AK

by Peter Dickinson

Excellent Book

Genres: War, Africa, Childrens, Young Adult, Fiction, Adventure

229 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Peter Malcolm de Brissac Dickinson OBE FRSL was a prolific English author and poet, best known for children's books and detective stories.

Peter Dickinson lived in Hampshire with his second wife, author Robin McKinley. He wrote more than fifty novels for adults and young readers. He won both the Carnegie Medal and the Whitbread Children's Award twice, and his novel The Blue Hawk won The Guardian Award in 1975.

Reviews

[Mmars · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book for ages 12+ that has sadly gone out of print. Checking Amazon today it had only 2 used copies for sale.

I was reading about Ismael Beah's autobiography detailing his life as a boy soldier and AK came to mind. It often does. It's important that a well-written book realistically presenting the life of a boy soldier in modern Africa be available not only for youth, but adults as well.

This book takes place in a fictional country but was published in the early 90s, I believe during the Sierra Leone conflict of Ismael Beah's childhood.

I do not think AK ever sold well or made strong headway into American schools. Perhaps it was TOO timely. Or librarians thought it would be too disturbing or violent. But perhaps it would rather be eye-opening to read about a child who had NOTHING BUT a gun. To read of a place where there is nothing but a war for a child. Depressing? Yeah. But real. It doesn't glorify gun ownership. It demonizes it's role in human history.

[Adam Woolsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

AK, by Peter Dickinson is a novel detailing the incredibly difficult life of a merely 12 year old boy named Paul, who until the start of the novel, has been forced to suffer through life child soldier fighting against the political corruption of the government of Nagala, a fictionalized African country. At the onset of the novel, “peace” is ultimately declared in the country, and Paul moves in with his mentor, and now adopted father, named Michael. However, his world is once again turned upside down as, following a coup staged by an opposing party, his only positive role model, Michael, is imprisoned. The rest of the story follows Paul as he desperately tries to find and free him, detailing the political conflict and violence he witnesses along the way. This novel explores the effects of political corruption, lending itself to realism despite the fact that it takes places in a world created by the author, Peter Dickinson. The story will undoubtedly grip students, and is a definite page turner. More importantly, it offers many aspects of identity and love in the midst of political corruption, all important themes to be discussed and analyzed in a classroom, ultimately exposing students to a situation that they might have studied as a statistic, but not as a story prior to delving into this particularly gripping novel.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a pleasant surprise, I really wasn't sure what this would be like, I wasn't sure how well a book about Africa written in the late 80s/early 90s by a white person would actually be. Would it age like milk?

I needn't have worried. This story has aged brilliantly and quite frankly it's disappointing that the book is now apparently out of print.

I was worried when I read in some other reviews about the alternative ending, but when it came to it, it perfectly demonstrated the knife-edge on which the utter hope and utter hopelessness balance. It takes so little to tip it either way.

This was in a pile of books I expected to read and then pass on, but I think I'll be keeping this until my son is old enough.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really well written account of a civil war in Africa in the fictious country of Nagala as seen through the eyes of a teenage boy, Paul, a child soldier. This is labelled as a children's book but I think it is an important read for adults too. The matter-of-fact way that Paul deals with atrocities is understated but heartbreaking at the same time. The novel also shows a different side to child soldiers, the fact that perhaps they would be dead without the guerilla groups they now work with, the fact that perhaps this is the only family they have. I also loved the split ending, I thought that was very poignant. A really excellent and important read.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Der Krieg ist vorbei, aber Paul kann sich nicht mehr an das Leben davor erinnern. Der Kommandant seiner Truppe war sein Vater, die anderen Soldaten seine Brüder und die Kämpfe waren wie seine Mutter. Was soll aus ihm werden, jetzt wo er alleine ist? Übrig geblieben ist ihm nur sein Gewehr, das er in einem Gebüsch versteckt hat. Jetzt will er ein normales Leben führen, er will zur Schule gehen um eine Zukunft zu haben.

Was wird aus einem Land, wen der Bürgerkrieg vorbei ist? Es gibt noch keinen Frieden in Nagala, auch wen das Kämpfen vorbei ist. Jetzt beginnen sich kleinere Gruppierungen zu bekämpfen, um ein Stück vom Kuchen abzubekommen. Gleichzeitig haben sich die ausländischen Beobachter zurück gezogen, so das die Situation noch chaotischer ist als vorher. Für Paul ist sie sogar noch gefährlicher geworden, denn er weiß nicht mehr, wer Freund und wer Feind ist.

AK ist ein Jugendbuch, was man aber nur am Stil und nicht von Thema her merkt. Peter Dickinson erzählt eindringlich, wie der Krieg zwar vorbei ist, aber das Kämpfen nicht aufhört. Das Land ist plötzlich wieder interessant geworden, weil es über Bodenschätze verfügt. Auf der Suche nach einem sicheren Zuhause treibt Paul wie ein kleines Boot auf hoher See durchs Land.

Ich war zuerst vom Ende des Buchs enttäuscht, weil es nicht zum Rest gepasst hat. Das Kapitel danach hat mich wieder versöhnt. Eine beeindruckende Schilderung eines Konfliktes aus der Sicht eines viel zu jungen Soldaten.

[Rosalind Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was very good - moving, exciting and, mostly, finely paced and written. The two main characters, Paul and Jilli, are wonderfully portrayed, as are the imagined landscape and townscapes of the part of Africa they inhabit. The action takes place at the end of a civil war in which Paul had fought as a boy soldier - a warrior - within a typically corrupt and brutal society where there is extreme poverty, where rival tribal gangs fight for control of essential commodities like water and where a fresh outbreak of war is always just around the corner. Peter Dickinson writes realistically and informatively and at the end of the book he provides two futures for Nagala for us to choose from; one positive where the movement for change for their country – a movement in which the two children had been caught up - bears fruit, and the other negative where the movement fails and Nagala sinks back once again into endless brutality and civil war. Of course we choose the positive, but the other alternative casts its ominous shadow back over the whole story.

[Aj_03 · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book began at a good an interesting phase as the story of a child who was born into the life as a soldier watches how his country sizes the war for only a short time, you begin to learn alot about the country and the diffrent tribes, all those stories were quite interesting yet however knowing the instability of the nation another war was at hand and becuase of his father he is forced to flee with the hopes of trying to help get his father out of jail. The journey wasnt as interesting for me. I personally got quite bored for about 50 pages not only till it ended did it come back to the core point of the story, what was nice was how Dickinson managed to end it and that was with two distinctive alternative.

[Mín Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me, AK is completely deserved the Whitbread award for the best children’s novel not only because of its breathtaking journey that Paul Kagomi had gone through but also because of Peter Dickinson’s excellent way of story-telling. This book is truly a wonderful piece ever written about war for children and I love it absolutelyyyy omg!!!

“You didn’t get a whole city, a whole nation, gathering and marching like this because they’d been told to, or tricked into it. The pressure had to be there in the first place, the longing for peace and hope and freedom after half a lifetime of war...”

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a distrubing story - moreso because of the authentic voices found within it. Peter Dickinson writes books that make you think. He will never be the most popular author but he is one you should definitely read.

This story follows a young boy soldier in the African bush. When peace comes it seems he can live a normal life, putting soldiering away as neatly as his childhood had already been put away. But nothing stays the same for long, and conflict is never far away.

[Bex · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dated and a tad boring at times this is probably a good middle-grade novel to introduce the topic of gang violence, guerrilla warfare and genocide but is nit for me.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kid has gun

[Danny · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's just not a believable story, the main character is too flat and luck is on his side thrice

[Sophia F · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Paul Kagomi is definitely an interesting one.
His father Michael Kagomi, (but not really his father, more like his adoptive dad) was captured for various reasons, and Paul was determined to rescue him.
His most valuable possession is his AK, or his gun. When he touches it, it immediately brings him into reality, and putting him straight into action.
I found this book interesting to read, but Im not exactly sure if this book was meant to make child soldiers to appear as perpetrators or as victims of the circumstances. I'm sorry if I couldn't identify it, but Peter Dickinson didn't make it very obvious. They could be considered perpetrators because of the part when Paul blew up a higher up's fancy car, or victims because since Paul grew up in this kind of world it's not his fault that he acts like that.
I wasn't really sure how I was supposed to feel, so that's part of the reason I didn't give 'AK' a 5 star rating.
Another thing that bothered me and make me give this 4 stars, was the punctuation and grammar. For example on page 32 Dickinson spelled practice as 'practise'.
Although throughout the whole book the author was probably trying to let the reader know how Paul and his friend's language/English speaking skills were by showing how bad their grammar was, but half the time when they were speaking with correct grammar, I wasn't sure if they were speaking English or their normal language.
Something I DID like was how the use of the word 'twittered' was used often, especially when someone was speaking Fulu, and they "twittered some Fulu."
I still am confused, even after finishing the book on the difference between Naga and Nagala. I never figured out the difference, yet the characters kept referring to it and saying that there was a difference. Such as: "I'm not Naga, I'm Nagala." :/
Something I also didn't understand was the "ending A" and "ending B". They both ended the story totally different, and I don't know which one could be considered the 'real' ending.
Not the first book to come to my mind for 'best books', but definitely worth it if you care for a story on child soldiers, told in their point of view, (but still in 3rd person).

[Josie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Re-read in March 2013: Peter Dickinson takes a horrifying subject -- the use of child soldiers and civil war in Africa -- and turns it into a powerfully moving story. Paul is a war orphan who has only ever known war; his best friend is his AK. But his adoptive father Michael has visions of a better future for Africa, and when peace comes he sends Paul to school. However, peace doesn't last for long, and when Michael is imprisoned Paul must leave school and trek through the bush to dig up his AK once more.

This book is a moving account of what it must be like to be a child in a country torn apart by violence. But throughout the terrible atrocities, there is a strong message of hope and change. The split ending was especially good, and packed a strong punch -- as well as a warning. In the first ending, 20 years later there is still peace and Paul's AK remains buried under a war memorial, not needed. In the second ending, 20 years later civil war has broken out again and Paul is shot by a child soldier. In a neat little twist, the young boy who provided the distraction picks up Paul's AK -- as Paul did all those years ago when he was the child soldier providing a distraction for an older comrade. It's an awful, bleak ending -- and it hurts all the more because it could be true.

[Ren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really powerful book. The plot is compelling, the characters infinitely human, and I thought the ending in particular was well-handled. This could easily become a book about moralizing on the wrongness of child soldiers or wishing for something different or giving up all hope, but Dickinson did none of those things, and I really respect his approach to simply try and conceive of the life of Paul and his countrymen. I do think it's interesting knowing that this is written by someone who didn't actually live through any of these circumstances himself. To me that doesn't take away from the book, but I think it would be particularly important for students to be able to compare this to other accounts, ideally some written by actual Africans.

[LeAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Readers of my book, The Wooden Ox, will appreciate this adventure story about a former child soldier in a fictional African country. The author grew up in Zambia. He knows African culture and problems. He does a beautiful job of portraying the struggle for a dream. The main story reaches a satisfying conclusion. Then he offers 2 scenarios for 20 years down the road. In one each of the young characters has achieved his or her dream; in the other let's just say Dickinson does not simplify the painful realities of African politics. I like the way he portrays their languages in fluent English and English as pidgin. Worth multiple reads.

[Fifi Garcia]

AK is a really good and interesting book to read. Ak is one of those books that you start reading and don't want to stop until you finish it. this book is also a very sad book because of what happens through out. Paul Kagomi which is the main character in this book, he is not big enough to be shooting a weapon but the rebels who caught him make him shoot it anyways. Paul didn't want to be captured by them but he wasn't lucky enough. The rebels capture people and kids to make them warriors. Ak is one of the best books I've read and I recommend to everyone.

[Mitchell Palmateer · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's about what happens to a young african american boy that fights in the war. It talks about what he had to do to survive.
I hate reading so I did not like the book.
I did not like it because i dont like books.
Yes because really did not expect much.
when he was in the middle of a battle beacuse of the action.
It had a kid with an AK on the front.

[SallyandBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cannot belive this was meant for junior readers.
I really liked it but found the names and places hard to remember.
It gives the reader a good insight to children who are caught up in wars and fight.
I recomend it to older readers so that they will be able to understand all the long hard words to do with war are.

[Sam B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book, which was surprising because I really don't find books I really enjoy that often so when I found this book and liked it I was amazed at how much detail to every scene. It seamed like every scene had something going on, there was never a dull moment which is why I really liked this book. Also I preferred ending one out of the two possible endings.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book in my youth. I would need to re-read it to give it a better review but I remembered the authors name all these years (I don't remember FRIENDS names) and I remember the storyline and really loved this book.

[elissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't remember much about this at all, but I do remember reading it in the 90's, and that it was the only Dickinson that I read for a long, long time.

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book in 8th grade and loved it. After turning it in to the teacher, the book was lost. The teacher believed me when I told her I turned it in even though she had no reason to believe me.

[Beryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A significant book detailling a disturbing era in African History

[Anne Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of a gun used by a boy, Paul, in Africa. He considers Michael Kagomi his father and his mother to be the war. Michael Kagomi has one arm by the end of the story.

[P.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although it was written awhile ago, it is still relevant today ... sadly.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remarkable! Please read Peter Dickinson. His writing can be challenging and sometimes odd, but it is always forthright and insightful. This is my new favourite Peter Dickenson novel.