Fortress Of Dreams

by C.B. Heinemann

When Ian Sinclair--former professor from Maryland now living in Switzerland--wakes up alone on a grassy hillside in western France, he has no memory of how he got there or why. When he finds a puddle of blood beside him, his confusion turns to terror. While trying desperately to hitchhike home on the small road nearby, he is picked up by Claude Monet, a self-proclaimed truck driver extraordinaire, who vows to help him. Ian learns that all the borders to Switzerland have been closed due to an outbreak of smallpox, and that the new Swiss president, Lutz, has seized power and vows to expel all foreigners and revive Christianity by force. Lutz has also revealed what many have long suspected--that Switzerland has long concealed a formidable arsenal of nuclear weapons.

Ian had been living in hiding in Switzerland since he reluctantly revealed the contents of an ancient box passed down in his family since the 13th century that have turned Christianity completely upside down. Now those who oppose Lutz hope to find Ian because they believe that can help them. But Lutz's henchmen are also looking everywhere for him, hoping to silence him forever. Although Ian wants nothing to do with either side and hopes only to be get back home to his girlfriend Rachel and his cat Tiramisu, he is forced to try to get into Switzerland and also avoid being captured by Lutz's men. A dangerous enemy from Ian's past as an intelligence agent in East Germany finally captures him, and threatens to imprison both him and Rachel in Fortress Switzerland, a vast underground complex that is not only the world's largest bomb shelter, but also its most deadly military force. Ian must somehow reach his friends in Switzerland to stop Lutz and prevent him from destroying European freedom by misusing the might of the Swiss army. In the end, everything hinges on French truck driver Claude Monet's web of friends and allies, and his astonishing wit and resourcefulness.

327 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 7, 2024

Reviews

[Christine]

Ian Sinclair wakes up and finds himself somewhere in the middle of France. The problem is, the last thing he remembers is going to sleep at his home in Switzerland. On top of it, he wakes up next to a pool of blood. As Ian tries to figure out what's happened, he learns of a much more sinister plot in Switzerland that could change all of Europe.

I found the plot of this book to be good. It's interesting - albeit a bit over the top. The issue I have with the book is in the actual writing. The pace of the book is slower than it should be. Things seem to go in circles over and over again a lot, which makes it a challenge to figure out what's going on. Also, a lot of the dialogue seems very off. I think the author's intent is to make Ian Sinclair's character very quirky and funny, but it just comes off as immature and falls flat for the most part.

Good story but some improvement in the writing would make this better.

I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[LinSpinner]

A compelling premise and some parts were entertaining, but the execution felt a bit off. The pacing was kind of slow and meandering despite the suspense and danger the main character finds himself in. I also wanted more exposition/context - much of the book felt focused on current happenings without laying out as much background as I would've liked.

Won in a Goodreads giveaway.