Downwinders: An Atomic Tale

by Curtis Oberhansly

An Atomic Tale, a very well written legal and historical
thriller, intertwines a contemporary OE90 s story of the southwest with a
bizarre chronicle of Nevada s open air atomic testing from the OE50 s. When
a Utah rancher, his niece and their attorney come to illegally posses highly
classified documents from a retired Nevada Test Site manager, the race
begins. Can they deliver the tell-all documents, extremely incriminating
to the U.S. government, into the hands of downwinder victims without being
caught or killed? And in the midst of trying to reveal America s secrets,
the three begin to reveal their own to each other.

This novel is a page-turner, based in historical fact that vividly shows how
our past can either inform or doom our future.

Genres: Fiction

430 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2001

Reviews

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book for its factual information about nuclear testing. It will make you outraged (or cynical) about our government. I know, it's sad I get my history from fiction. I just hope these people got it right. It was recommended to me by people I work with who have met the authors.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written novel that interwines fiction with real history. I liked how it had chapters that went back to the 1950s/60s to explain what was happening with the atom bomb tests. And I thought it was interesting how the authors are from that area so possible grew up when this was all happening or soon after with the fallout implications

[Bern J · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do you do when your government lies to you about the dangers of nuclear radiation that you have been exposed to as a result of atomic bomb testing?

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is entertaining. Sometimes, I don't like reading books for entertainment because I think books should be better than that... but I forgave this one because it involved environmental justice and the southwestern landscape (where I lived when I read it). If you are a law and order fan, it is also fun to read because there is courtroom drama and lawyer drama. If you are a history fan, the thread about the history of testing the atom bomb and the mark nuclear bombs have inked on the inhabitants of earth, again it is rewarding.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty formulaic mystery, but the surrounding government cover-up conspiracy was pretty good and made the whole thing a good, pretty fast read.

The historical vignettes added a fun touch that really brought home the idea of how horrible radiation poisoning would be.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the fictional story tied into all the facts about such extreme events.