.
Walt Sheppard, Jimmy Lucas's wartime buddy and close friend, is wise and comforting, just the type to shoo away your angst and give you strength. I've known such people and I'm grateful for their existence.
I really liked this book very much. It is well-written, with the little nuances and touches that most of us have experienced at one point or the other in life. And this made reading it a pleasurable, satisfying experience.
In between run the threads of Christopher's insecurity, which partially appears to arise from his having been adopted and partially from his constantly wanting to do the right thing or to please people and somehow falling short in his own estimation. Christopher is very hard on himself, occasionally with good reason. There is also a historic narrative related to General Patton and his accidental death in Germany; Christopher's biological father, Jimmy Lucas, was a soldier under Patton's command and his traumatic wartime experiences have colored much of his subsequent life.
The characters are normal, decent people, who try to do the best they can in their given situations. The Squires, who adopt Christopher, love him and if there are hiccups in their relationship, they are really bumps that any ordinary family faces in day to day dealings. He comes to realize this and appreciate them more, particularly his father, Ted, once he has had children of his own. I must say that reading about this made me feel very grateful for my own ever-supportive father.
Christopher's affection for and dependency on his wife, Wendy, is touching and sweet. Their children turn out well and have children and they all remain a close-knit family, even if spread around the globe; they keep in touch via the fantastic communication technologies of 2020. I would have liked to know though how Christopher's relationship with his brother and sister, a bit contentious in their childhood, panned out later. That seemed to get overlooked in the story.
Walt Sheppard, Jimmy Lucas's wartime buddy and close friend, is wise and comforting, just the type to shoo away your angst and give you strength. I've known such people and I'm grateful for their existence.
I really liked this book very much. It is well-written, with the little nuances and touches that most of us have experienced at one point or the other in life. And this made reading it a pleasurable, satisfying experience.
November 4, 2016
I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I'm almost unsure of where to start and what to say. I'm unsure as to what the author thought the reader would be guessing about in this book.
The story starts off with Jimmy Lucas, a war veteran, as he prepares for an interview with who he thinks is a BBC documentary reporter. The beginning intermingles confusing dialogue between his wife Miriam and his daughter Julie, going back and forth between points of view, which leaves the reader unsure of who is speaking and who is thinking--thoughts were in italics with no speaker tags to show who was thinking what. Then the story turns from Jimmy to about 100 or more pages about Chris' life. We watch him grow from 3 years old to a man knocking on Jimmy's door. None of it is necessary. I have no idea why I had to know about Chris participating in a peeing contest in primary school or who all of Chris' friends were during all his years of schooling. I think G.J. Griffiths wanted the reader to understand Chris' journey so that we understood later why he decided to find his biological father, which we find out is Jimmy Lucas. Honestly, I felt so inundated with a mundane story about a kid that I didn't care about that I found I had no desire to find out why he wanted to locate his biological father. I'm actually adopted, so this story should have appealed to me as I can relate. Unfortunately, it did not.
Most of the book is comprised of choppy, confusing dialogue with little scene or lots of scenes briefly explained with little to no dialogue. There were useless characters, like Alec, that could have been left out. Chris' relationship with Wendy is too wooden and too cookie cutter. It is unbelievable and the constant POV change to accommodate what each character is thinking is distracting and irritating.
I'm not entirely sure what this book is about, despite the lengthy summary. Is it a biography of Chris' life? Is it about the assassination in Germany of General Patton? There is lots of great research about General Patton, but perhaps only an 1/8th of the story is delegated to how he died. So what is the book about? It definitely isn't about Jimmy since he is killed off out of no where right when Chris confronts him about being his son. That left me really confounded. Why am I (supposedly) made to care so much about Chris' search for his parents when he kills one of them off? Why do I want to read the next 100 pages? Unfortunately, I couldn't muddle through the rest. I gave up on page 200. Once Jimmy dies and Chris runs back to the UK to uproot his family and move to Wales, I just couldn't continue. What else could possibly be of interest to read? I hate feeling that way and I don't simply stop reading a book often. I try to muddle through, but I simply couldn't do it. I found myself quickly scanning the pages, trying to get to the end.
As Chris said when Jimmy died, I felt absolutely nothing towards this book or its characters. I couldn't follow the plot or the point of the story. I think that the concept of the book needs a make over. Choose whether this is going to be a conspiracy theory or an in-depth book on the trials of a child who finds out he is adopted and how he deals with it. I would also cut out a huge chunk of Chris' life as it was simply unnecessary and bogged down the reader immensely.
I'm almost unsure of where to start and what to say. I'm unsure as to what the author thought the reader would be guessing about in this book.
The story starts off with Jimmy Lucas, a war veteran, as he prepares for an interview with who he thinks is a BBC documentary reporter. The beginning intermingles confusing dialogue between his wife Miriam and his daughter Julie, going back and forth between points of view, which leaves the reader unsure of who is speaking and who is thinking--thoughts were in italics with no speaker tags to show who was thinking what. Then the story turns from Jimmy to about 100 or more pages about Chris' life. We watch him grow from 3 years old to a man knocking on Jimmy's door. None of it is necessary. I have no idea why I had to know about Chris participating in a peeing contest in primary school or who all of Chris' friends were during all his years of schooling. I think G.J. Griffiths wanted the reader to understand Chris' journey so that we understood later why he decided to find his biological father, which we find out is Jimmy Lucas. Honestly, I felt so inundated with a mundane story about a kid that I didn't care about that I found I had no desire to find out why he wanted to locate his biological father. I'm actually adopted, so this story should have appealed to me as I can relate. Unfortunately, it did not.
Most of the book is comprised of choppy, confusing dialogue with little scene or lots of scenes briefly explained with little to no dialogue. There were useless characters, like Alec, that could have been left out. Chris' relationship with Wendy is too wooden and too cookie cutter. It is unbelievable and the constant POV change to accommodate what each character is thinking is distracting and irritating.
I'm not entirely sure what this book is about, despite the lengthy summary. Is it a biography of Chris' life? Is it about the assassination in Germany of General Patton? There is lots of great research about General Patton, but perhaps only an 1/8th of the story is delegated to how he died. So what is the book about? It definitely isn't about Jimmy since he is killed off out of no where right when Chris confronts him about being his son. That left me really confounded. Why am I (supposedly) made to care so much about Chris' search for his parents when he kills one of them off? Why do I want to read the next 100 pages? Unfortunately, I couldn't muddle through the rest. I gave up on page 200. Once Jimmy dies and Chris runs back to the UK to uproot his family and move to Wales, I just couldn't continue. What else could possibly be of interest to read? I hate feeling that way and I don't simply stop reading a book often. I try to muddle through, but I simply couldn't do it. I found myself quickly scanning the pages, trying to get to the end.
As Chris said when Jimmy died, I felt absolutely nothing towards this book or its characters. I couldn't follow the plot or the point of the story. I think that the concept of the book needs a make over. Choose whether this is going to be a conspiracy theory or an in-depth book on the trials of a child who finds out he is adopted and how he deals with it. I would also cut out a huge chunk of Chris' life as it was simply unnecessary and bogged down the reader immensely.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2013
A young boy found out he was adopted,and he decided to seek out his birth parents when he became a grown man. He found his mother wasn't so keen on developing a relationship with him, and that his father was a WWII war veteran.
The fallen hero is mainly about the aftermath of the encounter between the main character and his birth father, and the mediating influence of his father's friend, in helping him reconcile his expectations of a war hero with reality.
A well composed novel. I almost believed its version of the death of the general. The emotions of the characters in the story were deftly handled, such that the reader empathized with their sorrows. A read for war fantasy lovers.
The fallen hero is mainly about the aftermath of the encounter between the main character and his birth father, and the mediating influence of his father's friend, in helping him reconcile his expectations of a war hero with reality.
A well composed novel. I almost believed its version of the death of the general. The emotions of the characters in the story were deftly handled, such that the reader empathized with their sorrows. A read for war fantasy lovers.
December 31, 2020
I am a big fan of family dramas and I enjoyed this book which, to me, is a story about a young man growing into his responsibilities, maturing, and finding acceptance of his past.
Christopher Squires had a reasonable childhood. It wasn't very exciting and his father was not inspired or ambition, but his family were comfortable and he is very fond of his mother, Gwen. It is a shock to Chris to discover that he is adopted and he feels a need to investigate his roots. He is hopeful that his real father will prove to be a more inspirational role model than his adoptive father. This may seem unfair to readers, given that his adoptive father raised him, but I think this is quite a natural way for a young man who is vaguely disappointed in his father and discovers he is adopted to feel. I think it is understandable for a young person to want to know who their biological parents are and to understand why they were given up for adoption.
Chris has a good life, with a successful job in camera and photographic equipment sales and a lovely wife and children. He gets an opportunity and decides to use it to try to find his biological father, a USA soldier who spent time in Britain during World War II. Chris has already managed to track down his mother, Norah, who was only sixteen years old when he was born and is very determined to keep the fact of her teenage pregnancy from her husband. Although Norah doesn't want a relationship with Chris she does tell him the name of his father, Jimmy Lucas.
Chris does meet Jimmy, who turns out to be far less of a war hero than he had imagined. In fact, Chris is horrified to discover that Jimmy was involved in the death of a young boy during the war, that his injury wasn't attained in action, and that he intended to conspire with others to murder General Patton. A confrontation between Chris and Jimmy leads to Jimmy having a fatal heart attack that results in additional feelings of confusion and guilt for Chris. Something good comes out of his meeting with Jimmy in the form of Walt, a war comrade of Jimmy's, and a really good and kindly man. Walt and Chris stay in contact over the years.
I enjoyed this book and Chris' journey to understanding his father and his actions, as well as the behaviour of men generally in a war situation, acceptance of his adoption and the people that were his adoptive parents and his biological parents, as well as his growing respect and affection for Walt. I didn't know much about General Patton and the USA involvement in the war so I found the history very interesting. The author certainly did excellent research and presented his findings well.
The only reason I didn't rate this book 5 stars is that there are a number of hints as to Chris' paternity throughout the book, and indications that Walt could have been Chris' father and not Jimmy. This point was not clearly tied up for me and I finished the book unsure as to who Chris' father actually was. This might be clear to other readers, but for me, it was not.
If you enjoy a good family drama with a solid historical base, then you will enjoy this book.
Christopher Squires had a reasonable childhood. It wasn't very exciting and his father was not inspired or ambition, but his family were comfortable and he is very fond of his mother, Gwen. It is a shock to Chris to discover that he is adopted and he feels a need to investigate his roots. He is hopeful that his real father will prove to be a more inspirational role model than his adoptive father. This may seem unfair to readers, given that his adoptive father raised him, but I think this is quite a natural way for a young man who is vaguely disappointed in his father and discovers he is adopted to feel. I think it is understandable for a young person to want to know who their biological parents are and to understand why they were given up for adoption.
Chris has a good life, with a successful job in camera and photographic equipment sales and a lovely wife and children. He gets an opportunity and decides to use it to try to find his biological father, a USA soldier who spent time in Britain during World War II. Chris has already managed to track down his mother, Norah, who was only sixteen years old when he was born and is very determined to keep the fact of her teenage pregnancy from her husband. Although Norah doesn't want a relationship with Chris she does tell him the name of his father, Jimmy Lucas.
Chris does meet Jimmy, who turns out to be far less of a war hero than he had imagined. In fact, Chris is horrified to discover that Jimmy was involved in the death of a young boy during the war, that his injury wasn't attained in action, and that he intended to conspire with others to murder General Patton. A confrontation between Chris and Jimmy leads to Jimmy having a fatal heart attack that results in additional feelings of confusion and guilt for Chris. Something good comes out of his meeting with Jimmy in the form of Walt, a war comrade of Jimmy's, and a really good and kindly man. Walt and Chris stay in contact over the years.
I enjoyed this book and Chris' journey to understanding his father and his actions, as well as the behaviour of men generally in a war situation, acceptance of his adoption and the people that were his adoptive parents and his biological parents, as well as his growing respect and affection for Walt. I didn't know much about General Patton and the USA involvement in the war so I found the history very interesting. The author certainly did excellent research and presented his findings well.
The only reason I didn't rate this book 5 stars is that there are a number of hints as to Chris' paternity throughout the book, and indications that Walt could have been Chris' father and not Jimmy. This point was not clearly tied up for me and I finished the book unsure as to who Chris' father actually was. This might be clear to other readers, but for me, it was not.
If you enjoy a good family drama with a solid historical base, then you will enjoy this book.
December 2, 2020
G J Griffiths has produced an interesting,, and sometimes enthralling, story revolving around a high profile American General and his controversial views. Unfortunately he has perpetrated some common errors found in first works. I suspect that, were he to write the same book today, the result would be less irritating for the reader.
The plot concerns an English man, an adoptee, who discovers that his biological father is a former GI who spent time in Birmingham recovering from an injury received whilst serving in Germany under General Patton. What he discovers upon meeting the man leaves him wishing he had not made the effort.
There are many excellent, well written passages describing the devastation of post war Europe and the trauma suffered by civilians and combatants alike. Griffiths has obviously devoted a great deal of research to the period, to Patton and to the campaigns in which he was involved, as the war in Europe ground to a conclusion.
He also shows off his knowledge of cameras and photographic accessories based on his hobby. Some readers are likely to find this tiresome at times.
The protagonist's story is taken forward to the 2030s by which time he is over 80. The problem here is that some of the author's predictions about life in that decade seem outdated already.
I find it difficult to recommend this book to general readers. If you can't get enough military history, or are enthusiastic about old fashioned photographic equipment, there is material here to keep your interest.
The plot concerns an English man, an adoptee, who discovers that his biological father is a former GI who spent time in Birmingham recovering from an injury received whilst serving in Germany under General Patton. What he discovers upon meeting the man leaves him wishing he had not made the effort.
There are many excellent, well written passages describing the devastation of post war Europe and the trauma suffered by civilians and combatants alike. Griffiths has obviously devoted a great deal of research to the period, to Patton and to the campaigns in which he was involved, as the war in Europe ground to a conclusion.
He also shows off his knowledge of cameras and photographic accessories based on his hobby. Some readers are likely to find this tiresome at times.
The protagonist's story is taken forward to the 2030s by which time he is over 80. The problem here is that some of the author's predictions about life in that decade seem outdated already.
I find it difficult to recommend this book to general readers. If you can't get enough military history, or are enthusiastic about old fashioned photographic equipment, there is material here to keep your interest.
April 2, 2016
'Fallen Hero' - despite the book's title and the initial and thereafter occasional wartime references to the US Army's General George S. Patton - is ultimately the story of an ordinary man who spends his entire early life worrying about the fact that he was adopted; then spending the next part of his life questioning what his real father, Jimmy Lucas, might be like and how he might set about meeting him; followed in mid to later life by feeling a huge sense of guilt that his plan to meet his father backfired and that his treatment of Walt Sheppard, his Dad's best friend, was loathsome.
Straight off, I have to admit that there are occasional gems of poetic description within the covers of this book that I found very appealing.
However, despite the author's bold attempt at interweaving a number of complex themes that in theory have the potential to make a great story - e.g. adoption; notable cultural differences between the UK and USA; hideous deeds smoothed over in the aftermath of war in order to keep the peace - I found this book somewhat laboured, particularly in the early life story of the main character Chris and especially during his school years, to the point where I found myself wondering whether this hefty introduction was strictly necessary to the overall story. A life story which feels neither remarkable nor particularly captivating in terms of character development or exposition.
I found the writing style bordered on 'telling' rather than 'showing' the reader, in terms of how information came to light and the time and date frames are often confusing and need to be re-read to check character POV's.
There appears to be an element of the autobiographical in this book, as in a burning story that the author desperately feels that he needs to tell, but that at the fictional story level, in its current form, does not really hang together.
Maybe the author would do well to revisit the original manuscript and decide whether 'Fallen Hero' is primarily a conspiracy theory about General George S. Patton's death or the biography of an adopted child and how he deals throughout his life with the conflicting emotions triggered by interactions with both his birth and foster parents. Unfortunately the author's attempt in blending the two did not quite work for me.
The one redeeming feature of the book is Walt's character that is both endearing and credible but because he only enters the stage from the middle of the book onwards, we have to wade through pages before we are treated to his appearance.
Ultimately Walt's involvement in the latter part of the book provides the only justification why the story has any reason to continue after Chris's biological father's death and furthermore avoids accusations that links to the death of General George S. Patton are merely tenuous to the overall story.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I wish the author well with his future publications because his ability to tell a good story is beyond doubt, it is merely how he goes about it here that I question.
Straight off, I have to admit that there are occasional gems of poetic description within the covers of this book that I found very appealing.
However, despite the author's bold attempt at interweaving a number of complex themes that in theory have the potential to make a great story - e.g. adoption; notable cultural differences between the UK and USA; hideous deeds smoothed over in the aftermath of war in order to keep the peace - I found this book somewhat laboured, particularly in the early life story of the main character Chris and especially during his school years, to the point where I found myself wondering whether this hefty introduction was strictly necessary to the overall story. A life story which feels neither remarkable nor particularly captivating in terms of character development or exposition.
I found the writing style bordered on 'telling' rather than 'showing' the reader, in terms of how information came to light and the time and date frames are often confusing and need to be re-read to check character POV's.
There appears to be an element of the autobiographical in this book, as in a burning story that the author desperately feels that he needs to tell, but that at the fictional story level, in its current form, does not really hang together.
Maybe the author would do well to revisit the original manuscript and decide whether 'Fallen Hero' is primarily a conspiracy theory about General George S. Patton's death or the biography of an adopted child and how he deals throughout his life with the conflicting emotions triggered by interactions with both his birth and foster parents. Unfortunately the author's attempt in blending the two did not quite work for me.
The one redeeming feature of the book is Walt's character that is both endearing and credible but because he only enters the stage from the middle of the book onwards, we have to wade through pages before we are treated to his appearance.
Ultimately Walt's involvement in the latter part of the book provides the only justification why the story has any reason to continue after Chris's biological father's death and furthermore avoids accusations that links to the death of General George S. Patton are merely tenuous to the overall story.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I wish the author well with his future publications because his ability to tell a good story is beyond doubt, it is merely how he goes about it here that I question.
February 7, 2016
The author starts off the story with a good characterizations. First of Jimmy Lucas, WWII vet. He's fidgety and has a few OCD tendencies. Then onto little six-year-old Christopher, getting in trouble for only wanting a treat. The story then follows Christopher through his life--from childhood through old age--and the many discoveries he makes about his past and himself. I found myself laughing at many of his childhood adventures.
I had a difficult time at first figuring out the time period. The story started in 1945 with a little about the death of George S Patton, then switched to 1975 in talking about Jimmy. The when Christopher's story begins in the next chapter, the time apparently switched back to the post-WWII by its references to "after the war," but this was not immediately apparent.
I thought the story was going to be heavy on details about Patton, but this wasn't the case. The excerpt at the beginning is important to how the story unfolds nonetheless. But it is not a story about Patton. Many of the characters in the story can be considered a "Fallen Hero." It starts off with a bang in Christophers' early years and life until he takes a trip to the USA. After that, much of it was summarized to pass the years. But it ends on a good note and with a good message.
The one thing I found off-putting and distracting was the internal thoughts. So much of what they were thinking was already adequately conveyed in the characters' actions and the words they spoke. All in all, it was an enjoyable read.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I had a difficult time at first figuring out the time period. The story started in 1945 with a little about the death of George S Patton, then switched to 1975 in talking about Jimmy. The when Christopher's story begins in the next chapter, the time apparently switched back to the post-WWII by its references to "after the war," but this was not immediately apparent.
I thought the story was going to be heavy on details about Patton, but this wasn't the case. The excerpt at the beginning is important to how the story unfolds nonetheless. But it is not a story about Patton. Many of the characters in the story can be considered a "Fallen Hero." It starts off with a bang in Christophers' early years and life until he takes a trip to the USA. After that, much of it was summarized to pass the years. But it ends on a good note and with a good message.
The one thing I found off-putting and distracting was the internal thoughts. So much of what they were thinking was already adequately conveyed in the characters' actions and the words they spoke. All in all, it was an enjoyable read.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 11, 2014
Fallen Hero by G J Griffiths is part historical fiction and part heart-wrencher. While the blurb focuses on Chris, in a strange turn of events I found the most identifiable character to be Jimmy. Jimmy's involvement with a popular conspiracy theory - the death of General George Patton being a deliberate act of assassination, rather than an accident - makes for an interesting story, even if stretched credulity. The search for Chris' father was well conceived, even if the eventual windfall of good fortune that follows his quest is a bit story-bookish; especially in contrast to Jimmy's fate once he discovers his connection to the young man interviewing him. It is a great idea for a story, though I'd have liked to see more about Jimmy's past and to have had the conspiracy angle built up higher.
Where the novel stumbles is the writing. Perhaps it's just the version I have downloaded, or my Kindle program in particular, but I've noticed a number of problems with the way the book is presented. Bold and italicized lines appear almost randomly throughout the product, almost but not quite fitting with a characters' expression. Their frequency of opening paragraphs or bits of dialogue indicate it was intentional. There are parts where one character states something, then a second does; all without starting new paragraphs, leading to confusion over who is speaking. Sometimes the writing just feels flat.
On the whole, Fallen Hero is a fun read, but fails to grasp at the glory it could have achieved.
Where the novel stumbles is the writing. Perhaps it's just the version I have downloaded, or my Kindle program in particular, but I've noticed a number of problems with the way the book is presented. Bold and italicized lines appear almost randomly throughout the product, almost but not quite fitting with a characters' expression. Their frequency of opening paragraphs or bits of dialogue indicate it was intentional. There are parts where one character states something, then a second does; all without starting new paragraphs, leading to confusion over who is speaking. Sometimes the writing just feels flat.
On the whole, Fallen Hero is a fun read, but fails to grasp at the glory it could have achieved.
February 13, 2017
It's not my usual genre of book, but nonetheless, I found Fallen Hero somewhat riveting. The story's well paced and is mostly told from the point of view of a young man named Christopher. I enjoyed the author's style of worldbuilding and appreciated the fact the dialogue between the characters was realistic and flowed naturally. However, I recommend that the author finds a smoother way of switching the character speaking's point of view. There were a few instances where I had to go back a re-read a passage because I could not tell who was speaking. Overall, I found that Fallen Hero was an enjoyable and engaging read.
February 17, 2016
Fallen Hero takes a number of storylines and handles them well. There is the question of Patton: did he die accidentally or was he murdered by his own side? There is also, in respect of Patton, the question: was he the hero that many of his men saw him as? Or was he not a nice person at all? To be frank, the Patton story is only there to get into the other storylines that are more important to the author. The protagonist is adopted, though he finds that out accidentally. Who was his father? Why did his mother abandon him (as he sees it)? These questions become more important to him as he becomes older, marries and has children of his own.
There are aspects of the story (not excluding the adoption) that are told in a way that makes one wonder how much is autobiographical. By the end of the book, the reader knows as much as she or he might ever have hoped to know about old cameras and about the camera business and how it has suffered from the spread of trading on the Internet. At the centre, however, is the protagonist’s determination to track down his father and get to the root of the story. This is told exhaustively and step-by-step.
If I had a problem with Fallen Hero, it was that (although the hero himself behaves in a way that is difficult to approve of) every one of the many characters is generous, goodhearted and kind. That does not reflect the world most of us live in. Nevertheless, a difficult story is pursued to a convincing conclusion.
There are aspects of the story (not excluding the adoption) that are told in a way that makes one wonder how much is autobiographical. By the end of the book, the reader knows as much as she or he might ever have hoped to know about old cameras and about the camera business and how it has suffered from the spread of trading on the Internet. At the centre, however, is the protagonist’s determination to track down his father and get to the root of the story. This is told exhaustively and step-by-step.
If I had a problem with Fallen Hero, it was that (although the hero himself behaves in a way that is difficult to approve of) every one of the many characters is generous, goodhearted and kind. That does not reflect the world most of us live in. Nevertheless, a difficult story is pursued to a convincing conclusion.
February 5, 2016
Was General George Patton a hero to all—or did he make enemies who caused his death? Fallen Hero explores the nature of heroism and how choices affect a man’s life.
The story unfolds through the eyes of an English boy born as World War II ends. Young Christopher Squires can easily tell right from wrong. There’s a wrongness to his family; he doesn’t fit in. His father is not the hero he desires.
When adolescent Chris discovers he’s adopted, he begins a lifelong quest to learn what he’s destined to become. His birth parents, he thinks, have the answers. Before he can find them, he grows up, starts his career, forms a family—makes his own life choices. Right and wrong are no longer so clear. The crucial meeting with his father, an American GI who served under General Patton, provides more questions than answers but leads, eventually, to the father Chris always wanted.
Fallen Hero has strong characterization. Dialogue is natural and realistic. We feel for Chris as he wrestles with the issues in his life, and we rejoice with him when he discovers no one is entirely hero or villain, that being a man means making both good and bad decisions, that life is always a work in process.
The story unfolds through the eyes of an English boy born as World War II ends. Young Christopher Squires can easily tell right from wrong. There’s a wrongness to his family; he doesn’t fit in. His father is not the hero he desires.
When adolescent Chris discovers he’s adopted, he begins a lifelong quest to learn what he’s destined to become. His birth parents, he thinks, have the answers. Before he can find them, he grows up, starts his career, forms a family—makes his own life choices. Right and wrong are no longer so clear. The crucial meeting with his father, an American GI who served under General Patton, provides more questions than answers but leads, eventually, to the father Chris always wanted.
Fallen Hero has strong characterization. Dialogue is natural and realistic. We feel for Chris as he wrestles with the issues in his life, and we rejoice with him when he discovers no one is entirely hero or villain, that being a man means making both good and bad decisions, that life is always a work in process.
February 5, 2015
I received this book as part of a goodreads giveaway.
The story is about Chris Squires and his quest to discover more about his father. Chris was adopted at Birth just after the Second world war, child of a young unmarried mother who was forced to adopt her son when her GI boyfriend left after the war.
The Book follows Chris through childhood and university, his unsuccessful meeting with his father and his guilt after his death and finally coming to terms with the guilt caused by the meeting and with help of Walt, his fathers best friend.
The book was slow to get into, with lots of "thoughts" written after almost every spoken word. Once the author got going the story improved greatly and wasn't your typical boy find real parents who happen to be rich/famous/looking for them (delete the appropriate) both live happily ever after. This is not the case and Chris hates his real father for things in his past, without ever trying to understand them. When he realises that there was more to his father it’s too late and the guilt carries with Chris.
The story is about Chris Squires and his quest to discover more about his father. Chris was adopted at Birth just after the Second world war, child of a young unmarried mother who was forced to adopt her son when her GI boyfriend left after the war.
The Book follows Chris through childhood and university, his unsuccessful meeting with his father and his guilt after his death and finally coming to terms with the guilt caused by the meeting and with help of Walt, his fathers best friend.
The book was slow to get into, with lots of "thoughts" written after almost every spoken word. Once the author got going the story improved greatly and wasn't your typical boy find real parents who happen to be rich/famous/looking for them (delete the appropriate) both live happily ever after. This is not the case and Chris hates his real father for things in his past, without ever trying to understand them. When he realises that there was more to his father it’s too late and the guilt carries with Chris.
December 20, 2014
Taking the title into account I was assuming that the main storyline would be about the apparent assassination of General Patten but this was just a short episode that went nowhere.
Taken as just a story of a man who happened to have been adopted it made a very readable book although I did find the dialogue between the main character Chris and his wife Wendy very forced, but that might just be me.
I found the final years when the author went into the future to be ridiculous and totally unnecessary.
Although the story, to my mind, in no way lived up to the blurb, I still enjoyed it and would look for more titles by C J Griffiths, whose literary skills I am sure, will only improve with practice.
Taken as just a story of a man who happened to have been adopted it made a very readable book although I did find the dialogue between the main character Chris and his wife Wendy very forced, but that might just be me.
I found the final years when the author went into the future to be ridiculous and totally unnecessary.
Although the story, to my mind, in no way lived up to the blurb, I still enjoyed it and would look for more titles by C J Griffiths, whose literary skills I am sure, will only improve with practice.
August 16, 2014
I received this book free in return for my review.
I found it a bit lengthy in the discussions on the main character’s school life. And being from the U.S. the terminology was quite foreign to me. I did like the ww 2 veteran, Walt.
Walt was someone I would have liked to have known, an honest man.
So much time was wasted as in life many times. If Chris had been honest with his father could he have possibly had the relationship with him he was seeking? Chris has a loving family and he is a good man. Overall I did like the book. I give it three stars.
I found it a bit lengthy in the discussions on the main character’s school life. And being from the U.S. the terminology was quite foreign to me. I did like the ww 2 veteran, Walt.
Walt was someone I would have liked to have known, an honest man.
So much time was wasted as in life many times. If Chris had been honest with his father could he have possibly had the relationship with him he was seeking? Chris has a loving family and he is a good man. Overall I did like the book. I give it three stars.
May 3, 2016
I struggled with this book.
I received a free copy in exchange for a review, and I really wanted to like it. But I found the book in great need of an edit, as it shifted points of view frequently and the punctuation wasn't standardized throughout. The story line, to me, seemed to wander, and I couldn't get into it. I felt like the plot concept and idea was great, but the execution was lacking.
I wish the author the best of luck and if there is a revised version of the book I'd be happy to reevaluate.
I received a free copy in exchange for a review, and I really wanted to like it. But I found the book in great need of an edit, as it shifted points of view frequently and the punctuation wasn't standardized throughout. The story line, to me, seemed to wander, and I couldn't get into it. I felt like the plot concept and idea was great, but the execution was lacking.
I wish the author the best of luck and if there is a revised version of the book I'd be happy to reevaluate.
May 7, 2015
A wonderful story what I got out of it one boy that grow to man looking for a father and hero at the same time. Well thought out and the aray of characters and there colourful lives. My heart felt thanks to the author G.J.Griffiths for the privilege and pleasure of reading this wonderful book and hope to read more in the future. This book will be a delight to recommend to my friends so to all happy reading from wee me. xxxx
January 10, 2015
This was a first-read-giveaway that I received in exchange for an honest review.
There were various strands to the plot, some worked better than others but the general result was an engaging storyline. However, I felt that the last couple of chapters covering the final years to be unnecessary, surplus to the main plot and, at times, verging on the far fetched.
Overall I found this to be a very enjoyable and readable book and would definitely read further works by the author.
There were various strands to the plot, some worked better than others but the general result was an engaging storyline. However, I felt that the last couple of chapters covering the final years to be unnecessary, surplus to the main plot and, at times, verging on the far fetched.
Overall I found this to be a very enjoyable and readable book and would definitely read further works by the author.
December 29, 2014
thanks to goodreads for the review copy
i liked this, the book has a few strands the best of which being conspiracy theory elements relating to the death of General Patton, some of the other strands were good but not as engaging
excellent debut from this author and if the better elements of this story are carried few into future novels they have the potential to produce outstanding work
i liked this, the book has a few strands the best of which being conspiracy theory elements relating to the death of General Patton, some of the other strands were good but not as engaging
excellent debut from this author and if the better elements of this story are carried few into future novels they have the potential to produce outstanding work
July 6, 2014
Good book. Family story with war time references but ending little unexpected.
April 7, 2016
This is really two stories in one and I am not sure the two sit very comfortably together.
On the one hand we have the quite engaging story of Chris, from his childhood through adolescence, adulthood and into retirement. There was much to enjoy here. The writer describes progress in terms of culture and technology with a light hand, even speculating as to what gadgets might be available in the 2020s and beyond. These things informed the story rather than being allowed to drag it down. The exception to this was the rather detailed descriptions of camera equipment, clearly rather a hobby horse with the author; here less would have been much more.
The central conceit of the book is Chris’ search for his biological parents, particularly his father. Discovering at an early age and by accident that he is adopted, Chris struggles to come to terms with what this means in terms of his own place in the family and his relationship with his adoptive parents Irene and Ted. Naturally the time comes when he decides to seek out his biological parents. I’d have liked Chris to invest far more in his need for an alternative father figure to Ted. Ted is a reasonably nice though not fully developed character; greater antipathy between the two, perhaps, or some decidedly unpleasant traits might have helped build Jimmy up as a desirable alternative. But as the title suggests, the man Chris eventually tracks down turns out not to be the man he had imagined. Because the build-up of his ‘hero’ role model and Chris’ deep-seated need for him had not been thoroughly developed, the disappointment failed to have much impact.
In the middle of this story sits a mini historical investigation into the life and reputation of General Patton, seemingly the most respected US military leader as well as the most reviled man of the second world war. Another obvious enthusiasm of the writer (the bibliography reveals extensive reading on the topic), it is shoe-horned in like the glass slipper onto the foot of the ugly sister, sitting very uncomfortably, tenuously connected and not really resolved.
In the end I found that neither Jimmy, General Patton or even Chris himself had really been convincingly cast as any kind of heroes and therefore their fall didn’t entirely resonate.
On the one hand we have the quite engaging story of Chris, from his childhood through adolescence, adulthood and into retirement. There was much to enjoy here. The writer describes progress in terms of culture and technology with a light hand, even speculating as to what gadgets might be available in the 2020s and beyond. These things informed the story rather than being allowed to drag it down. The exception to this was the rather detailed descriptions of camera equipment, clearly rather a hobby horse with the author; here less would have been much more.
The central conceit of the book is Chris’ search for his biological parents, particularly his father. Discovering at an early age and by accident that he is adopted, Chris struggles to come to terms with what this means in terms of his own place in the family and his relationship with his adoptive parents Irene and Ted. Naturally the time comes when he decides to seek out his biological parents. I’d have liked Chris to invest far more in his need for an alternative father figure to Ted. Ted is a reasonably nice though not fully developed character; greater antipathy between the two, perhaps, or some decidedly unpleasant traits might have helped build Jimmy up as a desirable alternative. But as the title suggests, the man Chris eventually tracks down turns out not to be the man he had imagined. Because the build-up of his ‘hero’ role model and Chris’ deep-seated need for him had not been thoroughly developed, the disappointment failed to have much impact.
In the middle of this story sits a mini historical investigation into the life and reputation of General Patton, seemingly the most respected US military leader as well as the most reviled man of the second world war. Another obvious enthusiasm of the writer (the bibliography reveals extensive reading on the topic), it is shoe-horned in like the glass slipper onto the foot of the ugly sister, sitting very uncomfortably, tenuously connected and not really resolved.
In the end I found that neither Jimmy, General Patton or even Chris himself had really been convincingly cast as any kind of heroes and therefore their fall didn’t entirely resonate.
March 5, 2016
The book opens with a prologue of a fallen man, the accidental/purposeful death of a real-life historical figure called General George S. Patton and the (fictional) person who may have played a part in it. The happenstance, still questioned today, is used to weave a story that constantly shifts the terrain of who is exactly the "fallen hero," for which the book is titled.
From there, the story follows two boys who grow up to become teenagers. This part of the story reads more like a fictionalized memoir with a point of view that constantly shifts quite rapidly between characters, something that I found jarring as a reader. At times, i had to reread to ensure I had the correct perspective.
While the former part of the book explores Christopher Squires' journey to adulthood, his resulting shock over his own adoption, and his unexplainable desire to discover who his real father is/was; the latter part of the book is about Chris coming to terms with the shocking facts that weave the destiny of several lives together in a fateful way.
By book's end, I found myself counting, recounting, and wondering who all the fallen heroes are in the book. Overall, a slow build to a dramatic encounter that freefalls, then dovetails to a smolder of hope. A snapshot of post-World War II UK, a stint in the US, then ultimately multiple choices and guilt trips put to rest.
If you don't mind the swift point of view changes at times, you may enjoy this story. However, if you do mind, then you'd find the story belabored and could be tightened up. If you enjoy philosophical explorations of "fallen" and "hero" definitions, this read may also satisfy.
From there, the story follows two boys who grow up to become teenagers. This part of the story reads more like a fictionalized memoir with a point of view that constantly shifts quite rapidly between characters, something that I found jarring as a reader. At times, i had to reread to ensure I had the correct perspective.
While the former part of the book explores Christopher Squires' journey to adulthood, his resulting shock over his own adoption, and his unexplainable desire to discover who his real father is/was; the latter part of the book is about Chris coming to terms with the shocking facts that weave the destiny of several lives together in a fateful way.
By book's end, I found myself counting, recounting, and wondering who all the fallen heroes are in the book. Overall, a slow build to a dramatic encounter that freefalls, then dovetails to a smolder of hope. A snapshot of post-World War II UK, a stint in the US, then ultimately multiple choices and guilt trips put to rest.
If you don't mind the swift point of view changes at times, you may enjoy this story. However, if you do mind, then you'd find the story belabored and could be tightened up. If you enjoy philosophical explorations of "fallen" and "hero" definitions, this read may also satisfy.
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