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Arlington
The rich and powerful are all targets. A domestic terrorist cell in America has taken aim at politicians and the wealthy elite class to cleanse the government of corruption, to stop the flow of money within the political system. You can't teach a politician new tricks, so it's best to put them down.
Arlington is about a domestic terrorist cell who hire a female assassin to target politicians and the wealthy elite class of America. Their agenda is to rid the government of corruption. The novel features the likeness of real life public figures and is set in today's world with concurrent actual events. It is a modern day twist on historical fiction.
Arlington is about a domestic terrorist cell who hire a female assassin to target politicians and the wealthy elite class of America. Their agenda is to rid the government of corruption. The novel features the likeness of real life public figures and is set in today's world with concurrent actual events. It is a modern day twist on historical fiction.
431 pages, Paperback
Published April 11, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 20, 2016
Arlington is author Winston’s 2017 novel about domestic terror and homeland security issues.
Told with the style and pace of a fast moving political thriller, Winston sets his novel in current events and uses real public figures in a smooth alternate reality narrative. Describing political and governmental corruption at all levels, Winston sets up his story with some empathy towards the terrorists.
Winston has crafted a fast paced narrative with cool, stylized almost technical detail, to describe a reality not too far removed from our own where a group of elite specialists with martial training is loosed upon an Ayn Rand like system of governmental abuse and immorality. With language similar in style and tone to the Jack Reacher or Jason Bourne stories, Winston has created a taut action novel with a charismatic, bad-ass heroine.
This is also reminiscent of Cory Doctorow’s brilliant 2008 novel Little Brother, with more than just a little healthy mistrust of the government. The protagonists in Arlington have been working in “hacktivism and cyber terrorism … who monitor the actions of politicians, corporations and the development of the police state of America.” Winston is out on the edge, with protagonists who kill real life politicians and leaders and this is mainly from the perspective of the domestic terrorists.
By including real life people Winston has added an interesting and thought provoking – almost surrealistic element, reminiscent of Dr. Strangelove or Network. He might also be playing fast and loose with some libel laws. Edgy.
The writer also throws in some slick science fiction technology and Tom Clancy-like espionage and intrigue. Winston also adds some unexpected twists in this already very unorthodox story.
A good, entertaining action book with disturbing but thought provoking themes.
*** A free copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review
Told with the style and pace of a fast moving political thriller, Winston sets his novel in current events and uses real public figures in a smooth alternate reality narrative. Describing political and governmental corruption at all levels, Winston sets up his story with some empathy towards the terrorists.
Winston has crafted a fast paced narrative with cool, stylized almost technical detail, to describe a reality not too far removed from our own where a group of elite specialists with martial training is loosed upon an Ayn Rand like system of governmental abuse and immorality. With language similar in style and tone to the Jack Reacher or Jason Bourne stories, Winston has created a taut action novel with a charismatic, bad-ass heroine.
This is also reminiscent of Cory Doctorow’s brilliant 2008 novel Little Brother, with more than just a little healthy mistrust of the government. The protagonists in Arlington have been working in “hacktivism and cyber terrorism … who monitor the actions of politicians, corporations and the development of the police state of America.” Winston is out on the edge, with protagonists who kill real life politicians and leaders and this is mainly from the perspective of the domestic terrorists.
By including real life people Winston has added an interesting and thought provoking – almost surrealistic element, reminiscent of Dr. Strangelove or Network. He might also be playing fast and loose with some libel laws. Edgy.
The writer also throws in some slick science fiction technology and Tom Clancy-like espionage and intrigue. Winston also adds some unexpected twists in this already very unorthodox story.
A good, entertaining action book with disturbing but thought provoking themes.
*** A free copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review
April 26, 2017
Political and financial manipulation, done under the blackest of covers. Domestic terrorism at its most devious and deadly. A secret organization of some of America’s most powerful and wealthy movers and shakers have come together to purge the country of corrupt political puppets and they are determined to bring the country to its knees, all they need is the final piece, the tool to bring their plans to fruition. Her name is ARLINGTON and she is an assassin of the highest caliber. Author Winston presents a tale of deceit, the power of corporate money and the grandiose of being among the elite of the elite, monitoring those in the public eye and carefully selecting who would die and who would live, even if just for another day.
Although an edgy work of fiction, Winston dares to use real names, real humans who truly are movers and shakers in today’s world. Politicians will die, their names will evoke a feeling of unease, as they are well-known, currently active and have been front and center in the arena of fame and power.
Winston’s work is raw, gutsy and razor-sharp! Ever thought of the “what if” scenarios that both reality and fiction portray? Trust me, this is political intrigue at its finest, no party, no leader is safe, because without a full and thorough cleaning, how could the country be cleansed? Fabulous, well-written and definitely gripping, this is one book NOT to miss, just for the brilliance of the concept, not to mention the execution!
I received this copy from Winston in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.
Publisher: Collective of Misfits (September 3, 2016)
Publication Date: September 3, 2016
Genre: Political Science Fiction
Print Length: 272 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Although an edgy work of fiction, Winston dares to use real names, real humans who truly are movers and shakers in today’s world. Politicians will die, their names will evoke a feeling of unease, as they are well-known, currently active and have been front and center in the arena of fame and power.
Winston’s work is raw, gutsy and razor-sharp! Ever thought of the “what if” scenarios that both reality and fiction portray? Trust me, this is political intrigue at its finest, no party, no leader is safe, because without a full and thorough cleaning, how could the country be cleansed? Fabulous, well-written and definitely gripping, this is one book NOT to miss, just for the brilliance of the concept, not to mention the execution!
I received this copy from Winston in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.
Publisher: Collective of Misfits (September 3, 2016)
Publication Date: September 3, 2016
Genre: Political Science Fiction
Print Length: 272 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
November 12, 2016
Chapter One was brutal...literally. It describes a cop pulling over a girl who he had picked out in a bar earlier. He then proceeds to sexually assault her but she puts up a fight which ends in him killing her. This leads to a cover-up which is discovered by the victim's sister and friends, which leads into some vigilante justice, which leads into the bigger issue of too much power in Government, which leads...to the rest of the story.
There are several characters, some of which are well known names, but the main characters are Valery (the sister), Jasmine and her husband Malachi - a weapons engineer, a medical examiner and a Navy Seal. I can honestly say this is the first story I've ever read where I didn't like any of the characters. Not just the main characters but the side ones too. I disliked everyone.
Soon after the events in Chapter One, Valery gets drawn into the Anonymous organization by Jasmine and finds out about their plans to overthrow the existing Government. This ultimately gets a bit too big and extravagant for me to believe. By the end, America ends up practically in the Stone Age filled with a murderous population bent on revenge. I just didn't buy it. I do think the US has some greedy politicians (find me a country that doesn't) and I'm certain some members of society would take advantage of an uprising to vent their anger and ignorance on others but not to the extent of what was described in the book.
I received this book in exchange for a review. The editor gave me an ARC even though it was published almost two months prior. An ARC is seldom edited, as was the case here, so I spent a great deal of my reading time trying to stay engaged in the story because I kept mentally correcting the grammar, misspellings, incorrect words and character names used, poor sentence structure, etc. I only mention this because it doesn't make sense to me to not put your best version out there to be reviewed, unless this was very close to the final version. As I don't know how the finished product turned out, I cannot attest to whether it was put together well - I can only say that if it was anything like mine, it was hard work to read it.
This is far from the worst book I've ever read but I didn't enjoy it and won't recommend it.
There are several characters, some of which are well known names, but the main characters are Valery (the sister), Jasmine and her husband Malachi - a weapons engineer, a medical examiner and a Navy Seal. I can honestly say this is the first story I've ever read where I didn't like any of the characters. Not just the main characters but the side ones too. I disliked everyone.
Soon after the events in Chapter One, Valery gets drawn into the Anonymous organization by Jasmine and finds out about their plans to overthrow the existing Government. This ultimately gets a bit too big and extravagant for me to believe. By the end, America ends up practically in the Stone Age filled with a murderous population bent on revenge. I just didn't buy it. I do think the US has some greedy politicians (find me a country that doesn't) and I'm certain some members of society would take advantage of an uprising to vent their anger and ignorance on others but not to the extent of what was described in the book.
I received this book in exchange for a review. The editor gave me an ARC even though it was published almost two months prior. An ARC is seldom edited, as was the case here, so I spent a great deal of my reading time trying to stay engaged in the story because I kept mentally correcting the grammar, misspellings, incorrect words and character names used, poor sentence structure, etc. I only mention this because it doesn't make sense to me to not put your best version out there to be reviewed, unless this was very close to the final version. As I don't know how the finished product turned out, I cannot attest to whether it was put together well - I can only say that if it was anything like mine, it was hard work to read it.
This is far from the worst book I've ever read but I didn't enjoy it and won't recommend it.
February 15, 2017
The author begins the book by explaining that there are certain real people in the story for plot purposes. What the author fails to disclose is that those people are characters in the story, and what he has them do is tantamount to character assassination. Combine that with the fact that each character is murdered one by one, in an often gruesome and disturbing fashion, and it's stomach turning. Then there is the graphic and brutal rape scene, death in horrendous and gory detail, and a lot of foul language. If that wasn't enough, whoever edited this book should be fired, as there are dozens and dozens of typos including "conte5nt" on page 202, which is an error so simple that autocorrect could have caught it. The concept of the book is one worth exploring and the author obviously spent a lot of time researching and planning, but the execution left much to be desired.
January 23, 2017
I won this book at goodreads.com !
Simply terrific!
Simply terrific!
December 29, 2016
Note: I have received this ARC in return for my honest review.
It was unexpected as I was thinking it was more inline with Primary Colors, political and patriotic but it turned out differently. With artificial intelligence, it became more like the new TV series, Westworld, with gory scenes like Game of Thrones LOL! Anyway, you can read my full review here:
http://www.sholee.net/2016/12/mpov-ar...
It was unexpected as I was thinking it was more inline with Primary Colors, political and patriotic but it turned out differently. With artificial intelligence, it became more like the new TV series, Westworld, with gory scenes like Game of Thrones LOL! Anyway, you can read my full review here:
http://www.sholee.net/2016/12/mpov-ar...
July 26, 2017
Thank you to the author and publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own! You can find more of my reviews at https://spinesinaline.wordpress.com
I’m gonna break my review down into the things I liked and disliked to make this easier. Obviously based on my rating, my dislikes outweighed the likes but there were still some aspects that stood out that I think the author did well.
This book is quite violent as Arlington is an assassin who sets out to kill almost every politician in the States. While I knew this would be a part of the package, I wasn’t expecting such detailed and over-the-top descriptions of said violence, so I really don’t think I’m the ideal audience for this type of book. As well, the majority of the characters are actual politicians and celebrities. Chris Christie, Donald Trump, Condoleeza Rice, and Matt Lauer are just a few of those who make an appearance and, as you can expect, meet an untimely end. I understand using existing people as characters so that your readers have some reference point but writing such gross depictions of their deaths, especially some racialized ones, is very uncomfortable to read.
One of the biggest hurdles in reading this book was the extremely poor grammar, so it feels that something was lost from thought to page. The story was interesting at times but I felt like I was skimming to get the overall idea. Spelling, grammar, incorrectly labelled dialogue, all made for a very confusing read. Even more seriously, some characters were highly inconsistent in their personalities so it was hard to understand their motives. I did have an ARC so some of the grammar issues could come back to that but it seemed like it wasn’t put through any kind of editing at all.
I did enjoy the characters in the beginning though, especially when we’re given glimpses into what is motivating them. The sisterly bond that compels one character to drastic means was very touching, and the discussion of becoming numb to the pains was an interesting focus on grief. The ‘new characters’ cast is also quite diverse and mainly women so that was a breath of fresh air for the thriller genre. And even in this dark and violent story, there was room for funny moments, like the appearance of Agatha Christie (I won’t give away any more than that 🙂 ).
Still, the extreme violence and poor grammar is tough to move past to make this a more enjoyable read.
I’m gonna break my review down into the things I liked and disliked to make this easier. Obviously based on my rating, my dislikes outweighed the likes but there were still some aspects that stood out that I think the author did well.
This book is quite violent as Arlington is an assassin who sets out to kill almost every politician in the States. While I knew this would be a part of the package, I wasn’t expecting such detailed and over-the-top descriptions of said violence, so I really don’t think I’m the ideal audience for this type of book. As well, the majority of the characters are actual politicians and celebrities. Chris Christie, Donald Trump, Condoleeza Rice, and Matt Lauer are just a few of those who make an appearance and, as you can expect, meet an untimely end. I understand using existing people as characters so that your readers have some reference point but writing such gross depictions of their deaths, especially some racialized ones, is very uncomfortable to read.
One of the biggest hurdles in reading this book was the extremely poor grammar, so it feels that something was lost from thought to page. The story was interesting at times but I felt like I was skimming to get the overall idea. Spelling, grammar, incorrectly labelled dialogue, all made for a very confusing read. Even more seriously, some characters were highly inconsistent in their personalities so it was hard to understand their motives. I did have an ARC so some of the grammar issues could come back to that but it seemed like it wasn’t put through any kind of editing at all.
I did enjoy the characters in the beginning though, especially when we’re given glimpses into what is motivating them. The sisterly bond that compels one character to drastic means was very touching, and the discussion of becoming numb to the pains was an interesting focus on grief. The ‘new characters’ cast is also quite diverse and mainly women so that was a breath of fresh air for the thriller genre. And even in this dark and violent story, there was room for funny moments, like the appearance of Agatha Christie (I won’t give away any more than that 🙂 ).
Still, the extreme violence and poor grammar is tough to move past to make this a more enjoyable read.
October 7, 2018
I won this book, at first I was unsure of if I was enjoying where the story was going, but once you get into it, it gets better.
A weird read!
And brutal!
A weird read!
And brutal!
November 8, 2016
I really loved this book it had me interested and did not want it put it down.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews