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In the Name of the Father
In the year 2196, the Republic is the sole surviving state of the new world. The Father rules the people. The Law aims to avoid the mistakes of the old world.
Religion is outlawed.
Electric fences separate citizens from other people.
Heath is born in one of the lawless sectors outside of the Republic and is brought up to resist it. Inspired to make a difference after his parents are killed, he joins a rebel group sourcing supplies for his community. Despite progress, Heath knows that his fight for freedom and salvation is a perpetual one and perhaps impossible.
Then two of Heath’s friends don’t return from a mission. Heath learns of a tunnel built under the fences, leading to the other side. But who built it? And why?
When the opportunity for liberation arises, the fate of the new world and the legacy of the old one hang in the balance. Heath and his people face a ruthless enemy, one even more merciless than before.
Can Heath look into his heart and find the trust and hope the new world needs — to take the ultimate risk?
A bold and gripping dystopian novel, In the Name of the Father is an inspiring story of love, transformation and the human spirit, transcending what it means to search for truth and fight for life.
And what it means to believe in something greater.
Dystopian Fiction/Suspense Thriller/Action & Adventure/Censorship & Politics
Religion is outlawed.
Electric fences separate citizens from other people.
Heath is born in one of the lawless sectors outside of the Republic and is brought up to resist it. Inspired to make a difference after his parents are killed, he joins a rebel group sourcing supplies for his community. Despite progress, Heath knows that his fight for freedom and salvation is a perpetual one and perhaps impossible.
Then two of Heath’s friends don’t return from a mission. Heath learns of a tunnel built under the fences, leading to the other side. But who built it? And why?
When the opportunity for liberation arises, the fate of the new world and the legacy of the old one hang in the balance. Heath and his people face a ruthless enemy, one even more merciless than before.
Can Heath look into his heart and find the trust and hope the new world needs — to take the ultimate risk?
A bold and gripping dystopian novel, In the Name of the Father is an inspiring story of love, transformation and the human spirit, transcending what it means to search for truth and fight for life.
And what it means to believe in something greater.
Dystopian Fiction/Suspense Thriller/Action & Adventure/Censorship & Politics
- GenresFiction
978 pages, Paperback
Published March 30, 2020
About the author
Michael Francis McDermott
5 books8 followersAuthor of the dystopian action-thriller,
In the Name of the Father
.
I've always had an enthusiasm for storytelling. I've written several novels in my life but In the Name of the Father is the only one I have ever released. It is also my first work in dystopian fiction.
In my spare time I enjoy history, live music, the gym, surfing, tennis and guitar.
Join my VIP list to receive exclusive content, news, cool videos, and updates. I'm looking forward to sharing an inside look at my writing world with you!
Facebook.com/MichaelFrancisMcDermott
Instagram.com/MichaelFrancisMcDermott
YouTube.com
I've always had an enthusiasm for storytelling. I've written several novels in my life but In the Name of the Father is the only one I have ever released. It is also my first work in dystopian fiction.
In my spare time I enjoy history, live music, the gym, surfing, tennis and guitar.
Join my VIP list to receive exclusive content, news, cool videos, and updates. I'm looking forward to sharing an inside look at my writing world with you!
Facebook.com/MichaelFrancisMcDermott
Instagram.com/MichaelFrancisMcDermott
YouTube.com
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
February 13, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is long but for me that only meant that by the end I was so invested in the characters and their journeys that I actually wanted more.
I found the concept intriguing from the start. The Republic is a post apocalyptic society where religion is outlawed and gates separate the strictly monitored citizens from the “rebels” in surrounding districts. The story is told from the perspectives of 5 characters and the writing captures their very different personas excellently. There is our brave hero, an impressionable child of The Republic, a power hungry dictator, a sickeningly evil agent and an innocent refugee mum seeking a new life for her children. As in all good books, all of the characters begin in one place and finish up somewhere different. It’s particularly exciting when these characters finally cross paths and everything “comes together” later in the book.
To me, this book is ultimately about the human experience. While there is some heavy violence, parts indeed quite disturbing, it is all to establish the setting - this is a dark world, a dangerous place. What happens when a people in and around a place like this are told they aren’t allowed to believe in anything? The result is inspiring.
Something else I particularly enjoyed were the “history lessons”. Set almost 200 years in the future, it is interesting to hear recent world changing events from our lifetimes re told in this context. What will the generations in years to come think of us and the events that shaped our world? Then there is the discovery of some “artefacts” leftover from our time. Music, art, poetry - the things of freedom. I became emotional in appreciation of these things we sometimes take for granted.
There is lots of guns, violence, sex, friendship, family, bravery, good, evil, war and thought provoking philosophical propositions. But the truth is that underneath it all, this is a beautiful story with a big heart that makes you question almost everything about our world except the one absolute - that the most powerful thing of all is love.
I found the concept intriguing from the start. The Republic is a post apocalyptic society where religion is outlawed and gates separate the strictly monitored citizens from the “rebels” in surrounding districts. The story is told from the perspectives of 5 characters and the writing captures their very different personas excellently. There is our brave hero, an impressionable child of The Republic, a power hungry dictator, a sickeningly evil agent and an innocent refugee mum seeking a new life for her children. As in all good books, all of the characters begin in one place and finish up somewhere different. It’s particularly exciting when these characters finally cross paths and everything “comes together” later in the book.
To me, this book is ultimately about the human experience. While there is some heavy violence, parts indeed quite disturbing, it is all to establish the setting - this is a dark world, a dangerous place. What happens when a people in and around a place like this are told they aren’t allowed to believe in anything? The result is inspiring.
Something else I particularly enjoyed were the “history lessons”. Set almost 200 years in the future, it is interesting to hear recent world changing events from our lifetimes re told in this context. What will the generations in years to come think of us and the events that shaped our world? Then there is the discovery of some “artefacts” leftover from our time. Music, art, poetry - the things of freedom. I became emotional in appreciation of these things we sometimes take for granted.
There is lots of guns, violence, sex, friendship, family, bravery, good, evil, war and thought provoking philosophical propositions. But the truth is that underneath it all, this is a beautiful story with a big heart that makes you question almost everything about our world except the one absolute - that the most powerful thing of all is love.
February 8, 2020
Trigger warning for discussion of rape.
Most often reviews on /r/Fantasy are gushing about wonderful books, but it's also useful to get a review of why someone DIDN'T like a book. And since I was given the ARC of this, and promised an honest review, here goes.
No spoilers past the first 10% or so, because I couldn't actually make myself finish this.
This was pretty much designed to push every "let's annoy Mike" button a book can. This is a dystopian book, set in a world where much of the world is reduced to varying levels of barbarism. The exception is the Republic, where the authoritarian Father provides for the citizens and religion is outlawed. The protagonists are a group of rebels who live on the edges of Republic territory, scraping out an existence as they can.
It's all a rather cliche set-up, and doesn't rise above it. I love a good dystopian book, but the best ones all bring something beyond the traditional tropes. This... doesn't. That was the first problem.
Then let me talk about the "religion is outlawed" thing. I didn't think much of it when I saw the blurb - doesn't seem like that odd of a premise. The Soviet Union was officially atheist, after all, and it's not like religious persecution is something new. But then I read about one of the opening sequences, which features Republic secret police raiding a home of suspected dissidents. The contraband they find is ... a Bible. Which gets them a death sentence. I don't want to offend anyone, but I have no patience for Christians with a persecution complex in the Western world (McDermott is Australian). No one is oppressing you. So that annoyed me right from the start.
Then we meet the Good Guys. We know they're the Good Guys because the operation they are conducting against the Republic is to steal medical supplies, and because we are told (repeatedly) that they work really, really hard to avoid killing anybody, relying on tranquilizers even though it would be much safer from their perspective just to shoot the guards. Like I said, Good Guys.
We get a few tutoring sessions with a precocious little cherub of a nine year old in the Republic, all about the failure of the old world. It came down to a conflict between "the West" with their silly devotion to individual rights, and the "the East" with their silly devotion to their religion. The subtext of "the East" being the Islamic world isn't exactly subtle. China isn't a thing, apparently. Again, I could handle that set-up, but the way it was presented ... ugh. Much of it consisted of the clever little child laughing (literally laughing) at how those people in the pre-Apocalypse days were *so stooooopid* to believe in this stuff. It left me with the feeling I got from reading Terry Goodkind's page after page after page of Objectivist politics, but with the added annoyance of having it come at me from a snooty little kid.
We're introduced to more of the rebels. A lot more. And remember, I stopped like 10% through. I'm not going to bother going back and counting, but I would bet I met at least 15 people, probably as many as 20, in a very short period of time. As an avowed WoT fan, complaining about the number of characters might seem a bit odd, but we didn't just get names - we got backstories and histories. Robert Jordan might have thrown a lot of names at people early on, but you're not presented Ban al'Seen or Samel Crawe or Buel Dowtry as someone worth remembering. It was overwhelming, and had the effect of making me care about none of them.
But then we get to the moment that made me put this book down and walk away. We come back to the dissidents with the Bible , now taken outside the boundaries of the Republic. Where they are first raped (husband made to watch wife being raped, then vice versa). And then shot. One side avoids killing, the other rapes people before executing them. In case it wasn't clear who the Bad Guys were.
What made me decide to put this down (and I gave it a fair shot - I only read about 10%, but this is an almost-1000-page tome) was that scene. Throwing in gratuitous rape to establish your grimdark bonafides isn't just offensive to me, it's lazy. Add in the fact that the first gay character we meet is a *sadistic rapist*, feeding into the tired old stereotype of gay people as sexual deviants - I was done.
So, a DNF. Others might like it - the writing was fine. But it's not for me.
Most often reviews on /r/Fantasy are gushing about wonderful books, but it's also useful to get a review of why someone DIDN'T like a book. And since I was given the ARC of this, and promised an honest review, here goes.
No spoilers past the first 10% or so, because I couldn't actually make myself finish this.
This was pretty much designed to push every "let's annoy Mike" button a book can. This is a dystopian book, set in a world where much of the world is reduced to varying levels of barbarism. The exception is the Republic, where the authoritarian Father provides for the citizens and religion is outlawed. The protagonists are a group of rebels who live on the edges of Republic territory, scraping out an existence as they can.
It's all a rather cliche set-up, and doesn't rise above it. I love a good dystopian book, but the best ones all bring something beyond the traditional tropes. This... doesn't. That was the first problem.
Then let me talk about the "religion is outlawed" thing. I didn't think much of it when I saw the blurb - doesn't seem like that odd of a premise. The Soviet Union was officially atheist, after all, and it's not like religious persecution is something new. But then I read about one of the opening sequences, which features Republic secret police raiding a home of suspected dissidents. The contraband they find is ... a Bible. Which gets them a death sentence. I don't want to offend anyone, but I have no patience for Christians with a persecution complex in the Western world (McDermott is Australian). No one is oppressing you. So that annoyed me right from the start.
Then we meet the Good Guys. We know they're the Good Guys because the operation they are conducting against the Republic is to steal medical supplies, and because we are told (repeatedly) that they work really, really hard to avoid killing anybody, relying on tranquilizers even though it would be much safer from their perspective just to shoot the guards. Like I said, Good Guys.
We get a few tutoring sessions with a precocious little cherub of a nine year old in the Republic, all about the failure of the old world. It came down to a conflict between "the West" with their silly devotion to individual rights, and the "the East" with their silly devotion to their religion. The subtext of "the East" being the Islamic world isn't exactly subtle. China isn't a thing, apparently. Again, I could handle that set-up, but the way it was presented ... ugh. Much of it consisted of the clever little child laughing (literally laughing) at how those people in the pre-Apocalypse days were *so stooooopid* to believe in this stuff. It left me with the feeling I got from reading Terry Goodkind's page after page after page of Objectivist politics, but with the added annoyance of having it come at me from a snooty little kid.
We're introduced to more of the rebels. A lot more. And remember, I stopped like 10% through. I'm not going to bother going back and counting, but I would bet I met at least 15 people, probably as many as 20, in a very short period of time. As an avowed WoT fan, complaining about the number of characters might seem a bit odd, but we didn't just get names - we got backstories and histories. Robert Jordan might have thrown a lot of names at people early on, but you're not presented Ban al'Seen or Samel Crawe or Buel Dowtry as someone worth remembering. It was overwhelming, and had the effect of making me care about none of them.
But then we get to the moment that made me put this book down and walk away. We come back to the dissidents with the Bible , now taken outside the boundaries of the Republic. Where they are first raped (husband made to watch wife being raped, then vice versa). And then shot. One side avoids killing, the other rapes people before executing them. In case it wasn't clear who the Bad Guys were.
What made me decide to put this down (and I gave it a fair shot - I only read about 10%, but this is an almost-1000-page tome) was that scene. Throwing in gratuitous rape to establish your grimdark bonafides isn't just offensive to me, it's lazy. Add in the fact that the first gay character we meet is a *sadistic rapist*, feeding into the tired old stereotype of gay people as sexual deviants - I was done.
So, a DNF. Others might like it - the writing was fine. But it's not for me.
February 29, 2020
‘Perfect. In the Republic, there is only what is allowed, and what is not.’
2196. A new world, in which the Republic is the sole surviving state. The Father is the ruler, the Law is immutable, religion is banned. Those who are citizens of the Republic are protected from the lawless sectors outside by electric fences. Some of those who live outside conduct raids across the fence for supplies.
‘Freedom was a thing of the old world, a thing that had died with the ancient communities during the last conflicts, but it was a concept that wasn’t forgotten.’
In this epic dystopian tale, five different characters tell the story. The good, the bad, the ugly, the impressionable and the exploited. It’s a long, complex story with backstory provided in part as history lessons and the occasional soliloquy. BUT there is a lot of violence. Unnecessarily graphic violence at times, in my view. I am not squeamish, but I certainly didn’t need all the detail of torture and rape sometimes provided. I get it. I worked out who the bad guys were, I don’t need to have frequent reinforcement of their badness.
I’m frequently in the mood these days for dystopian fiction, and I found a lot to like in Mr McDermott’s story. I just wish it was less believable. There’s hope here, as well as violence, love as well as hate. Can the heroes build a new and better world? I hope so.
Recommended, but not for the squeamish.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Hemisphere Publishing for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
2196. A new world, in which the Republic is the sole surviving state. The Father is the ruler, the Law is immutable, religion is banned. Those who are citizens of the Republic are protected from the lawless sectors outside by electric fences. Some of those who live outside conduct raids across the fence for supplies.
‘Freedom was a thing of the old world, a thing that had died with the ancient communities during the last conflicts, but it was a concept that wasn’t forgotten.’
In this epic dystopian tale, five different characters tell the story. The good, the bad, the ugly, the impressionable and the exploited. It’s a long, complex story with backstory provided in part as history lessons and the occasional soliloquy. BUT there is a lot of violence. Unnecessarily graphic violence at times, in my view. I am not squeamish, but I certainly didn’t need all the detail of torture and rape sometimes provided. I get it. I worked out who the bad guys were, I don’t need to have frequent reinforcement of their badness.
I’m frequently in the mood these days for dystopian fiction, and I found a lot to like in Mr McDermott’s story. I just wish it was less believable. There’s hope here, as well as violence, love as well as hate. Can the heroes build a new and better world? I hope so.
Recommended, but not for the squeamish.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Hemisphere Publishing for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
March 16, 2020
Note: Based on an advance copy from NetGalley.
Set 176 years in the future, In the Name of the Father takes place in The Republic, an authoritarian society where religion is outlawed and the law is sacrosanct. The virtues and follies of The Republic are explored through the eyes of a politician, a child, an "agent", and a resistance fighter.
McDermott has crafted a masterful plot, managing to take me by surprise a number of times. Other plot twists are made obvious to the reader, but are withheld from the characters, adding to the building tension towards the end of the book.
There were some interesting references that I was left pondering. The FF (Freedom Fighters) seemed not too distant in name or style from the SS. Giving the Republican tutors Roman style names seemed deliberate - was it a nod to influence of ancient Rome on modern systems of government?
For much of the book I felt that the author was deliberately leaving the reader to ponder on the big questions. What place does faith and spirituality have in a modern society? What forms of government work best? What does it really mean to be free? What are the virtues and follies of our own modern society? I heard recently that great art doesn't answer questions, it asks them. I appreciated the parts of this book that left the questions open for me to contemplate.
At times though it seemed more like I was being preached at, particularly through the complex discussions that Timothy, a child of the Republic, had with his tutor Aurelius. These discussions also felt far too advanced for a child of that age. As fascinating as it was to observe a faith crisis in reverse, some of these sections felt too long and too detailed. When the name of the opposing faction within the Republic was revealed, it also felt like a political statement about the relative merits of modern-day political parties.
Lastly, I felt that the protracted and violent sex scene was out of place and overly graphic. Some may argue it was necessary to fully flesh out the characters involved, but I don't think there was any question before or after this scene that the person involved was rotten to the core.
After finishing this book, I was left feeling that it was both a condemnation of the human propensity for violent, controlling behaviour, and a tribute to human strength and empathy. I don't think the author knows which will win out in the end, but he leaves us with the hope that love will prevail.
Set 176 years in the future, In the Name of the Father takes place in The Republic, an authoritarian society where religion is outlawed and the law is sacrosanct. The virtues and follies of The Republic are explored through the eyes of a politician, a child, an "agent", and a resistance fighter.
McDermott has crafted a masterful plot, managing to take me by surprise a number of times. Other plot twists are made obvious to the reader, but are withheld from the characters, adding to the building tension towards the end of the book.
There were some interesting references that I was left pondering. The FF (Freedom Fighters) seemed not too distant in name or style from the SS. Giving the Republican tutors Roman style names seemed deliberate - was it a nod to influence of ancient Rome on modern systems of government?
For much of the book I felt that the author was deliberately leaving the reader to ponder on the big questions. What place does faith and spirituality have in a modern society? What forms of government work best? What does it really mean to be free? What are the virtues and follies of our own modern society? I heard recently that great art doesn't answer questions, it asks them. I appreciated the parts of this book that left the questions open for me to contemplate.
At times though it seemed more like I was being preached at, particularly through the complex discussions that Timothy, a child of the Republic, had with his tutor Aurelius. These discussions also felt far too advanced for a child of that age. As fascinating as it was to observe a faith crisis in reverse, some of these sections felt too long and too detailed. When the name of the opposing faction within the Republic was revealed, it also felt like a political statement about the relative merits of modern-day political parties.
Lastly, I felt that the protracted and violent sex scene was out of place and overly graphic. Some may argue it was necessary to fully flesh out the characters involved, but I don't think there was any question before or after this scene that the person involved was rotten to the core.
After finishing this book, I was left feeling that it was both a condemnation of the human propensity for violent, controlling behaviour, and a tribute to human strength and empathy. I don't think the author knows which will win out in the end, but he leaves us with the hope that love will prevail.
March 29, 2020
In The Name of the Father - Michael Francis McDermott
‘In the Name of the Father” is the debut novel of Australian author, Michael Francis McDermott.
This novel is a dystopian based story that follows the stories of three characters: a rebel, a republican and a child caught between it all.
Hundreds of years ago the old world collapsed and died thanks to what became know as the Religious War and the inadequacies of the governments and rulers of the time. Almost destroying everything that was left of humanity and civilization as knew it.
What came out of the ashes was a new government that became known as the Republic, all in the name their leader, all in the name of the Father. With society broken down broken up into pieces known as the Republic and the various Grey zones. The people that lived in the Grey zones were considered to be inferior people compared to those of the Republic. Savage and lawless, but reality couldn’t be further from the truth. The people of the Grey zones were forced to live under the punishing rules of the Republic.
Heath has spent his entire life living in the Grey zone under the oppression of the Republic, having lost many family and friends. But as a rebel that is a more frequent occurrence for Heath but he doesn’t let hat stop him from doing what he can to fight back and help win freedom for all the people of the Grey zones. There is just one major obstacle in his way.
Intent on stopping the rebels and crushing all those in his path to power, by any means necessary, is the Republic’s Treasurer, Henry Erskine. Besides the Father himself, Henry Erskine was the most powerful man in the Republic, so getting his way was something the Treasurer was very much use to. Yet things were starting to unravel at the seams for Henry, and as far as he was concerned the rebels were at the centre of it all.
Yet without knowing it, stuck in the middle of this battle between good and evil was a young boy, Timothy. He was a good boy who lived in the Republic with his Mama. He did well in his classes with his tutor and on the Campus with his fellow classmates. Yet Timothy wasn’t like all the other children, He had a series heart defect that only a life saving heart transplant would fix. Luckily for Timothy he was able to get a new heart, but that’s when everything changed. Timothy started to think for himself and realise not everything was as it seemed. Maybe the people he trusted and been hiding the truth from him, from everyone the whole time.
As Heath fights for freedom and Henry does everything in his power to stop the rise of the Rebels, Timothy battles to uncover the truth. Can good really overcome evil? Will Timothy be able to uncover the truth? And when it all comes to an end who will be left standing to pick up the pieces?
“In the Name of the Father” was the longest story that I have read in quite some time, it took me few chapters to get into the groove of the story. However, I was rewarded for sticking it through.
This dystopian novel picks up the pace after the first few chapters and immerses you into a world where not everything is as it seems and even thought the battle may seem hopeless and lost, its still worth fighting for what you believe in. You feel for Heath as he is forced to grow up before his time and struggles through things many kids and people his age are luckily to never have to think about. Henry makes you realise what power can do in the hands of the wrong person, for someone who has no regard for others just their own needs and agenda. Timothy is just an innocent child influenced by propaganda and the misinformation feed to him by the very people who should be looking after him. It is a gritty story that keeps you rooting for the underdog even when it seems like everything might be lost and hoping that everyone gets what they truly deserve.
This story keeps the reader engaged with it’s interesting twists and turns that you do not see coming and with an ending that I believe ties it all together nicely.
‘In the Name of the Father” is the debut novel of Australian author, Michael Francis McDermott.
This novel is a dystopian based story that follows the stories of three characters: a rebel, a republican and a child caught between it all.
Hundreds of years ago the old world collapsed and died thanks to what became know as the Religious War and the inadequacies of the governments and rulers of the time. Almost destroying everything that was left of humanity and civilization as knew it.
What came out of the ashes was a new government that became known as the Republic, all in the name their leader, all in the name of the Father. With society broken down broken up into pieces known as the Republic and the various Grey zones. The people that lived in the Grey zones were considered to be inferior people compared to those of the Republic. Savage and lawless, but reality couldn’t be further from the truth. The people of the Grey zones were forced to live under the punishing rules of the Republic.
Heath has spent his entire life living in the Grey zone under the oppression of the Republic, having lost many family and friends. But as a rebel that is a more frequent occurrence for Heath but he doesn’t let hat stop him from doing what he can to fight back and help win freedom for all the people of the Grey zones. There is just one major obstacle in his way.
Intent on stopping the rebels and crushing all those in his path to power, by any means necessary, is the Republic’s Treasurer, Henry Erskine. Besides the Father himself, Henry Erskine was the most powerful man in the Republic, so getting his way was something the Treasurer was very much use to. Yet things were starting to unravel at the seams for Henry, and as far as he was concerned the rebels were at the centre of it all.
Yet without knowing it, stuck in the middle of this battle between good and evil was a young boy, Timothy. He was a good boy who lived in the Republic with his Mama. He did well in his classes with his tutor and on the Campus with his fellow classmates. Yet Timothy wasn’t like all the other children, He had a series heart defect that only a life saving heart transplant would fix. Luckily for Timothy he was able to get a new heart, but that’s when everything changed. Timothy started to think for himself and realise not everything was as it seemed. Maybe the people he trusted and been hiding the truth from him, from everyone the whole time.
As Heath fights for freedom and Henry does everything in his power to stop the rise of the Rebels, Timothy battles to uncover the truth. Can good really overcome evil? Will Timothy be able to uncover the truth? And when it all comes to an end who will be left standing to pick up the pieces?
“In the Name of the Father” was the longest story that I have read in quite some time, it took me few chapters to get into the groove of the story. However, I was rewarded for sticking it through.
This dystopian novel picks up the pace after the first few chapters and immerses you into a world where not everything is as it seems and even thought the battle may seem hopeless and lost, its still worth fighting for what you believe in. You feel for Heath as he is forced to grow up before his time and struggles through things many kids and people his age are luckily to never have to think about. Henry makes you realise what power can do in the hands of the wrong person, for someone who has no regard for others just their own needs and agenda. Timothy is just an innocent child influenced by propaganda and the misinformation feed to him by the very people who should be looking after him. It is a gritty story that keeps you rooting for the underdog even when it seems like everything might be lost and hoping that everyone gets what they truly deserve.
This story keeps the reader engaged with it’s interesting twists and turns that you do not see coming and with an ending that I believe ties it all together nicely.
February 21, 2020
It is the year 2196. Religion is outlawed, genuinely thought to be nothing but problematic or the product of insanity. Because of this, the world, as you or I know it now in 2019, has collapsed. From its ashes rises a new world order, The Republic, the sole surviving state of the new world, and - of course - the resistance.
Welcome to Michael Francis McDermott’s ambitious, sprawling epic debut novel IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER. It begins by tearing into a dystopian world like a bat out of hell. Your only option is to grab a hold of something and come along for the ride.
Beyond its fiercely propulsive opening chapters, the novel slows down. It sputters a little, taking its time to find its rhythm, and learning about the history of how things came to be feels more like exposition being dropped rather than arising organically, but the novel gets there in the end, finding a cosy groove between energetic action and engaging drama.
It’s opening chapters feel familiar, I must admit. The world is split into sectors, there’s an all-powerful governing force and a small resistance, but Michael Francis McDermott has his own agenda. He has his own voice and he intends to deliver upon the concept he establishes. It’s different enough, for me, that I continued to read. Intrigued by what would come next.
His writing style has the engaging action like Matthew Reilly with all the imagination of Suzanne Collins and all the tenderness of John Marsden’s Tomorrow, When The War Began. As I said, he channels the spirit of such authors but he comes into his own, especially as the novel goes on and the world is fleshed out and establishes his themes.
I mean, a world without religion? Just think about that for a moment. Think about the chaos, think about the violence the world has carried out in the name of religion - for years. What would happen if religion all around the world was eradicated? What would the world fight about then? What would that mean for people? And what does that mean for a reader who has faith? Do we assume or hope the novel has a fantastical element to it? What if it doesn’t have a fantastical element, what does that mean? Talk about an existential crisis.
Michael Francis McDermott, thankfully, paints the world in shades of grey. You get to see both sides of the conflict, from characters within The Republic - some sane, some fanatical - to the resistance and their reasons for fighting. As a reader, you get the whole picture, which I was satisfied with.
I just wish the novel had a glossary, featuring a list of characters and a timeline and a map. As this is an ARC, I cannot say whether such an aspect will be included but I think that given the cast of characters and locations, both a map of some areas and list of characters with a brief description, would be add to the immersion of the novel.
Ultimately, IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER is an impressive debut, with some strong ideas that drive the plot along. It is a long novel that often feels slow and some delivery of story beats feel more clunky than organic but Michael Francis McDermott displays a talent for writing set pieces, characters and action and I do believe there’s a bright future ahead for him.
Welcome to Michael Francis McDermott’s ambitious, sprawling epic debut novel IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER. It begins by tearing into a dystopian world like a bat out of hell. Your only option is to grab a hold of something and come along for the ride.
Beyond its fiercely propulsive opening chapters, the novel slows down. It sputters a little, taking its time to find its rhythm, and learning about the history of how things came to be feels more like exposition being dropped rather than arising organically, but the novel gets there in the end, finding a cosy groove between energetic action and engaging drama.
It’s opening chapters feel familiar, I must admit. The world is split into sectors, there’s an all-powerful governing force and a small resistance, but Michael Francis McDermott has his own agenda. He has his own voice and he intends to deliver upon the concept he establishes. It’s different enough, for me, that I continued to read. Intrigued by what would come next.
His writing style has the engaging action like Matthew Reilly with all the imagination of Suzanne Collins and all the tenderness of John Marsden’s Tomorrow, When The War Began. As I said, he channels the spirit of such authors but he comes into his own, especially as the novel goes on and the world is fleshed out and establishes his themes.
I mean, a world without religion? Just think about that for a moment. Think about the chaos, think about the violence the world has carried out in the name of religion - for years. What would happen if religion all around the world was eradicated? What would the world fight about then? What would that mean for people? And what does that mean for a reader who has faith? Do we assume or hope the novel has a fantastical element to it? What if it doesn’t have a fantastical element, what does that mean? Talk about an existential crisis.
Michael Francis McDermott, thankfully, paints the world in shades of grey. You get to see both sides of the conflict, from characters within The Republic - some sane, some fanatical - to the resistance and their reasons for fighting. As a reader, you get the whole picture, which I was satisfied with.
I just wish the novel had a glossary, featuring a list of characters and a timeline and a map. As this is an ARC, I cannot say whether such an aspect will be included but I think that given the cast of characters and locations, both a map of some areas and list of characters with a brief description, would be add to the immersion of the novel.
Ultimately, IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER is an impressive debut, with some strong ideas that drive the plot along. It is a long novel that often feels slow and some delivery of story beats feel more clunky than organic but Michael Francis McDermott displays a talent for writing set pieces, characters and action and I do believe there’s a bright future ahead for him.
February 24, 2020
The year is 2196 and it is a very different world to the one we know. Citizens of the Republic live inside the fence, and everything is done to keep those on the outside out. Inside the fence is a world where there is one law, law that is completely unchanged from time of enactment. Religion is outlawed. Outside the fence we have civilisations struggling to survive, trying to get inside the fence to steal medical supplies and the like, and often relying on food drops from inside the fence.
I loved the premise and enjoyed the journey this book took. I found the perspectives of the new world very interesting, and particularly liked the classroom sessions between an intelligent nine year old and his tutor looking back at history - our current times - and explaining the failings of the West (were individual freedoms took precedence over everything) and the East (where religion took precedence), all of which led to the collapse of both and the birth of the new Republic which corrected these failings.
I loved the premise and enjoyed the journey this book took. I found the perspectives of the new world very interesting, and particularly liked the classroom sessions between an intelligent nine year old and his tutor looking back at history - our current times - and explaining the failings of the West (were individual freedoms took precedence over everything) and the East (where religion took precedence), all of which led to the collapse of both and the birth of the new Republic which corrected these failings.
March 9, 2020
A compelling read. Whilst the length of the book was imposing at first, I was quickly drawn into the story and after the first few chapters I knew I was in for the long haul!
Set in a dystopian future, the novel raises interesting questions surrounding the pitfalls of democracy and the place of religion in society - without taking a distinct stance on either side of the equation. This is achieved by storytelling from the perspective of each of the main characters, all of whom have their own very firm set of beliefs challenged at different stages of the story.
The characters are strong and believable (Slinky, a tough and slightly unhinged Republican Agent, being the most engaging for my part) and the action relentless, with the occasional pause to delve into 'history' to establish how things went so wrong for society as a whole.
The book was graphic in parts, which wasn't a dealbreaker for me - but these scenes are certainly not for the faint of heart. Overall a thoroughly enjoyable read
Set in a dystopian future, the novel raises interesting questions surrounding the pitfalls of democracy and the place of religion in society - without taking a distinct stance on either side of the equation. This is achieved by storytelling from the perspective of each of the main characters, all of whom have their own very firm set of beliefs challenged at different stages of the story.
The characters are strong and believable (Slinky, a tough and slightly unhinged Republican Agent, being the most engaging for my part) and the action relentless, with the occasional pause to delve into 'history' to establish how things went so wrong for society as a whole.
The book was graphic in parts, which wasn't a dealbreaker for me - but these scenes are certainly not for the faint of heart. Overall a thoroughly enjoyable read
March 16, 2020
BE AWARE: This book could easily be a prediction of future societal direction. Michael McDermott is a fan of George Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty Four” and has now penned his own exciting glimpse into his future of “2196”.
Our country’s leadership decides on the rules we must abide and how we must live. The author gives us a dramatic view of how easily we could be led into following and voting in new ideas and fads that can lock us into a lifestyle of divisiveness and also fearful for our families and the future.
This book is a must read exciting thriller to the end.
Our country’s leadership decides on the rules we must abide and how we must live. The author gives us a dramatic view of how easily we could be led into following and voting in new ideas and fads that can lock us into a lifestyle of divisiveness and also fearful for our families and the future.
This book is a must read exciting thriller to the end.
April 17, 2020
A fantastic read!
I loved how there was so much detail in all the characters and they were really well thought out.
I loved the how we got the different perspectives and I was even able the empathize with the “bad guys”.
The different theories and theology was really intriguing, and I felt the author covered all the different ideals each character had very thoroughly.
The way it was all brought together at the end, was exceptional and I even had a tear in my eye!
As a first published work - it’s just brilliant!
May 6, 2020
A flawed but powerful debut from an author whose writing can only get better. At times the uneven pacing and narrative structure can make some sections jarring, and despite its length I was still left somewhat confused by the (self)-contradictory ideologies of the characters and nations.
However, the intense, violent action, the complicated, interwoven plot threads, and the depth of the world and characters more than make up for it. The locations are few but constantly evolving, the characters are many and interesting, and the story never stops. A great read that keeps you keen see what else this world has in store.
However, the intense, violent action, the complicated, interwoven plot threads, and the depth of the world and characters more than make up for it. The locations are few but constantly evolving, the characters are many and interesting, and the story never stops. A great read that keeps you keen see what else this world has in store.
March 18, 2020
This is my voluntarily submitted review, fair and honest and in my own words, for this ARC. This will probably be a long review but I feel it is warranted. In The Name of the Father is a dystopian fiction that has the feel of current (or what COULD quickly become current) events. This is a huge book! If you happen to be in quarantine, this is the book that will see you through. The story is based in the 22nd century where religion and leadership are in opposing camps. There are references to the "old world" which apparently ended shortly after the 911 tragedy. The Father promotes social separation based on the haves and haves nots, those who are sensible and follow the Father's laws and those who question those laws and want freedom. I have to warn you, there are some very violent and disturbing depictions and sexual references which might offend some readers. You can pretty easily pick out when they are coming and skip over them if you think it might upset you, as I am sure they will some people. Despite these very graphic scenes, this is a very well written book that makes you think and question. One that will leave you suspended in this world, never knowing if what you believe is real or propaganda.
May 2, 2020
In The Name of the Father is a dystopian thriller set near the end of the 22nd Century about an authoritarian regime called The Republic, where religion is outlawed and the lucky few live comfortable lives inside electric fences while the rest scrabble to survive in the wasteland. I started it in March, fully intending to finish it in time for publication, but then it became apparent just how long that was going to take, and how bleak it is, so with the Covid crisis escalating globally, I put it aside. Had it not been an ARC from NetGalley I would’ve abandoned it, but I really hate to do that, and it did have an interesting premise. I now wish I had followed my instincts - it really is unreasonably long and depressingly dark.
The plot is in some ways fairly standard dystopian fare. After a long ago unspecified war in an unnamed country, but somehow triggered by 9/11, the Republican regime controls every facet of it’s subjects lives. Told from multiple POVs, this is about a group of rebels from the Grey district, including MC Heath, who conduct raids across the fence for essential medical supplies. There’s a narcissistic sexually depraved politician, a vicious Agent of the Republican Guard who uses the campaign to stamp out all traces of religion to indulge her own sadistic urges, and a bright but naive schoolboy suffering from congenital heart disease who dreams of one day becoming a minister to impress the Father who leads them all from behind closed doors.
I normally like PA/dystopian fiction, with or without supernatural/paranormal or sci-fi elements - stories about survival against the odds, the rise of new civilisations, plucky rebels overcoming evil Empires - but I really don’t like war stories because too often they focus on violence, torture, abuse of power and senseless death - well this book takes all those and dials them up to 11. It’s definitely not for the faint-hearted. Early on there is a gratuitously graphic extended rape scene, and later a stomach-turning torture scene that I skipped over - pages and pages of it.
In fact every scene all the way through is four times longer than it needs to be, and when I resumed it at 50% I realised that the only way I was going to get through it was by skim reading whole sections. Even with that, it’s taken hours. The author writes well but feels the need to describe every single action, thought, motivation, step and emotion of each protagonist, over and over. Spending that much time in evil antagonist Slinky’s head has left me feeling nauseated, and while there is a happy ending of sorts, the pay-off was definitely not worth it.
This is an ambitious debut novel with some intriguing ideas and a lot to say, but confused messaging. Large parts of the history and philosophy of the Republic are conveyed through Timothy’s private tutoring, which felt pretty clunky, and his awakening to the meaning of life via quantum physics and subsequent abandonment of his whole belief system was implausible for a thirteen year old. The final revelation of just who the nonverbal family snatched from their own country and transported into captivity - then forgotten for much of the book, was no great surprise but dampened any sense of relief.
Maybe I might’ve enjoyed this more if the whole world wasn’t going through a minor apocalypse - and if you’ve got a lot of free time to spend on one story, this might make the real world that bit brighter by comparison. It has several high-star reviews but I didn’t enjoy it at all and recommend proceeding with caution. If I haven’t put you off, it’s available now.
The plot is in some ways fairly standard dystopian fare. After a long ago unspecified war in an unnamed country, but somehow triggered by 9/11, the Republican regime controls every facet of it’s subjects lives. Told from multiple POVs, this is about a group of rebels from the Grey district, including MC Heath, who conduct raids across the fence for essential medical supplies. There’s a narcissistic sexually depraved politician, a vicious Agent of the Republican Guard who uses the campaign to stamp out all traces of religion to indulge her own sadistic urges, and a bright but naive schoolboy suffering from congenital heart disease who dreams of one day becoming a minister to impress the Father who leads them all from behind closed doors.
I normally like PA/dystopian fiction, with or without supernatural/paranormal or sci-fi elements - stories about survival against the odds, the rise of new civilisations, plucky rebels overcoming evil Empires - but I really don’t like war stories because too often they focus on violence, torture, abuse of power and senseless death - well this book takes all those and dials them up to 11. It’s definitely not for the faint-hearted. Early on there is a gratuitously graphic extended rape scene, and later a stomach-turning torture scene that I skipped over - pages and pages of it.
In fact every scene all the way through is four times longer than it needs to be, and when I resumed it at 50% I realised that the only way I was going to get through it was by skim reading whole sections. Even with that, it’s taken hours. The author writes well but feels the need to describe every single action, thought, motivation, step and emotion of each protagonist, over and over. Spending that much time in evil antagonist Slinky’s head has left me feeling nauseated, and while there is a happy ending of sorts, the pay-off was definitely not worth it.
This is an ambitious debut novel with some intriguing ideas and a lot to say, but confused messaging. Large parts of the history and philosophy of the Republic are conveyed through Timothy’s private tutoring, which felt pretty clunky, and his awakening to the meaning of life via quantum physics and subsequent abandonment of his whole belief system was implausible for a thirteen year old. The final revelation of just who the nonverbal family snatched from their own country and transported into captivity - then forgotten for much of the book, was no great surprise but dampened any sense of relief.
Maybe I might’ve enjoyed this more if the whole world wasn’t going through a minor apocalypse - and if you’ve got a lot of free time to spend on one story, this might make the real world that bit brighter by comparison. It has several high-star reviews but I didn’t enjoy it at all and recommend proceeding with caution. If I haven’t put you off, it’s available now.
May 24, 2020
In The Name of The Father is an epic novel, not for the faint-hearted! It is a novel that deeply examines our human ‘being’. This book has a wonderful storyline, multi-layered and steeped in the lessons of history, science, the seen and unseen and the complex questions around truth, life and love.
With well-developed characters, who the reader becomes more and more invested in as the book progresses, we explore the ‘new world’, the world where religion is outlawed and the areas beyond the ‘fences’. In our journey we come face to face with good and evil, in its many forms. We take every step with the main characters as they hurtle towards a monumental climax with some surprising twists along the way.
Filled with profound philosophy, at times beautiful prose and other times confronting action, the reader is taken on an adventure never to be forgotten.
Although the length may seem daunting, the story which evolves is well worth the time it takes to read to the end. I highly recommend this book - it stirred so many emotions and had me questioning everything! An ambitious novel by this debut author !
With well-developed characters, who the reader becomes more and more invested in as the book progresses, we explore the ‘new world’, the world where religion is outlawed and the areas beyond the ‘fences’. In our journey we come face to face with good and evil, in its many forms. We take every step with the main characters as they hurtle towards a monumental climax with some surprising twists along the way.
Filled with profound philosophy, at times beautiful prose and other times confronting action, the reader is taken on an adventure never to be forgotten.
Although the length may seem daunting, the story which evolves is well worth the time it takes to read to the end. I highly recommend this book - it stirred so many emotions and had me questioning everything! An ambitious novel by this debut author !
February 27, 2020
**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**
I was intrigued by this book as soon as I saw it, dystopian/post apocalyptic novels are always interesting and I enjoy that so many authors can come at it from different angles and Michael Francis McDermott is no exception.
I didn't like that it was written from 5 different character perspectives, but that is purely reader opinion! The story was well written, the characters were well written and I could see the reasoning behind the different perspectives as the novel unfolded.
As the novel progresses so do our characters, both heroes/villains alike, their character development was well thought out and it was nice to notice the poignant changes that they had gone through at the end of the novel.. when their paths finally cross it is interesting to see the interactions these five very different character have with one another.
I liked that McDermott explained what had happened, that there were 'history lessons' so that the reader could feel like:
a) they could've been a student learning about this in school
b) they hadn't missed a major plot point or felt as though the reason for the apocalyptic mess was unresolved.
As a debut novel - is does have its flaws and each reader will find things they like or dislike, as is the way with all books. However I feel like this was an interesting read, although a bit lengthy, and it will do well with a wide variety of readers.
I was intrigued by this book as soon as I saw it, dystopian/post apocalyptic novels are always interesting and I enjoy that so many authors can come at it from different angles and Michael Francis McDermott is no exception.
I didn't like that it was written from 5 different character perspectives, but that is purely reader opinion! The story was well written, the characters were well written and I could see the reasoning behind the different perspectives as the novel unfolded.
As the novel progresses so do our characters, both heroes/villains alike, their character development was well thought out and it was nice to notice the poignant changes that they had gone through at the end of the novel.. when their paths finally cross it is interesting to see the interactions these five very different character have with one another.
I liked that McDermott explained what had happened, that there were 'history lessons' so that the reader could feel like:
a) they could've been a student learning about this in school
b) they hadn't missed a major plot point or felt as though the reason for the apocalyptic mess was unresolved.
As a debut novel - is does have its flaws and each reader will find things they like or dislike, as is the way with all books. However I feel like this was an interesting read, although a bit lengthy, and it will do well with a wide variety of readers.
Read
October 3, 2020Fantastic story line(s) and I did not think Michael would be able to draw them all together but he did a pretty good job of it, twists and turns right up until the end. It kept my interest which was a pretty good effort considering the large amount of content.
September 21, 2020
An impressive project for a young author.
Some editing is required with grammar and "alternative" words.
I am working on a list of suggested changes.
Some editing is required with grammar and "alternative" words.
I am working on a list of suggested changes.
July 16, 2020
Imagine living in a society where there is great suffering and injustice? Government Control, Loss of individualism, technological control, environmental destruction and survival. Michael McDermott's debut Novel ' In the Name of the Father' takes you on a ride like never before. A captivating story in pursuit of the truth. Is there room for faith and spirituality in the modern world? Can you ever really be free? Is there a place for religion in a dystopian world? A brilliant plot with unexpected twists and turns. A thrilling ride that turns up the action with each page.
June 16, 2020
Imagine a world where the law means order, stability, complete unity and obedience to the same set of rules without exception. Religion is outlawed and the Father rules the citizens living in the Republic.
The main characters include the following. Slinky leads the Freedom Fighters on raids to stop the citizens from making the mistakes of the old world and help eradicate rebels. Ever since her childhood she has wanted to hunt the insane and eradicate the old beliefs. Employed by the Republic she keeps a dark secret. Heath leads the rebels on raids from the Grey Zone into the Republic for much needed medications for their people. Although young he is dedicated to helping the people attain freedom again. Timothy is a young boy with a heart condition living and attending classes in the Republic.
I started out thinking this wasn’t the sort of book I would normally read then felt a compulsion to follow through to the end. A little slow in parts, others felt a like a lesson with tense breath holding material thrown in.
I felt like there was some truth in this story and it wasn’t hard to imagine the same situations happening in the future. Seems to me worlds might change but people will always want power over others.
Top marks for a first time dystopian thriller. I particularly enjoyed the parts involving the Extraction Centre.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of the book in return for an honest review.
The main characters include the following. Slinky leads the Freedom Fighters on raids to stop the citizens from making the mistakes of the old world and help eradicate rebels. Ever since her childhood she has wanted to hunt the insane and eradicate the old beliefs. Employed by the Republic she keeps a dark secret. Heath leads the rebels on raids from the Grey Zone into the Republic for much needed medications for their people. Although young he is dedicated to helping the people attain freedom again. Timothy is a young boy with a heart condition living and attending classes in the Republic.
I started out thinking this wasn’t the sort of book I would normally read then felt a compulsion to follow through to the end. A little slow in parts, others felt a like a lesson with tense breath holding material thrown in.
I felt like there was some truth in this story and it wasn’t hard to imagine the same situations happening in the future. Seems to me worlds might change but people will always want power over others.
Top marks for a first time dystopian thriller. I particularly enjoyed the parts involving the Extraction Centre.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of the book in return for an honest review.
November 10, 2020
In the Name of the Father was my favourite book that I've read since Return of the King, and I've read alot of books in that time.
It's part action/adventure, part dystopian fiction, part reality, part psychology, part philosophy.
There are so many elements to this book that I loved.
First- the action/adventure. It is exciting and relevant. Some writers don't make the effort to understand military issues or revolutions in depth, but it's clear McDermott has here and that makes for surprising moments of enjoyment for people who work in that area! Usually I find myself cringing at battle sequences, I never did once in this quite long book.
Second- the dystopian fiction. The back story, which reveals itself teasingly over the course of the book, is both believable and thorough. You only have to look at the world today to see that the world McDermott imagines is both feasible and frightening. He paints a picture of the future Planet Earth without getting into onerous detail, so you're able to derive your own idea of what it might look like.
Third- the psychological aspects. I got so invested in the characters. And the development is excellent. There are surprises here and there, but nothing feels out of place, which is what makes the book so enjoyable. You get so invested in the characters and the way they evolve and how their backstories unfold was the pleasant surprise of this book, making me want to read it again.
Fourth- the philosophical aspect. This truly is the gem of the book. This book isn't preachy, it is intense, it is provocative- but it won't suggest for a moment what right or wrong is. You have to decide that for yourself.
Finally, it feels personal. This book is both a blank canvas and a deep treatise at the same time. There's so much to sink your teeth into on a visceral, technical and philosophical level. You get so invested in the characters. You are regularly confronted with moral dilemmas. But throughout it all, there is just enough room to allow the reader's imagination to flourish and overlay one's perceptions and philosophies onto the world that McDermott presents.
My favourite book of the last ten years, hands down.
It's part action/adventure, part dystopian fiction, part reality, part psychology, part philosophy.
There are so many elements to this book that I loved.
First- the action/adventure. It is exciting and relevant. Some writers don't make the effort to understand military issues or revolutions in depth, but it's clear McDermott has here and that makes for surprising moments of enjoyment for people who work in that area! Usually I find myself cringing at battle sequences, I never did once in this quite long book.
Second- the dystopian fiction. The back story, which reveals itself teasingly over the course of the book, is both believable and thorough. You only have to look at the world today to see that the world McDermott imagines is both feasible and frightening. He paints a picture of the future Planet Earth without getting into onerous detail, so you're able to derive your own idea of what it might look like.
Third- the psychological aspects. I got so invested in the characters. And the development is excellent. There are surprises here and there, but nothing feels out of place, which is what makes the book so enjoyable. You get so invested in the characters and the way they evolve and how their backstories unfold was the pleasant surprise of this book, making me want to read it again.
Fourth- the philosophical aspect. This truly is the gem of the book. This book isn't preachy, it is intense, it is provocative- but it won't suggest for a moment what right or wrong is. You have to decide that for yourself.
Finally, it feels personal. This book is both a blank canvas and a deep treatise at the same time. There's so much to sink your teeth into on a visceral, technical and philosophical level. You get so invested in the characters. You are regularly confronted with moral dilemmas. But throughout it all, there is just enough room to allow the reader's imagination to flourish and overlay one's perceptions and philosophies onto the world that McDermott presents.
My favourite book of the last ten years, hands down.
January 2, 2021
This is my first time writing a review, and I dont really understand why every single one starts with a repeat of the basic storyline, so if thats a thing, apologies for not doing it. I figure everyone else has, so I don't need to. I loved this book. I didn't expect to, my Mum and I met the author doing a signing or something outside a bookstore in Castle Towers, and we thought he worked at the store, but had the startling realisation when he signed it, that he didn't, and was the author. I however cannot leave a book unread, but have found myself stuck until the very end, and enjoying every page. My only criticism would be an explanation of the inhabitants of the coastal protection zone, and what the situation actually was, and what happened to Jake? How did slinky get him?
Either way, loved it! 10/10 would recommend!
Either way, loved it! 10/10 would recommend!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2020
I met the author at Dymocks, started a conversation and decided to give this aspiring author’s first published novel a go.
It fits in the same genre at The Hunger Games, but rather than a series of shorter novels it is one thick doorstop. It creates a large, relatively complex world with several major threads developed that eventually converge.
It presents as an action-oriented thriller but the writing is often ponderous, using wordy sentences rather than crisp, clear writing. [I’d suggest the editor needed to give more input here.] It regularly inserts significant monologues (eg where the tutor “educates” the 9yo) that are intended to teach us the mindset of some of the main characters but feel preachy. It repeatedly refers to the same feature of a character (eg rapidly pounding heart) so they become cliche rather than genuinely developing the character.
The monologues reveal shallow presentations of profound arguments - from Platos Republic to arguments for intelligent design. I recognised the references but didn’t feel like my appreciation of them was enhanced.
As several other reviews have mentioned, there are at least two scenes with disturbing content. And I’m not convinced that they were necessary.
However, let me conclude this critical review by stating that McDermott succeeds in achieving the most difficult challenge: driving the plot through a thousand pages and bringing it to a satisfying conclusion that brings all the threads together.
McDermott deserves congratulations for his first novel.
It fits in the same genre at The Hunger Games, but rather than a series of shorter novels it is one thick doorstop. It creates a large, relatively complex world with several major threads developed that eventually converge.
It presents as an action-oriented thriller but the writing is often ponderous, using wordy sentences rather than crisp, clear writing. [I’d suggest the editor needed to give more input here.] It regularly inserts significant monologues (eg where the tutor “educates” the 9yo) that are intended to teach us the mindset of some of the main characters but feel preachy. It repeatedly refers to the same feature of a character (eg rapidly pounding heart) so they become cliche rather than genuinely developing the character.
The monologues reveal shallow presentations of profound arguments - from Platos Republic to arguments for intelligent design. I recognised the references but didn’t feel like my appreciation of them was enhanced.
As several other reviews have mentioned, there are at least two scenes with disturbing content. And I’m not convinced that they were necessary.
However, let me conclude this critical review by stating that McDermott succeeds in achieving the most difficult challenge: driving the plot through a thousand pages and bringing it to a satisfying conclusion that brings all the threads together.
McDermott deserves congratulations for his first novel.
October 19, 2020
This book started out slow, honestly it was heading for one star (okay maybe 2 stars because it was easy to read and I liked how the author didn't hold back when it came to the action and the sex). I almost gave up but I'm glad I didn't. If the first half is slow then the second half is the total opposite. In fact I don't think I've ever read a book so quickly as I did the last 300 pages of this book. The twists came as a big surprise to me, just when I thought I knew the full story there was another shock to come my way. The ending blew me away because I didn't guess it even if I don't fully buy what the ending is implying.
November 8, 2020
I really liked this series. It was very insightful, creative and well written. This story shows the very best and worst in people. My emotions were on a rollercoaster throughout the entire series. My only recommendation would to be to add a few pictures/diagrams/maps. Although it was an easy and compelling read, a visual aid would have helped in describing a few scenes. Excellent job!
December 17, 2020
As I had never really taken to reading books in this genre I was surprised as to how much I LOVED this book! The start of the book was a bit slow and it took me a while to get to know and understand all the characters. This ended up being worth it as the characters had so much depth and complexity to them. I was fully immersed in their world and emotionally invested in the characters. The way everything tied together in the end was very clever and I loved all the twists and turns along the way. The writer portrayed a world that was quite violent at times, shocking, as well as one that showed deep love, loyalty and hope - there was no holding back on any of these themes and I feel it captures mankind's darkness and light perfectly.
An incredibly thought provoking, exciting book that I highly recommend.
An incredibly thought provoking, exciting book that I highly recommend.
December 15, 2020
Whoa.... brilliant! Dystopian thrillers is not my usual genre, but this was great. Michael is a great writer and thinker. It's scary really - the book is so plausible given our current political climate in the world. Definitely worth the read. I can't wait until his next book. This one would make a great movie or TV miniseries.
December 5, 2020
Book Review: ‘In the Name of the Father’
By Michael Francis McDermott.
A gripping and powerful dystopian novel that managed to surpass my high expectations and kept me guessing from start to finish. Any plot summary will be inadequate, but here it goes: the reader is led and then absorbed into the journey of the protagonist in the story, Heath, a rebel to the Republic, and his fight for freedom and salvation from the regime that killed his parents and took away his friends.
Multiple storylines are layered strategically and complex matters of religion, politics, family structures and relationships, love, and the exploration of the human spirit are made easy to understand as all are intertwined with a fluidity of writing hardly seen by a debut author. This epic story successfully weaves relevant current issues into a future society which also draws upon the history of our civilisation. A battle of old world versus new, with equally heart-warming characters versus their adversaries, I was surprised to see myself drawn to various parts of many of these character’s psyches. It is thought-provoking in its intensity and philosophical undertones, I loved it thoroughly, both storyline and the characters.
If you love yourself a literary thriller, this is the novel for you.
By Michael Francis McDermott.
A gripping and powerful dystopian novel that managed to surpass my high expectations and kept me guessing from start to finish. Any plot summary will be inadequate, but here it goes: the reader is led and then absorbed into the journey of the protagonist in the story, Heath, a rebel to the Republic, and his fight for freedom and salvation from the regime that killed his parents and took away his friends.
Multiple storylines are layered strategically and complex matters of religion, politics, family structures and relationships, love, and the exploration of the human spirit are made easy to understand as all are intertwined with a fluidity of writing hardly seen by a debut author. This epic story successfully weaves relevant current issues into a future society which also draws upon the history of our civilisation. A battle of old world versus new, with equally heart-warming characters versus their adversaries, I was surprised to see myself drawn to various parts of many of these character’s psyches. It is thought-provoking in its intensity and philosophical undertones, I loved it thoroughly, both storyline and the characters.
If you love yourself a literary thriller, this is the novel for you.
October 18, 2021
A little slow to start; scenery and plot is described so a reader can visually view approximately what they look like and what they are looking at and the area that they are in. As a reader I felt like I was right next to them while listening and understanding their conversation, connection, feelings and emotions. I personally was unable to understand the storyline. I do understand that the stories from a number of characters and somehow link together. I didn’t finish the book as I was unable to enjoy reading the book but I do recommend the book to those who appreciate the genre and can understand the plot.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Hemisphere Publishing via NetGalley for my honest review of the book In the Name of the Father. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own thoughts, feelings and viewpoints of the book.
#thefatherbook #NetGalley
Review run date was set for 30 March 2020 for Netgalley, unfortunately life stood at a standstill as I finished the final semester and three subjects of my studies. On 28 March 2021 I was set to write the review and my health became an emotional roller coaster so here I am today 18 October 2021 review will be posted on my WordPress blog, Facebook blog, Instagram, LinkedIn, Amazon.com.au, goodreads, along with the non-linked retail online stores that sell the book is at:
My WordPress blog link is http://bluefalkon95adorationofallgenr... I have 27 followers
My Facebook reader blog page link, is https://www.facebook.com/BlueFalkon95... I have 27 followers
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I received a complimentary copy of this book from Hemisphere Publishing via NetGalley for my honest review of the book In the Name of the Father. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own thoughts, feelings and viewpoints of the book.
#thefatherbook #NetGalley
Review run date was set for 30 March 2020 for Netgalley, unfortunately life stood at a standstill as I finished the final semester and three subjects of my studies. On 28 March 2021 I was set to write the review and my health became an emotional roller coaster so here I am today 18 October 2021 review will be posted on my WordPress blog, Facebook blog, Instagram, LinkedIn, Amazon.com.au, goodreads, along with the non-linked retail online stores that sell the book is at:
My WordPress blog link is http://bluefalkon95adorationofallgenr... I have 27 followers
My Facebook reader blog page link, is https://www.facebook.com/BlueFalkon95... I have 27 followers
My Amazon link is: Sorry I do not have any followers, I have a reviewer ranking #10,871
October 10, 2023
"In 'In the Name of the Father' by Michael McDermott, readers are taken on an emotional journey through a father's poignant struggles and redemption. McDermott's writing is a masterful blend of raw honesty and poetic storytelling, painting a vivid and relatable portrait of familial love and resilience. The narrative's depth and McDermott's empathetic insight into the human condition make this a compelling and heartrending read, leaving a lasting impact on all who delve into its pages."
October 1, 2020
I read this one because it was a recommended read but I was quite disappointed with it.
The writer has some skill - it’s easy to read and he builds tension effectively but overall it doesn’t hold together well.
To start with it starts like a Hunger Games, Maze Runner type text with teenagers as the main characters set in a world where the Capitol (Sorry Republic) controls the resources and takes the children for their own purposes. The outsiders then have to break into the Capitol (Sorry Republic) to gain resources like medical supplies. This set me up to think a young adult audience was intended, particularly with the concerns around first love, family and independence being quite strong through these characters. However, then you get quite horrific explicit sex scenes - two different rape scenarios and a graphic details of some quite hard core violent sex. There’s no not violent sex scenes in the novel.
Then he tries to give us the dystopian connection - he’s pulling through the idea of 9/11 and the East as religious communal ideology vs. the individualism of the West but then only religious artefacts he talks about are Christian, with the rebel/ crazy agent using people as suicide bombers. It just doesn’t quite work - we’re left with unresolved concepts of anti-religion ideology - the bad guys are anti religion but the people who believe in religion are crazy or primitive. The back story is given to us through tutoring sessions that are didactic and quite painful, anti- internet, anti- consumerism, anti- independent thought but we don’t identify with the student (an arrogant judgemental 9 year old) or the tutor - so the sections of the text that are devoted to this are painful to read and off putting.
Then there’s the presentation of refugees, which is absolutely painful - they’re presented as very primitive, almost noble savage characters. Considering they’re meant to be coming on a boat looking for freedom, it’s bordering on offensive (especially from an Australian author), anyone not from the US is essentially caveman like - reinforced with imagery of clubs, caves and lack of clothing.
I’d strongly recommend not wasting the hours it took to read this epic but I might give his second novel a shot if he can resolve some of the issues.
The writer has some skill - it’s easy to read and he builds tension effectively but overall it doesn’t hold together well.
To start with it starts like a Hunger Games, Maze Runner type text with teenagers as the main characters set in a world where the Capitol (Sorry Republic) controls the resources and takes the children for their own purposes. The outsiders then have to break into the Capitol (Sorry Republic) to gain resources like medical supplies. This set me up to think a young adult audience was intended, particularly with the concerns around first love, family and independence being quite strong through these characters. However, then you get quite horrific explicit sex scenes - two different rape scenarios and a graphic details of some quite hard core violent sex. There’s no not violent sex scenes in the novel.
Then he tries to give us the dystopian connection - he’s pulling through the idea of 9/11 and the East as religious communal ideology vs. the individualism of the West but then only religious artefacts he talks about are Christian, with the rebel/ crazy agent using people as suicide bombers. It just doesn’t quite work - we’re left with unresolved concepts of anti-religion ideology - the bad guys are anti religion but the people who believe in religion are crazy or primitive. The back story is given to us through tutoring sessions that are didactic and quite painful, anti- internet, anti- consumerism, anti- independent thought but we don’t identify with the student (an arrogant judgemental 9 year old) or the tutor - so the sections of the text that are devoted to this are painful to read and off putting.
Then there’s the presentation of refugees, which is absolutely painful - they’re presented as very primitive, almost noble savage characters. Considering they’re meant to be coming on a boat looking for freedom, it’s bordering on offensive (especially from an Australian author), anyone not from the US is essentially caveman like - reinforced with imagery of clubs, caves and lack of clothing.
I’d strongly recommend not wasting the hours it took to read this epic but I might give his second novel a shot if he can resolve some of the issues.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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