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War Torn
In a not too distant future, the island of Manhattan has been commandeered by rebels aided by terrorists who have set themselves against the U.S. government. The Brooklyn Bridge, now fallen into disuse, stands as a sort of "no-man's land" between the island and the military that patrol the Hudson River. When the rebels bomb the Bridge, the nation is plunged into what might become a second Civil War.
Captain Jace Rickert is a grounded pilot whose Army lover, Second Lieutenant Tomas Tait, is sent on a routine reconnaissance mission. When Tait disappears and the military can’t stop the impending war to find one missing soldier, Rickert takes matters into his own hands.
Captain Jace Rickert is a grounded pilot whose Army lover, Second Lieutenant Tomas Tait, is sent on a routine reconnaissance mission. When Tait disappears and the military can’t stop the impending war to find one missing soldier, Rickert takes matters into his own hands.
- GenresM M RomanceLGBT
136 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2007
1 person is currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
J.M. Snyder
302 books567 followersAn author of gay erotic/romantic fiction, J.M. Snyder began in self-publishing and worked with Amber Allure, Aspen Mountain, eXcessica, and Torquere Presses.
Snyder's highly erotic short gay fiction has been published online at Amazon Shorts, Eros Monthly, Ruthie's Club, and Tit-Elation, as well as in anthologies by Alyson Books, Aspen Mountain, Cleis Press, eXcessica Publishing, Lethe Press, and Ravenous Romance.
In 2010, Snyder founded JMS Books LLC, a royalty-paying queer small press that publishes in both electronic and print format. For more information on newest releases and submission guidelines, please visit JMS Books LLC online.
Snyder's highly erotic short gay fiction has been published online at Amazon Shorts, Eros Monthly, Ruthie's Club, and Tit-Elation, as well as in anthologies by Alyson Books, Aspen Mountain, Cleis Press, eXcessica Publishing, Lethe Press, and Ravenous Romance.
In 2010, Snyder founded JMS Books LLC, a royalty-paying queer small press that publishes in both electronic and print format. For more information on newest releases and submission guidelines, please visit JMS Books LLC online.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 16, 2023
Rating: 2.5 stars (rounded up)
This was a well written military dystopian story and I enjoyed the MCs and their relationship. However, it wasn't a great romance, the worldbuilding made no sense the more I thought about it and the ending was filled with plot conveniences that made a lot of the tension throughout the story pointless.
The story starts with Tomas' military unit being deployed to The Bridge, they're attacked and Tomas is reported as MIA. Jace goes against orders, deserts his unit and heads to The Bridge to rescue Tomas. Along the way, Jace gets help from other characters and he learns that Tomas is a POW, being held in a POW camp in the rebel territory and the story ends .
I don't read sci-fi/fantasy romances for the worldbuilding so I didn't mind too much that the worldbuilding was a nonsensical mess filled with plot holes, but having the entire premise of the story fall apart due to poor worldbuilding was annoying. Even after finishing it, I was completely lost as to how this dystopian setting had come about. There was apparently a war in/with Canada and the fighting then moved into New York or something like that. Anyway - the important thing is that a rebel group took over Manhattan and somehow, everybody else fled and the government decided the best way to deal with the rebels was to cut off all amenities (electric, water) to the island and block the George Washington Bridge (which is just called The Bridge in the story).
Side note: Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the author's reference to the bridge being the Brooklyn Bridge is wrong. The river which the bridge crosses is specifically referred to as the Hudson River, not the East River. Brooklyn Bridge crosses the East River while the only bridge that crosses the Hudson River is the George Washington Bridge. I figured this out by googling a map of New York and it took me about 2 seconds so I don't understand how the author got something like that wrong. Anyway.
This whole situation is filled with plot holes because the rebels seem few in number, they're poorly equipped and they don't seem to be getting help from anywhere else so it's unrealistic that the entire US government and US military were so scared of them that they used the blockade approach instead of just going into Manhattan and suppressing them. At the end of the story, . Never mind that keeping POWs in this scenario doesn't even make sense. The POW camp is literally a landfill right on the Manhattan side of the bridge and it's clearly stated that the rebel forces mostly live in central Manhattan, far away. The POWs were kept closer to their own people than the rebel base, which is stupid in a logistics sense but it's also dumb because it makes no sense that they would bother taking POWs if they had no use for them.
In addition, the whole premise of the story is that Manhattan is such a scary place that when Tomas becomes a POW, Jace is convinced he has to rescue him because the military won't dare to launch their own rescue. Except.... Also, Jace's entire journey turned out to be a waste of time unless you believe that the entire US military has spent years not knowing that the massive, poorly guarded garbage dump right on the other side of the bridge is the rebel's POW camp and it's only through Jace's actions that they're alerted about it. Uh huh. Right.
Anyway, so the worldbuilding is a mess but that wasn't my main interest in reading the story. I did enjoy that Jace and Tomas are in an established relationship (which is rare in romance) and that the author did a great job using flashbacks and references to their relationship to make me care about them as a couple and allow me to emotionally connect with both of them, despite Tomas not being present for the majority of the story.
I also loved Jace's single minded focus on rescuing Tomas after he learns that Tomas has gone MIA. Jace is facing several obstacles when it comes to launching a rescue mission, which makes the scenario more complicated than it normally would be. His bravery and determination to rescue the love of his life was very heartwarming and it was my favorite part of the story and I also appreciate that the author never forgot about Jace's vertigo.
This being said, I felt like Tomas wasn't actually an MC in his own story. It's all about Jace, how Jace feels about Tomas, the rescue mission and the people Jace meets along the way. I would have loved to get Tomas' POV to balance things out or to have Jace meet up with Tomas at the halfway point and then to have the two boys spend the rest of the book together as they try to get out of Manhattan.
Another disappointment was how conveniently the story wraps everything up.
Overall, this story had the potential to be a lot better than it was. Better worldbuilding, better romance, better character development etc. I liked it a lot better than another one of Snyder's sci-fi romances that I read last month (Persistence of Memory) and I enjoyed the story overall but it's not something I'll ever bother re-reading.
This was a well written military dystopian story and I enjoyed the MCs and their relationship. However, it wasn't a great romance, the worldbuilding made no sense the more I thought about it and the ending was filled with plot conveniences that made a lot of the tension throughout the story pointless.
The story starts with Tomas' military unit being deployed to The Bridge, they're attacked and Tomas is reported as MIA. Jace goes against orders, deserts his unit and heads to The Bridge to rescue Tomas. Along the way, Jace gets help from other characters and he learns that Tomas is a POW, being held in a POW camp in the rebel territory and the story ends .
I don't read sci-fi/fantasy romances for the worldbuilding so I didn't mind too much that the worldbuilding was a nonsensical mess filled with plot holes, but having the entire premise of the story fall apart due to poor worldbuilding was annoying. Even after finishing it, I was completely lost as to how this dystopian setting had come about. There was apparently a war in/with Canada and the fighting then moved into New York or something like that. Anyway - the important thing is that a rebel group took over Manhattan and somehow, everybody else fled and the government decided the best way to deal with the rebels was to cut off all amenities (electric, water) to the island and block the George Washington Bridge (which is just called The Bridge in the story).
Side note: Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the author's reference to the bridge being the Brooklyn Bridge is wrong. The river which the bridge crosses is specifically referred to as the Hudson River, not the East River. Brooklyn Bridge crosses the East River while the only bridge that crosses the Hudson River is the George Washington Bridge. I figured this out by googling a map of New York and it took me about 2 seconds so I don't understand how the author got something like that wrong. Anyway.
This whole situation is filled with plot holes because the rebels seem few in number, they're poorly equipped and they don't seem to be getting help from anywhere else so it's unrealistic that the entire US government and US military were so scared of them that they used the blockade approach instead of just going into Manhattan and suppressing them. At the end of the story, . Never mind that keeping POWs in this scenario doesn't even make sense. The POW camp is literally a landfill right on the Manhattan side of the bridge and it's clearly stated that the rebel forces mostly live in central Manhattan, far away. The POWs were kept closer to their own people than the rebel base, which is stupid in a logistics sense but it's also dumb because it makes no sense that they would bother taking POWs if they had no use for them.
In addition, the whole premise of the story is that Manhattan is such a scary place that when Tomas becomes a POW, Jace is convinced he has to rescue him because the military won't dare to launch their own rescue. Except.... Also, Jace's entire journey turned out to be a waste of time unless you believe that the entire US military has spent years not knowing that the massive, poorly guarded garbage dump right on the other side of the bridge is the rebel's POW camp and it's only through Jace's actions that they're alerted about it. Uh huh. Right.
Anyway, so the worldbuilding is a mess but that wasn't my main interest in reading the story. I did enjoy that Jace and Tomas are in an established relationship (which is rare in romance) and that the author did a great job using flashbacks and references to their relationship to make me care about them as a couple and allow me to emotionally connect with both of them, despite Tomas not being present for the majority of the story.
I also loved Jace's single minded focus on rescuing Tomas after he learns that Tomas has gone MIA. Jace is facing several obstacles when it comes to launching a rescue mission, which makes the scenario more complicated than it normally would be. His bravery and determination to rescue the love of his life was very heartwarming and it was my favorite part of the story and I also appreciate that the author never forgot about Jace's vertigo.
This being said, I felt like Tomas wasn't actually an MC in his own story. It's all about Jace, how Jace feels about Tomas, the rescue mission and the people Jace meets along the way. I would have loved to get Tomas' POV to balance things out or to have Jace meet up with Tomas at the halfway point and then to have the two boys spend the rest of the book together as they try to get out of Manhattan.
Another disappointment was how conveniently the story wraps everything up.
Overall, this story had the potential to be a lot better than it was. Better worldbuilding, better romance, better character development etc. I liked it a lot better than another one of Snyder's sci-fi romances that I read last month (Persistence of Memory) and I enjoyed the story overall but it's not something I'll ever bother re-reading.
August 19, 2009
Interestingly enough I haven’t read many of the reviews for Snyder’s work until after I’ve read the book. Not sure why this is but probably because I started reading her work with “Trin” and really, I don’t need to read reviews to buy her books now. Some suggested other titles but I went from “Trin”, to “Scarred” and to “Persistence of Memory”. See a theme? I really like Snyder’s futuristic, angst driven character stories. “War Torn” is a solid and thought provoking story that is undoubtedly a romance. The overwhelming theme is the power of a love you’re willing to do anything for set in a powerful post-apocalyptic, futuristic world. Don’t worry though, you can’t miss the theme – it’s slightly obvious and lacks the subtly and deft handling Snyder is capable of but doesn’t decrease the impact of a great story.
Jace and Tomas are bit of a May/December couple with Jace as the older, more experienced solider yet seeks Tomas’ cocky attitude and reassurance, exposing the younger man’s surprising maturity. As the main thrust of the story is Jace’s journey from the time Tomas leaves to his eventual discovery, there are only a handful of scenes depicting the two men together in present time. Instead, their relationship is seen through Jace’s memories and flashbacks, adding the missing depth of their connection. Tomas changes in Jace’s memory from a shy, awed recruit to strong young man with a sense of responsibility and purpose creating a sense of equality between the two men, despite the difference in age.
Jace, however, is lost, suffering from vertigo after an accident and leaving him floundering professionally. He struggles an a solider who can no longer perform and contribute, as he sees it, and therefore clings to the one constant that remains in his life – Tomas. Jace’s attachment to Tomas is clearly born of his deep love but the overwhelming desperation and despair evidenced hint at more. Unfortunately Tomas is little developed partly due to the context of the story and the writing style, leaving him very much a mystery figure and his character subject to Jace’s perception.
The story is told in first person, present tense which may bother some readers. This style of writing is common to the author’s books and is not always entirely successful. The prose is intense and allows for the reader to empathize with the overwhelming emotions as they hit Jace while following the roller coaster of action and trepidation. Unfortunately, this also narrows the focus of the story and characters to only Jace’s perspective, coloring all emotions and memories with a heavy layer of desperation and repetition. Jace’s character is shown in a very limited context, concentrating the reader’s attention on his overwhelming fear, despair, and need thus creating a very one sided view without much complexity. This works in favor of driving home the theme of a love story and willing to overcome incredible odds for said love, but stops short of a fully developed cast of characters.
Even the secondary characters of Max and Al felt invisible in the face of Jace’s agony and intensity. As both characters served to help Jace, they added no contrasting texture or spark. Nuri, on the other hand, brightened the dark visage and added a much needed refreshing element and contradiction to the story. His brief but excellent addition snapped the attention and focus back to the incredibly detailed futuristic setting as well as blending Jace’s fumbling fear with a sharp, cool edge of survival. Nuri’s help was also essential as Jace manages to fumble his way through the story with more luck than planning and skill. While this added to the chaotic feel of Jace’s emotions, the pace and telling benefited from a cool and practiced, if mercenary element.
Even with the problems I’ve mentioned, I overall enjoyed reading this story. The setting is gritty and real with a level of detail I could envision and almost feel. The writing is good, even if not at the author’s best, and without a doubt this is a thought provoking tale with an equally romantic couple. Tight, solid writing with a realistically drawn setting will have you hooked and unable to put this story down. The tension builds from the first sweet but sad scene and doesn’t let up until the end with a much deserved HEA. I hesitated to even put up this review as I’m not sure what I have to add to the plethora of reviews already in existence for this good story. I had some problems with it, but still was happy I'd read it. So I guess the take away message is if you haven’t read this book – you should.
Jace and Tomas are bit of a May/December couple with Jace as the older, more experienced solider yet seeks Tomas’ cocky attitude and reassurance, exposing the younger man’s surprising maturity. As the main thrust of the story is Jace’s journey from the time Tomas leaves to his eventual discovery, there are only a handful of scenes depicting the two men together in present time. Instead, their relationship is seen through Jace’s memories and flashbacks, adding the missing depth of their connection. Tomas changes in Jace’s memory from a shy, awed recruit to strong young man with a sense of responsibility and purpose creating a sense of equality between the two men, despite the difference in age.
Jace, however, is lost, suffering from vertigo after an accident and leaving him floundering professionally. He struggles an a solider who can no longer perform and contribute, as he sees it, and therefore clings to the one constant that remains in his life – Tomas. Jace’s attachment to Tomas is clearly born of his deep love but the overwhelming desperation and despair evidenced hint at more. Unfortunately Tomas is little developed partly due to the context of the story and the writing style, leaving him very much a mystery figure and his character subject to Jace’s perception.
The story is told in first person, present tense which may bother some readers. This style of writing is common to the author’s books and is not always entirely successful. The prose is intense and allows for the reader to empathize with the overwhelming emotions as they hit Jace while following the roller coaster of action and trepidation. Unfortunately, this also narrows the focus of the story and characters to only Jace’s perspective, coloring all emotions and memories with a heavy layer of desperation and repetition. Jace’s character is shown in a very limited context, concentrating the reader’s attention on his overwhelming fear, despair, and need thus creating a very one sided view without much complexity. This works in favor of driving home the theme of a love story and willing to overcome incredible odds for said love, but stops short of a fully developed cast of characters.
Even the secondary characters of Max and Al felt invisible in the face of Jace’s agony and intensity. As both characters served to help Jace, they added no contrasting texture or spark. Nuri, on the other hand, brightened the dark visage and added a much needed refreshing element and contradiction to the story. His brief but excellent addition snapped the attention and focus back to the incredibly detailed futuristic setting as well as blending Jace’s fumbling fear with a sharp, cool edge of survival. Nuri’s help was also essential as Jace manages to fumble his way through the story with more luck than planning and skill. While this added to the chaotic feel of Jace’s emotions, the pace and telling benefited from a cool and practiced, if mercenary element.
Even with the problems I’ve mentioned, I overall enjoyed reading this story. The setting is gritty and real with a level of detail I could envision and almost feel. The writing is good, even if not at the author’s best, and without a doubt this is a thought provoking tale with an equally romantic couple. Tight, solid writing with a realistically drawn setting will have you hooked and unable to put this story down. The tension builds from the first sweet but sad scene and doesn’t let up until the end with a much deserved HEA. I hesitated to even put up this review as I’m not sure what I have to add to the plethora of reviews already in existence for this good story. I had some problems with it, but still was happy I'd read it. So I guess the take away message is if you haven’t read this book – you should.
January 27, 2010
Captain Jace Rickert is a grounded pilot whose Army lover, Second Lieutenant Tomas Tait, is sent on a routine reconnaissance mission. When Tomas is a MIA after a bombing at the Bridge, Jace determines to find his lover, even if he is considered AWOL.
It is a bit different than other m/m romance that I have read; because to be honest, Jace and Tomas only be "together" in the beginning and end. The story is from Jace's point of view, his journey to find Tomas. So it is more about him, the people who help him (his best friend Alden, a renegade that is willing to pay for a price of Jace's diamonds). But still, it's a wonderful story to read. J.M. Snyder is definitely one of my favorite m/m authors.
It is a bit different than other m/m romance that I have read; because to be honest, Jace and Tomas only be "together" in the beginning and end. The story is from Jace's point of view, his journey to find Tomas. So it is more about him, the people who help him (his best friend Alden, a renegade that is willing to pay for a price of Jace's diamonds). But still, it's a wonderful story to read. J.M. Snyder is definitely one of my favorite m/m authors.
June 24, 2009
This is my book so I'm not going to write a review.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews